Notes on the "Masin al-majlis" of Ibn al-'Arf Author(s): A. J.

Arberry Reviewed work(s): Source: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 12, No. 3/4, Oriental and African Studies Presented to Lionel David Barnett by His Colleagues, Past and Present (1948), pp. 524-532 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of School of Oriental and African Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/608708 . Accessed: 12/02/2012 04:06
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Cambridge University Press and School of Oriental and African Studies are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

http://www.jstor.org

Notes on the Mahatsin al-majalis

By A. J. ARBERRY

of Ibn al-'Arif

HE Mahasin al-majalis of Ibn al-'Arif (t536/1141) is a Sufi treatise of minor dimensions and inconsiderable importance, one of a multitude of such summaries that bridge the gap between the classical works of Kalabadhi, Qushairi, and Makki, and the phenomenal productivity of Ibn al-'Arabi. For all that, the essay (for it is little more) is not without interest; it is allusive and elliptical in style, thus affording material for commentators; and the author begins his discourse proper by quoting, though not by name, the Mawdqif of Niffari; as Ibn al-'Arabi afterwards used Ibn al-'Arif quite freely and approvingly, it is always possible that he got to know and take an interest in Niffari through this intermediary. The distinguished Spanish scholar Miguel Asin Palacios, whose recent death we mourn, made Ibn al-'Arif known in our time by a curious and rather unsatisfactory edition and annotated French translation.' The method he followed was to reproduce exactly-barring misprints, of which there are several-the text as contained in the Berlin manuscript, dated 859/1454, adding as footnotes the variant readings of the Escurial copy, completed in 750/1349. His own choice between the two alternatives is shown from time to time in the translation; though not infrequently he abstains from choosing, and renders both readings impartially. This method of procedure cannot be recommended as a model, for it leads to much confusion. The photographic reproduction of old and respectable manuscripts is one thing, and a very desirable and useful thing, especially when accompanied by a collation-it saves expense in these difficult days, and offers the student practice in palaeography; but to copy exactly in print a faulty and unreliable original is surely wasteful of both substance and effort. Palacios' book has a further drawback; the translation is by no means faultless. Yet, lest it should appear churlish to write so harshly of the work of an undoubtedly great scholar newly deceased, let it be added at once that in many other particulars the book is admirable and even masterly; if this paper seems to be wholly or in large measure critical, its motive is the reverse of depreciatory; it is a humble attempt to make still more serviceable what has already sufficiently demonstrated its utility. After knowing and using Palacios' edition for many years, I had recently the good fortune to come upon another, and hitherto unknown, copy of the Mahdsin al-majalis in that inexhaustible store of rare and precious things, the Chester Beatty Collection.2 Mr. Beatty's copy, which is dated 888/1483, and T
1 Ibn al-Arif: Mahasin al-majalis. (Collection de textes in6dits relatifs i la mystique musulmane, tome ii.) Paris, 1933. 2 For a list of known der copies, see C. Brockelmann, Geschichte arabischenLitteratur (Supplement), i, p. 776. Brockelmann writes Ibn al-'Irrif.

NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL- ARIF

525

is in general careful and accurate, is the first item in a miscellaneous volume of tracts containing inter alia a number of rare or unique treatises by the early Sufi Abu 'Abd Allah al-Tirmidhi (fl. 260/873). A comparisonof this new evidence with Palacios' collation revealed a close affinity between the Chester Beatty copy (CB) and the Escurial tradition (E), and suggested strongly, if it did not prove, that the numerous passages for which the Berlin manuscript (B) is the sole authority are in reality either glosses or interpolations. In especial, it is most noteworthy that CB ends abruptly after the long poem which follows the author's recapitulation of his argument 1; E also breaks off at this point, though it adds a paragraphthat has nothing in common with the long peroration in B, which is surely to be rejected as not forming part of the author's archetype.2 Having collated this new source CB, I re-examined Palacios' translation, and corrected it in numerous places. The notes which follow comprise (i) the collation of CB with B and E (as reproduced by Palacios); (ii) a list of corrections of Palacios' version. It may be added that the second of these tables is not exhaustive; it is to be supplemented by reference to the starred readings in the first table, an asterisk indicating that, in my judgment, the variant as contained in CB (generally supported by E against B) is the authentic text of Ibn al-'Arif, and should be followed in the translation.3 The writing of this paper has been an enjoyable exercise in criticism and reconstruction; I hope it will give equal pleasure to the grand scholar and good friend in whose honour it has been composed.
COLLATION

CB begins:Sjltll tl

757 Clg_: SJU ^4^l omt. Readt I

v , o.

j-_ (cf. E Lw.j)

Yl.((!)

