Arabic Manucscripts in the British Library
This collection brings together for the first time the Arabic manuscripts stemming from the British Museum Library with the less well-known collection from the former India Office Library.
The Holy Qur'an & Qur'anic Sciences
This section includes not only the complete work but also individual sections
of the Qur'anic text and, in some cases, single pages of calligraphic importance.
It contains works on the accepted reading traditions of the Qur'anic text and the
specific rules of recitation. This section includes lexicographical works relating
specifically to the Qur'an as well as mystical interpretations of the Qur'anic text.
General works on Qur'anic science are also included.
The Holy Qur'an
One of the oldest Qur'an codices in
the world in ma'il 'slanting' script dated early 2nd/8th century
28 manuscripts from the 10th
century or earlier; a further 29 dating from before 700/1300
The complete gold Qur'an copied
for the Mamluk Sultan Baybars II in 704-5/1304-6
Qur'ans copied for royal patrons:
for the Il-Khanid Sultan Uljaytu in 710/1310, for the Mamluk Sultan Faraj ibn Barquq in the 14th century, for the Sharifi Sultan of Morocco in the 16th century, and for Tipu Sultan in the 18th century
Qur'ans from Indian royal libraries:
the Royal Library at Delhi, the library of Muhammad Qutb Shah of Golconda, of the Nawabs of Oudh
Qur'anic Sciences
Over 200 manuscripts on the
reading and recital of the Holy Qur'an are al-Quhundizi's Sharh al-ghayah fi qira'at al-'ashr (443/1051) and
al-Baghdadi's al-Mustanir al-zahir fi
al-qira'at 'asharah al-bawahir (540/1145)
Almost 400 commentaries including
the works of al-Baydawi, al-Baghawi, Ibn Sina, al-Nasafi, al-Razi, al-Suyuti, al-Tabarsi, al-Tha'alibi, and al-Wahidi
Early copies of al-Sulami's Haqa'iq
al-tafsir (564/1169), al-Nisaburi's Tafsir al-basa'ir (577/1181), al-Rummani's
al-Jami' al-kabir fi-tafsir al-Qur'an (6th/12th c.), and al-Zamakhshari's
al-Kashshaf 'an haqa'iq al-tanzil (676/1277)
Hadith, Kalam
Hadith includes the collections of traditions together with commentaries and glosses
on them. Also covered are critical works, compilations of traditions on specific
subjects, works on the chains of transmission and works which use hadith as proof texts.
Kalam are works on theology in the widest sense with some works tending towards mysticism,
philosophy or ethics. As the particular religious affiliation of individual authors is
disregarded, this category is not subdivided further.
Hadith
Many copies of hadith
collections compiled by al-'Amili, al-'Ayni, al-Baghawi, al-Bukhari, al-Dihlawi, Ibn al-Athir, Ibn Babawayh al-Qummi, Ibn al-Jazari, al-Kulayni, al-Mazandarani, al-Munawi, al-Mundhiri, al-Sharif al-Radi, al-Tayyibi, al-Tabrizi, al-Sindi, al-Tirmidhi, al-Yahsubi, and others
12 hadith manuscripts made as
early as the 6th/12th century, the oldest being Abu Dawud's al-Sunan (511/1117), al-Kunduri's al-Jami' al-musannaf (520/1126), and al-Shafi'i's al-Sunan al-ma'thurah (623/1129)
Kalam
Copies of many works by Abu
Hanifah, al-Birkawi, Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, Ibn Babawayh al-Qummi, Ibn Kamal Pasha, Ibn Sina, Ibn Zarruq al-Burnusi, al-Mansur bi-Allah, al-Rassi, al-Sanusi, and others
50 manuscripts of the works of
al-Ghazali including al-Maqsad al-asnaf fi asma' Allah al-husna (595/1199)
Among the earliest manuscripts are
4 works copied in 479/1086, al-Hadi ila al-Haqq's Ajwibat al-Hadi, al-Murtada li-Din Allah's Kitab masa'il ... Ibn al-Hasan, and al-Rassi's Kitab al-masa'il and Kitab mustakhraj min kitab al-Tafri' al-Hasan
Manuscripts copied in the lifetime
of their author include al-Dawwani's Sharh al-'aqa'id al-adudiyah (15th c.) and al-Taftazani's Sharh 'aqa'id al-nasafi (768/1367)
Rich in authors popular in India or
of Indian origin including al-Baghandi, al-Damad, Fayd al-Kashani, al-Isfahani, al-Jurjani, al-Khayali, al-Lakhnawi, al-Qarabaghi, al-Qushji, al-Siyalkuti, al-Taftazani and al-Tusi
Fiqh (Islamic Law)
Works on the general principles of Islamic law and works on the application of Islamic law. Since in most cases the religious stance of the author is apparent, this category has been subdivided into the four Sunni schools and the Shiah school of law. Commentaries, legal monographs and compilations of fatwas are included. This section also includes works on inheritance and comperative works between the various schools of Islam law.
