The Comparison of the two Copies of Mahmud Zamakhshariy’s Work “Al qistos fi ilm al-aruz” Brought from Berlin and Istanbul

Abstract

This article deals with the scientific significance of the manuscript work on the theory of Arabic Aruz “Al-Kistas al-mustakim fi ilm al-aruz”, written by the great scholar from Mawarounnahr, Mahmoud Zamakhshari, who made a significant contribution to world culture. The article also examines the copies of this source stored in the collections of the state libraries of Istanbul, Ankara, Cairo, Berlin and other cities. In the article for the first time in textual and literary sources it was made a comparative analysis of the copy of the work “al-Kistas” stored in the “Tubinger” Foundation, Berlin, with other manuscript copies, in particular with the copy stored in the Fund “Rais al-Kuttab “ in the Suleymania library of Istanbul. As a result, it turns out that the copy of “Rais al-kuttab” is complete, well preserved, has no gaps and shortcomings, so it is suitable for compiling a critical text of the work “al-Kistas”. The copy of “Tubinger” differs from other copies by the structure and originality in the presentation of the material on on meters (buhur), as well as in the originality of the poems given in the Aruz circles. It should also be noted that the third part of this manuscript includes excerpts from the work on Aruz “Ar-Risala al-Andalusiya”, belonging to the scientist Abu al-Jaish al-Andalusi. The work with great skill uses the poetic examples given to illustrate meters, which were written by Abu al-Jaish al-Andalusi himself, and not found anywhere else. It was revealed in the process of research and comparative analysis that the examples for the illustrations of Aruz circles were written by Mahmoud Zamakhshari himself.