Mathematics and Astronomy [741]

• Mathematics and Astronomy.
• This manuscript is now IO Islamic 1148 in the India Office collections.
• [metadata: Otto Loth, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, (volume 1), no. 741 here with further notations and hyperlinks].

741.

1148. Size 9^1/4 in. by 6 in.; foll. 135. At first thirty-two and thirty-three afterwards about sixty, and lastly thirty-three lines in a page.

I. Foll. 1-62. NAṢÎR AL-DÎN ṬÛSÎ’S edition of the Arabic version of PTOLEMY’S μεγαλη συνταξις, or Almagest. It is entitled تحرير المجسطى . See Ḥ. Kh. v. 387; Cat. Mus. Brit. 187, 620, 745; Wenrich, 228.

The author says in his preface: و بعد فقد كنت برهة من الزمان ‘ عازما على ان احرّر لنفسى و لسائر طلبة العلم من الاخوان ‘ كتاب المجَسْطِى المنسوب الى بطلمیوس القَلُوذىّ الذى هو الدستور العظيم ‘ لاصحاب صناعة الهيئة و التنجيم ‘ تحريرًا لا يفوته مقاصد ذلك الكتاب النظريّة ‘ و مناهجة العمليّة‘ حتى ترتيب الفصول و ابواب الحساب و رسوم الجداول و اوضاع الاشكال الخ.

A valuable copy, closely written in a small hand, without diacritical points. It was completed on Tuesday, 6th Muḥarram, 722, at Sulṭânîyah, by Ḥamzah b. ‘Alî b. Ḥamzah Ḳazwînî Baihaḳî, commonly called Sa’d (al-dîn) Khurâsânî. He transcribed it from a copy which had been taken from the author’s own copy. He collated it with another MS., in Muharram of the following year, also at Sulṭânîyah, in the Madrasah Rashîdîyah.

Worm-eaten. One leaf is wanting after fol. 32.

It is followed (foll. 62v.-63) by two supplements, written in the same hand. The first of these is inscribed, فى تشكل الزهرة فى الفصل الثانى من المقالة العاشرة من المجسطى . The other begins: نريد ان نثبت اختلاف وقوع الخطوط فى الاشكال التى تعرف منها اوضاع مراكز افلاك عطارد الخ , and ends: تمت الرسالة و الحمد الخ .

II. Foll. 63v.-67. The Spheries of MENELAUS IN Arabic, edited by MUḤAMMAD B. ABU’L-SHUKR MAGHRIBÎ.

Begins:الحمد لله رب العالمين ... هذا كتاب مانالاءس فى الاشكال الكريّة تهذيب العبد الفقير الى الله محمد بن ابى الشكر المغربى الشكل الاول الخ.

This edition is not mentioned anywhere. The alleged editor appears to be the father of Yaḥya b. M. b. A. Sh., the well-known astrologer, who flourished in the seventh century (see no. 769). See, for other editions of the work of Menelaus, Cat. Lugd. iii. 49 sq.; Ḥ. Kh. i. 390 (v. اكر ) , ii. 213, iii. 48; Wenrich, 210.

Very closely and almost illegibly written, in a minute character, of about the same date as no. I.

III. Foll. 68-135.The Astronomical Tables of ULUGH BEG, زيج الغبيك .

Seals of Fâḍil Khân and ‘Inâyat Khân, two servants of Shâhjahân.

[Johnson.]