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Or 5591

Record Id:

032-003477110

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-003477110

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100099023112.0x000001

LARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100144141490.0x000002

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Or 5591

Title:

Collection of Arabic astrological and divinatory texts, and a fragment of a Persian manuscript

Scope & Content:

Collection of astrological and divinatory texts and diagrams drawn from sources both ancient and contemporary with the scribe, ʻAbd Allāh ibn al-Ṣāḥib Nūr al-Dīn al-Jazarī al-Masīḥī (عبد الله بن الصاحب نور الدين الجزري المسيحي), who copied it for his own use in 867/1462-3 (see colophon, f. 19r, lines 4-7, transcribed below). The scribe's nisbas indicate that he was a Christian native to or with family roots in northern Iraq.

Some of the texts are given numbers using alphanumeric (abjad) notation.

An extensive list of the volume's contents by the hand of the scribe is found on f. 2v.

Ff. 212-214 are a fragment of an Persian manuscript unrelated to the other folios in this volume, as demonstrated both by their content and format and by the fact that they are not mentioned in the table of contents on f. 2v.

Contents:

(1) Aristotle (أرسطاطاليس), Book Containing the Stations of the Moon and the Elections and Actions [to be Undertaken] in them, and This is from the Discourse of the Sage Hermes and Others (الكتاب فيه منازل القمر وما فيها من الاختيارات والأعمال وذلك من قول هرمس الحكيم وغيره, ff. 3r-18r);
(2) Hermes (هرمس), Anonymous treatise on the exaltations and falls of the seven planets (ff. 18v-19r);
(3) Chapter discussing the hours of the planets (باب ذكر ساعات الكواكب, ff. 20r-20v);
(4) Chapter on the Moon's applications to the planets and the Sun (باب في اتصالات القمر بالكواكب والشمس, ff. 21v-23r);
(5) The Book of Indications According to the Applications and Conjunctions of the Planets in the Twelve Signs, their Exaltations, Falls, Progressions, Retrogression, Appearances, Absences and Presence with the Head and the Tail (كتاب الدلالات على الاتصالات وقرانات الكواكب في البروج الاثنا عشر وأشرافها وهبوطاتها واستقاماتها ورجوعها وظهورها وغيباتها وكونها مع الرأس والذنب, ff. 23v-50r);
(6) Collection of short astrological texts (ff. 50v-68r);
(7) Hermes (هرمس), Book of Judgement at the Rising of Sirius (كتاب الحكم عند طلوع الشعرى, ff. 68v-89r);
(8) Chapter on the characteristics associated with each one of the planets (باب فيما ينسب إلى كل واحد من الكواكب من الأخلاق, ff. 89v-90r);
(9) Instructions for talisman making (ff. 90r-93v)
(10) Section on the shifting of the planets to the signs (فصل في انتقال الكواكب للبروج, ff. 94r-110r);
(11) Section on the conditions of the two nodes and their arrival in the twelve signs (فصل في أحوال العقدتين وحلولها (!) في البروج الاثنى عشر, ff. 110v-113r);
(12) Section on knowledge of the planets and which of the climes and countries are theirs (فصل في معرفة الكواكب وما لهم من الأقاليم ومن البلدان, ff. 113v-116r);
(13) Chapter on knowing the indications of the signs for countries and other things (باب في معرفة دلالات البروج على البلدان وغيرها, ff. 116r-120v);
(14) Section of the planets aspecting the Sun at the time of its arrival at the beginnings of the four seasons (فصل نظر الكواكب للشمس وقت حلولها أوائل الفصول الأربعة, ff. 120v-121v);
(15) Chapter on the arrival of the planets in the twelve houses (باب في حلول الكواكب في البيوت الاثنى عشر, ff. 122r-135v);
(16) Two chapters on astrological judgments by eclipses (ff. 136r-150r);
(17) Chapter in which judgment by eclipse of the Moon is discussed from the perspective of its colour in the middle of the [solar?] eclipse (باب يذكر فيه الحكم على خسوف القمر في جهة لونه في وسط الكسوف (!), ff. 150r-153v);
(18) Section discussing the indications of comets according to Ptolemy and the Indians (فصل في ذكر دلالات ذات الذوائب على رأي بطليموس والهند, ff. 154r-157r);
(19) Astrological apothegms and excerpts (ff. 157r-160v);
(20) Section on conjunctions (فصل في القرانات, f. 161v);
(21) al-Balkhī, Nūr al-Dīn Abū al-Qāsim (البلخي، نور الدين أبو القاسم), Excerpts from the al-Madkhal fī ʻilm al-nujūm (المدخل في علم النجوم, ff. 162r-184v);
(22) Thirty-seven tables, diagrams and short texts related to astrology, divination and astral magic (ff. 185r-211v);
(23) Fragment of a Persian text on poetry (ff. 212r-214v).

