- Language(s)
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Arabic
- Published
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[13--? and 16--?].
- Summary
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Composite copy of the first part (from Kitāb al-Ṭahārah to Kitāb al-Waqf) of al-Marghīnānī's celebrated commentary on his Bidāyat al-mubtadiʼ, a treatise on Ḥanafī law. Codex is comprised of large sections from an older manuscript supplemented with later replacements. Contents listing on 'title page' (p.3).
- Note
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Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center, Isl. Ms. 555
Origin: Lacks dated colophon. Codex is comprised of large sections from a ms. dating to possibly the 14th (or even 13th century), supplemented by large sections of replacement leaves the bulk of which perhaps date to the 16th century.
Accompanying materials: a. Inventory cataloguing slip in hand of Winifred Smeaton Thomas -- b. Acquisitions slip from Yahuda.
Former shelfmark: From interior of upper cover and spine label "IL 404" (likely supplied by Yahuda, see acquisitions slip).
Binding: Pasteboards covered in black cloth with black leather over spine (quarter binding) ; Western-style binding ; pastedowns and flyleaves in untinted wove paper ; spine gold-tooled with title and fillets flanking raised bands ; resewn and fairly tightly bound such that sewing is difficult to examine ; in good condition with minor abrasion, etc.
Support: Original, older manuscript on non-European laid paper with 6-7 laid lines per cm. (vertical, curved) and chain lines only faintly visible (as well as rib shadows) but possibly grouped with 9-10 mm. between chains, quite thick, soft and floccular ; opening replacement on non-European laid paper of perhaps two other distinct types, one with 8 laid lines per cm. (curved and sagging, horizontal) and no obvious chain lines, and another which may have grouped chain lines (see pp.17-18) ; the remaining replacement sections are on European laid paper of several types, including type with 10 laid lines per cm. (horizontal), 33-35 mm. between chain lines (vertical) and watermarks cross above triple mount in circle (see, p.22, etc., 85 cm. tall, compare Heawood 889) and bull's head with eyes, ears and snake on cross above (see p.24, 44, etc.), as well as "PA" or "BA" countermark (see p.180) ; another type with wheeled cart or "char à deux roues" watermark (see p.202, for design compare Briquet, "Papiers et filigranes des archives de Gênes 1154 à 1700," no.72) and at close type with cross above orb and three hats watermarks (for design compare Heawood 2593) ; staining and tide-lines.
Decoration: Section headings, keywords, and abbreviation symbols rubricated ; basmalah and ḥamdalah at opening in purple ink ; overlining in red.
Script: Naskh and nastaʻlīq (talik) ; at least three hands in both black and brown inks ; opening replacement section in a fine naskh, compact 'Syrian' or Egyptian hand in a thin line, serifless, with curivlinear descenders and pointing in distinct dots ; main replacements first seen at p.21 in a compact nastaʻlīq (talik) in a medium line, serifless, with mainly curvilinear descenders, mainly closed counters, pointing in strokes rather than distinct dots, point of final nūn typically assimilated with bowl, tilt to the right, etc. ; other hands in naskh and nastaʻlīq (talik) make up the remaining replacement sections and are similar, but more compact ; main hand of older sections (in brown ink) first seen at p.27, a large naskh, 'Syrian' or Egyptian hand, serifless with mainly curvilinear descenders, pointing in distinct dots, shaqq of kāf usually left off (and supplied later in black ink), final hāʼ often assimilated with preceding dāl or rāʼ, partially vocalized.
Layout: Written in mainly in 21 lines per page (some sections in 29 lines) ; frame-ruled (impression of ruling board evident in some sections).
Collation: Rough assemblage of made quires (additions supplementing what lacked in the older, original manuscript) with sewing nearly impossible to examine ; only a few gatherings of original, older manuscript are intact and these appear to be quinions ; final leaves left blank ; occasional catchwords ; traces of quire numbering in older sections (see p.219) ; foliation in black ink, Hindu-Arabic numerals, at least two different schemes with one following numerals on upper corner of the verso of the leaf, the other of the recto ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes flyleaves and skips two pages between pp.453 and 454).
Explicit: "ولان الحاجة تشتمل الغني والفقير الشرب والنزول والغني لا يحتاج الى صرف هذه الغلة لغناه والله اعلم بالصواب واليه المرجع والمآب"
Incipit: "الحمد لله الذي اعلى معالم العلم واعلامه واظهر شعائر الشرع واحكامه ... وقد جرى على الوعد في مبدأ بداية المبتدي ان اشرحها بتوفيق الله شرحا ارسمه بكفاية المنتهى فشرعت فيه والوعد يسوغ بعض المساغ وحين اكاد اتكئ عنه اتكاء الفراغ تبينت فيه نبذا من الاطناب وخشيت ان يهجر لاجله الكتاب فصرفت العنان والعناية الى شرح اخر موسوم بالهداية ..."
Title supplied by cataloguer from opening matter on p.4.
Ms. composite codex.
Occasional marginal corrections, glosses and notabilia (side-heads) ; collation marks ("بلغ").
- Physical Description
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258 leaves :
paper ;
257 x 180 (185 x 112-120) mm. bound to 270 x 190 mm.