Islamic Law
Manuscripts covering all schools of
Islamic law (Hanifi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali, and Shi'ah) and all aspects of Islamic jurisprudence - over 240 on the 4 foundations of law (usul al-fiqh) and almost 150 on inheritance
Over 500 manuscripts of works by
Hanifi jurists including Ibn Nujaym,
al-Kashghari, al-Mahbubi, al-Marghinani, al-Nasafi and al-Quduri - among the earliest are al-Khuttali's Sharh mukhtasar al-Quduri (537/1142) and al-Shaybani's al-Mabsut (568/1173)
The oldest copies of Maliki works
represented are Ibn Khiyarah's Fawa'id al-daris al-mushrifah (538/1141) and
Ibn Zarqun's al-Mu'lim bi-fawa'id kitab muslim (625/1228)
Nearly 15O works by Shafi'i jurists
such as al-Ansari, al-Damiri, al-Isnawi and al-Nawawi - among the oldest copies is al-Shirazi's al-Mudhahhab fi al-madhhab (540/1145)
6 Hanbali manuscripts from the
8th/14th and 9th/15th centuries
Over 250 copies of works by Shi'ah
jurists including al-'Amili, al-Hilli,
al-Mahdi li-Din Allah, al-Mu'ayyad
bi-Allah and al-Wazir - the earliest are al-Tusi's al-Mabsut fi al-fiqh (600/1203) and Ibn Babawayh al-Qummi's Kitab man la yahduruhu al-faqih (652/1254)
Islamic Mysticism & Philosophy
This section includes works of Moslim philosophers in all fields of philosophical study, as weel as versions of and commentaries on Greek texts. Works on practical philosophy covering general morality and conduct, both personal and public, are also included.
Prayers and sermons
Almost 200 anonymous collections
from the 13th century onwards
Many copies of works by
al-Bannani, Ibn al-'Arabi, Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn al-Jazari, Ibn Zarruq al-Burnusi,
al-Qari' al-Harawi, al-Qasri al-Fasi,
al-Shadhili, and others
47 manuscripts of the works of
al-Jazuli from the 16th century onwards
Mysticism and Pietics
118 manuscripts of Ibn al-'Arabi's
works from the 13th century onwards
Many copies of works by
al-Allahabadi, al-Dawwani, al-Ghazali, Ibn 'Ata' Allah al-Iskandari,Ibn Ghanim al-Maqdisi, al-Jili, al-Qunaqi,
al-Qushayri, al-Sha'rani, al-'Umari, and others
Among the earliest manuscripts are
al-Qushayri's al-Risalah (504/1110),
al-Sarraj's Kitab al-luma' fi al-tasawwuf (548/1153), and al-Bahrani's Qawa'id al-Ilahiyah (658/1260)
Philosophy
Many copies of works by al-Abhari,
al-Baghandi, al-Bihari, al-Damad,
al-Farisi, al-Katibi al-Qazwini,
al-Khayrabadi, al-Labkani al-'Uthmani, al-Shirazi, and others
16 works of al-Farabi - known as
(after Aristotle) the mu'alllim al-thani - in one 17th-century manuscript from the Mughal Library at Delhi, and 62 manuscripts of the philosophical works of Ibn Sina, including Kitab al-shifa' copied in 485/1092
Among the oldest manuscripts are
the anonymous works, al-Mulakhkhas (603/1206), and Risalah yatadamman adab wa-hikmah (639/1242), Sinan Ibn Thabit's Siyasat al-nufus (639/1242), and al-Razi's Kitab al-sirah
