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Notes on the "Masin al-majlis" of Ibn al-'Arf

Author(s): A. J. ArberryReviewed 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. 524-532Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of School of Oriental and African StudiesStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/608708 .Accessed: 12/02/2012 04:06

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Notes on the Mahatsin al-majalis of Ibn al-'ArifBy A. J. ARBERRY

T HE Mahasin al-majalisof Ibn al-'Arif (t536/1141) is a Sufi treatise of minordimensions and inconsiderable importance, one of a multitude of suchsummaries that bridge the gap between the classical works of Kalabadhi,Qushairi, and Makki, and the phenomenal productivity of Ibn al-'Arabi. Forall that, the essay (forit is little more) is not without interest; it is allusive andelliptical in style, thus affordingmaterial for commentators; and the authorbegins his discourse proper by quoting, though not by name, the Mawdqif ofNiffari; as Ibn al-'Arabi afterwards used Ibn al-'Arif quite freely andapprovingly, it is always possible that he got to know and take an interest inNiffarithrough this intermediary.The distinguished SpanishscholarMiguelAsin Palacios, whose recent deathwe mourn, made Ibn al-'Arif known in our time by a curious and ratherunsatisfactory edition and annotated French translation.' The method hefollowed was to reproduce exactly-barring misprints, of which there areseveral-the text as contained in the Berlin manuscript, dated 859/1454,adding as footnotes the variant readings of the Escurial copy, completed in750/1349. His own choice between the two alternatives is shown from timeto time in the translation; though not infrequently he abstains from choosing,and renders both readings impartially. This method of procedure cannot berecommended as a model, for it leads to much confusion. The photographicreproduction of old and respectable manuscripts is one thing, and a verydesirable and useful thing, especially when accompanied by a collation-itsaves expense in these difficult days, and offers the student practice inpalaeography; but to copy exactly in print a faulty and unreliable original issurely wasteful of both substance and effort. Palacios' book has a furtherdrawback; the translation is by no means faultless. Yet, lest it should appearchurlish to write so harshly of the work of an undoubtedly great scholar newlydeceased, let it be added at once that in many other particulars the book isadmirable and even masterly; if this paper seems to be wholly or in largemeasurecritical, its motive is the reverseof depreciatory; it is a humbleattemptto make still more serviceable what has already sufficiently demonstrated itsutility.After knowing and using Palacios' edition for many years, I had recentlythe good fortune to come upon another, and hitherto unknown, copy of theMahdsin al-majalis in that inexhaustible store of rare and precious things, theChester Beatty Collection.2 Mr. Beatty's copy, which is dated 888/1483, and

1 Ibn al-Arif: Mahasin al-majalis. (Collection de textes in6dits relatifs i la mystiquemusulmane, tome ii.) Paris, 1933.2 For a list of known copies, see C. Brockelmann, Geschichteder arabischenLitteratur(Supple-ment), i, p. 776. Brockelmann writes Ibn al-'Irrif.

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NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL- ARIFis in general careful and accurate, is the first item in a miscellaneous volume oftracts containing inter alia a number of rare or unique treatises by the earlySufi Abu 'AbdAllahal-Tirmidhi(fl. 260/873). A comparisonof this newevidencewith Palacios' collation revealed a close affinity between the Chester Beattycopy (CB) and the Escurial tradition (E), and suggested strongly, if it did notprove, that the numerous passages for which the Berlin manuscript (B) is thesole authority are in reality either glosses or interpolations. In especial, it ismost noteworthy that CB ends abruptly after the long poem which follows theauthor's recapitulation of his argument 1; E also breaks off at this point,though it adds a paragraphthat has nothing in commonwith the long perorationin B, which is surely to be rejected as not formingpart of the author'sarchetype.2Having collated this new source CB, I re-examined Palacios' translation,and corrected it in numerous places. The notes which follow comprise (i) thecollation of CB with B and E (as reproduced by Palacios); (ii) a list of correc-tions of Palacios' version. It may be added that the second of these tables isnot exhaustive; it is to be supplemented by reference to the starred readingsin the first table, an asterisk indicating that, in my judgment, the variant ascontained in CB (generally supported by E against B) is the authentic text ofIbn al-'Arif, and should be followed in the translation.3 The writing of thispaper has been an enjoyable exercise in criticism and reconstruction; I hope itwill give equal pleasure to the grand scholar and good friend in whose honourit has been composed.

COLLATIONCB begins:-

Sjltll tl 1 ui- SJU ^4^l xJ,3\ oj1l j1 omt. Readtb 21 -. Jli . m"l ,pj , o.

