When I started teaching at university, I made Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy an indispensable part of my students’ curriculum in the department of philosophy. With the years, the academic material pertaining to him was getting deeper and more comprehensive, rendering the man to a higher ranking.  Indeed, he has been to us almost a synonym of renaissance. Yet, I admit that I did not understand him precisely, nor did I find any answers for the subtle questions revolving around this man/renaissance, which occupied my mind for a long time, until I indexed and classified his manuscript collection in Suhag.

Considering Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s collection, contemplating its content, and recognizing the variety of its subjects, reveal many liberal and broad-minded characteristics of the great pioneer of modern Arab and Islamic culture, and highlight at same time the amazing diversity of the Arab Islamic heritage. Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy was aware of such diversity when he chose with meticulous care his manuscript collection. In this light, many raised questions pertaining to his intellectual experience are easily answered. To begin with, why was he not astounded by the Western culture, as were many of his successors? The answer for this could be; since he realized the abundance of elements and the richness of composition of his culture, he was not overwhelmed by feelings of inferiority about the culture of the European other. Secondly, why was Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s train of thought objective, rational and uniformly systematic? This is because he nourished exhaustively on the Arab legacy of logic, to the extent that his collection includes twenty unabridged copies of al-Akhdariy’s urjūza (a treatise written in poem form in the meter rajaz) on logic entitled al-Sullam al-Murawnaq- ‘The Splendid Steps’ with commentary works and critiques. Thirdly, why was Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy interested in Arabic language, and keen on developing its literary style as well as rediscovering its legacy of lexis? This is due to his comprehensive knowledge of Arabic rhetoric, as his manuscripts contain- for example- thirty unabridged texts of the outstanding work of rhetoric Talkīs al-Miftāh- ‘The Compendium of al-Miftāh’ by al-Qazwīniy along with its commentaries and critiques. Finally, why did Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s endeavors vary in assorted fields of knowledge and were opened indiscriminately to the human intellectual experience? He was the offspring of a liberal and varied culture, this is manifested in holding two books among his collection: the first is Muthīr al-Gharām īlā Ziyārat al-Quds wa al-Šām- ‘Stimulator of Passion for Visiting Jerusalem and al-Šām;’ and the second is Bā‘ithat al-Gharām fī al-Ta‘aluq bi-Ghilmān al-Hammām- ‘Incentive of Love in Getting Attached to Baths’ Boys.’ Furthermore, his manuscripts comprise diverse literature on jurisprudence, witty banter, Sufism, mathematics, logic, astronomy, prayers, and invocations. This is the culture that our pioneer perceived, was aware of its rich aspects, and dedicated his life to evoke as well as to push forward.

Profile

Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy was born in 1216 H. (1801 AD) in Tahtā, a village in Upper Egypt that was- and still is- a prototype of the Egyptian village with its time-honored southern traditions. It is located nearby- almost overlooking- the river Nile, bounded from the east the and west by mountain chains leaving between them a rich soil, with endless deserts stretching behind. In the center of the village stands an old house of a family that had passed the knowledge of religious sciences on from one generation to another, and whose members studied regularly in al-Azhar. Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy kept the family tradition, and followed the steps of his ancestors. At the age of sixteen, he left to Cairo to study in al-Azhar. Where, five years later, he was assigned a teaching position. By that time, his relationship to his professor the Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar, Hasan al-‘Attār was growing stronger. He remained in his position for two years, and then he spent a corresponding period as an Imam and preacher in the Muhammad ‘Aliy Pasha’s army, which was formed to realize his ambition to create an empire so powerful as to succeed the Ottoman Empire.

The major turning point in Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s life occurred when he traveled with a group of exchange students to Paris in 1242 H. (1826 AD) on board of “La Troyatte”, the French battleship, to study modern sciences.  Hasan al-‘Attār was beyond his nomination to accompany the students as their Imam and preacher. However, Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy requested to travel as one of the students. His demand was approved and he joined the group to study translation. After five years of hard work, he sat finally for the translation exams and presented his book, which gained wide fame afterwards: Takhlīs al-Ibrīz fī Talkhīs Bārīz- ‘Extracting Gold in Overviewing Paris.’

In 1247 H. (1831 AD), Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy returned to Egypt. He was, unlike other disappointed students, full of enthusiasm and embarked on translation in the medical school, where he endeavored to develop the students’ natural sciences curriculum. In 1251 H. (1835 AD), he established a translation school, which was known later as the Linguistics University. He was appointed as its director besides the task of teaching. By that time, his great cultural enterprise became evident; he laid the foundations of a reform and enlightenment movement, which we still to present day and after many decades find it quite controversial to label, disagreeing whether to call it tradition or modernity!  As a matter of fact, Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy was both revivalist and modernist; he translated literature of philosophy and Western history as well as works of modern European sciences, while being concerned with preserving Egyptian antiquities and obtaining approvals to protect them against smuggling and loss.

Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s efforts continued in different spheres: translation, planning, education supervision, and journalism. He founded specialized translation (in mathematics, natural sciences and humanities) departments. Furthermore, he instituted the school of commerce for economic studies and the administration school for political sciences. Chief among his achievements are issuing a decree to teach sciences and different fields of knowledge in Arabic (which are taught today in foreign languages), publishing the al-Waqā’i‘ al-Misriyya the official Egyptian Gazette in Arabic instead of Turkish, translating twenty books as well as supervising the translation of a host of works.

