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Kitab az Zinat of Abu Hatim An Razi

Seance du 29 Juillet; Presidence de M. Le Cherif Si Abdalhay Al-Kattani (fes) M. G. HAGGAR (Le Caire) : Le Nouveau Dictionnaire Arabe-Francais M.A.H. AL-HAMDANI (Londres) : "Kitab Az-Zinat" of Abu Hatim ar-Razi

Some forty years ago one hardly knew anything about the existence of a vast Isma'ili literature; but due to the efforts of scholars like Guyard, Massignon, Kraus, Strothman, Griffini, Ivanow, Hamdani, Fyzee and recently of Drs. Lewis and Kamil Husayn much more of it has come to light. However, very little of it is in printed form and what we need to do now is to undertake the publication of critical texts of this important branch of Islamic literature. Isma'ili works like Kitab az-Zinat would certainly make interesting reading if printed. Ibn au-Nadim has referred to this book in his Fihrist; so has Nizam-al-Mulk in his Siyasat Nameh. Among the modern scholars it is referred to by Kraus, Massignon, Ivanow, Griffini, Hamdani and Brockelmann. Isma'ili sources like 'L'yun and Fihrist al-Majdu' make only a passing reference.

Due do the shortage of space here, I have been obliged to omit the account of our author, Abu Hatim's life, of the political set-up of the times in which he flourished and of his other works besides K. az-Zinat. All references, except those which are absolutely important, have also been omitted. Suffice it to say that Abu Hatim was one of the earliest Isma'ili missionaries. He lived at Rayy under the governorship of Prince Mardawij. He had personal discussions and controversies with the Prince, as well as his contemporary fellow-townsman, the famous philosopher and physician Muhammad b. Zakariyya ar-Kazi (Rhazes). He is reported to have converted Prince Mardawij, as well as the all-powerful General Asfar b. Shiruyeh to Isma'ili views. An Isma'ili State had just come into being in North Africa on whose behalf he worked in the East. He died in 322 A.H.

Having hurriedly mentioned a few points about Abu Hatim's life, I would now like to describe K. az-Zinat. I have a Ms. containing some 360 large pages written in minute handwriting with marginal title. Sec. 1: Introductory (f. 1-5), contains the lists of the topics dealt with in the book. Sec. 2: Grammar and poetry (f. 5-50). In an interesting passage he tries to establish the superiority of the Arabic language over others, inspite of the fact that he was a Persian. Sec. 3: Divine attributes (f. 50-114), an unduly lengthy section, but extremely learned. Sec. 4: contains religious terminology and Qu'anic allusions (f. 114-149). Sec. 5: Geography (f.150-165), contains definitions and descriptions of the words, continents, Jazira, Iraq, Basran, Kufa, Syria, Yemen, Hijaz, Nejd, Aleppo, Jordan, etc. Sec. 6: Miscellaneous terms (f. 166-212), like (arabic script) etc. Sec. 7: Muslim schools and sects (f. 212-246). This is the most interesting section of all. After describing other religions besides Islam, he comes to "Ahl as-Sunna" and "ash-Shi'ah". He proceeds to describe the various forms of the former and the sub-divisions of the latter. Among the Shi'ite and related sects he mentions the following: He ends up with a mention of the (arabic script) and the (arabic script). He describes "Ahl as-Sunna" as all those who are united under the leadership of one Imam; the "Shi'ah", as those who associated themselves with "Ali; and the "Imam", as the ideal and example of Ahl as-Sunna. All this is very non-committal, but we will see the reason for it later on. Under the head Ismailis, he merely describes the sect and its origin, without giving any indication that he belongs to the Isma'ili faith, but ends in a note of optimism by saying that the ranks of the Ismailis are increasing day by day.

Sec. 8: Religious terminology (f. 246-345), contains definitions of terms like (arabic script) etc. Religious duties like prayers, pilgrimage and the terminology connected with them are also included.

Sec. 9: deals with law and legal terminology (f. 345-350). Sec. 10: winds up the book with some miscellaneous definitions (f. 350-359).

