Sharḥ Majmaʻ al-Baḥrayn, [862, i.e. 1459].

Abstract

Fine copy of Firişteoğlu's (Firiştezade, ʻAbd al-Laṭīf ibn ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz al-shahīr bi-Ibn Malak) commentary on Majmaʻ al-Baḥrayn of Ibn al-Sāʻātī (d. 696/1296), a compendium on Ḥanafī law, based on the Mukhtaṣar of al-Qudūrī (d. 428/1037) and the Manẓūmah of al-Nasafī (d. 537/1142). Arranged in two sections within the single volume with leaves between left blank. Second section opens with Kitāb al-Waqf (see p.390). Table of contents provided at opening (pp.2-4) dated 1098 [1686 or 7].Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center, Isl. Ms. 80Origin: As appears in colophon on p.388, first section copied by Muḥammad ibn Ḥājj Faraj ibn Amīr ibn Darvīshān [?] with transcription completed ("waqaʻa al-farāgh min taḥrīr hādhihi al-nuskhah al-sharīfah al-mubārakah...") in Shaʻbān 863 [June-July 1459]. As appears in colophon on p.810, second section copied by Yaʻqūb ibn Saʻādat Yār (یعقوب بن سعادت یار) with date of transcription not specified, though likely contemporary with opening section.Accompanying materials: a. Scrap of European laid paper (portion of three circles watermark visible) carrying text opening "الحمد لله الحمد لله الذي لا مالك للدارين الا هو الخالق الذي لا خالق للكونين الا هول ..." (paginated pp.25-26) -- b. Slip of European laid paper with notes and excerpts (paginated pp.121-122) -- c. Scrap carrying glosses (paginated pp.169-170) -- d. Scrap with notes in Turkish (paginated pp.277-278) -- e. Scrap of European laid paper with notes (paginated pp.355-356) -- f. Scrap of European laid paper with glosses (paginated pp.445-446).Former shelfmark: British Museum, London "No. 117. Majma al-bahrain."Binding: Pasteboards coverd in dark brown (to black) leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; doublures, interior of envelope flap, and some repairs (at fore edge flap and spine) in dark red brown leather ; upper and lower covers carry blind-tooled mandorla divided to three fields filled with interlace design, bordered in interlace band and with fleuron pendants faintly visible (compare Weisweiler 89-95), as well as tooled border in a series of s-shaped stamps ; sewn in pink thread, two stations ; overall in poor condition with much abrasion, lifting and cracking of leather, boards delaminating, moisture damage, spine slant (cocked), etc. ; cover quite ill-fitting (small) ; repairs (see spine, fore edge, etc.) and reinforcements (see lower doublure) in leather and recycled paper (manuscript 'waste').Support: non-European and European laid paper ; opening section mainly in a non-European laid paper with roughly 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, fairly distinct) and chain lines (vertical) possibly grouped with roughly 15 mm. between the chains (see pp.108/117), sturdy and dense though transluscent, well-burnished, medium cream in color, thread visible in leaf carrying p.213 ; second section mainly in a non-European laid paper with roughly 10 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, fairly distinct) and chain lines (vertical) possibly grouped with roughly 14-17 mm. between chains, some inclusions visible, sturdy, transluscent, well-burnished ; replacement leaves at opening of second section (pp.389-394) and repairs in a later European laid paper with crown-star-crescent watermark visible (see p.394) ; table of contents (dated 1098 [1686 or 7]) on still another paper with different crown-star-crescent watermark (see p.4) ; staining and tide lines ; tears in a few leaves, likely artifact of burnishing process, in some cases lines of text adjusted around tear (see pp.575-575 and 687-688).Decoration: Headings, text being commented upon, etc. rubricated (mainly first section) ; overlining (in red, first section and opening of second section, elsewhere in black) ; some headings set off by rubricated floral or interlace accents (see p.45, 