The following selected inventory of manuscripts and extracts is adapted from the Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society’s manuscript catalogue. It records the catalogue’s descriptions and assessments; inclusion here does not mean that every manuscript has been personally inspected or collated for this translation. Historical collection names and shelfmarks are retained to make the entries traceable. Statements such as “copied from an original” describe the reported relationship to an exemplar and should not be confused with an autograph or a complete independent collation.36
The principal witness to the second recension is the thirty-seven-volume Konya set, now in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (Türk ve İslam Eserleri Müzesi), Istanbul, under the historical catalogue designation Evkaf Müzesi 1845–1881. The set preserves Ibn Arabi’s handwriting except for volume 9, which is a replacement. Copies associated with the first recension include Beyazid 3743–3746. These witnesses belong to different stages of the work’s transmission and should be identified accordingly when readings are discussed.
Catalogue key: all dates are AH unless otherwise stated; “nd” means undated. A date followed by “(c)” is inferred from dated material in the same collection and hand; “c.” before a date marks an approximate estimate from handwriting or related evidence. The signs “<” and “>” mean before and after. IA = Ibn Arabi; SQ = Ṣadr al-Dīn al-Qūnawī; OY = Osman Yahya; FM = al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya. RG numbers refer to Yahya’s bibliographical classification. A samāʿ is a record of reading or audition, whose evidential value depends on what the individual record attests.
Swipe or scroll horizontally to see the other columns.
|
Date (AH) |
Collection |
Shelfmark |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
636 |
Evkaf Müzesi |
1845–1881 |
Second recension; 37 volumes, completed 636 AH. Volume 9 is a replacement. The source catalogue records 71 samāʿ entries. |
|
683 |
Beyazit |
3744 |
Second vol., chapters 73-293. From original in hand of IA dated 629H. |
|
683 (c) |
Beyazit |
3743 |
No date. First volume, chapters 1-72, taken from original in IA’s hand dated 629H. |
|
683 (c) |
Beyazit |
3745 |
Third vol., chapters 294 - 379. From original in hand of IA dated 629H. 2nd half facsimile. |
|
<700 |
Fatih |
2745 |
First 69 chapters copied from original |
|
<700 |
Fatih |
2747 |
Chapters 72-73, from original |
|
<700 |
Fatih |
2748 |
Chapters 69-71, from original |
|
<700 |
Fatih |
2749 |
Chapters 69-71, probably from original |
|
<700 |
Fatih |
2750 |
First recension, 1st part written by Ibn Sawdakin from 623H autograph. |
|
716 |
Corum |
679 |
Two early volumes in Seljuk naskh script. |
|
839(c) |
Shehit Ali |
1342 |
The whole of 12th volume, from Chapter 346 to 360 inclusive. |
|
911 |
Amasya |
660 |
First volume (from Ch. 351) of first recension. |
|
913 |
Amasya |
660 |
Second volume of first recension |
|
913 |
Amasya |
660 |
Third volume of first recension |
|
919 |
Manisa |
1052 |
From 7th juzʾ, Ch. 462-558. Clear copy with red titling. |
|
946 |
Husein Celebi |
445 |
One volume (Ch. 1-207). |
|
946(c) |
Ulu Cami |
1620 |
Dated 945 AH according to the library catalogue; no digital copy was available to the catalogue compilers. |
|
971 |
Laleli |
1469-M |
Dated 971, fair dated copy of first juzʾ of FM |
|
999 |
Berlin 2952 |
pet 601 |
|
|
1004 |
Husein Celebi |
444 |
One volume FM, very clear with gold borders and illuminated first page. |
|
1021 |
Topkapi (Ahmet III) |
A1367 |
One of the most beautiful copies made for the Sultan. First part, 1-73. Full lib. ref: 5082 A1367 |
|
1021 |
Topkapi (Ahmet III) |
A1367 |
1021H, 2nd part chapters 74-280. Full lib. ref: 5082 A1367 |
