Description:

THE SUPERIORITY OF DOGS OVER MANY OF THOSE WHO WEAR CLOTHES, CLASSIFICATION BY IMAM ABU BAKR MUHAMMED IBN KHALAF IBN ALPMARDHABAN, DATED 1046AH

THE SUPERIORITY OF DOGS OVER MANY OF THOSE WHO WEAR CLOTHES, 17TH CENTURY COPY
Islamic world, 13th century copy

Description:
Arabic manuscript on cream paper, elegant black naskh script with significant portions and key phrases in red ink. This rare philosophical treatise, traditionally attributed to the Ikhwan al-Safa’ (The Brethren of Purity), is part of a genre of moral and allegorical texts exploring the nature of animals and mankind. The present copy is housed in a period full-leather binding featuring a central stamped medallion motif. The pages exhibit careful layout and preservation, with a fluid yet disciplined script throughout. Despite minor soiling and water staining, the manuscript remains largely intact and legible.

Comparable examples:

  • A 13th-century philosophical manuscript, including similar zoological and ethical themes, sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 24 October 2018, Lot 11, for £13,750. 

  • A copy of the "Epistles of the Brethren of Purity," 14th century, sold at Christie’s, London, 1 May 2014, Lot 45, for £16,250. 

  • Manuscript titled "Kitab al-Hayawan" by al-Jahiz, comparable in content and style, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 29 April 2019, Lot 19, for £12,500. 

Note:
This work, titled Fadl al-Kilab ‘ala Kathir mimman Yalbas al-Thiyab, is a renowned allegorical critique of moral decay, contrasting the nobility of animals—specifically dogs—with the hypocrisy of outwardly pious but inwardly corrupt individuals. The use of red rubrication enhances readability and denotes shifts in voice or emphasis, typical of intellectual texts copied during the medieval Islamic period. The binding, though later, complements the manuscript’s age and importance.


20cm x 15cm

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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