Collection Area:

Oriental Manuscripts

Project / Collection:

Qatar Foundation Partnership Programme

Hierarchy Tree:

[{ "id" : "032-003477110", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Or 5591: Collection of Arabic astrological and divinatory texts, and a fragment of a Persian manuscript" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-003955111", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 3r-18r: al-Kitāb fīhi manāzil al-qamar wa-mā fīhā min al-ikhtīyārāt wa-al-aʻmāl wa-dhālika min qawl Hirmis al-ḥakīm…" },{ "id" : "040-003955112", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 18v-19r: Anonymous treatise on the exaltations and falls of the seven planetsHermes هرمس" },{ "id" : "040-003955113", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 20r-20v: Bāb dhikr sāʻāt al-kawākib باب ذكر ساعات الكواكب" },{ "id" : "040-003955396", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 21v-23r: Bāb fī ittiṣālāt al-qamar bi-al-kawākib wa-al-shams باب في اتصالات القمر بالكواكب والشمس" },{ "id" : "040-003955397", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 23v-50r: Kitāb al-dalālāt ʻalá al-ittiṣālāt wa-qirānāt al-kawākib fī al-burūj al-ithná ʻashar wa-ashrāfihā…" },{ "id" : "040-003955401", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 50v-68r: Collection of short astrological texts" },{ "id" : "040-003955404", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 68v-89r: Kitāb al-ḥukm ʻinda ṭulūʻ al-shiʻrá كتاب الحكم عند طلوع الشعرىHermes هرمس" },{ "id" : "040-003955405", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 89v-90r: Bāb fīmā yunsabu ilá kull wāḥid min al-kawākib min al-akhlāq باب فيما ينسب إلى كل واحد من…" },{ "id" : "040-003955406", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 90r-93v: Instructions for talisman making" },{ "id" : "040-003955407", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 94r-110r: Faṣl fī intiqāl al-kawākib li-l-burūj فصل في انتقال الكواكب للبروج" },{ "id" : "040-003955408", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 110v-113r: Faṣl fī aḥwāl al-ʻiqdatayn wa-ḥulūlihā (!) fī al-burūj al-ithnā ʻashr فصل في أحوال العقدتين…" },{ "id" : "040-003955409", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 113v-116r: Faṣl fī maʻrifat al-kawākib wa-mā lahum min al-aqālīm wa-min al-buldān فصل في معرفة الكواكب وما…" },{ "id" : "040-003955410", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 116r-120v: Bāb fī maʻrifat dalālāt al-burūj ʻalá al-buldān wa-ghayrihāباب في معرفة دلالات البروج على…" },{ "id" : "040-003955411", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 120v-121v: Faṣl naẓar al-kawākib li-l-shams waqt ḥulūlihā awāʼil al-fuṣul al-arbaʻahفصل نظر الكواكب للشمس…" },{ "id" : "040-003955412", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 122r-135v: Bāb fī ḥulūl al-kawākib fī al-buyūt al-ithná ʻashr باب في حلول الكواكب في البيوت الاثنى…" },{ "id" : "040-003955413", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 136r-150r: Two chapters on astrological judgments by eclipses" },{ "id" : "040-003955414", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 150r-153v: Bāb yudhkaru fīhi al-ḥukm ʻalá al-khusūf al-qamar fī jihat lawnihi fī wasaṭ al-kusūf باب يذكر فيه…" },{ "id" : "040-003955415", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 154r-157r: Faṣl fī dhikr dalālāt dhāt al-dhawāʼib ʻalá raʼī Baṭlīmūs wa-l-hind فصل في ذكر دلالات ذات…" },{ "id" : "040-003955416", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 157r-160v: Astrological judgments and excerpts" },{ "id" : "040-003955417", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, f 161v: Faṣl fī al-qirānāt فصل في القرانات" },{ "id" : "040-003955418", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 162r-184v: Excerpts from the Kitāb al-madkhal fī ʻilm al-nujūm (المدخل في علم النجوم)Balkhī, Nūr al-Dīn Abū…" },{ "id" : "040-003955419", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 185r-211v: Thirty-seven tables, diagrams and short texts related to astrology, divination and astral magic" },{ "id" : "040-003955421", "parent" : "032-003477110", "text" : "Or 5591, ff 212r-214v: Fragment of a Persian text on poetry" }]

