Description:

DURRATUL GHAWAZ WA KANZU AL-IKHTISAS, PART II, DESCRIPTION OF HOLY ROCKS, AUTHROISED BY AZUDEEN ABU AL-HASSAN ALI BIN MOHAMMAD BIN YADMIR AL KHALEELI, DATED 1004AH, WRITTEN BY MOHAMMAD BIN ALI BIN MOHAMMAD BIN ALI ASSABARA MERSI
Islamic world, dated 1004 AH / 1595–96 AD

Description:
Arabic manuscript on cream-toned paper, written in a clear naskh script in black ink with red rubrication throughout. This rare and intriguing work is the second part of Durratul Ghawaz wa Kanz al-Ikhtisas (“The Pearl of the Seekers and the Treasure of Special Knowledge”), a treatise concerning sacred stones and their esoteric properties. The content explores the spiritual, historical, and possibly medicinal significance of holy rocks, grounded in theological and mystical traditions.

The work is authorised by Azudeen Abu al-Hassan Ali bin Mohammad bin Yadmīr al-Khaleeli and was copied by Mohammad bin Ali bin Mohammad bin Ali Assabara Mersī in 1004 AH (1595–96 AD). The manuscript contains structured chapters, section headings in red, and marginal notes, indicating active use and scholarly consultation. Later binding in dark leather with blind-tooling and flap.

Measurements:
21.5 x 16 cm

Comparable examples:

  • A 16th-century manuscript on talismanic stones and magical minerals, sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 October 2017, Lot 43, for £15,000.

  • A manuscript of Khawas al-Hijar (Properties of Stones), North Africa, 17th century, sold at Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 29 March 2022, Lot 86, for £9,563.

  • A copy of Kashf al-Asrar fi Khawas al-Ahjar, Ottoman period, sold at Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 26 October 2017, Lot 92, for £11,875.

Note:
Manuscripts concerning sacred stones and their hidden properties represent a unique intersection of religious belief, natural philosophy, and occult science within the Islamic tradition. This example stands out for its precise authorship, dated colophon, and focus on a highly specialised subject that was often transmitted in partial or fragmentary form



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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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