Summary:
Fine though incomplete copy of Ibn Hishām's (d.761/1360) celebrated treatise on Arabic syntax, arranged by particle.
Other Title(s):
Mughnī al-labīb ʻan kutub al-aʻārībمغني اللبيب عن كتب الاعاريبEdge title (tail):مغني
Subject(s):
Arabic language--Grammar--Early works to 1800.
Arabic language--Syntax--Early works to 1800.
Manuscripts, Arabic--Michigan--Ann Arbor.
Incipit:
"وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد واله وصحبه وسلم اما بعد حمد الله على افضاله والصلوة والسلام على سيدنا محمد واله فان اولى ما تقترحه القرائح واعلى ما تجنح الى تحصيله الجوانح ما يتيسر به فهم كتاب الله المنزل ... ويتضح به معنى حديث نبيه المرسل ..."
Explicit:
"يا حرف موضوع لنداء البعيد حقيقة او حكما وقد ينادى به القريب توكيدا وقيل هي مشتركة بين البعيد والقريب وقيل بينهما"
Physical Details:
Collation:
i, V-1 (9), 5 V(59), 12 IV (155) ; middle of the quire marks in the form of oblique strokes in black ink appear in the upper outer corner of the right-hand leaf and lower outer corner of the left-hand leaf ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes front flyleaf and skips two pages between pp.29-30, pp.41-42, pp.45-46, pp.59-60, pp.73-74, pp.97-98, pp.105-106, pp.147-148, pp.217-218, pp.219-220, pp.245-246, pp.256-257, pp.263-264, pp.284-284 and four pages between pp.251-252).
Script:
Naskh-nastaʻlīq ; virtually serifless ; mainly closed counters ; effect of words descending to baseline, occasionally more exaggerated ; elongation of horizontal strokes ; effect of tilt to the right ; around pp.110 hand changes, much more compact though similar to initial hand.
Decoration:
Keywords, section headings, and abbreviation symbols rubricated ; textual dividers in the form of red discs and inverted commas.
Support:
non-European (Persian) laid paper of two types ; opening quinions in first type, crisp, thin and transluscent, sized and burnished to glossy with 7-8 laid lines per cm. (vertical, some curving) ; remaining quaternions in second type, sturdy, less transluscent, only lightly sized and burnished with 8 laid lines per cm. (vertical, some curving) ; no chain lines visible in either type.
Binding:
Pasteboards covered in dark red-brown leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; board linings and interior of envelope flap in yellow paper ; upper and lower covers carry blind-stamped scalloped mandorla (filled with vegetal decoration, compare Déroche class. OAi 4) with pendants and cornerpieces, along with tooled border ; design continues on flap ; sewn in cream thread, two stations ; overall in poor condition with abrasion, lifting and losses of leather, some pest damage, paper label affixed to upper cover, etc. ; repair to spine in red leather.
Former Shelfmarks:
British Museum, London "No. 4. Mughni al-labib." ; "٥٨٧" on tail of textblock.
Ownership and History:
Bookplate of British Museum, London on upper cover, "No. 4. Mughni al-labib."; circular seal impression with figure of goat/gazelle in purple ink as well as inscription "490" in Western numerals on front flyleaf (p.1) ; ownership statement on front flyleaf (p.1) ; circular waqf-seal impression in black ink appears on ’title page’ (p.3) and several places throughout, reads: "هذا وقف الراجي فيض الصمدي الشيخ احمد ضيا الدين ابن مصطفى الخالدي فمن بدله بعد ما سمعه فانما اثمه على الذين يبدلونه" ; book price on 'title page' (p.3) nearly illegible ; numerous marginal glosses and corrections ; kabīkaj invocation on interior of upper cover (upper board lining) "يا كبيكج يا حافظ".
Contributor(s) / Included work(s):
Unidentified-Can you help supply this information? Please comment!
Posted by evyn on August 16, 2010
Tags: Arabic MSS, Fully Catalogued, Tiflis Collection
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