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-003477110

Is part of:

not applicable

Contains:

Or 5591, ff 3r-18r : al-Kitāb fīhi manāzil al-qamar wa-mā fīhā min al-ikhtīyārāt wa-al-aʻmāl wa-dhālika min qawl Hirmis…
Or 5591, ff 18v-19r : Anonymous treatise on the exaltations and falls of the seven planetsHermes هرمس
Or 5591, ff 20r-20v : Bāb dhikr sāʻāt al-kawākib باب ذكر ساعات الكواكب
Or 5591, ff 21v-23r : Bāb fī ittiṣālāt al-qamar bi-al-kawākib wa-al-shams باب في اتصالات القمر بالكواكب والشمس
Or 5591, ff 23v-50r : Kitāb al-dalālāt ʻalá al-ittiṣālāt wa-qirānāt al-kawākib fī al-burūj al-ithná ʻashar wa-ashrāfihā…
Or 5591, ff 50v-68r : Collection of short astrological texts
Or 5591, ff 68v-89r : Kitāb al-ḥukm ʻinda ṭulūʻ al-shiʻrá كتاب الحكم عند طلوع الشعرىHermes هرمس
Or 5591, ff 89v-90r : Bāb fīmā yunsabu ilá kull wāḥid min al-kawākib min al-akhlāq باب فيما ينسب إلى كل واحد…
Or 5591, ff 90r-93v : Instructions for talisman making
Or 5591, ff 94r-110r : Faṣl fī intiqāl al-kawākib li-l-burūj فصل في انتقال الكواكب للبروج
Or 5591, ff 110v-113r : Faṣl fī aḥwāl al-ʻiqdatayn wa-ḥulūlihā (!) fī al-burūj al-ithnā ʻashr فصل في أحوال…
Or 5591, ff 113v-116r : Faṣl fī maʻrifat al-kawākib wa-mā lahum min al-aqālīm wa-min al-buldān فصل في معرفة الكواكب…
Or 5591, ff 116r-120v : Bāb fī maʻrifat dalālāt al-burūj ʻalá al-buldān wa-ghayrihāباب في معرفة دلالات البروج…
Or 5591, ff 120v-121v : Faṣl naẓar al-kawākib li-l-shams waqt ḥulūlihā awāʼil al-fuṣul al-arbaʻahفصل نظر الكواكب…
Or 5591, ff 122r-135v : Bāb fī ḥulūl al-kawākib fī al-buyūt al-ithná ʻashr باب في حلول الكواكب في البيوت…
Or 5591, ff 136r-150r : Two chapters on astrological judgments by eclipses
Or 5591, ff 150r-153v : Bāb yudhkaru fīhi al-ḥukm ʻalá al-khusūf al-qamar fī jihat lawnihi fī wasaṭ al-kusūf باب يذكر…
Or 5591, ff 154r-157r : Faṣl fī dhikr dalālāt dhāt al-dhawāʼib ʻalá raʼī Baṭlīmūs wa-l-hind فصل في ذكر دلالات…
Or 5591, ff 157r-160v : Astrological judgments and excerpts
Or 5591, f 161v : Faṣl fī al-qirānāt فصل في القرانات
Or 5591, ff 162r-184v : Excerpts from the Kitāb al-madkhal fī ʻilm al-nujūm (المدخل في علم النجوم)Balkhī, Nūr al-Dīn…
Or 5591, ff 185r-211v : Thirty-seven tables, diagrams and short texts related to astrology, divination and astral magic
Or 5591, ff 212r-214v : Fragment of a Persian text on poetry

