Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

C. 18 (University Library, Cambridge University)

E. G. Browne Collection

Contents

Summary of Contents: مفاتح الشرايع An Arabic treatise on Jurisprudence (fig) entitled Mafátibu'sh-Sharay by
Muḥammad ibn Murtadà, better known as Mullá Muḥsin-i-Fayd. This MS. would
appear to be an autograph, for the colophon (f. 199a) runs:
هذا اتمام المفاتح وهو تاريخ اتمامها (۱۰۴۲) وفرغ منه مؤلّفه العبد الضعيف المسكين المستكين
محمد بن مرتضى المدعو بمُحْسِن احسن الله حاله وجعل الى الرفيق الاعلى ماله والحمد لله اولا
واخرا In effect, the words Itmámu'l-Mafátiḥ give A.H. 1042 (A.D. 1632-3) as the date
of composition, which was also the date of transcription, and it seems clear that this
MS. is actually the autograph of the author, whose biography is given in the
Rawdátu'l-Jannát, pp. 542-549, and No. 76 in the Qişaşu'l- Ulamá Brockelmann's notice of him (11, 406) is very inadequate. It occupies only three lines and only one
of his works is mentioned
. He died in
1091/1680, aged about 84, wrote numerous works both in Arabic and Persian, and
was the favourite pupil and son-in-law of the great philosopher Mullá Şadrá of
Shiraz. The present work, which is mentioned in the Rawdatu'l-Jannat (p. 545)
begins:
الحمد لله الذي هدانا لدين الاسلام وسنّ لنا الشرايع والاحكام الخ

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: Ff. 199
Dimensions: 20.3 × 13.8 cm.

Layout

23 lines

Hand(s)

Written in a small and ungraceful but scholarly ta'liq with rubrications and numerous marginal notes and glosses.

History

Origin: 1042 AH; 1632-33 CE

Provenance and Acquisition

One of the Belshah MSS.

Bequest of E. G. Browne.

Record Sources

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card for admissions procedures contact Cambridge University Library Admissions). Contact near_eastern@lib.cam.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript

Funding of Cataloguing

JISC


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