al-falsafiyah copied the same year
Early copies of the works of
al-Katibi al-Qazwini, including 'Ayn
al-qawa'id (677/1278), Bahr al-fawa'id (680/1282), and Jami' al-daqa'iq (672/1274)
Selection of works by Indo-Arabic
philosophers such as al-Jawnpuri,
al-Lakhnawi, al-Mangaluri and
al-Siyalkuti, and by authors popular in India including al-Jurjani, Mirak
al-Bukhari, al-Tulunbi, al-Tusi and
al-Yazdi
Ethics and Polity
Many copies of works by
al-'Adawi, al-Ghazali, al-Jahiz,
al-Tha'alibi, al-Turtushi, and others
3 early copies of al-Mawardi's
al-Ahkam al-sultaniyah (540/1145-46; 567/1171; 588/1192)
History & Biography
Biography
Over 130 copies of biographies of
the Prophet Muhammad including works by al-Diyarbakri, al-Halabi, Ibn Hisham, Ibn Sayyid al-Nas, al-Qastallani,
al-Suyuti, al-Wasiti, al-Yahsubi, and others
Among the earliest such
manuscripts are al-Waqidi's Kitab
al-Maghazi (564/1169), Abu Nu'aym
al-Isfahani's Dala'il al-Nubuwah (590/1194), al-Mansur bi-Allah's Ajwibah fi taqaddum al-sahabah 'ala 'Ali (623/1226), a 13th-century manuscript of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat rasul Allah, and Ibn Qilij Mughaltay's Kitab al-isharat ila sirat al-mustafa copied in the author's own lifetime (748/1347)
Many copies of the biographical
works of al-Bakri al-Siddiqi,
al-Dhahabi, Ibn 'Arabshah, Ibn 'Asakir, Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn Qadi Shuhbah, al-Nabulusi, al-Sha'rani, al-Subki, al-'Utbi, al-Yafi'i, and others
7 manuscripts of Ibn 'Arabshah's
biography of Timur, 'Aja'ib al-maqdar, including a 15th century copy
Among the oldest copies of other
biographical works are Ibn 'Abd al-Barr al-Qurtubi's Kitab al-isti'ab (564/1169), al-Kisa'i's Qisas al-anbiya' (617/1220), and Ibn Bashkuwal's al-Silah al-akhbar a'immat al-Andalus (625/1227)
Manuscripts copied in the lifetime
of their author include Ibn 'Asakir's Tarikh Dimashq (559/1163), Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani's Tabsir al-muntabih (834/1431), Ibn Khallikan's Wafayat
al-a'yan (655/1257)
History
Many manuscripts of the works of
Abu Shamah, al-Asma'i, al-Biruni, al-Bukhari, al-Hamdani, al-Himyari, Ibn al-Dayba', Ibn Kathir, Ibn al-Shihnah, al-Maqqari, al-Maqrizi, al-Mas'udi,
al-Qalqashandi, al-Qaramani, Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, al-Suyuti, and others
Among the earliest copies are
al-Waqidi's Futuh al-Sham wa-Misr (535/1140), al-Kindi's Akhbar al-Qudah al-Misriyin and Ta'rikh Misr wa-Wulatiha (both written 624/1227),
al-Tabari's Tarikh al-rusul wa-al-muluk (634/1236), Ibn Shamkh's Qawl fi
al-akhbar allati yukhbar biha kathirun (639/1242), Ibn Qutaybah's Kitab
al-Ma'arif (644/1246), and al-Mas'udi's Muruj al-dhahab (13th century)
Autograph manuscripts include a
section of al-Dhahabi's Ta'rikh al-Islam wa-tabaqat al-mashahir wa-al-a'yan (8th/14th c.) and al-Kutubi's 'Uyun
al-tawarikh (also 8th/14th c.)