-1t1tne ios ei753 .1 eb: ofl t eJLBlc-lo754 1 AI.b: -lj1dIJI1!aLJ-: ; xj* (cf. AJ. E.)7556 'j: 4 (!)aYl1 c,2 , ?omits. Read~1I 6:y, j* (cf. E .L1 6J~. J)

Printed at pp. 97-8 of Palacios' edition.2 Cf. the beginning of the Berlin colophon:

757 Clg_: - j-_ (cf. E Lw.j)758 "iYo.: Yl.- ((!)759 lr ;-,:; l = E*.;i ?jcJ : omits.761 J$jIl '1I J_jl p = E*.768 ^3L. l ', : , ^.I ,CJ%)x.JI: aJI = E.

769 .": = Palacios conj.*7613 c-. [erratum]: c.*7614 CB adds after this line -

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A. J. ARBERRY-7616 ;...dJ': j_, J LJSj

(j4; 5sa7617,J,1 y4L.j I Jl : OJI J = E.7618 K1&^:omits = E*.

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

ef ' bJ.ll tC 14:omits = E*.776 JL : JLj.:o- .~ = E (and in 777).778-10 omits CB, cf. E*.

7716 JJ ... 4 : J. .. c9781 :' = E*."

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NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL-'ARIF829 LWI:lipAJ8211 -. t. , :' omits = E*.831 : '-*832 ^!:J:833-4 %fdil... jl'

JdI JJ, .1=E1* * (f. E.)834-5 CIj(JjL.j o' omits*.835 J le'U.WI dr'W *(cf. klJ ;. E.)8314 ^ ^\: CIj5[8317 .~: :=E*.841 JL.: ?L,842 4;L. [erratum]:

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A. J. ARBERRY-886 oULb:.:y = E*.

>1iI [sic]: e1: - == E*.

886-7 E1 .: omits = E*.888 1y9- L ;L : omits = E*.889-10 .... 41Jj ,: omits.8810 'l:.l.8810-8911 EtcIj : omits = E*.8912LSj:dJ- j.8914' i.:'-8915 4j.:j 4j = E*.8917 4:dL8918 UL:L;= E.903 . ,: " J = E*.904 omits.906-7 omits =E*.908 *,: ? ~ *}#: J19010 ul,: l .11 = E*.

JLu ^1JU: omits = E*.9011 _ .IJl [erratum]: -^L.Il*9012 r : omits = E*.

& j :.1 \= E.90134: 4J (omits E.)4o;,, j:. : (!)917 dUJl: =E*.

^911: ' =4J9110 L.j :LS - E*

9114L L.JJ: U = E.

9115 Ok O" (!)921 ;. : j ;.u' = E* (restoresmetre).

922 LU^I I: *924

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NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL-'ARIF941 : omits E*.

,JS : omits = E*.942 11J j3L l_:

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

9410-11omits E*.9413 4J4j ;: -j

4J : - = E*.9414 ^ j : WlJI^J953 Lj: 621 a954 ,s: .955 4j t: omits(u omitsE).9586 :lj: ^bj= E.957 : ,) = E*.958 omits = E*.959 1;'l9510 .9512 jb ...J_' : Jfj (cf. E.)Read j>*

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

9515 J3. ,:LI [erratum]: jl

.U-... : omits.9516L -.:1We9518-961Z.~... . ' omits.961-8 1..... ;:5 -.. jil 1J Lu- 1Jl ;963 (rj: f964 JL; 1Jl;: omits= E*.

VOL. XII. PARTS 3 AND 4.

965 U'L4b:L' (!)Ji^\: Lrl) (j??*l

(cf. J.. ^Jl E.)_A.:'*A = E*..66 Ul: JJ&l-E*.

JLuI J; : omits- E*.968-13 omits (cf. E).96"13-' .L'4: F.. J96 4:L1- j ji .i:9". ,LJ.i~"(4LI,oomitsE*.)9615 JL... ofa a j: omits.9616-971 4^jI... ~; ': omits.972 4.1_ : omits = E*.973 .JYlj: omits= E*.975-14 L .. I,,l3: omits = E*.974 b ^:9715 )l1 4LlI3^.-: omits = E*.U :&.