1 uij1

xJ

758 "iYo.:

,3\ oj1l
Itne -1t1

759 lr ;-,:;

= E*.

b 21 -. Jli . m"l ,pj

753 .1 e lb: ofl

;i ?jcJ

: omits.

ios ei

t eJLBl c-lo xj* (cf. AJ. E.)

761 J$jIl '1I J_jl p = E*. 768 ^3L.(%)', : , ^.I ,CJ ~ l

x.JI: aJI = E.

754 7556 'j:

1 AI. l -l j1d (b:

IJI1!aLJ 4; -:

769 .":
7613
c-.

= Palacios conj.*
[erratum]: c.*

(!)

7614
aYl1 c,2

CB adds after this line <.1^ ?1 ZJI< Jl3

, ? omits. Read 6:y, j* (cf. E .L1 6J~. J) ~1I

Printed at pp. 97-8 of Palacios' edition. Cf. the beginning of the Berlin colophon: r r Z~A ,, L 3 J L 2. 1 which seems to suggest quite a different book. k..JIWcdJJL 3 I have not attempted to give every single variant, but only those relevant to the reconstruction of the text, with a few eccentricities as examples.
2

526
7616
;...dJ':

A. J. ARBERRY-

j_,
(j4;

LJSj

7912 j^:
7915

= E*.
= E*. E.

jJl.A: 4J al

5sa^

L .: L-=

7617 ,J,1 y4L.j I Jl : OJI J = E. 7618 K1 omits = E*. &^:

JL- l1 J; : omits = E*. Le: omits 771-2 4; 'lj.L t ,l 772 :JL: omits = E*. = E*. 773 ?j-J 4j) C E*

c-L... .: ' 7916 oAl 5i Jl S

....

7917 ?^YI: ~l ..l -801' y

=E*. l 'l: omits = E*. , .a?LI

804 ,J8: O;. SJ

? ':.c. (!)
80110 j
8011
LJJL f L)4

ef '
776 JL

bJ.ll tC 14:omits = E*.

: JL

c1 J1 J

sllicj 1JAj

?x;:

d1J 1

Ll;

.~ = E (and in 777). l:oj. 778-10 omits CB, cf. E*.

7716 JJ ... 4 : J. .. c9

dLJjl: dMj1l$1 8013 line divides at jrdj*

781

:'

= E*.
E*. = s, :. omits = E*.

8014 line divides at ,.-1^ * 8017 tg;ig_:;lbt* (cf. ;ljLLj E.)

8018 tS; ,L9.I4

"<i-:<"%~, 784 i, .il ... 785 fl. 786 lALj ,:

811-2 J,LI... 812 OLlb ^ rlAl

gJL: (!):

omits. <i:

L1

j*1

,*

(cf.

lA~il^ E.) 787 &;lI j :Jjl : omits = E*. 788 ot' 7812 4i.l , ': omits = E*.

.-/.: omits 813 JYli': JJtl*. 1P 3:JI ?l =E.

81 4 *

815 f:_~ 816 j.

& ;

= E*.

. 4: <^c E. ,=E=
7814-15 41
...

uiA: -

= E*.

omits = E*.

7816 dJa'l 791 U

a l: dJ' L: _\

U1== E*.
ft

I ... IJAJ omits. 8112 .S1.,:-: d. 1l ~ (cf. I.1 814-15 omits. 8116 4 c;' l: Ja; omits = E*. ^) E.)

4J: omits = E. l. l; o.^ -j: omits = E*. 794 ; VP: ,* (restores broken
metre).

= E*.

796

.. .J aJ'

: d,

J.aJL

821 lj: 822 lL;j : omits = E*. 824 Jl : omits = E*.

824-5

797 &L;.1 ,9 798 9 -: s

T 7910 L^':

t;I: omits.

LLW... 41 * 827 ULWI: rlJ

, tS 9Aj:

1 : omits.
m

Lj

Aj

:
= E*.

a = E.

=E*.

7911 ^

828 -tiJ: ' ;;Jl

mt 1: _.;) omits.

NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS

OF IBN AL-'ARIF

527

829 LWI: lipAJ 8211 -. .

831

863 ljb': , t :' omits = E*.

,1.

(cf. I.l,; E).

Read Ctl,.
;,: A3 S;X Z o ;;11;JI j9

' -*
-

832 ^!: J: 833-4 %fdil... l'

(cf.tU ;_,I j_j E.)

j

864 ;lt f.
8635qz o.