84, etc.), ansae (p.91, 106, etc.) or full rectangular headpieces filled with geometric designs incorporating the word "كتاب" (see pp.116, 146, 162, 203, 262, 276, and 282), chiefly in red and black (or black only).Script: Naskh ; two main Turkish hands, one for each section, with replacement leaves and repairs in still another hand ; main hand of first section virtually sans serif, kāf mabsūṭah preferred, slight effect of slant to left, some swooping descenders, point of final nūn set deep within bowl by which it is often fully encircled, freely ligatured, pointing in both distinct dots and curved strokes ; main hand of second section compact and virtually sans serif, elongated in the vertical, freely ligatured, with curvilinear descenders, pointing in curved strokes rather than distinct dots, point of final nūn set deep within nearly circular bowl.Layout: Written in 29 lines per page (text of final line often entered on the diagonal) ; frame-ruled.Collation: I (2), IV+2 (12), 9 IV(84), IV+1 (93), III (99), IV (107), III (113), 3 IV(137), IV+1 (146), 2 IV(162), III (168), 2 IV(184), IV-2 (190), 4 IV(222), IV+1 (231), 21 IV(399), II-1 (402) ; chiefly quaternions ; catchwords present ; foliation in black ink, Hindu-Arabic numerals, ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes inserts and mistakenly repeats pp.26-27 and skips two pages between pp.415-416).Colophon: [1] "Scribal," triangular, reads: "تم الكتاب بعون الملك الوهاب على يد الاضعف [كذا] العباد واحوجهم الى رحمة الله المعبود محمد بن حاج فرج بن امير بن [؟] درويشان غفر لهم وقع الفراغ من تحرير هذه النسخة الشريفة المباركة بعون الله تعالى وحسن توفيقه في شهر الله المبارك شعبان في يوم المبارك الثلثاء في وقت الضحوة الكبرى في تاريخ [؟] سنة ثلث وستين وثمانمائة من هجرة النبوية [كذا] صلى الله عليه وسلم ... هر که خواند دعا طمع دارم زان که من بنده گنه کارم" ; [2] "Scribal," reads: "هذا اخر الكلام حرره العبد الضعيف المذنب الراجي الى غفران الله الملك المبارك يعقوب بن سعادت يار غفر الله له ولوالديه واحسن اليهما واليه"Explicit: "واجازها محمد حملا لكلامه الى الصرف الى مصالحة تصحيحا له"Incipit: "كتاب الطهارة اختار لفظ كتاب على باب لان فيه معنى الجمع يقال كتبت الخيراي جمعت..."Title from inscription on fol.3a (p.5).Ms. codex.Brockelmann, C. GAL,Fine copy of Firişteoğlu's (Firiştezade, ʻAbd al-Laṭīf ibn ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz al-shahīr bi-Ibn Malak) commentary on Majmaʻ al-Baḥrayn of Ibn al-Sāʻātī (d. 696/1296), a compendium on Ḥanafī law, based on the Mukhtaṣar of al-Qudūrī (d. 428/1037) and the Manẓūmah of al-Nasafī (d. 537/1142). Arranged in two sections within the single volume with leaves between left blank. Second section opens with Kitāb al-Waqf (see p.390). Table of contents provided at opening (pp.2-4) dated 1098 [1686 or 7].Mode of access: Internet.Acquired by purchase along with Abdul Hamid Collection (funds donated by Horace Rackham).Bookplate of British Museum, London on inner front cover, "No. 117. Majma al-bahrain." ; circular seal impression with figure of goat/gazelle in purple ink as well as inscription "61" in Western numerals on fol.1a (p.1) ; on fol.3a (p.5), a detailed waqf statement in the name of al-Sayyid ʻAbd Allāh Adīb (Abdullah Edip), known as Jannatʹzādah (Cennet-zade), qāḍī of Erzurum, accompanied by his seal, reads: "وقفت وقفا صحيحا شرعيا على ان لا يخرج من بيت الكتب الذي بنيته في اتصال داري الا لعلماء نفس ارضروم بكفيل مرعى اورهن قوي وانا الفقير اليه عز شانه السيد عبد الله اديب الشهير بجنت زاده القاضي بمدينة ارضروم في سنة اثنى وستين ومائتين والف" ; also on fol.3a (p.5) collation statement ("عدد ورق ٣٥٠"), book price and decorative ownership statement beginning "تملكه..." ; on fol.3b (p.6) an oval seal impression "طالب لطف قديم [؟] ابراهيم ٧٢" seemingly dated 1072 [1661 or 2] ; brief waqf statement "وقف" in margins of pp.435, 437, 439, 442, 443, 485, 652) ; marginal corrections, glosses and occasional notabilia ; tail edge inscription (illegible) ; traces of paper label on fore edge flap