Copied in A.H. 1269 (A.D. 1852 or 53). and Muhammad Shafiq (died 1879 AD) was a major Ottoman calligrapher, who excelled in his instructional calligraphic pieces. This particular work is one of them. It exhibits the most important features of one of the Arabic calligraphic styles, the naskhi script. As can been seen, it surveys the art of connecting the various Arabic letters with other Arabic letters in a harmonious way, which results, ultimately, in the final beauty of the calligraphic piece. The two opening pages show the type of late Ottoman illumination, revealing the clear European influences. The shown pictures exhibit intricate arabesque floral design, typical of the late Ottoman period. Of interest in this particular manuscript is the binding, which reveals its Islamic origin. Beside the typical flap, which is the hallmark of most cherished Islamic bindings throughout history, the covers are richly gilt in floral decorations echoing the floral design of the opening pages.
Description:
Calligraphic naskhi. Decorated in gold and colors. and Islamic binding, in maroon, with flap.
Subject (Topic):
Arabic language and literature --Primers (Calligraphy)
Copied about A.H. 931 (A.D. 1525). and Three notes on al-Kashshāf ʻan ḥaqāʼiq al-tanzīl (commentary on the Koran) of Maḥmūd al-Zamakhsharī.
Description:
Hasty nastaʻlīq., Islamic binding, in brown., No. 15 of 15 titles bound together., Purchased from Captain Tekeş, Istanbul in February 1965 on the Beinecke fund., The authorship is uncertain. The first note is dedicated to Selim I, who ascended the throne in 1512 (cf. Ibn Kamāl Pāshā's other tract in this volume, leaf 281 verso, which is dedicated to the same); hence the author could unlikely be al-Dawwānī (d. 1512 or 13). Ibn Kamāl Pāshā was mufti in Istanbul., and The third note is dedicated to an unnamed sultan, presumably again Selim I.
Subject (Name):
Zamakhsharī, Maḥmūd ibn ʻUmar, 1075-1144. Kashshāf ʻan ḥaqāʼiq al-tanzīl. and Zamakhsharī, Maḥmūd ibn ʻUmar,--1075-1144.--Kashshāf ʻan ḥaqāʼiq al-tanzīl.
Subject (Topic):
Islamic binding. and Theology--Koran--Commentaries.
Copied in A.H. 1164 (A.D. 1750 or 51). and Supergloss on Mīr Abī al-Fatḥ's gloss on Mullā Ḥanafī's commentary on al-Ījī's Ādāb al-baḥth.
Description:
Authorship uncertain., Islamic binding, paper-covered, with flap., No. 1 of 3 titles bound together., Purchased from Oskar Rescher in 1969 on the Edwin J. Beinecke fund., and Some marginalia.
Subject (Name):
Ījī, ʻAḍud al-Dīn ʻAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Aḥmad, d. 1355? Ādāb al-baḥth, Ījī, ʻAḍud al-Dīn ʻAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Aḥmad, d. 1355?--Ādāb al-baḥth, Mīr Abī al-Fatḥ, d. ca. 1567. Ḥāshiyah ʻalá Sharḥ Mullā Ḥanafī, Mullā Ḥanafī, Muḥammad. Sharḥ al-Ādāb al-ʻAḍudīyah, and Rescher, Oskar 1883-1972--Ms. notes
Autograph letter, in Arabic Maghrabi script, conveying a greeting to Major John Owen in Raleigh, and consisting chiefly of quotations from the Qur'an and from treatises on Arabic grammar. Quotations from the Qur'an include: Sūrat al-Najm (21-23); Sūrat al-Masad (1-2); Sūrat al-Baqarah (285-286); Sūrat Fuṣṣilat (46); Sūrat 'Abasa (34-37); Sūrat al-Infiṭār (19); Sūrat al-Nabaʼ (40); Sūrat al-Mulk (1-13). Quotations from grammatical treatises include verses from Mulḥat al-iʻrāb (Ḥarīrī) and Alfīyat Ibn Mālik (Muḥammad ibn ʻAbd Allāh). In the center of the first page, a geometric drawing encloses the Arabic text "Shaykh General Jim Owen," along with two unidentified words. In addition to the text relating to John and James Owen and the quotations, Said expresses a wish to see a place [Kaba?] in Africa. and With cover letter, in English, from John Louis Taylor, Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, dated Raleigh, North Carolina, 1819 October 10, to Francis Scott Key, George Town [Washington, DC]. Taylor describes Said's history and relationship with his owner James Owen, and requests Key's assistance in obtaining a translation of the enclosed manuscript. He also asks for Key's advice in obtaining an Arabic Bible for Said, and discusses his hope that Said could be persuaded to return to Africa with "the Colonization Society," likely the American Colonization Society, of which both Taylor and Key were members.
Description:
Accompanied by a copy of The Missionary Herald (Boston: American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, April 1869) which includes an article, in English, "Arabic-Speaking Negro Mohammedans in Africa," by George E. Post, that discusses Said's manuscript, Taylor's letter, and subsequent events and writings by Said., Gift of Moses Stuart to Andover Theological Seminary Library, 1837. Acquired as part of the establishment of the Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School, 2017., Notes on Taylor letter: "Letter from Judge Taylor - enclosing an Arabic Amulet" ; "Judge Taylor's letter and mss to be sent to Dr Stuart, Andover" ; "To the Library of the Theol. Seminary from M. Stuart, 22 April 1837." Moses Stuart was Professor of Biblical Studies at Andover Theological Seminary from 1810 to 1848., Omar ibn Said, also known as Moro or Moreau, was a West African Muslim born and educated in the Futa Toro region on the Senegal River. He was sold into slavery in approximately 1807 and transported to the United States. From approximately 1810 until the end of his life, Said was owned by politician James Owen of Bladen County, North Carolina, brother of North Carolina Governor John Owen., and Title devised by cataloger.
Subject (Geographic):
Cape Fear River Region (N.C.)--Race relations. and United States--Race relations.
Subject (Name):
American Colonization Society., Andover Newton Theological Seminary Ownership., Key, Francis Scott,--1779-1843., Owen, James, --1784-1865., Owen, John, --1787-1831., Said, Omar ibn,--1770?-1863 or 1864., Stuart, Moses,--1780-1852--Ownership., and Taylor, John Louis,--1769-1829.
Subject (Topic):
African American Muslims--North Carolina., African Americans--Colonization--Africa., African Americans--North Carolina--Cape Fear River Region., Arabic manuscripts., Arabic--Grammar., Qurʼan--Quotations., Slavery--North Carolina--Cape Fear River Region., Slavery--United States., Slaves' writings, American., and Slaves--North Carolina.
A collection of fragmentary pieces, including liturgy of the Mass (nafur; leaf 1 verso); Jabra'il ibn Farh at’s Bah th al-mat alib wa-h athth al-t alib (leaf 26 recto; Arabic grammar); poems by the same (leaf 47 recto).
Description:
2 blank leaves (unfoliated) between ff. 46-47. 46b blank., Leaf 95 mutilated, with substantial loss of text., Leaf 96 pasted to back-cover., and Modern foliation in green pencil every 5 leaves.
Subject (Name):
Farh at, Jirmanus, 1670 or 71-1732 or 3. Bah th al-mat alib wa-h athth al-t alib
Subject (Topic):
Arabic language and literature --Grammar, Arabic language and literature --Poetry, Christian literature, and Karshuni manuscripts