(!):. tqf

* (f. E.) 834-5 CIj( :j JJjL. o' omits*. 835 J :'U.WI dr'W * le

JdI '

JJ , .1 =E1*

Read I dt iJT

: omits = E*.

(cf.
8314 ^ ^\: 8317 ' .~: CIj5[ : =E*.

klJ ;. E.) p

841 JL.: ?L, 842 4;L. [erratum]: <-tLJ* 844 e UJ: omits = E*. 845 4: omits -_ E*.

. == E*. i : omits - E*. 869 JLU: omits = E*. ,.jLsI L J: ojL-o ==E*. 8610 . Jl: .l\l 8612 4<L. : omits. 8613 e 11: ;{ ;A {lJl* *%j. ?a s ': ? 866-7 (... jj p J.11JI E.) 8616 dUlj: &lj3 = E*. 871 jI1 J-.. ..jl Jl1: Jl...j l 874 j... omits = E*. :'I
(cf.
l,jo

846

_iX xi

848 dLJ 1:dL = E*. 0 3 ~. -l* 8410 :' (cf. c. . , ..l 8414 (I ... LGj: omits = E*.
8416 854 a-_ ;.l:? JL.: aJL' = E*. E*. juldi=

E.)

879 o%Jl
.?O^9':
ulA : Z -1

-:

LI ?r1^* omits*.

8710 omits = E*. 8711

fl^J J3L.

: omits = E*.

859 1lt... Jjl; : ? 8510? xo{: (

4 8511 .:

omits.

rIll &: omits.

8712 4i. L: l;

fLJI: fJoI =E.

8713 , 1 : omits = E*.
8512-14 tl 8514

I... JL;;:omits = E*.

: omits = E*.
8713-15 .4;.. . omits = E*. 8715-16 K,1 JU bflj: omits = E*. 8716 f 1lJjL. 1..: 4JW JjUL = E*. 8716-881 d2...4;^: omlts.

8515L1;dl1: omits = E.
8516 sLJI ,l il;: Jlj l^Ll LU

8517 E

==E*. JxlU : omits = E*. omits*.

882 885
885-6

: E*.l ;tlS: = E*. 1i: omits = E*.

JI jl:
.J...

JtlJVlj: ,JL * (JltlJI E.)

861 JUsllijj:

883 JkL l1 Jlk: omits = E*. . r..J 4':': = E*. omits = E*.

862 oJAt: ?)aml

= E*.

528 886 oULb: = E*. ?.:y >1iI [sic]: e1

: - == E*. 886-7 E1 .: omits = E*. 888 1y9- L ;L : omits = E*. 889-10
8810

A. J. ARBERRY9114 'L

L.JJ:

U = E.

9115 Ok .

O"

(!)

921 ;. : J.u' j metre).

922 LU^I

; = E* (restores
*

.... 41Jj

,: omits.

I:

'l: i.l.

8810-8911

EtcIj : omits = E*.

j.

924 <^ L,
J3b s:j

J:

8912 LSj: dJ8914' i.:'8915 4j.:j

8917 8918 903 .

yL'd 1ujjSl
=

(cf.E.)

4j
4:dL

E*. 925 1A,: I1 . 926 X1JI4. 1 929 I&dJl 4:

" J = E*.

(cf. sTj k ~
=E*.

E*.)

UL:L;= E.

: omits (cf. E.) omits = E.

L: ,
omits =E*. *

904 omits.
906-7

9210 oj. J^ 9211 JLLl dt'L i: omits. 1 9213:1 ' dJiLI : .WIJ: C,.J? O .tJ 9215 OIj: omits.
9216 .l L;~ * o*w-:'l
t: JUI &A14f J

908 *,: ? ~

}#: J1
9010 ul,: l .11 = E*. JLu ^1 JU: omits = E*. 9011 ,_ .IJl [erratum]: -^L.Il* 9012 r : omits = E*.

931
932-3

41 Ut4l : omits =E.

... .. ;1 : LtJI L. IJi

'.1 & j:
9013 4:
4J

\=

E.
933 oj;' .^ o. dr

, 4o;,, =4 j:. <z

(omits E.)
E*.

jt. Li : omits.

9014 J.^i?JI: jL;iJI

9015 ,L1: ; )l

= E*.

934 jf L .*
DJ: * ;1 IJ; 935 4<- j: . (!)

9015-s16

0l I

l
GJtl

: .J L5 = E*.

.(cf. 936 j&L": omits.

936-7
^j ...

^ E*.)
omits = E*.

