Or 16125

This volume contains a treatise on cosmography and on determining prayer times authored in 932 AH/1526 CE by the Ottoman astronomer, astrologer, and timekeeper, Mustafa ibn-i Ali el-Muvakkit (died 979/1571).

Mustafa ibn-i Ali was born in Istanbul in the early tenth century AH/sixteenth century CE. He took lessons in mathematics and astronomy from Mirim Çelebi (died 931/1525) and other leading scholars of the time, in addition to obtaining a traditional medrese education. He was known by a number of additional names: ‘Selimi,’ owing to his lengthy period as a timekeeper (muvakkit) at Istanbul’s Sultan Selim Camii; ‘Müneccimbaşı Mustafa Çelebi’ after becoming the Chief Astrologer in the palace (Reisülmüneccimin) in 967 AH/1560 CE; and ‘Koca Saatçi,’ a nickname by which he was more popularly known.

Although he penned three works in Arabic, Mustafa ibn-i Ali preferred to write in Ottoman Turkish in order to reach a broader audience, especially among his fellow timekeepers and astronomers, as well students in these fields. As a result, his works, especially on the use of astronomical instruments, became standard texts consulted by timekeepers across the Empire well into the late Ottoman period.

The present text is one of Mustafa ibn-i Ali’s most important works, covering topics related to astronomy, geography and cosmography in detail. It is distinguished by its far-reaching application of mathematics to geography (Fazlıoğlu, 2007). His sources included works of geography such as Ibn al-Athīr’s (died 630 AH/1233 CE) Tuḥfat al-ʿAjāʾib wa-Ṭurfat al-Gharāʾib; Ḥamdallah Qazvīnī’s (died 750 AH/349 CE) Nuzhat al-Qulūb, and Ptolemy’s Geography. He also based his work on al-Jaghmīnī’s (died c. 618 AH/1221–2 CE) introductory astronomical work al-Mulakhkhaṣ fī ʿilm al-hayʾa al-basīṭa; Kadızade Rumi’s commentary on Jaghmīnī's work; al-Damīrī’s zoological work (died 808 AH/1405 CE) Ḥayāt al-ḥayawān; and al-Qazwīnī's (died 682 AH/1283 CE) famous cosmological work ʿAjāʾib al-makhlūqāt. The first few folios are missing, and the text begins a few passages after the beginning of the first section (kısım). The work’s contents are as follows:

• Introduction (not included in this volume): Introduces the text and its sources, and gives general information about the science of geography
• I Kısım (missing opening section), ff 1r-33v: On planetary orbs, planets, and stars
• II Kısım, ff 33v-125v: On the earth and its divisions, seas, islands, rivers, springs, wells, mountains, and their wonders
• III Kısım, ff 128r-220v: On the seven climes, as well as the distances, longitudes, and latitudes of principal cities within them

Begins:

dahi beş yüz yıllık yoldur ve yedinci gökten Kürsiye varınca dahi beş yüz yıllık yoldur ve Kürsiden suya dahi beş yüz yıllık yoldur. ‘Arş-ı Evvel sunun üzerindedir

Ends:

ve yirmi sekizinci gün etseler gövdeye kuvvet getirir ve yirmi dokuzuncu gün etseler ve otuzuncu gün kan almak ve hacamet etmek gayet yaramazdır sakınmak gerektir vallah teâlâ alem ve ahkem

The present manuscript lacks the first few folios. f 222v contains a medical formula. The colophon is on f 220v, and states that the work was copied in 1072 AH/1661-2 CE.