The erudition of our author is evident from the prolific use he makes of Qur'anic verses, traditions of the Prophet, reported stories and sayings of the Imams, in support of his arguments and in illustration to the various topics he deals with in this dictionary of technical terms. It will not be without interest to note that as early as the end of the third century a successful attempt was made to compile a Dictionary of Islamic technical terms and nomenclature, which had by then come to obtain a fixed connotation.

Though our curiosity is aroused by the fact that K. az-Zinat contains an Isma'ili account of various Muslim sects, written as early as the turn of the third century, just as the time when the foundation of the Fatimid Caliphate was being laid in North Africa, its author, however, does not give us the slightest indication that he is regarding these sects from an Isma'ili point of view. On the other hand he is very cautious, for the Ismailis were being persecuted everywhere in those times. We know that his contemporary da'is, Sijistani and Nasafi, were executed in Turkestan for their Isma'ili views. Abu Hatim, therefore, could not afford to show off his Isma'ili character openly, specially in a work like K. az-Zinat which was meant for the general public and was not a secret work. In fact the author of the Tabsirat al-Awamm was so misled by Abu Hatim's style that he called him a Shafi'i(1). His Isma'ilism, however, is too well-known to be disputed.(2) His peculiar style is perhaps due to his anxiety to insinuate his doctrines very subtly among the general public, without attempting to give them a rude shock about the truth of his real beliefs.

Now let me add a few lines about the date of composition of K. az-Zinat. On the authority of "Uyun al-Akhbar, Ivanow writes: "It was composed in the beginning of the IV-X century and submitted to the second Fatimid Caliph, al-Qa'im bi'llah (322-334 A.H.); apparently soon after his accession"(3). It may have been dedicated to al-Qa'im, but to say that it was done after his accession (i.e. in 322 A.H., the year in which the Abu Hatim died) is merely a conjecture. I am inclined to believe that the book was composed much earlier, perhaps than Nawbakhti's (4)(d. before 310 A.H.); though one cannot be sure about it.

(1) Murtada b. Da'Hasani Ruizi, Talaziral al-ramm (cd. A. Eghhai), p. 46, 57. (2) See Baghdadi, Farq, p. 267, 277 Nizam di-Mulk, Siy, Nameh, p. 186; Asualani, Lida al-Milan, p. 164 Kirmani, Aqral adh-Dhahabiyya, f, 5. (3) Ivanow, A Creed of the Fatimides, p. 5,6. (4) Abbas Eghbal in Les Naurbakhi (p. 141-161) has suggested that the Firaq ash-Shi'ah's authorship is doubtful. He has cited passages from the Firaq which are also found in a contemporary, Sa'ad b. Abd Allah al-Ashari (d. 299 A.H.) which shows either that Nawbakhti's and Ash'ari's works are the same, or that one has copiously made use of the work of another, or that both have made use of an earlier source. Cf. Massignon in Encyclop. of Islam, p. 887, under the title "Nawbakhti.

On comparing Razi's and Nawbakhti's account of the Muslim sects, we find many similarities. For Example: The descriptions by both (arabic text) and the sects diverted on the question of the Imamate of Hasan b. ali are not only similar, but in part almost identical, word by word. Even the order in which the sects are mentioned is the same for most part. Nowhere there is contradiction or difference of opinion. It is certain that one of them must have seen the work of the other, though it is doubtful as to which did so.

I feel that Nawbakhti's work is an elaboration on that of Razi's. He has mentioned the additional sects, (arabic text) and (arabic text) ; also three more have been added to Razi's enumeration of the sects that diverged on the question of the Imamate of Hasan b. 'Ali. On the whole Nawbakhti's account is much more detailed than that of Razi.

The fact that later on men like Ash'ari, Ibn, Hazim, Baghdadi, Shahrastani and others have dealt with these sects more fully than Razi, does not in any way lesson the importance of Abu Hatim's account. What he has written is very dispassionate, impartial and objective. Whatever may be the motive for his peculiar non-committal style, whoever reads his book, is impressed by the author's learning and his unbiased and analytical mind.

Should not such books be published?

F.W. Zimmermann