912 omits =E*.

jli:

914 J_tll: ?
915 >:

937
938
9310-14

(!)

. :. 1! O [i, [sic]: ^.*

o.9 Lb.J /

917 dUJl:
.: ^911 ',

=E*.
= E4J

. r. *
E.)

9110

L.j

:LS - E*

(cf.'9o1 o jJJ E 9315 ^... r: omits = E*.

NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL-'ARIF

529

941

: omits E*. ,JS : omits = E*. 11J Jj3L . l_:,

965 U'L4b:L' (!)

^l) Ji^\: Lr (j??*l

(cf. J.. 942

fl{JI .Ul. = E*. 944 ' VI... 11: omits = E*.
946-8 ...C : JS

^Jl E.)

4'*A = E*. _A.: 966 Ul: JJ&l-E*. '

JLu I J; : omits - E*.

9410-11omits
9413 4J4j
;:

E*. -j

968-13 omits (cf. E).

96"13-' .L' F. 14: J. J

4J
9414 ^

: a

= E*.

96

4:L1-

j ji .i: 9".[J.i~" ,L

j : WlJI^J

(4LI,o omits E*.)

9615 JL... 9616-971 972 4.1_ ofa a j: omits.

953 Lj: 621 954 ,s: .

4^jI.... ~;

': omits.

955 4j t: omits (u omits E). = 9586 :lj: ^bj E. : ,) = E*. 957 958 omits = E*.

: omits = E*.

973 .JYlj: omits = E*.

975-14 L ,,l3: I ..

omits = E*.

974 b ^: :
9715 )l1

4LlI J3^.-: omits = E*.

j cJ UiLi"

959
9510
9512

1;'l
. jb J_' ... fj : J (cf. E.)

U :&.
6n

982 ;':

= [erratum]: ti*
3>1

Read,j>*

984 W:
dSl: 9889 L,' 1yJ:l lH) : Ui-^j

f^J: e1') 9513 . :o I. 9514 JL; 1 Jl : omits = E*.

f: ,IkJI S omits = E*. J3. ,: 9515

LI [erratum]: jl j
.U- ...

989 omits.
9810 -;.L [erratum]: .i : 9811jv jtj: o: r 9812 omits.

omits.

9516 -. :1 L We
9518-961 Z.~... .. 961-8 1..... ;: ' omits.

9813CLU.:

5
963 (rj:

-..
f

jil

JJ4 1 Jl Lu- 1 ;

U.* f^j : ^^ ==E. omits (cf. E). 9817-106 CB ends :j .l:\ J,l 4Ji j.,;x! ~'~ :.,-3l
3

964 JL; 1Jl;: omits = E*.

VOL. XII. PARTS 3 AND

jC

4.

530

A. J. ARBERRY-

CORRECTIONS 2712-13 pour pr6ferer comme le meilleur ce qu'il y a de plus penible: read in choosing what is most upright.
2910-13

and notes. Read with Ibn al-'Arabi as quoted at 2115-17.

s'il n'y avait pas faute de la part du serviteur: read were it not for (the existence of) the worshipper. 321-2 la Loi revele : omit this obvious gloss. 334-5 la sante de la volonte consiste a remettre genereusement a Dieu sa propre facult6 d'agir, a rester le sujet vide de pouvoir, par l'abandon du libre choix: readthe will is only healthy when one expends every effort and exhausts all one's powers (sc. in God's cause), while leaving the choice (to God). 346 que l'on s'abstient de les servir: read restraining oneself from obeying it (sc. the world). 355 et la ou est mon sejour: read and (if thou askest the days) where my abiding is. 3532 dans les deux 6tats [le bonheur et l'adversite]: rather read in the two states [sc. seeking (talab)and confiding (tawakkul)]. 3534 n'est un obstacle pour le succs : read does not reconcile (sc. the human will with God's). 3716 [tasdbor]: read [tasabbor]. 3737 close quotation marks after " touch ": the succeeding words are a gloss
3014

on Qur. 2183.
3922-23 la tristesse de l'amour, que je ressens pours Toi, n'oppresse: read (my) ecstasy causes me to reel towards Thee. 3925-26 avec la promptitude meme du prisonnier quand on lui ote les entraves : readeven as the prisoner (shakes for joy when he) goes forth (nashata) from his chains. 404 elle n'offre pas de garanties : read it does not bring tranquillity. 4019-20 le supplice qu'a vous autres donne la mort: read and (any) torment of which you approve (that I should suffer). 4021-23 il n'y a aucune douleur pour moi, comparableau dommage que souffre l'amour que j'ai pour vous: readthere is no pain for me in any distress (I suffer) in loving you. 4221 prive de sa libert : read guards. 4222-23 alors l'intuitif se heurte contre l'obstacle: read preserves the visionary at the shock.