|
1037 |
Kutahya Tavsanli |
1223 |
1037H, partial copy |
|
1089 |
Manisa |
1051 |
Dated 1089H, faṣl al-maqāmāt, 4th juzʾ from Ch. 74-181. |
|
1144 |
University |
A2703 |
Fairly clear copy, illuminated frontispiece. |
|
1156 |
Ragib Pasha |
704 |
Copied from original |
|
1156 |
Ragib Pasha |
705 |
Copied from original |
|
1212 |
Beyazit |
3746 |
Fourth vol., chapters 380 to end. From original in hand of IA dated 629H. Facsimile. |
|
1261 |
University |
A5451 |
1261H, 2 volume copy |
|
1261(c) |
University |
A5450 |
|
|
nd |
Amasya |
659 |
Undated, partial copy |
|
nd |
Fatih |
2746 |
First 16 chapters |
|
nd |
I Sultan Ahmet |
98 |
No date. Beautiful one-volume copy of the first recension made for Sultan Ahmet. |
|
nd |
Manisa |
1048 |
No date. Only the first part to Chapter 52. With a line of transmission to al-Anṣārī. |
|
nd |
Manisa |
1050 |
Undated, probably ninth–tenth century AH. Seventh part only, chapters 294–360. |
|
nd |
Manisa |
1053 |
Undated, 14th volume, Ch. 361-369. |
|
nd |
Topkapi (Ahmet III) |
A1570 |
No date, in one volume. Full library ref: 5083 A1570 |
|
nd |
Turhan Valide 187 |
187 |
A beautifully illuminated copy. |
|
nd |
Yusuf Aga |
7333 |
Undated late copy in taʿlīq script. |
|
629 |
Yusuf Aga |
7838 |
Extracts from Futūḥāt, one dated 629H, so first recension. |
|
668(c) |
Milli |
A571 |
Possibly extracts from Khuṭba or Futūḥāt. Not seen by OY. |
|
672(c) |
Yusuf Aga |
7838 |
A record by SQ of dreams of IA, written after 640H |
|
678(c) |
Manisa |
2989 |
Extracts from FM, Chapters 60-64. |
|
<700 |
University |
A1583 |
Incomplete extract from chapter 177 of FM. OY describes it as copied from an IA original; this remains unverified in the source catalogue. |
|
<700? |
Carullah |
986 |
Early, accurate text. OY dates it to IA’s lifetime, but this was not verified by the catalogue compilers or Gerald Elmore.37 |
|
722(c) |
Shehit Ali |
1375 |
Extracts. Dating is in question; could be 829H. |
|
725 |
Shehit Ali |
1341 |
Copied from an original according to OY; this was not verified by the catalogue compilers. |
|
729? |
Shehit Ali |
1375 |
Poor copy of version C. |
|
>750 |
Berlin |
we 119 |
Undated copy |
|
>750 |
Berlin |
we 119 |
Undated copy |
|
777(c) |
Husein Celebi |
448 |
Extract from FM, not mentioned in OY. Clear copy. |
|
791(c) |
Carullah |
2080 |
In Konya (c). From a verified copy. |
|
791(c) |
Carullah |
2080 |
In Konya (c). OY describes it as copied from an original; this remains unverified in the source catalogue. |
|
<800 |
Carullah |
2085 |
<800H according to WC. |
|
834(c) |
Ayasofia |
1644 |
Just a half page extract. |
|
837(c) |
Shehit Ali |
1342 |
Probably an extract from FM. |
|
865(c) |
NO |
2406 |
Extract from FM, from source which had been taken from author’s copy. |
|
867(c) |
Laleli |
1489 |
Extract from beginning of FM. |
|
886(c) |
Halet |
809 |
The same as Shehit Alī 1341/193a-193b. Classified by OY as RG731. |
|
894(c) |
Kastamonu |
3681 |
Part of Chapter 73 of FM |
|
896(c) |
Berlin 2968 |
lbg 935 |
Copy from a chapter of FM. Some water damage. |
|
910 (c) |
Carullah |
2111 |
Extract from Ch. 5 of FM. |
|
915 (c) |
Carullah |
2111 |
Just a short extract from Chapter 302 of FM. |
|
917(c) |
Carullah |
2111 |
States clearly that it is Chapter 303 of FM. |
|
939 |
Carullah |
1094 |
The last manzil of the manāzil section from the Futūḥāt. |
|
939(c) |
Carullah |
1094 |
Copy of chapter 559 of the Futūḥāt. |
|
972(c) |
Fatih |
5376 |
c972H, extract from FM and Fayruzabadi on IA. |
|
972(c) |
University |
A3184 |
Extract from FM |
|
972(c) |
University |
A3184 |
Short extracts, not yet identified. |
|
977(c) |
Shehit Ali |
2717 |
Copied in Mecca. Both OY and SH think that it is an extract from FM. |
|
977(c) |
Shehit Ali |
2717 |
Copied in Mecca. Clearly marked in the text as Chapter 8 of FM. |
