Description:

AL-KHASOOSI FI MASA'IL WA AHKAM FI 'ILM AL-HAY’AH (THE SPECIAL BOOK ON ASTRONOMICAL ISSUES AND RULINGS)

Compiled by Nasir al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Tusi (D. 1274), Copied 869 AH (1464 AD)

Description:
A highly significant astronomical treatise by the legendary polymath Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, this manuscript represents the first part of al-Khasoosi fi Masa’il wa Ahkam fi ‘Ilm al-Hay’ah—a compendium focused on technical rulings, methods, and issues in the science of astronomy (hay’a).

Written in black and red ink on cream paper, this volume contains 48 folios of detailed discussion on celestial configurations, planetary motion, and mathematical models of the cosmos. The text exemplifies Tusi’s rationalist methodology, fusing observational astronomy with philosophical principles, and likely formed part of the advanced scientific curriculum at observatories like Maragha, which he helped establish.

Marginal annotations in a contemporary hand accompany many pages, reflecting active scholarly engagement and transmission of knowledge in the late Timurid and early Safavid periods.

Physical Features:

Script: Clear naskh in black ink with rubricated headings

Paper: Light cream with some marginal gloss and edge stains

Binding: Later marbled-paper covered boards

Dimensions: 22.5 × 15 cm

Leaves: 48

Comparable Examples:

A copy of Tusi’s Tadhkira fi ‘Ilm al-Hay’ah sold at Sotheby’s in 2015 (Lot 109) for £96,000, similarly rubricated and with contemporary gloss.

The British Library (Add. MS 23472) holds a 15th-century manuscript of al-Tadhkira, often cited in modern studies of Islamic astronomy.

A Timurid-era astronomical manuscript with similar layout and annotations was auctioned at Christie’s in 2011 for £72,000.

Note:
Nasir al-Din al-Tusi is one of the most influential figures in pre-modern Islamic science. His works, especially in astronomy and trigonometry, laid foundational ground later used by European astronomers like Copernicus. This rare manuscript reflects not only his genius but also the scholarly ecosystem of Islamic Persia in the 15th century. A superb piece for collectors of Islamic science, early astronomy, or Persian intellectual heritage.


 Length x Width: 22.5 x 15cm

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November 4, 2025 1:00 PM GMT
London, United Kingdom

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