Lesson title: Patterns of Dating Used by Copyists in Arabic Manuscripts
Introduction
The Shaykh, Salih Muhammad Abd al-Fattah al-Azhari, began the lecture by emphasizing the importance of scholarly endeavor and its vital role in preserving and editing the Islamic heritage, by the grace and enabling help of Allah the Exalted. He opened with praise of Allah and blessings upon the noble Prophet, then prayed that these scholarly gatherings be sincerely for the noble Face of Allah and fruitful in beneficial knowledge and righteous action. The Shaykh addressed the importance of recognizing the patterns of dating used by copyists (nussakh) in Arabic manuscripts as a basic building block of the discipline of textual editing (tahqiq). He stressed that a deep understanding of these patterns is one of the foundations that enable editors to determine when texts were written, which helps enrich an accurate historical picture of the texts.
Contents of the Lesson
1. A quick review:
- The Shaykh explained that two basic patterns of dating had been covered in the previous lectures:
- Dating with words and phrases: relies on using specific texts or phrases to indicate the time.
- Dating with numerals: records the time using direct numerical values.
- Practical examples of these patterns were presented, along with an explanation of the problems associated with them, such as effaced text or errors resulting from differences in practice among copyists. The Shaykh stressed the importance of careful attention in understanding these patterns to avoid errors of interpretation.
2. The pattern of the abjad reckoning (hisab al-jummal):
- The Shaykh explained the concept of the abjad reckoning, which gives the letters of the alphabet numerical values according to the order “abjad hawwaz hutti kalaman sa’fas qarashat,” allowing them to be used as a symbolic tool for indicating dates.
- How it works:
- Manuscripts are dated by adding up the numerical values of the letters used in the dating texts.
- Example: the word “باب” (bab) is calculated as follows: (ب = 2, ا = 1, ب = 2), giving a total of 5.
- These values are worked into lines of poetry or literary phrases intended to embed the date in an artistic and symbolic way.
- Key observations on this pattern:
- It was rarely used before the tenth century AH, but it flourished markedly in the Ottoman era.
- The pattern shows differences between Easterners (Mashariqa) and Westerners (Maghariba, i.e., North Africans and Andalusians) in the order of the letters’ numerical values, which calls for particular care in analysis.
- It is used mainly in the closing passages of texts that aim to record the date of composition or of copying.
- Examples:
- The Shaykh presented practical examples that included lines of poetry used to record the dates of manuscripts, such as “hall rijal al-Bukhari,” explaining how to decode them using the Eastern tables to ensure accuracy.
3. Dating by fractions:
- This pattern is known for using parts or fractions to indicate dates, reflecting the copyists’ wish to present dates in an intricate and often obscure way.
- Examples:
- Such as “in the first half of the fifth month of the second year.”
- This pattern appeared prominently during the Ottoman period and was first associated with Ibn Kamal Pasha.
- Critical analysis:
- The Shaykh pointed out that this pattern takes considerable effort to understand, which makes it less efficient than the other patterns in practical editing.
- He described it as a kind of scholarly extravagance that consumes time without offering editors much benefit.
4. A critique of the patterns:
- The Shaykh stressed that the purpose of using dating patterns in manuscripts should be clarity and precision.
- He expressed reservations about patterns that rely on encryption or complexity, noting that they divert research effort away from the essential issues.
- He stressed the need to focus on the common patterns (words and numerals), which are used in the great majority of manuscripts, making them the most useful tool for editors.
5. Practical applications:
- The Shaykh reviewed real examples of texts that used various patterns of dating and explained the methodical steps for decoding the symbols and calculating the dates accurately.
- He explained the importance of understanding the regional differences between Easterners and Westerners to avoid mistaken interpretations.
- He offered practical advice on how to verify texts that contain more than one pattern of dating.
Conclusion
- The Shaykh concluded the lecture by calling for a firm grasp of the common patterns of dating as a fundamental part of the editor’s skills.
- He stressed the importance of reviewing what had been studied in previous courses to consolidate understanding before moving on to applied scholarly criticism in the coming lectures.
- He emphasized the need to invest time in studying the texts of the great scholars, which represent the true depth of the Islamic heritage, rather than becoming distracted by rare or complicated patterns.
Additional Notes
- The importance of mastering the common patterns to strengthen practical competence.
- The need to grasp the fine differences between the various patterns to avoid errors.
- Making use of these patterns as tools for a deeper understanding of manuscripts, with a focus on the most widely used patterns.
Suggestions
- Title: “Patterns of Dating in Manuscripts: An Advanced Analytical Study.”
- Including more practical examples to clarify the regional differences and applications.
- Focusing on the patterns that have the greatest impact on editing manuscripts, to ensure accurate results.