Lecture title: The Critical Study of Manuscript Copies and Catalogues
Introduction
Shaykh Salih Muhammad Abd al-Fattah al-Azhari opened his lecture with an introduction reflecting spiritual and scholarly depth. He began with praise of Allah and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), stressing the importance of sincerity and detachment in seeking knowledge. He emphasized that these scholarly gatherings are a platform for grounding a firm and precise methodology for dealing with heritage texts, and he urged the attendees to use them for a deeper understanding of manuscript studies.
Theme One: The Path of Completeness and Lacunae in Copies
- Reviewing earlier problems:
- The Shaykh reviewed the concept of lacunae (naqs) in manuscript copies, focusing on blank spaces (bayadat) as an important sign for locating defects. He pointed to the role of quire numbering as a basic tool for understanding the correct order of the leaves.
- He highlighted the importance of endowment notes (quyud al-waqfiyyat) and audition certificates (sama’at) in providing reliable indications of a copy’s completeness and context.
- Analyzing lacunae arising from the writer’s or copyist’s stopping:
- The Shaykh drew a precise distinction between a lacuna resulting from damaged leaves and one resulting from the copying having been broken off because the writer or copyist (nasikh) stopped. He explained that the latter can be recognized by an incomplete blank appearing in the middle or at the end of the page.
- He reviewed the expression “the writer’s stopping” (waqfat katib) or “the copyist’s stopping” (waqfat nasikh) as it appears in the books of earlier scholars, showing that it refers to copies that were never completed because of factors particular to the author or copyist.
- Applied example: Ibn Tulun:
- The Shaykh dealt with examples from the works of Ibn Tulun, highlighting his tendency to leave the final pages blank in order to include future additions. He explained that this practice led to many of his copies being classified as anonymous because the final data were missing.
- The Shaykh gave practical examples to explain how to recognize this phenomenon, clarifying the common mistakes cataloguers may make when describing copies.
Theme Two: The Phenomenon of Composite Copies (Talfiq)
- Defining talfiq:
- The Shaykh discussed the concept of talfiq, defining it as assembling parts from several copies to complete a single copy. He stressed that this practice often leads to the mixing of texts and the distortion of historical contexts.
- He pointed to the need for great caution when editing composite copies, given the likelihood of considerable overlap in their dates and contents.
- The implications of talfiq for editing:
- The Shaykh stressed that composite copies need careful study, with each part treated as an independent entity. He noted that knowing the author’s hand and the copying date helps distinguish the original parts from the added ones.
- He explained that failing to detect talfiq can lead to serious errors in interpreting the texts.
Theme Three: The Title and the Author’s Name
- The concept of the correct title:
- The Shaykh defined the correct title of a book as the name the author himself chose. He emphasized that scholarly editing begins with the attempt to determine this title precisely.
- He noted that multiple titles may arise from the initiative of copyists or of those who circulated the book, which requires careful analysis to determine the correct title.
- Sources for establishing the title:
- The Shaykh reviewed the sources from which titles can be drawn, such as title pages, the introduction and the conclusion. He explained the importance of documentary notes such as audition certificates and endowment notes in determining the nature of the copy.
- He discussed the importance of quire numbering and titles written on the edges, which may carry decisive indications about the identity of the text.
- The problem of multiple titles:
- The Shaykh addressed the reasons for multiple titles, noting that authors may use several names for their works or leave room for copyists to add descriptive names.
- He stressed that the best-known title, the one most widely current among the copies or in historical sources, should be adopted in the edition.
- He called for documenting all alternative titles in the introduction to the edition to give the reader a comprehensive view.
- Applied examples:
- The Shaykh reviewed the case of Nuzhat al-Nazar by al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, pointing to the multiple titles given to it, and explained how textual and external clues can be used to favor one of the titles.
Conclusion
The Shaykh concluded the lecture by answering the attendees’ questions, which touched on various topics such as how to deal with composite volumes (majami’) and how to establish the correct attribution of books to their authors. He stressed that scholarly editing requires a combination of practical experience and a deep understanding of texts.
The Shaykh emphasized that cooperation between editors and cataloguers is an essential factor in the success of scholarly work. At the close of the lecture, he prayed to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, to grant the attendees success in their research endeavors and to ease for them the paths of knowledge and learning.
All parts of Course 7: Studying Manuscript Copies - Paths and Skills - Shaykh Salih al-Azhari