|
981 |
Esad Ef. |
1448 |
In Constantinople (c), extract from FM. |
|
981(c) |
Esad Ef. |
1448 |
In Constantinople (c), clear copy of chapter from FM on Divine Names. |
|
981(c) |
Esad Ef. |
1448 |
In Constantinople(c), clear copy. Extracts from FM. |
|
984(c) |
Orhan |
643 |
Extracts from 1st chapter of FM. |
|
995(c) |
Orhan |
606 |
Written by a known scribe, al-ʿUraybī. |
|
999 |
Hudayi |
517 |
Written by Azīz Maḥmūd Hudayī. From Ch. 2 of FM on science of letters. |
|
>1000 |
Reshid Ef |
344 |
Probably eleventh century AH. Extracts from FM, volume 2, on the people of God. |
|
1003 |
University |
A182 |
Dated 1003, extract from FM. |
|
1011(c) |
Carullah |
1034 |
c.1011H, clear copy |
|
1011(c) |
Carullah |
1034 |
Clear copy. Definitely extract from Ch. 5 of FM (SH). |
|
1053 |
Shehit Ali |
1432 |
Extracts from FM, Vol. 2, on the people of God. |
|
1054 (c) |
Ragib Pasha |
1476 |
c.1054H, extracts from FM |
|
1063 |
University |
A2599 |
Unusual format with text written diagonally across the page. |
|
1068(c) |
Milli |
A2988 |
c1068H, an extract, clear copy with red titling and carefully written. |
|
1084+ |
Laleli |
3692 |
|
|
1089(c) |
Reshid Ef |
448 |
Unattributed. |
|
1089(c) |
Reshid Ef |
448 |
Appears to be an extract from Futūḥāt. |
|
1097(c) |
University |
A6428 |
c.1097H, extracts from FM |
|
1115(c) |
University |
A3351 |
Entitled Mashhad al-bayʿa al-ilāhiyya. |
|
1267 (c) |
H. Mahmud |
2487 |
Extracts from FM. |
|
nd |
Dügümlü |
382 |
|
|
nd |
Kastamonu |
1282 |
Undated, late summary of FM chapters |
|
nd |
Shehit Ali |
1372 |
Undated extract from FM II.128-134. |
|
nd |
University |
A1493 |
|
|
nd |
University |
A3978 |
Probably twelfth–thirteenth century AH. Extract from FM, volume 2, chapter 73. |
|
nd |
University |
A5547 |
|
|
nd |
University |
A87 |
Extract concerning question 153 of al-Tirmidhī, from FM. |
|
894 |
Ayasofia |
2149 |
Copied from the original of 2nd recension |
|
913 |
Yusuf Aga |
6964 |
Late copy |
|
947 |
Yusuf Aga |
5463 |
Last chapter of FM (first recension). |
|
>1000 |
Halet |
494 |
Undated clear copy |
|
1017 |
Hekimoglu |
515 |
Taken from an original of the first recension of Futūḥāt, dated 629H. |
|
nd |
University |
A2679 |
Undated clear copy |
|
649(c) |
Ayasofia |
4817 |
In Konya, possibly read before SQ. In Mehmet II's Lib. |
|
923 |
Manisa |
1049 |
Dated 923H. Chapter 558 on the Divine Names, copied from a copy written by IA. |
|
1295 |
Nafiz Pasha |
685 |
Extract from Chapter 558 of FM; OY gives it 2 separate RG numbers (382 & 209) |
Cover page of volume I.
Opening page of volume I.
An interior page of volume I.
Notes and references
-
Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society, Manuscript Archive Project, https://ibnarabisociety.org/manuscript-archive-project/; archive catalogue introductory key, https://archive.ibnarabisociety.org/archive_reports/main_menu.pdf. For the Konya set, its shelfmarks, and the replacement volume 9, see Cook and Addas, “Six Printed Editions,” https://ibnarabisociety.org/futuhat-al-makkiyya-printed-editions-claude-addas/. For the museum’s present name, see the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, https://muze.gov.tr/muze-detay?distId=TIE§ionId=TIE01
Back to text ↑ -
Jane Clark and Stephen Hirtenstein, “Establishing Ibn ʿArabī’s Heritage: First Findings from the MIAS Archiving Project,” Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society 52 (2012), especially the discussion of Carullah 986 and the separate assessment of items within composite manuscripts, https://ibnarabisociety.org/wp-content/uploads/PDFs/clark-hirtenstein-jmias-v52.pdf. See also the MIAS catalogue report for RG 689, https://archive.ibnarabisociety.org/archive_reports/works_pdf/689.pdf
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