6n j cJ UiLi"982 ;': [erratum]: ti*984 W:dSl: 3>1

9 L,'88 1yJ:llH) : Ui-^j989 omits.9810 -;.L [erratum]: .i9811jv jtj: o: r9812 omits.9813CLU.: U.*

f^j : ^^ ==E.9817-106 mits(cf. E).CBends:-

j .l:\ J,l 4Ji j.,;x!'~ :.,-3l jC3

529

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A. J. ARBERRY-CORRECTIONS

2712-13 pour pr6ferercomme le meilleur ce qu'il y a de plus penible: readin choosing what is most upright.2910-13 and notes. Read with Ibn al-'Arabi as quoted at 2115-17.3014 s'il n'y avait pas faute de la part du serviteur: readwere it not for (theexistence 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 sapropre facult6 d'agir, a rester le sujet vide de pouvoir, par l'abandon du librechoix: readthe will is only healthy when one expends every effortand exhaustsall one's powers (sc. in God's cause), while leaving the choice (to God).346 que l'on s'abstient de les servir: readrestraining oneself from obeyingit (sc. the world).355 et la ou est mon sejour: read and (if thou askest the days) where myabiding is.3532 dans les deux 6tats [le bonheur et l'adversite]: rather readin the twostates [sc. seeking (talab)and confiding (tawakkul)].3534 n'est un obstacle pour le succs : readdoes not reconcile (sc. the humanwill with God's).3716 [tasdbor]: read [tasabbor].3737 close quotation marksafter "touch ": the succeedingwords are a glosson 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 lesentraves : read even as the prisoner(shakesfor joy when he) goes forth (nashata)from his chains.404 elle n'offrepas de garanties : readit does not bring tranquillity.4019-20 le supplice qu'a vous autres donne la mort: readand (any) tormentof which you approve (that I should suffer).4021-23 il n'y a aucunedouleurpourmoi, comparableau dommagequesouffrel'amourque j'ai pour vous: readthere is no pain for me in any distress (I suffer)in loving you.4221 prive de sa libert : readguards.4222-23 alors l'intuitif se heurte contre l'obstacle: read preserves thevisionary at the shock.4319 la piete filiale: read (Divine) goodness.et de la bienveillance gratuite: readrunning (like a gazelle).4328 chercheriez-vous par hasard les dieux menteurs : read do ye falsely

seek (other)gods.4329-32 l'existence de Dieu, la generosite et la vision de Dieu ne leur laissepoit [sic] [aux choisis, de pretexte pour] un desir quelconque, puisque, Dieudeja trouve, il n'y a pas [de raison pour] esperer: read His existence has leftthem no (other) purpose [or perhaps, rather, substitute ('iwadan)],neither hasHis generosity allowed them any (reason to) hope (for more).4420-21 que mon Maitre t'a supprime : readthat my Lord has adornedthee.

530

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NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL-'ARIF4510-12 le zephir du jardin de votre union est arrive jusqu'a eux et a souffl6.Pres de toi, j'ai une ombre humide : readand 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 twicelater].4612-13 on estime davantage le don du Bienfaiteur: readhe marvels at themagnitude of His benefaction.4724812 omit this passage which is evidently a gloss.4817 je serais un miserable : read I should be a (care-)freeman.4823-24 la gratitude se fait indefinimentobstacle a elle-meme: readgratitudeis stagnant (like a pool) and never comes to a goal.4923-24 ce sont d6ja les buts des etats fortuits et accidentals : readexposureto hazards.5020 omitthis line which is in any case corrupt and does not scan.519-10 le fait parce qu'il [croit] en posseder une savoureuse experience:readsuch 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:readit is love which ... brings to birth (true) service (to God).523 je restai revetu : readshe says-and I was covered.525 ne sommes-nous: read in quotation marks, this being the beloved's

reported speech.525-8 ne sommes-nousdone pas ceux dont on disait qu'ils etaient passionnespour un simple souvenir ? Pourquoi done maintenant n'avons-nous meme desouvenir ? : read" art thou not he of whom we were told that he was devoted toourmemory ? Why then are we not remembered? "529-11c'est qu'est revenue l'emotion qui a annihile le souvenir: read thepassion (in me) replied to her, " Thou thyself hast obliterated his memory."5320-22 chose qu'il puisse considerer comme sienne, sans s'arreter auxformules 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.5418-19 il appartient aux degres les plus faibles de perfection des soufis: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 rendufou, hors de moi, errant entre son lointain et sa proximit6: read Who hasorphanedme (sc. from my kin and friends) by His love, and thereby made me towander distracted between farness and nearness to Him.5619-20 l'abstinence ascetique des choisis consiste donc a concentrerl'aspiration de l'esprit pour en eliminer les dissipations: read therefore theconcentration of purpose has caused them to abstain (zahhadahum) rom thedissipations of the (phenomenal) world.5717-18 leur tristesse nait seulement de l'inclination au mal, propre a leursames sensitives : readtheir grief is (dueto) the despairthey feel concerningtheirsouls (that are) prone to evil.l

1 So D. S. Margoliouth conjectures in JRAS., 1934, p. 847; the reading of CB confirms hisemendation.

531

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532 NOTES ON THE MAHASIN AL-MAJALIS OF IBN AL-'ARIF593-4 l'oeil de conformite, [qui se contente] a l'egard de tout defaut, estcomme une nuit (!): readthe eye of (Divine) complacencyis dimto (the observa-

tion of) every fault.' (This passage is probably an interpolation.)5918-20 la penitence... la familiarite: omit these two words, which intrudein this list of the section-headings of the essay.5924-60 this passage is greatly interpolated.629-11car, que tu sois pourvu d'un esprit sagace, experiment6 et habile, ouque tu sois maladroit et gauche, [c'est la meme chose]: read for if thou hastunderstanding, (thou wilt realize that) the assiduous application of earnestendeavour is the (only) way through.6217-72 omitthis lengthy addendum.See D. S. Margoliouth, loc. cit., where it is pointed out that this is a line of poetry in theoriginal.