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Catalogue: Medical Encyclopedias - Gallery


Folio 26a from Abu Manṣūr al-Ḥasan ibn Nūḥ al-Qumrī's Kitāb al-Ghiná wa-al-muná (The Book of Wealth and Wishes). The folio has an ornamental medallion from another, older, manuscript has been cut out and pasted into the upper left corner of the margin. The glossy biscuit paper has evenly dispersed fibers with some inclusions and occasional thin patches. The text is written in a small, very neat and elegant naskh script. Black ink with headings in red, as well as red and black overlinings.
MS A 11, fol. 26a
The detail of an ornamental medallion that have been cut out of an earlier manuscript and pasted into the right corner margin of folio 28b from  Abu Manṣūr al-Ḥasan ibn Nūḥ al-Qumrī's Kitāb al-Ghiná wa-al-muná (The Book of Wealth and Wishes). The glossy biscuit paper has evenly dispersed fibers with some inclusions and occasional thin patches.
MS A 11, fol. 28b
Folio 2a of MS A 16 which features the beginning of Ḥaqā’iq asrār al-ṭibb (The Truths of the Secrets of Medicine) by Mas‘ūd ibn Muḥammad al-Sijzī. The biscuit, semi-glossy paper has very wavy horizontal laid lines. The text is written in a small naskh script. Brown ink with headings in red and red overlinings.
MS A 16, fol. 2a
Folio 1of Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā’ al-Rāzī's Kitāb al-Ḥāwī fī al-ṭibb (The Comprehensive Book on Medicine) has been conserved and covered with tissue. The almost matte-finish, fairly opaque, brown paper has unevenly dispersed fibers with scattered large inclusions and occasional thin patches. The text is written in a medium-large to very-large rather cursive naskh script with minimal diacritical dots using brown ink fading to a lighter shade, with headings in red and text-stops indicated by a red circle enclosing a dot.
MS A 17, fol. 1b

Folio 231b of Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā’ al-Rāzī's Kitāb al-Ḥāwī fī al-ṭibb (The Comprehensive Book on Medicine) featuring the final page with the colophon in which the unnamed scribe gives the date he completed the copy as Friday, the 19th of Dhu al-Qa‘dah in the year 487 [= 30 November 1094]. The almost matte-finish, fairly opaque, brown paper has unevenly dispersed fibers with scattered large inclusions and occasional thin patches. The text is written in a medium-large to very-large rather cursive naskh script with minimal diacritical dots using brown ink fading to a lighter shade, with headings in red and text-stops indicated by a red circle enclosing a dot.
MS A 17, fol. 231b
Folio 216b from Najm al-Din al-Shirazi's Kitāb al-Ḥāwī fī ‘ilm al-tadāwī (The Comprehesive Book on the Art of Curing). The beige semi-glossy paper has very wavy vertical laid lines and traces of single chain lines. The text is written in a careful and consistent medium-small naskh script. Dense black ink with headings in red. There is a note in the right margin written in red ink.
MS A 18, fol. 216b
Folio 8a from Ibn Jumay's al-Irshād li-maṣāliḥ al-anfus wa-al-ajsād (Guidance for the Welfare of Souls and Bodies) featuring a schematic drawing of cranial sutures in the middle of the text outlined and highlighting in red ink. The brown, semi-glossy paper has horizontal laid lines. The text is written in a medium-small naskh script written using black ink.
MS A 22, fol. 8a
Folio 58a from Abū Naṣr ‘Adnān ibn Naṣr al-‘Aynzarbī's al-Kāfī fī ṣinā‘at ṭibb (What is Sufficient for the Medical Art). At the top of the page is a synoptic table displaying information for the treatment of the eye disease called jarab (trachoma). There are notes in the the left and bottom margins. The paper is biscuit-colored, thick, and opaque. The script is a large, clear naskh with nearly full vocalization. Brown ink with some re-inking. Headings in red, with some re-inking.
MS A 25, fol. 58a

