Details

Subject(s)

• Būnī, Aḥmad ibn ʻAlī -1225 [Browse]
• Islamic magic—Early works to 1800 [Browse]
• Talismans—Religious aspects—Islam—Early works to 1800 [Browse]
• Astrology—Religious aspects—Islam—Early works to 1800 [Browse]
• Manuscripts, Persian—New Jersey—Princeton [Browse]

Summary note

Apparently autograph copy of a treatise in prose and verses on magic using numerals, astrology and the invocation of the names of God, comprising an introduction, seven chapters (bāb) and a conclusion (see description of content, fol. 7a). Incomplete at the beginning.

Notes

• Ms. codex.
• Title from beginning of text (fol. 7a, l. 3).
• For the date 608 H. associated with the author, see fol. 1a, l. 2-3. al-Būnī (Aḥmad ibn ʻAlī, d. 622/1225) is quoted in the text. However Ḥajjī Khalīfah mentions a Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Ilyās al-Ḥanafī, fl. 912/1506 or 7 (ed. Fluegel, vol. III, p. 190, no. 4872).
• 15 lines per page. Poetry in two columns. Written in medium small naskh in black ink with use of red. Paper with laid lines visible (frame-ruled, 102 mm.). Contains magic squares and tables. A few marginal notes. Foliation using Arabic numerals (starts with "4" on fol. 2a). On fol. 175b : several inscriptions and magical tables. On a piece of paper pasted on the lower cover, inscription in Arabic: "(al-jafr al-ḥarfī) Miftāḥ al-maqāṣid bi-al-Fārisīyah qaṭʻ al-thaman al-kabīr al-masṭarah 15 khaṭṭ Fārisī katabahu Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ilyās sanah 609 (909 lā 609)".
• On the pastedown of the upper cover, small label with the inscription "12" in Arabic numerals ; label with the inscription: "ELS no. [next line, in Arabic characters] Miftāḥ al-maqāṣid [next line, in Arabic characters ] fārisī [next line, in Western numerals] 909". Same label on the pastedown of the lower cover, adding "ELS no. 110".
• Copied by the author Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad Ibn Ilyās, on 4 Shawwāl 609 (colophon, fol. 175a). According to a label on the pastedown of the upper cover and a note on a paper pasted on the lower cover, this should be read as 909. This later date appears to be more likely.
• Incipit: كه مدّت بيست(؟) سال در اقطار عالم مسافرت كردم وبخدمت بسياري از كمال(؟) اوليا
• Explicit: (الهى تا دانى بنرياد برس(؟

Binding note

Upper and lower covers and envelope flap made of red leather over paper pasteboards. The upper and lower covers are similarly blind-tooled with a central mandorla and an outer frame made of several fillets, with small round stamps on the inner edge. The envelope flap has the same outer frame with a mandorla on its point. Doublure made of blue and yellow decorated paper.

Contents

• Bāb 1 : Dar ṭarīq waḍʻ aʻdād fard al-fard [in table of contents, fol. 7a: Dar ṭarīq waḍʻ fard al-fard].
• Bāb 2 : Dar ṭarīq waḍʻ zawj al-zawj [in table of contents: Dar ṭarīq zawj al-zawj].
• Bāb 3 : Dar ṭarīq waḍʻ zawj al-fard [in table of contents: Dar ṭarīq zawj al-fard].
• Bāb 4 : Dar kayfīyat-i waḍʻ-i asmā dar alwāḥ bi-ṭarīq muḍmar kah ānrā taksīr-i kabīr khvānan [In table of contents: ... dar ashkāl bi-ṭarīq ...].
• Bāb 5 : Dar kayfiyat-i taksīr-i saghīr.
• Bāb 6 : Dar kayfiyat-i waḍʻ-i asmā dar ashkāl bi-ṭarīq muẓhar kah ānrā dhū al-kitābah khvānand.
• Bāb 7 : Dar sharf-i kawākib wa-sharḥ wa-kayfīyat-i aʻmāl-i ān.

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Provenance

Acquired from Abraham Shalom Yahuda, 1942.

Source acquisition

Gift ; Robert Garrett, Class of 1897 ; 1942.

OCLC

70915107

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