et de la bienveillance gratuite: read running (like a gazelle). chercheriez-vous par hasard les dieux menteurs : read do ye falsely 4328 seek (other) gods. 4329-32 l'existence de Dieu, la generosite et la vision de Dieu ne leur laisse poit [sic] [aux choisis, de pretexte pour] un desir quelconque, puisque, Dieu deja trouve, il n'y a pas [de raison pour] esperer: read His existence has left them no (other) purpose [or perhaps, rather, substitute ('iwadan)],neither has His generosity allowed them any (reason to) hope (for more). 4420-21 que mon Maitre t'a supprime : read that my Lord has adorned thee.

4319 la piete filiale:

read (Divine) goodness.

NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL-'ARIF

531

le zephir du jardin de votre union est arrive jusqu'a eux et a souffl6. 4510-12 Pres de toi, j'ai une ombre humide : read and if the scorching wind of despair of attaining thee blows, I have in thee a dewy shade. 4611 en le contemplant: read in contemplating Him (sc. God) [so twice later]. 4612-13 on estime davantage le don du Bienfaiteur: read he marvels at the magnitude of His benefaction. 4724812 omit this passage which is evidently a gloss. 4817 je serais un miserable : read I should be a (care-)free man. 4823-24 la gratitude se fait indefiniment obstacle a elle-meme: readgratitude is stagnant (like a pool) and never comes to a goal. 4923-24 ce sont d6ja les buts des etats fortuits et accidentals : read exposure to hazards. 5020 omit this line which is in any case corrupt and does not scan. 519-10 le fait parce qu'il [croit] en posseder une savoureuse experience: read such a man has no (true) experience of it (sc. love). 5130-32 c'est un amour qui..., rend agreable le travail du service de Dieu: read it is love which ... brings to birth (true) service (to God). 523 je restai revetu : read she says-and I was covered. 525 ne sommes-nous: read in quotation marks, this being the beloved's reported speech. 525-8 ne sommes-nous done pas ceux dont on disait qu'ils etaient passionnes pour un simple souvenir ? Pourquoi done maintenant n'avons-nous meme de souvenir ? : read " art thou not he of whom we were told that he was devoted to our memory ? Why then are we not remembered ? " 529-11 c'est qu'est revenue l'emotion qui a annihile le souvenir: read the passion (in me) replied to her, " Thou thyself hast obliterated his memory."
5320-22

formules ni s'approprier des noms, etc.: read any remnant (whatsoever), resting upon material form, or attached to name, etc. 541-12 this passage is much interpolated by glosses. read it is one of the stations of the vulgar. 5530-31 par Celui qui me fait desirer et qui par son amour m'a comme rendu fou, hors de moi, errant entre son lointain et sa proximit6: read Who has orphaned me (sc. from my kin and friends) by His love, and thereby made me to wander distracted between farness and nearness to Him. 5619-20 l'abstinence ascetique des choisis consiste donc a concentrer l'aspiration de l'esprit pour en eliminer les dissipations: read therefore the concentration of purpose has caused them to abstain (zahhadahum)from the dissipations of the (phenomenal) world. 5717-18 leur tristesse nait seulement de l'inclination au mal, propre a leurs ames sensitives : readtheir grief is (due to) the despair they feel concerningtheir souls (that are) prone to evil.l
1 So D. S. Margoliouth conjectures in JRAS., 1934, p. 847; the reading of CB confirms his emendation.

chose qu'il puisse considerer comme sienne, sans s'arreter aux

5418-19 il appartient aux degres les plus faibles de perfection des soufis:

532

NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL-'ARIF

593-4 l'oeil de conformite, [qui se contente] a l'egard de tout defaut, est comme une nuit (!): readthe eye of (Divine) complacency is dim to (the observation of) every fault.' (This passage is probably an interpolation.) 5918-20 la penitence... la familiarite: omit these two words, which intrude in this list of the section-headings of the essay. 5924-60 this passage is greatly interpolated. 629-11 car, que tu sois pourvu d'un esprit sagace, experiment6 et habile, ou que tu sois maladroit et gauche, [c'est la meme chose]: read for if thou hast understanding, (thou wilt realize that) the assiduous application of earnest endeavour is the (only) way through. 6217-72 omit this lengthy addendum.
See D. S. Margoliouth, loc. cit., where it is pointed out that this is a line of poetry in the original.