Folio 177b featuring the colophon stating that the copying of the first half of the Complete Book of the Medical Art (Kitāb Kāmil al-ṣinā‘ah al-ṭibbīyah) by al-Majūsī was completed on 1 Safar 1138 [= 9 October 1725]. The glossy brown paper is thin and fairly translucent. It has occasional think patches, wavy vertical laid lines. The text is written in a small, careful, and consistent naskh script. Dense black ink with headings in red as well as red and black overlinings.
MS A 26, fol. 177b
Folio 406a featuring the colophon stating that the copying of the second half of the Complete Book of the Medical Art (Kitāb Kāmil al-ṣinā‘ah al-ṭibbīyah) by al-Majūsī was completed on 5 Jumadá II 1138 [= 8 February 1726]. The glossy brown paper is thin and fairly translucent. It has occasional think patches, wavy vertical laid lines. The text is written in a small, careful, and consistent naskh script. Dense black ink with headings in red as well as red and black overlinings.
MS A 26, fol. 406a
Folio 1a featuring the original title page to this copy of al-Majusi's Complete Book of the Medical Art (Kitāb Kāmil al-ṣinā‘ah al-ṭibbīyah) has had a piece of paper pasted over it. On this later paper the title and the author have been written within gold and black frames, very similar to those found at the beginning of the text itself. The lightly-glossed biscuit paper has evenly scattered large fibers and sagging horizontal laid lines. The text is written in a medium-large, widely-spaced, careful naskh script with occasional vocalization. Brown ink fading to a lighter shade.
MS A 26.1, fol. 1a
Folio 237a featuring the colophon of al-Majusi's Complete Book of the Medical Art (Kitāb Kāmil al-ṣinā‘ah al-ṭibbīyah). The lightly-glossed biscuit paper has evenly scattered large fibers and sagging horizontal laid lines. The text is written in a medium-large, widely-spaced, careful naskh script with occasional vocalization. Brown ink fading to a lighter shade.
MS A 26.1, fol. 237a

Folio 15b from Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā’ al-Rāzī's Kitāb al-Manṣūrī fī al-ṭibb (The Book on Medicine for Mansur) featuring a diagram of the ventricles or cells of the brain. There is a note in the bottom margin. The brown semi-glossy paper has the text written in a nasta‘liq using black ink with headings in red.
MS A 28, fol. 15b
Folio 160b from Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā’ al-Rāzī's Kitāb al-Manṣūrī fī al-ṭibb (The Book on Medicine for Mansur) featuring the colophon. The brown semi-glossy paper has the text written in a nasta‘liq using black ink with headings in red.
MS A 28, fol. 160b
Folio 200b from Dā’ūd ibn ‘Umar al-Anṭākī's Risālat al-nuzhah al-mubhijah fī tashḥīdh al-adhhān wa-ta‘dīl al-amzijah (Pleasure and Delight in Sharpening the Intellect and Correcting the Temperaments) featuring the colophon. The paper is creamy and semi-glossy. The text is written in a medium-small, very careful naskh script. Brown ink with headings in light-red. The text is written within frames of double maroon-red inked lines. There are notes in the right margin.
MS A 52, fol. 200b
Folio 1b of Abū ‘Alī al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā's Kitāb al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (The Canon on Medicine) featuring the illuminated opening of the first book. The text is written on a thin brown paper in small to very small nasta‘liq,with headings in naskh. Black ink with headings in red.  frame of blue, black and red ink and gilt has been drawn around the text area; a larger frame of a single blue ink line is also on the bordering frame.
MS A 53, fol. 1b

Folio 86b of Abū ‘Alī al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā's Kitāb al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (The Canon on Medicine) featuring the illuminated opening of the second book. The text is written on a thin brown paper in small to very small nasta‘liq,with headings in naskh. Black ink with headings in red.  frame of blue, black and red ink and gilt has been drawn around the text area; a larger frame of a single blue ink line is also on the bordering frame.
MS A 53, fol. 86b
Folio 157b of Abū ‘Alī al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā's Kitāb al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (The Canon on Medicine) featuring the illuminated opening of the third book. The text is written on a thin brown paper in small to very small nasta‘liq,with headings in naskh. Black ink with headings in red.  frame of blue, black and red ink and gilt has been drawn around the text area; a larger frame of a single blue ink line is also on the bordering frame.
MS A 53, fol. 157b
Folio 300b of Abū ‘Alī al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā's Kitāb al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (The Canon on Medicine) featuring the illuminated opening in the middle of the third book. The text is written on a thin brown paper in small to very small nasta‘liq,with headings in naskh. Black ink with headings in red.  frame of blue, black and red ink and gilt has been drawn around the text area; a larger frame of a single blue ink line is also on the bordering frame.
MS A 53, fol. 300b
Folio 386b of Abū ‘Alī al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā's Kitāb al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (The Canon on Medicine) featuring the illuminated opening of the fourth book. The text is written on a thin brown paper in small to very small nasta‘liq,with headings in naskh. Black ink with headings in red.  frame of blue, black and red ink and gilt has been drawn around the text area; a larger frame of a single blue ink line is also on the bordering frame.
MS A 53, fol. 368b

