Ценни арабски ръкописи от фонда на Националната библиотека „Св. св. Кирил и Методий“
Valuable Arabic Manuscripts preserved at Sts. Cyril and Methodius National Library – Sofia

Summary/Abstract: The article aims to show the value of four Arabic manuscripts on Arabic grammar and lexicography, and of another one on bowls, arrows and shooting that has been a part of Waqf Library in Vidin before their removal to Sts. Cyril and Methodius National Library (at the end of 19th century). The first one is a copy dated 554 A. H. (1159–1160 A. D.) of Gumal fi an-nahw by Ishaq az-Zagagi (d. 337/948 or 339–340/449–450). (It has a shelf mark OP 2055). There are nine inscriptions on the first two leaves of the manuscript. They are verses that have been extracted from the rare anthology Book of the flower (Kitab az-zahra), written by Muhammad al-Isfahani az-Zahiri (d. 297 A. H./910 A. D.) (In our days only three manuscripts preserve copies of this anthology). The second manuscript is al-Baquli`s commentary on Kitab al-Lami‘ written by Ibn Ginni d. 392 A. H.(1002 A. D.). (It has a shelf mark OP 1863.) The copy have been ended at 19th shawwal 617 A. H. (16th November 1220 A. D.). At the beginning of the manuscript there are two exlibries – inscriptions with the owner’s name “Hashmet dede al-malawi“, written at the beginning of the 18th c. The third manuscript is an early copy of a rare Arabic-old-Persian dictionary entitled Kitab as-sami fi al-asami by Ahmad an-Nisaburi al-Maydani (d. 518 A. H./1124 A. D). (It has a shelf mark OP 936). The copy is ended to author`s own time: at 11th Rabi‘ al-awwal 518 A. H. (28th April 1124 A.D.) and is earlier than the Paris` copy of Kitab as-sami fi al-asami (dated 528 A. H./1133 A. D) as well as earlier than St. Petersburg`s copy (dated 537 A. H./1143 A. D.) and than London`s copy (dated 599 A. H./1203 A. D.). The forth one is a masterpiece copy of al-Fayruzabadi`es Qamus al-Muhit (shelf mark OP 1225) written by the famous calligrapher Ibrahim as-Saman who had ended his work at 29th Ragab 1023 A.H. (4th September 1614 A. D.). The title pages of the codex are decorated and illuminated. The text at the beginning is surrounded by an elegant gold floral border. The frames of the text in next pages are ruled in green, gold, red and blue. The fifth manuscript is an unique autograph. It’s shelf mark is OP 1466. The author ‘Ali b. Qasim as-Sa‘di finished this first draft of the book on 20th Shawal 871 A.H./25th May 1467 A. D. He did not mentioned the title in his work. The manuscript was entitled as Kitab Ihkam al-Qaws by second hand. The text is illustrated with drawings of bows, arrows and crossbows. The contents of the five presented manuscripts and their physical characteristics make them valuable.

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