Sharḥ Majmaʻ al-Baḥrayn li-Ibn Malak, [854, i.e. 1450 and 867, i.e. 1463].

Abstract

Commentary on Majmaʻ al-Baḥrayn by 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 as two volumes in one.Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center, Isl. Ms. 79Origin: [1] According to colophon on fol.199a, first part copied by Saʻīd ibn Ḥājjī ibn Sayyid ʻAlī Bik ibn Qaʻlī [?] Bik. Copying finished Muḥarram 854 [February-March 1450] ; [2] according to colophon on fol.343a, second part copied by Ḥājjī ʻAlī ibn Sayyid ʻAlī ibn Muḥammad. Copying finished Jumādá II 867 [February 1463].Accompanying materials: Slip with reading notes, quotes (inserted between fol.185 and 186).Former shelfmark: British Museum, London "No. 58. Majma al-bahrain, with commentary."Binding: Pasteboards faced in dark brown (to black) leather and now edged in brown leather (leather faced and edged framed binding) ; Type II binding (with flap) ; pastedowns and flyleaves in bright green surface-dyed, coated paper ; upper and lower covers carry large gold-stamped mandorla with pendants ; design continues on flap ; now sewn in golden yellow thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in golden yellow and red, good condition ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion, lifting and losses of leather, minor pest damage, etc. ; repairs (subtle fills and edging).Support: mainly non-European (likely Arab) laid paper of a few types ; opening part in a type with roughly 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, indistinct) and chain lines grouped (likely in threes) with 9-11 mm. between chains and 33-40 mm. between groups (see p.344, 350, etc.), cloudy furnish, quite sturdy, fairly thick, well-burnished ; second part in a type with 9-10 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, fairly distinct) and chain lines grouped in threes (see p.512) with 10-11 mm. between the chains and 47-50 mm. between groups, somewhat cloudy furnish, quite sturdy, well-burnished ; a few replacement gatherings on European laid paper with three crescent watermark (see fol.86, 88, 90, etc.).Decoration: Text rubricated, overlining and section headings in red ink; some overlining in green (see fol.317ab, etc.).Script: Naskh-nastaʻlīq (talik) ; several Turkish hands ; colophons in taʻlīq ; distinct hand for each part and several hands in first part, particularly distinct for quires of European laid paper added later (replacement leaves).Layout: Written in 23 lines per page ; impression of ruling board evident.Collation: i, I+1 (3), III+1 (10), IV (18), V (28), 7 IV (84), III+1 (91), 13 IV (195), II (199), 3 V (229), IV (237), II (241), 9 V (331), VI (343), ii ; first part chiefly quaternions, second part chiefly quinions ; divided into two parts, foliation in black ink with Hindu-Arabic numerals distinct for each part ; foliation of first part is corrected in red ink to account for two quires inserted later ; pagination in pencil with Hindu-Arabic numerals (top center of each page) is continuous ; continuous pagination in pencil with Western numerals added later; catchwords present.Colophon: [1] "Scribal," triangular, reads: "تم المآب [؟] لحسن التوفيق وقد وقع الفراغ لكتاب ... [؟] النسخة الشريفة ... [؟] على يد العبد الضعيف النحيف المحتاج [؟] الراجي الى رحمة ربه ... وكاتبه سعيد بن حاجي بن سيد علي بك بن قعل بك في قرى كلاجوك ... [؟] غفر الله لهم ولوالديهم ولجميع المسلمين والمسلمات وقد وقعه ... [؟] النسخة الشريفة ... [؟] شهر محرم في ... [؟] تم سنة اربعة وخمسين وثماني مائة" ; [2] "scribal," rectangular, reads: "تم المآب بعون الله الملك الوهاب للمؤمنين سبيل الصواب وقد وقع الفراغ من ... النسخة الشريفة ... امين يا رب العالمين على يد العبد الضعيف النخيف الراجي الى رحمة ربه اللطيف حاجي على ابن سيد على ابن محمد غفر الله لهم ولوالديهم ولجميع المسلمين والمسلمات والمؤمنين والمؤمنات في اوائل جمادى الاخير ليلة الجمعة [?] ... سنة سبعة وستين وثمانمائة."Explicit: "واجازها محمد حملا لكلامه الى الصرف الى مصالحة تصحيحا له تم"Incipit: "يا من لا يحوط كمال كماله نطاق وصف الصفحاء [كذا, اي الفصحاء] ... وبعد يقول الضعيف النحيف المديني [؟] عبد اللطيف بن عبد العزيز بن امين الدين ختم الله بالخير عمله ... الحمد لله ابتداء المصنف رحمه الله باول تصنيفه بالتحميد اقتداء بكتاب الله الحميد"Title from 'title page' on fol.4a.Ms. codex.Brockelmann, C. GAL,Commentary on Majmaʻ al-Baḥrayn by 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 as two volumes in one.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. 58. Majma al-bahrain, with commentary." ; circular seal impression with figure of goat/gazelle in purple ink as well as purple penciled inscription "65" in Western numerals on recto of front flyleaf ; "80" inscribed on verso of front flyleaf ; octagonal seal impression on fol.4a ; larged circular waqf seal impression on fol.4a dated 1324 [1906 or 7] in the name of the Ottoman sultan Abdülhamit II (1842-1918, r.1876-1909) for the library of the müftü Abdullah el-Erzincani (كتبخانه مفتي عبد الله الازنجانى ) reads "قد وقفت هذا الكتاب السلطان الغازي عبد الحميد خان ثانى [؟] لكتبخانه مفتى عبد الله الارزنجانى بشرط ان لا يخرج منها ١٣٢٤" (compare appearance in Isl. Ms. 68) ; oval/almond shaped seal impression fol.108a; many reading notes and marginal corrections