Folio 404b of Abū ‘Alī al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā's Kitāb al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (The Canon on Medicine) featuring a talismanic design for use in treating fevers in the middle of the text. The text is written on a thin brown paper in small to very small nasta‘liq,with headings in naskh. Black ink with headings in red.  frame of blue, black and red ink and gilt has been drawn around the text area; a larger frame of a single blue ink line is also on the bordering frame.
MS A 53, fol. 404b
Folio 455b of Abū ‘Alī al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā's Kitāb al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (The Canon on Medicine) featuring the illuminated opening of the fifth book. The text is written on a thin brown paper in small to very small nasta‘liq,with headings in naskh. Black ink with headings in red.  frame of blue, black and red ink and gilt has been drawn around the text area; a larger frame of a single blue ink line is also on the bordering frame.
MS A 53, fol. 455b
Folio 30b from Tashrīh al-a‘dā’ al-murakkab min kitāb al-Qānūn (The Anatomy of the Parts Assembled from the Book of the Canon) featuring the colophon. The semi-glossy biscuit paper has unevenly dispersed small fibres, wavy horizontal laid lines, with only the slightest trace of chain lines. The text is written in an inelegant but consistent nasta‘liq script. The text area has been frame-ruled. Black ink, with headings in red and red overlinings.
MS A 56, fol. 30b
Folio 30a from al-Jurjānī's Kitāb al-Zubdat al-ṭibb (The Quintessence of Medicine) featuring synoptic charts formed of red lines concerning the anatomy of the upper and lower jaw. The cream lightly-glossed paper is fairly thick and has horizontal laid lines, single chain lines, and is watermarked.
MS A 81, fol. 30a

Folio 5a of MS A 83/I featuring the title page of Najīb al-Dīn al-Samarqandī's Kitāb al-Asbāb wa-al-‘alāmāt (The Book of Causes and Symptoms) with surrounding notes. The thin biscuit paper has a nearly matte-finish. The text is written in a small naskh hand. Black ink with headings in red and red overlinings.
MS A 83, fol. 5a
Folio 39a from MS A 84 which features the colophon of Ḥaqā’iq asrār al-ṭibb (The Truths of the Secrets of Medicine) by Mas‘ūd ibn Muḥammad al-Sijzī. The beige lightly-glossed paper has single chain lines and watermarks. The paper is waterstained, and the edges have been trimmed from their orignal size. The text is written in a small compact naskh, with some ligatures. Black ink with headings in red and red overlinings.
MS A 84, fol. 39a
Folio 46b from MS A 84 which is the beginning an anonymous guide titled Muhimmāt al-dalā'il wa-ummahāt al-masā'il  (Important Symptoms and Basic Problems). The beige lightly-glossed paper has single chain lines and watermarks. The paper is waterstained, and the edges have been trimmed from their original size. The text is written in a small compact naskh, with some ligatures. Black ink with headings in red and red overlinings.
MS A 84, fol. 46b
Folio 1b from Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā’ al-Rāzī's Kitāb al-Murshid (The Guide) featuring the opening of the treatise. The ivory, lightly-glossed paper is fairly stiff. It has laid lines, single chain lines, and is watermarked. The text is written in a medium-small, widely-spaced, careful and consistent naskh script using black ink.
MS A 88/I, fol. 1b

Folio 356a from al-Jurjānī's Aghrāḍ al-ṭibb (Medical Pursuits) featuring the colophon. The brown, semi-glossy paper has broad and wavy horizontal laid lines with traces of single chain lines. The text is written in a medium-large shikastah script. Black ink with headings in red and occasional red overlinings.
MS P 1.1, fol. 356a
Folio 348b from al-Jurjānī's Zakhīrah-i Khvārazm’Shāhī (The Treasure of Khvarazm’Shah) featuring the colophon. In the margin there is a geomantic tableau. The thin, beige, glossy paper has wavy horizontal laid lines. The text is written for the most part in a small ta‘liq tending to naskh script. Black ink with headings in red and some marginal headings.
MS P 5, fol. 348b
Folio 339b of Ibn Ilyās's Khulāṣat al-tajārib (The Summary of Experience) featuring the colophon. The creamy, smooth, glossy paper has evident watermarks, with laid lines and single chain lines. The text is written in a small to medium-small nasta‘liq script. Black ink with headings in red, red overlinings, and some marginal headings.
MS P 11, fol. 339b
Folio 61b from from al-Jurjānī's Zakhīrah-i Khvārazm’Shāhī (The Treasure of Khvarazm’Shah) featuring the colophon. The beige, glossy paper has wavy laid lines. The text is written in a small, compact, and careful naskh script. Black ink with headings in red.
MS P 14, fol. 61b