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Hierarchy:

032-003477110

Container:

View / search within Archive / Collection: Or 5591

Record Type (Level):

Fonds

Extent:

Codex; ff. i+214+i

Digitised Content:

https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100099023112.0x000001

Thumbnail:

Languages:

Arabic
Farsi
Persian

Scripts:

Arabic

Start Date:

1462

End Date:

1463

Date Range:

0867

Era:

Access:

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User Conditions:

Physical Characteristics:

Material: Eastern laid paper of various colours

Dimensions: 180 x 130 mm leaf [125 x 80 mm written]

Foliation: British Museum foliation in pencil; Arabic alphanumeric (abjad) foliation begins with ا (1) on f. 3r of the British Museum foliation and ends with قمد (144) on f. 136r of the British Museum foliation; beginning of quire marks (quinions) visible on ff. 12r, 22r, 32r, 42r, 52r, 62r, 72r, 82r, 92r, 102r, 112r, 122r, 132r, 142r, 152r, 162r, 172r, 182r (quire 19) and 197r (quire 21)

Ruling: Misṭarah; 13 lines per page; vertical spacing 10 lines per 10 cm

Script: Naskh; the scribe is ʻAbd Allāh ibn al-Ṣāḥib Nūr al-Dīn al-Jazarī al-Masīḥī (عبد الله بن الصاحب نور الدين الجزري المسيحي, see f. 19r, lines 5-8); the scribal hand changes at f. 187r.

Ink: Black ink with rubrications

Decoration: None

Binding: British Museum half-leather binding in red

Condition: Folios appear to be missing between ff. 184 and 185, ff. 186 and 187, and ff. 196 and 197 and perhaps after 210v; ff. 187-190 have been mutilated and repaired with some loss of text; tidemarks and stains towards head of volume

Marginalia: Few by hand of main scribe and others

Seals: ff. 1r and 2r; British Museum seal on ff. 1r, 3r, 60r and 190v

Custodial History:

Muḥammad Bashīr (محمد بشير): his seal, with Persian legend 'Muḥammad-i nabī bashīr ast' (محمد نبى بشير است) without legible date (ff. 1r and 2r);
Muẓaffar al-Munajjim ('the astrologer', مظفر المنجم): his inscription and seal, with date 1010/1601-2 (f. 2r);
Muḥammad Shafīʻ al-Munajjim ('the astrologer', محمد شفيع المنجم): his inscription and seal, without legible date (f. 2r);
al-Ḥabīb Allāh ibn Niʻmat Allāh (الحبيب الله ابن نعمت الله), alias 'the physician' (مخاطب طبيب): his inscription, without date (f. 2r).

Source of Acquisition:

Purchased from Messrs Hannan, Watson & Co. May 16, 1899

Finding Aids:

Ellis, A.G. and Edward Edwards, A Descriptive List of the Arabic Manuscripts Acquired by the Trustees of the British Museum since 1894 (London: British Museum, 1912), p. 38

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)