2 copies of Ibn Khaldun's al-'Ibar
made in the author's lifetime
Geography
Manuscripts of the works of 'Abd
al-Mu'min ibn 'Abd al-Haqq, Abu
al-Fida' al-Ayyubi, al-'Almawi,
al-Qazwini, and others
Amongst the earliest copies are
Yaqut ibn 'Abd Allah's Kitab
al-mushtarik wad'an (630/1233), Ibn Sa'id al-Gharnati's Kitab al-jughrafiyah (700/1300), Ibn Sarabiyun's 'Aja'ib
al-aqalim al-sab'ah (709/1309), and
al-Idrisi's Nuzhat al-mushtaq fi ikhtiraq al-afaq (725/1325)
Arabic Language and Literature
Anthologies and literary miscellanies contains also collections of anecdotes, proverbs, belles-lettres in addition to anthologised collections of poetry and prose.
Arabic grammar
Manuscript of Kitab Sibawayh
(647/1249) by Sibawayh, the inventor of the systematic grammar of Arabic
Early copies of works by the 3 great
masters of Arabic grammar: Ibn
al-Hajib's al-Kafiyat copied within the author's lifetime (641/1243), Ibn Malik's al-Alfiyah (718/1318), and Ibn Hisham al-Nahwi's Awdah al-masalik fi sharh alfiyat ibn Malik (15th century)
Many copies of works by al-Anbari,
al-Astarabadi, al-Azhari, al-Ghaznawi al-Dawlatabadi, al-Hariri, Ibn Ajurram, Ibn Hashim, Ibn Mas'ud, al-Jarabardi, al-Jurjani, al-Mutarrizi, al-Quhandizi
al-Dariri, al-Zanjani, al-Zamakhshari, and others
Among the oldest copies are
al-Dinawari's Thimar al-sina'ah (583/1187), al-Mujashi'i's Sharh 'uyun al-i'rab written the same year, al-Bariki's Sharh al-luma' fi al-nahw (586/1190), and al-'Ukbari's Sharh
al-takmilah (616/1219)
Nearly 80 manuscripts of the works
of Ibn al-Hajib
Lexicography and philology
Many manuscripts of the works of
al-Ajdabi, al-Bayhaqi, al-Farahi,
al-Fayyumi, al-Himyari, Ibn al-Athir, Ibn Ma'ruf, Ibn al-Sid al-Batalyusi,
al-Jurjani, al-Maydani, al-Mutarrizi,
al-Nasafi, al-Nawawi, al-Pattani,
al-Qurashi, al-Razi, al-Suyuti, al-Tatma'i, al-Zamakhshari, and others
Among the earliest copies are
al-Muhallabi's Hashiyah 'ala al-maqsur (365/976), Ibn al-Sikkit's Kitab al-alfaz (461/1069), the anonymous Majmu' ghara'ib al-ahadith (488/1095),
al-Qali's Kitab al-bari' fi al-lughah (5th/11th c.), al-Harawi's Kitab
al-gharibayn (506/1112-13), Ibn Faris al-Qazwini's Mujmal al-lughah (550/1155), al-Jawhari's al-Sihah fi
al-lughah (2 copies: 551/1156 and 591/1195), al-Tha'alibi's Fiqh al-lughah wa sirr al-'arabiyah (562/1165),
al-Qassam's Jana al-jannatayn wa majma' al-bahrayn min nukhab
al-gharibayn (593/1197), and
al-Maydani's al-Sami fi al asami (599/1203)
Several manuscripts of
al-Fayruzabadi's al-Qamus al-muhit including early copies (936/1530; 937/1531; 946/1539)
