Kitāb al-tafhīm li-awā’īl ṣinā‘at al-tanjīm كتاب التفهيم لأوائل صناعة التنجيم Bīrūnī, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad بيروني، محمد بن أحمد
Or 8349
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The record is made up of Codex A collection of pages, usually gathered into quires, and bound between covers. ; ff. i+159+ii. It was created in 839. It was written in Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: Oriental Manuscripts.
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Comprehensive introduction to the principles of astrology by Abū al-Rayḥān Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Bīrūnī (أبو الريحان محمد بن أحمد البيروني, ca 973-1048). The text is written in question and answer format (على طريق المسئلة والجواب, f. 2v, line 8), and it deals with the sciences needed by the astrologer: geometry, arithmetic and number theory, and judicial astrology (see f. 2v, lines 8-9). The author states that he composed the work for Rayḥānah bint al-Ḥasan (ريحانة بنت الحسن , f. 2v, lines 7-8).
The text contains numerous diagrams and tables.
The earliest ownership inscription is dated Rajab 839/January-February 1436 (f. 1r, see Custodial History), so it is likely that the copy was completed at or shortly before this date
Begins (f. 2v, lines 3-7):
قال إن الإحاطة بهيئة العالم وكيفية شكل ألسماء والأرض وما بينهما على وجه الأخبار
المأخوذة بالتقليد نافعة جدًا في صناعة التنجيم لأن بها يقع للمستمع دربة
يعتاد فيها الألفاظ الجارية فيما بين أهلها ويسهل تصورها ومعانئها حتى
إذا عاد عليها متعرفًا وجوده عللها وبراهينها أتاها بفكرة مجردة لاجتمع
عليها تعب كلي الجانبين ...
End (f. 158v, line 14-159r, line 1):
... وعند البلوغ إلى هذا الموضع من الصناعة التنجيم كفاية ومن بعدها فقد عرّض
نفسه وصناعته لما بلغت إليها لأن من السخرية والاستهذاء فقد جهلها المنتسبون إليها
فضلًا على المتيقنين بها والله المستعان والحمد لواهب الحيوة
Colophon Section at the end of a manuscript text. (f. 159r, lines 2-6):
تم كتاب التفهيم لأوائل صناعة التنجيم
تصنيف أبي الريحان محمد بن أحمد البيروني
رحمه الله عليه رحمة واسعةً
وصلواته على محمد وآله الطاهرين
والحمد لله أولًا وآخرًا
- Extent and format
- Codex A collection of pages, usually gathered into quires, and bound between covers. ; ff. i+159+ii
- Physical characteristics
Material: Paper
Dimensions: 225 x 150 mm leaf [143 x 105 mm written]
Foliation: British Museum foliation in pencil
Ruling: Misṭarah ; 15 lines per page; vertical spacing 11 lines per 10 cm
Script: Naskh ; title on title page in thuluth (f. 1r); labels in one diagram in kufī (f. 16r)
Ink: Black ink, with rubricated headings (some corrupting to silver) and tables and diagrams in black and red
Binding: Islamic binding in Morocco leather with envelope flap; blind tooled medallion with pendants and corner pieces all containing flowers on both boards and flap
Condition: Minor water damage; upper quarter of f. 1 mutilated and repaired
Marginalia: Very few
Seals: ff. 1r and 2r
- Written in
- Arabic in Arabic script
- Type
- Manuscript
Archive information for this record
- Original held at
- British Library: Oriental Manuscripts
- Access conditions
Unrestricted
- Archive reference
- Or 8349
- Date(s)
- 839 (AH, Hijri qamari)
- Immediate source of acquisition
Purchased from Abdul Majid Belshah, 9 November 1919
- Select Bibliography
Translation with facsimile edition of MS Or. 8349:
- Bīrūnī, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad, The book of instruction in the elements of the art of astrology , R. Ramsay Wright, ed. and trans., (London: Luzac & co., 1934)
Study:
- Ullmann, Manfred, Die Natur- und Geheimwissenschaften im Islam (Leiden: Brill, 1972), p. 335
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- Subjects
- Astrology--Early works to 1800
- People & organisations
- Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad Bīrūnī
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Kitāb al-tafhīm li-awā’īl ṣinā‘at al-tanjīm كتاب التفهيم لأوائل صناعة التنجيم Bīrūnī, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad بيروني، محمد بن أحمد, British Library: Oriental Manuscripts, Or 8349, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100022596633.0x000001> [accessed 6 October 2024]
- Link to this record
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- Reference
- Or 8349
- Title
- Kitāb al-tafhīm li-awā’īl ṣinā‘at al-tanjīm كتاب التفهيم لأوائل صناعة التنجيم Bīrūnī, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad بيروني، محمد بن أحمد
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1r:159v, ii-r:iii-v, back-i
- Author
- Please see item description
- Usage terms
- Public Domain
