Detail from a manuscript of the Javahir al Gharaib Tarjomat Bahr al-Aja'ib [Gems of Marvels] of Jennabi (Cennabi), 1582

Chapter 7 - Copying and editing

In Arabic-Islamic culture, great value has been and still is attached to the precise transmission of knowledge. Copying books by hand is a traditional practice with deep cultural roots. It has always involved considerable attention to editing and emending; choosing the best of several versions of a text and determining what passages are missing or have been added. Errors were corrected, divergent versions were investigated. Copying was a craft in which someone like Shahin Kandi was especially schooled. The letters of al-Hajari and Ibn Butrus also make clear how much care they took in copying books. Sometimes they would copy books as a favour to a friend. Later in the 17th century they largely did so on contract. The library of the University of Leiden is particularly rich in books that were copied especially for it by people who had a command of Arabic, Turkish or Persian.

Ottoman library

Detail from a manuscript of the Javahir al Gharaib Tarjomat Bahr al-Aja'ib [Gems of Marvels] of Jennabi (Cennabi), 1582

Sultan Murad III, who ruled from 1574 to 1595, had both a ‘public’ and a private library in his palace. The latter is pictured here, with books lying down, as was the Middle Eastern custom.

219.2, Arthur M. Sackler Museum, The Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of Turkish Art at the Harvard Art Museums, Boston.

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Book on making medicines

Letter from Ahmad ibn Qasim al-Hajari to Golius, Marrakesh, 2 February 1624

When Golius was living in Safi (Morocco), he would often come into contact with al-Hajari, who was in Marrakesh as the sultan’s secretary. They corresponded concerning books that were of interest to them or that al-Hajari had acquired for Golius. Below, he writes about the copy of Kitab al-musta’ini, that he had bought and restored for Golius.

John Rylands Library, University of Manchester [Persian ms 913, 159].

Regarding what you said about the manuscript I made of the Kitab al-musta’ini – you will see from the translation that I have taken great pains to complete it. I have added (translated) most of the non-Arabic words, to make it easier for you to understand. And I have also compared it to another manuscript, an appendix to the manuscript of our friend the physician. Based on both, I have emended your copy.

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Beautiful handwriting

Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Rashiq al-Qayrawani, Kitab a ‘umda fi mahasin al-shi’r wa-adabihi. Copy by Abdallah ibn Umar ibn Uthman (978 AH/late 16th century)

An anonymous acquaintance wrote to Golius that he had copied this collection of poetry for him, but his handwriting was not very beautiful. Golius, who apparently also valued a book for its aesthetic qualities, selected and preserved this copy.

University Libraries, Leiden.

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Completion

Anonymous, Al-Hulal al-mawshiyya fi ‘l-akhbar al-marrakushiya

This copy of the history of dynasties ruling in Morocco was written in a beautiful West African script, but large parts were missing. A less practiced hand completed the text for Golius, with the help of another copy. To the right is the script of the first copyist, to the left that of the one who completed the text.

University Libraries, Leiden.

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Turkish history

Hajji Mustafa al-Baghdadi, Tawarikh-I Fathname-yi Baghdad

This Turkish-language history of the Turkish dynasties was a rare book. The Curators of the University of Leiden were pleased to have this copy, on which Shahin Kandi had worked for several months in 1657, at Golius’ request.

University Libraries, Leiden.

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Tamrat al-filaha

One of the voluminous copies thatShahin Kandi made on commission for the University of Leiden in 1657. Tamrat al-filaha is a work on agriculture by Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Wahshiya (9th century). The author wanted to demonstrate that the ancient culture of agriculture was more developed than that of the Arabs.

University Libraries, Leiden.

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Resolutions of the Curators, Leiden 1657:

‘A good hand’ was well rewarded

With his beautiful handwriting and knowledge of Arabic, Persian and Turkish, Shahin Kandi was the obvious candidate to copy rare books at the behest of the University of Leiden. Besides, he needed money. He was given a position for three months, which was later extended to a year, and Golius procured for him the ‘very reasonable’ salary of five guilders a week.

University Libraries, Leiden. [AC1 invnr 25]

Fragment from Resolutions of the Curators, Leiden 1657:

Has been read a memo from Professor Gool, that a certain Armenian Christian from Aleppo, named Siahijn Kandi, who has arrived in the city of Leiden in dire straits and wants to find relief for himself by honest labour, might well be employed, because he has a very good writing hand in Arabic, Persian and Turkish, to copy in these languages on the behest of the library of the university some sizeable books or manuscripts, that cannot be found in any public library within the Christian realm, insofar as is known [...]; and that the service and labour of the aforementioned Armenian can be had for a very reasonable compensation, that is 5 guilders a week.

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Text and geometric figures

Niqulaus ibn Butrus, letter to Golius, Utrecht, Saturday 5 October 1644

University Libraries, Leiden [Or. 1228-89].

You mentioned to me in the letter on the subject of Apollonius that I should not omit any of the signs for the marginalia: that was in my mind. I began the copying, and I did not omit any of the marked places [even] before your letter reached me. I think that everything which I am doing will satisfy you.

