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Manuscripts and Rare Books


The late Dr. Isaac Musa a-Husseini was able to collect several manuscripts that belonged to his family, then donated them to the library. The number of their titles is 779, some are single or a letter within a group. The single ones are 215, and the groups 83, with a total of 298 volumes. Ms. Wajiha al-Husseini offered generously 17 volumes, with topics as: Al Fiqh al-Hanafi (Hanafi jurisprudence) and its branches, Al-Aqida and origins of the religion, Prophetic Biography, religious ethics and Sufism, Arabic language, mathematics and astronomy, al-Ijazat wa al-athbat (transmission certificates and…), philosophy and logic. Most of these manuscripts were copied during the Ottoman era. The oldest of these manuscripts is the 3rd part of the book “al Muhit” by Raddi al-Deen al-Sarkhasi (deceased in 571 Hijri/1175 Gregorian). It was copied by Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim al-Tahrani in 541 Hijri/1146 Gregorian. It is likely that it is the oldest copy of “al-Muhit” that is still preserved in our lifetime. Some 67 manuscripts were associated with bindings from animal leather, and 89 were covered with carton marble before the 13th Hijri century. The research section in al-Dar published an initial index for the collection in 2002. It is currently preparing a new revised edition.

 

Some of these manuscripts were verified, such as: “Risalet al-Jawab al-Qawim an al-su’al al-muta’leq bi iqta’ al-sayyid Tamim”, and “a Poem about Napoleon’s Defeat in Akko”, verified by Hasan al-Silwadi. The book “Kitab al-Fidda al-Mudi’a fi Shareh al-Shathara al-Dhahabiyya fi ilm al-Arabiyya” verified by al-Allama Abdel Munim Fa’ez Sa’ed. The book “Kitab al-Mu’arab ala al-ajurru wa miyya”, verified by Mustafa al-Khatib. The letter “Risalet ta’reef al-mustarshid hakam al-gharras fi al-masjed”, verified by Bashir Barakat and Mohammed Khalid Kullab. The letter “risala sawb al-ghamama fi irsal al-amama”, published by Yusuf Abu Sneineh. The poem “al-durra al-mudiyya fi al-akhlaq al-mardiyya”, verified by Mash-hour al-Habazi, and “Zahr al-rabi’ fi shawahed al-badi”, verified by Mahdi As’ad Arar.