Folio 51b from Ibn Ilyās's Kifāyah-i Mujāhidīyah (The Sufficient [book] for Mujahid) featuring three Latin squares and geomantic taskins in the top and right margin. The glossy brown paper has only laid lines visible and is waterstained. The text is written in a medium-small, widely-spaced ta‘liq tending to naskh script using dense black ink with headings in red and red marginal headings.
MS P 28, fol. 51b
Folio 52a from Ibn Ilyās's Kifāyah-i Mujāhidīyah (The Sufficient [book] for Mujahid) featuring two Latin squares and geomantic taskins in the top and left margin. The glossy brown paper has only laid lines visible and is waterstained. The text is written in a medium-small, widely-spaced ta‘liq tending to naskh script using dense black ink with headings in red and red marginal headings.
MS P 28, fol. 52a
Folios 2b and 3a from Ibn al-Muṭrān's Kitāb Bustān al-aṭibbā’ wa-rawḍa al-alibbā’ (The Garden of the Physicians and the Meadows of the Wise) featuring the opening of the treatise. The biscuit, almost matte-finish paper has sagging and vertical laid lines. The text is written in a medium-small naskh script written in brown ink with headings in brown.
MS A 8, fols. 2b-3a

A  transcription of the final page of Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakarīyā’ al-Rāzī's Kitāb al-Ḥāwī fī al-ṭibb (The Comprehensive Book on Medicine) giving the colophon in which the scribe provided the date on which he finished the copy: 19 Dhu al-Qa‘dah 487, corresponding to AD 30 November 1094.
MS A 17, transcription
of fol. 231b
Folios 13b and 14a from Tashrīh al-a‘dā’ al-murakkab min kitāb al-Qānūn (The Anatomy of the Parts Assembled from the Book of the Canon). The central text consists of the anatomical sections of the Canon of Medicine by Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna). In the margins are lengthy quotations from the commentary on the anatomy of the Canon that was written by Ibn al-Nafīs. The burnished, glossy beige paper has lightly scattered fibres, slightly curved vertical laid lines, and faint single chain lines. The central text is written in a medium-small, compact, elegant and professional naskh script. Black ink with headings in red and with red overlinings.
MS A 27, fols. 13b-14a
Folio 12a of Abū ‘Alī al-Husayn ibn ‘Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā's Kitāb al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb (The Canon on Medicine) featuring small diagrams in red ink of cranial sutures in the text. The text is written on a thin brown paper in small to very small nasta‘liq,with headings in naskh. Black ink with headings in red.  frame of blue, black and red ink and gilt has been drawn around the text area; a larger frame of a single blue ink line is also on the bordering frame.
MS A 53, fols. 12a

Folios 166b and 167a from MS P 7 featuring the opening of Abd Allāh ibn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Asfarā’nī's Zubdat al-bayān fī ‘ilm abdān (The Best Explanation in the Science of Bodies). The paper is a lightly-glossed gray-green paper that is watermarked. The text is written in a small nasta‘liq script. The text area is frame-ruled. Black ink with maroon headings and overlinings.
MS P 7, fols. 166b-167a
Talismanic designs in the left margin of folio 242a of Ibn Ilyās's Khulāṣat al-tajārib (The Summary of Experience). The creamy, smooth, glossy paper has evident watermarks, with laid lines and single chain lines. The text is written in a small to medium-small nasta‘liq script using black ink.
MS P 11, fol. 242a
The top of folio 289b from Ibn Ilyās's Kifāyah-i Mujāhidīyah (The Sufficient [book] for Mujahid) featuring the colophon. The glossy brown paper has only laid lines visible and is waterstained. The text is written in a medium-small, widely-spaced ta‘liq tending to naskh script using dense black ink.
MS P 28, fol. 289b
Welcome Getting started Medieval Islam Catalogue Bio-bibliographies Glossary Abbreviations Credits About the Author Concordances A 1 - A 29 A 30 - A 59 A 60 - A 89 A 90 - A 92 P 1 - P 29 Authors, Translators & Commentators Copyists & Illustrators Owners & Patrons

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