The draft copy of Lane's Arabic-
English Lexicon
Rhetoric and prosody
Several manuscripts of works by
Abu al-Jaysh al-Andalusi, al-Damamini, al-Hilli, Ibn al-Fanari, al-Jurjani, al-Karimi, Khatib Dimashq al-Qazwini,
al-Khita'i, al-Samarqandi, al-Taftazani, and others
Early copies of Ibn Rashiq's
al-'Umdah fi mahasin al-shi'r wa-adabihi (644/1246), and Ibn al-Athir's al-Mathal al-sa'ir fi adab al-katib
al-sha'ir (683/1285)
Arabic poetry
Many manuscripts of the works of
al-Abiwardi, Abu al-'Ala' al-Ma'arri, Abu Tammam, al-'Alami, al-Anisi
al-Hadawi, al-Arrajani, al-Azhari,
al-Burini, al-Busiri,al-Fayyumi, al-Hilli, Ibn al-'Arabi, Ibn al-Farid, Ibn Hajar
al-Haythami, Ibn al-Nabih, Ka'b ibn Zuhayr, Manjak Basha, al-Muhallabi,
al-Mutanabbi, al-Nabulusi, al-Safadi,
al-Tantarani, al-Tibrizi, al-Tilimsani,
al-Wahidi, al-Zawzani, and others
The oldest copies include Diwans of
al-Mutanabbi (398/1007), of 'Abid ibn al-'Abras (430/1038), of 'Amir ibn
al-Tufayl (430/1038), of al-Tirimmah ibn Hakim (430/1038), of
al-Mutalammis (5th/11th c.), and
al-Isfahani's Diwan Abi Nuwas (584/1198)
11 manuscripts of the famous
anthology of pre-Islamic poetry,
al-Mu'allaqat, the earliest being 704/1304
Arabic prose
Many manuscripts of the works of
al-Habbariyah, al-Hilli, Ibn al-Muqaffa', Ibn Nubatah, Ibn Zafar, and others
20 copies of Alf Laylah wa-Laylah
from the 17th century onwards
Among the earliest manuscripts are
2 copies of al-Hariri's al-Maqamat (557/1162; 563/1168), and 2 copies of al-Mutarrizi's Kitab al-idah (618/1221; 670/1272)
Anthologies and literary miscellanies
Many manuscripts of works
compiled by al-'Amili, al-Antaki, Ibn 'Abd al-Rabbih, Ibn Hijjah al-Hamawi, Ibn al-Khatib, al-Ibshihi, al-Maydani,
al-Nawaji, al-Safadi, al-Tha'alibi, and others
Several early copies of Abu
Tammam's famous collection,
al-Hamasah (491/1097; 507-37/1113-43; and 580/1184)
Other early manuscripts include
al-Marzuqi's Sharh al-Hamasah (565/1170), al-Zamakhshari's Rabi'
al-abrar (604/1208) and al-Mustaqsa fi amthal al-'arab (617/1221), and
al-Sarraj's Masari' al-'ushshaq (619/1222)
J. L. Burckhardt's collection of
Egyptian proverbs, later published as Arabic Proverbs
Arts, Sciences and Medicine
Protosciences is an umbrella term to include works of a magical, occult, amuletic and quasi-scientific nature. Other sciences is subdivided under agriculture, calligraphy, Chess, Conjuring, Cookery, Falconry, Gemmology, General Science, Mechanics, Hydraulics, Military, Music, Natural History, optics, pshychology, Sign language, Vetenary science, weights and measures.
