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Manuscript/Mixed Material Mukhtār min kalām Amīr al-Muʼminīn مختار من كلام امير المؤمنين

About this Item

Title

  • Mukhtār min kalām Amīr al-Muʼminīn

Other Title

  • مختار من كلام امير المؤمنين

Summary

  • Collection of sayings and writings of ʻAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib.
  • This manuscript is a copy of Nahj al-balāghah (Path of eloquence), the classic compendium of the sermons, writings, and aphorisms of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (died 661), the fourth caliph. This work is especially revered by Shia Muslims who view 'Ali and his descendants as the legitimate successors of the Prophet Muhammad. 'Ali's authorial voice is filtered here through his interpreter, Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, known as al-Sharif al-Radi (969 or 970-1016), who compiled the text from many early Islamic sources. The resulting anthology has led to debate over the authenticity of 'Ali's words. What is not in doubt is that the work set a standard for elegant Arabic literary expression and concise declamation. Al-Sharif al-Radi was a distinguished Shia scholar at the Abbasid court. In the introduction, he writes that he has classified the contents according to the manner of presentation, that is, sermon, letter, or aphorism. From the time the work was compiled up to the present, scholars and faithful readers have reclassified and analyzed its contents according to subject, for example, the claims to leadership of 'Ali, governance, psychology, linguistics, and gender relations. The work or portions of it have been translated into numerous languages. This 17th century manuscript shows considerable care in ornamentation and arrangement of the copious marginal notes, which are artfully arranged around the gilt-framed main text. It is written in a naskh script, with 15 lines to the page. The place of writing is not indicated. World Digital Library.

Names

  • ʻAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Caliph, approximately 600-661
  • Ashraf, Ibn Muḥammad Ṣālih Muḥammad Saʻīd, scribe

Created / Published

  • Rabīʻ al-ākhir 1090 [May/June 1679]

Headings

  • -  Manuscripts, Arabic--Washington (D.C.)

Notes

  • -  "Katabahu al-mudhnib Ibn Muḥammad Ṣālih Muḥammad Saʻīd al-Ashraf ... Rabīʻ al-ākhir sanat 1090"--Colophon.
  • -  Folios1b-266a; at end, folio 1b-3b.
  • -  Library of Congress. Arabic manuscript, SM10.
  • -  Manuscript.
  • -  Naskhī; 15 lines in written area 16.2 x 8.3 cm.
  • -  Note in pencil on flyleaf: Ar 3593 add 2, ʻAr. mss attributed to Ali al-Mourtadha"
  • -  Original binding lacking.
  • -  Paper: light cream colored polished paper with vertical laid-lines and no visible chain-lines or watermarks; elaborate ʻunwān without title; text enclosed in thin blue and wider gold borders; some rubrication; caption headings in gold; corrections and extensive marginal notes; the upper 1/3 or the manuscript is dampstained throughout; no catchwords.
  • -  Place of writing not indicated.
  • -  Title from folio 265b.
  • -  Fihris al-makhṭūṭāt al-ʻArabīyah fī Maktabat al-Kūnghris, p. 13
  • -  Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site.
  • -  Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website.
  • -  Arabic.
  • -  Near East scanned
  • -  Explicit/Colophon: وهذا حين انتهاء الغاية بنا الى قطع المختار من كلام امير المؤمنين عليه السلام ... في رجب سنة اربعماية.
  • -  Incipit: اما بعد حمد لله الذي جعل الحمد ثمنا لنعمائه ومعاذا من بلائه ...

Medium

  • 266, 3 leaves (15 lines) bound : paper ; 25.7 x 15.7 cm

Call Number/Physical Location

  • PJ7698.A5 A2 1679

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2013415628

Online Format

  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line

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Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection

Library of Congress, African and Middle Eastern Division, Armenian Rarities

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

ʻAlī Ibn Abī Ṭālib, Caliph, Approximately 600-661, and Ibn Muḥammad Ṣālih Muḥammad SaʻĪd Ashraf. Mukhtār min kalām Amīr al-Muʼminīn. [Rabīʻ al-ākhir May/June 1679, 1090] Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013415628/.

APA citation style:

ʻAlī Ibn Abī Ṭālib, C. & Ashraf, I. M. Ṣ. M. S. (1090) Mukhtār min kalām Amīr al-Muʼminīn. [Rabīʻ al-ākhir May/June 1679] [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2013415628/.

MLA citation style:

ʻAlī Ibn Abī Ṭālib, Caliph, Approximately 600-661, and Ibn Muḥammad Ṣālih Muḥammad SaʻĪd Ashraf. Mukhtār min kalām Amīr al-Muʼminīn. [Rabīʻ al-ākhir May/June 1679, 1090] Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2013415628/>.