Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

RSPA 114 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

India Office Library

Jones Collection

Royal Society Arabic and Persian

Contents

1 copy of al-Shifāʾ by Ibn Sīnā

Language(s): Arabic

ff.1v and 2r contain the Introduction by Abū ʿUbayd al-Jūzajānī, who was one of Ibn Sīnā's disciples.

This copy of al-Shifāʾ contains sections on logic, geometry, astrology and music, as well as the four maqālāt.

Explicit: وأما تسب الدساتين بعضها إلى بعض فتجب أن يضع لنا لوجا جامعا.
Incipit: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. هذا كتاب الشفاء للشيخ الرئيس إلي علي الحسين بن عليد الله بن سينا.
Colophon: تم الموسيقى بيوم الاربعا ۲۹ ماه رمضان المبارك سنة ۱۰۴۶

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Damaged woven brown paper.
Extent: ff. ii+283+iv
Dimensions (leaf): 160 × 255 mm.
Foliation:

European numerals in pencil.

Condition

Extensive worm damage. Supports and guards. Some folios pulling away from supports.

Layout

Hand(s)

Black nastaʿlīq with rubrications.

Decoration

There are many diagrams and illustrations drawn within the textblock throughout the manuscript, particularly geometrical and mathematical illustrations. Diagrams are often, but not always, drawn in red ink.

Additions:

At least one hand that is not the scribe's has written occasional marginal comments, and the occasional marginal diagram, e.g. f.155v

Binding

Standard India Office half-leather binding with supports and guards and wine-coloured endpapers.

Accompanying Material

History

Origin: 9_Ramaḍān_1046 AH; 24 February 1637 CE ; India

Provenance and Acquisition

RSPA 1-118 were presented to the Royal Society in January 1792 by Sir William and Lady Jones. According to the Wilkins catalogue, this manuscript was presented by Lady Jones.

The Royal Society's collection of 280 Persian and Arabic, and 86 Sanskrit manuscripts were transferred to the India Office Library in 1876.

1876

India Office Library

Record Sources

Manuscript description based on E. Denison Ross and E. G. Browne, Catalogue of two collections of Persian and Arabic manuscripts preserved in the India Office Library (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1902), p. 74 no. CXIV

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card for admissions procedures contact British Library, Registering for a Reader Pass. Contact apac-enquiries@bl.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript. For information on catalogues and ordering manuscripts see Finding and ordering Persian manuscripts in the British Library.

Funding of Cataloguing

BL


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