Encyclopaedias of arts and sciences
Manuscripts of many of the works
of Haji Khalifah, Ibn Sina, Ibn al-Wardi, al-Sunbati, al-Suyuti, and others
10 copies of al-Qazwini's famous
Kitab 'aja'ib al-makhluqat, including an important illustrated copy from the early 14th century
Music and other arts
Earliest music manuscript is
al-Urmawi's Kitab al-adwar al-iqa' (792/1390)
Works on calligraphy, cookery,
conjuring, chess, falconry, and sign language
Manuscripts on the military arts
include the anonymous Dhikr al-'amal bi-al-sayf (739/1338), and the beautifully illustrated Mamluk cavalry treatise, al-Aqsarayi al-Hawafi's Nihayat al-su'l wa-al-umniyah fi ta'lim
al-furusiyah (773/1371)
Mathematics
Early copies of anonymous works
include Kitab fi al-ashkal (639/1242), al-Risala al-'ala'iyah and al-Tadhkirah fi al-hisab (both 748/1347)
Many copies of the works of al-Tusi
including Tahrir usul al-handasah (656/1258) and of Ibn al-Ha'im including al-Durr al-thamin (887/1482)
Other early manuscripts include 3
works copied in 639/1242, Ibn Abi
al-Majd al-Katib's Maqalat, Thabit ibn Qurrah's Kitab al-madkhal ila 'ilm
al-'adad and the anonymous Kitab fi
al-ashkal
Many works of the mathematicians
Ibn al-Haytham and al-Nisaburi popular in India
Proto-sciences
Copies of works on alchemy by
Jabir ibn Hayyan from the 14th century onwards, by al-Tughra'i from the 15th century, and by al-Jildaki from the 16th century
Earliest manuscript is the 11th-
century copy of the anonymous Kitab al-armaniyah
Astronomy
Manuscripts of many of the works
of al-'Amili, al-Barjandi, Ibn
al-Haytham, al-Jurjani, al-Nisaburi, Qadizadah, al-Shirazi, Sibt al-Maridini, al-Sufi, al-Tusi, and others
Oldest copy is of al-Biruni's
al-Qanun al-Mas'udi (570/1174-75)
3 early manuscripts of the works of
Thabit ibn Qurrah, Kitab al-majisti (615/1218), Kitab fi hisab ru'yat
al-ahillah (639/1242), and Kitab al-iqtisas copied the same year
Medicine
Earliest copies of medical works
include Ibn Abi al-Ash'ath's Kitab
al-ghadhi wa-al-mughtadhi (348/960), Ibn Jazlah's Minhaj al-bayan (489/1096), Ibn Butlan's Taqwim al-sihhah bi-al-asbab al-sittah (527/1133), Sa'id ibn Hibat Allah's al-Mughni fi tadbir al-amrad (534/1139), al-Majusi's Kamil al-Sina'ah al-tibbiyah (548/1153), and 3 works of Hunayn ibn Ishaq in one manuscript dated 580/1184
Many manuscripts of Ibn Sina's
famous medical canon, al-Qanun fi
al-tibb, the earliest dated 525/1131 with 6 13th-century copies also included
Rare or unique items from later
periods on subjects as diverse as plagues, Turkish baths, and early modern works showing the initial impact of Western medicine
Other sciences
Manuscripts on natural history from
the 13th century onwards, including works by al-Damiri and al-Marwazi
Manuscripts of works on chemistry,
including the anonymous Wasfat al-bakhur ma'jun (11th century), optics, mechanics and hydraulics, psychology, gemmology, including al-Tifashi's Azhar al-afkar fi jawahir al-ahjar (799/1397), veterinary science, and weights and measures
Other Religious Literatures
This subject consists of Arabic works in Syriac scipt (Karshuni), and bilingual texts in addition to many works translated in to Arabic. It also includes Arabic works in Hebrew or Samaritan scripts as well as bilingual texts covering not only Jewish but also Muslim culture. Non-specific works, collections of velum and papyri fragments, personal papers and decorative calligraphic panels.
Literatures of other religions
Texts relating to the Baha'i, Druze,
Christians and Jews, including a 9th-century manuscript of the Old Testament Book of Job, and an illuminated Mamluk copy of the Four Gospels
Miscellaneous documents
A selection of Arabic papyri from
the 8th century onwards
Specimens of calligraphy, letters,
firmans, awqaf and other documents relating to figures such as the Egyptian ruler Ahmad ibn Tulun and the Ottoman Sultans Sulayman I and Bayazid I
Working papers of scholars such as
Solomon Negri, J. Perronet-Thompson, and Claudius James Rich
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