Translation: Hilary Kilpatrick and Gerald J. Toomer, 'Niqūlāwus’, 2016.

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Explanations by Ibn Butrus

Letter from Niqulaus ibn Butrus to Golius, Utrecht, 9 November 1644

Letter from Niqulaus ibn Butrus to Golius, Utrecht, 9 November 1644. He copied for Golius his own copy of the famous history of the kings of al-Ghazali (see to the side). In the process he discovered a number of obscure or erroneous points. Words above which he has placed a line in this letter should be emended or replaced in his opinion.

University Libraries, Leiden [Or. 1228-107].

I examined the book from beginning to end, but I found nothing added or omitted in it. However, in the fourth chapter on their highnesses the kings, at the end of the story of Yaḥyā ibn Khālid, it is said ‘Then the doorkeeper came into him and said: “O my master, at our door is a man commanding respect and wearing beautiful clothes”’. Now the word beautiful was omitted. Also in Anūshirwān’s question to Buzurjmihr, ‘Who must be the most intelligent of people?’ he replied ‘an enemy when he is acting hostilely towards me’. The expression is written like that in the manuscript, but as for me, I think that it [should be] ‘the most negligent of people’

Translation: Hilary Kilpatrick and Gerald J. Toomer, 'Niqūlāwus’, 2016.

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Correction and emendation

Al-Ghazali (d. 1111), Nasihat al-muluk [Advice for kings]. Copy by Niqulaus ibn Butrus, Amsterdam 1644.

In Golius’ copy of this book the word ‘beautiful’ had been omitted. In this copy Ibn Butrus has added it – see left page, bottom line. Undoubtedly Ibn Butrus often helped Golius and others to correct, interpret and emend texts.

University Library Utrecht.

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Forgotten Mistara

Note from Niqulaus ibn Butrus to Golius, Utrecht, October 1644

When Ibn Butrus left Golius' home in Leiden and returned to Utrecht, he forgot to take his mistara, the tool he had made to lineate his paper. 'I remembered as I was leaving your house, but you were at the university and the door to your room was locked.'

University Libraries, Leiden [Or. 1228-112].

After profuse greetings to the honourable gentleman Jakob Gool. To proceed: we inform you, Mr. Jakob, that I have arrived at Ravius’ place safely and in good health.

I ask you to send me the ruler which I used to write the Advice for Kings for you. The number of lines [per page] marked on it is 25, and I also wrote the Damiri with it, which has 25 lines [per page]. I need it to fulfil your wishes with regard to Apollonius [‘ book on Conics]. I thought of it when I left your house, but you were at the University, and the door of your chamber was locked.

But when you send it, please take the trouble to bind it together with the history book, namely the History of the Muslims in Latin and Arabic which you gave me so that I might learn some words from it. So if you bind the mistara together with the book, tie them tightly with hempen twine and deliver them to one of the boatmen, hopefully they will reach me and I can produce something which will please you. For the rest, greeting, and convey my greeting to the honourable, noble, chaste mistress of excellence and charity, the lady of the house, your bosom friend, and to your dear children, each one by name.

Niqulawus Butrus

Translation by Hilary Kilpatrick and Gerald J. Toomer, 'Niqūlāwus’, 2016.

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More geometry

Draft version of a brief letter from Golius to Ibn Butrus, [Leiden (undated)]

This letter reveals the cooperative work involved in copying Apollonius’ book on cones: Golius drew the geometric figures, which Ibn Butrus reproduced in the proper places. At that time, Ibn Butrus was also copying two other mathematical works in Utrecht.

John Rylands Library, University of Manchester [Persian ms 913, 168].

The first thing I found when I was once again with my family was your greeting, as if you had been here. It pleased my heart and soul. […]

I have sent the mistara that you asked for in your previous letter. My request to you is that you omit nothing from the drawings in the text of Apollonius and the figures in the margin that I drew previously, but that you copy them for me in their proper places. I also ask you, if possible, to finish writing some parts of Kitab fi hisab al-jabr* and the commentary on the tenth book of Euclid’s sources and such, if there is still something that you haven’t completed. If you find Dhikr rasd min al-arsad fi rasa’il, then my greatest wish is that you copy it for me, with the various letters and calculations, as much as possible, of the considerations and verfications, so that I receive them with your first letter, by which I mean, with what you copied in my house. I’m also looking forward to the corrections to several passages of Nasihat al-muluk [Advice for kings] that you made note of.

Translation by Hilary Kilpatrick and Gerald J. Toomer, 'Niqūlāwus’, 2016

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Corrections

The Bible books Psalms, Joshua and Judges in Turkish, 1657

Golius and Warner worked together on a Turkish translation of parts of the Bible. In Istanbul, Warner sought the cooperation of Ali Ufki (Wojcieh Bobowski, of Polish origin). Golius was not satisfied with his translation and asked Shahin Kandi to correct it. The notes in red and the Arabic word ‘checked’ at the top of most pages are from Kandi.

University Libraries, Amsterdam [OTM: Hs VI H2i]