The torch, however, went out before long when Khedive ‘Abbās succeeded to the throne of Egypt. ‘Abbās gave his orders to shut down the translation school, banned the translation activities, confined the distribution of the Egyptian Gazette to the Turkish statesmen of the royal court, and banished Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy to Sudan in 1267 H. (1850 AD).

Culture, thereby, grew sad and the great enlightenment movement was hindered. Nonetheless, Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy did not surrender to his sadness nor was held up, he went on with his project during his exile where he translated Les Aventures de Télémaque by Fénelon. He strived to go back to his homeland. This became possible after four years upon the death of ‘Abbās and the succession of Khedive Sa‘īd.

Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy came back to be more active than before; he set up centers to eliminate illiteracy and to disseminate knowledge among all people. He resumed his work on translation (modernity), and impelled Būlāq press to publish masterpieces of Arab heritage (tradition). Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy carried on with another episode of fruitful intellectual work that ended with the retrogradation of Khedive Sa‘īd, who closed schools and removed Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy from his position in 1278 H. (1861 AD).

Following the death of Sa‘īd, Khedive Ismā‘īl assumed power in 1280 H. (1863 AD), and Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy returned to his work. His spent the last decade of his life in unrelented activity and enthusiasm. He was again, and for the last time, in charge of the supervision of education. He presided over the translation administration, and issued the first cultural magazine entitled: Rawdat al-Madāris- ‘Schools’ Garden.’ Moreover, he wrote in history: Anwār Tawfīq al-Jalīl- ‘The Brightness of the Sublime Man’s Success.’ In the field of Education, he authored Mabāhij al-Albāb al-Misriyya fī Manāhij al-Ādāb al-‘Asriyya- ‘The Delights of Egyptian Minds in Modern Courses;’ and al-Muršid al-Amīn li-al-Banāt wa al-Banīn- ‘The Sincere Guide for Boys and Girls.’ As for Sīra (prophetic biography), he wrote Nihāyat al-Ījāz fī Tārīj Sākin al-Hijāz- ‘The Greatest Conciseness in the History of the Inhabitant of Hejaz (Prophet Muhammad).’ He died in 1290 H. (1873 AD). May God rest his soul.

Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy Library (Rare Manuscripts)

In Suhag, the capital of the governorate where Tahtā lies within its territory, an old building stands on a stone’s throw from the river Nile. A sign hanged on the door bears an inscription in fine thuluth script that reads: Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy Library, the town’s public library. Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s grandson Muhammad Badawiy donated his grandfather’s personal book and manuscript collections fifty decades ago, to form the nucleus of its present content. The library opened for the public in 1958.  

The library’s (printed) books are of high significance considering their variety and date of publication, however, the manuscripts takes the priority of interest. Unfortunately, despite their great value they are primitively reserved in very poor conditions waiting for immediate protection against damage and loss (thus I hope that this catalog would help in taking the initiative).

The rare manuscripts in Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy Library can be divided into three groups. The first includes the old ones, whose value is increased due to their antiquity, i.e., they are culturally and historically significant. The second comprises the unique manuscripts that scarcely have other corresponding copies all over the world, which renders them very rare. The third contains Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s writings and those of his professor Sheikh Hasan al-‘Attār and Sheikh Ahmad al-Damanhūriy, hence this original collection owes its weight to the eminency of its authors and their remarkable contributions to the enlightenment movement and modern culture.

As for the first group, the first thing that attracts our attention is the manuscript written a millennium ago al-Fasīh fī al-Lugha- ‘The Eloquent in Language’ by Tha‘lab (Abūl-‘Abbās Ahmad bin-Yahyā, d. 291 H.) dated back to 398 H. The manuscript consists of Tha‘lab’s book and the explanation of Imam al-Jabbān, the latter is rare and an unknown work. Astonishingly enough, the copy is in a very good condition though it is one of the world oldest manuscripts. Chief among the collection are:

·        al-Akhbār al-Tuwāl fī Dhikr Mulūk al-Ard- ‘The Long Accounts of Kings of the Earth’ by al-Daynawariy, transcribed in the beginning of the sixth century of the Hijra, with a qirā’a (literally meaning ‘recital,’ a qirā’a was the act of reciting the work to its author to correct it, or to the ardent scholars in the field to authorize it) dated back to 579 H.

·        Manāqib al-Abrār wa Mahāsin al-Akhyār- ‘Virtues of the Righteous and Merits of the Best People’ by Ibn Khamīs al-Mawsily (d. 552 H.), a good copy dated back to 563 H.

·        al-Mahsūl fī ‘Ilm al-Fiqh- ‘The Harvest of Jurisprudence’ by Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāziy (d. 606 H.) dated back to 609 H.

·        al-Qāmūs al-Muhīt- ‘The Comprehensive Dictionary’ by al-Fayrūz Ābādiy (817 H.) dated back to 873 H.

·        Asbāb al-Khilāf Bayn al-Ā’ima- Reasons for Disagreement between Imams by Ibn al-Sīd al-Batlayūsiy dated back to 618 H.

·        al-Tahrīr fī Šarh Alfāz al-Tanbīh- ‘Writing in the Explanation of the Terms of al-Tanbīh’ by al-Nawawiy (682 H.).

·        Nawāzir al-Nazā’ir- ‘Eyes of Equals’ by Ibn al-Mulaqan (630 H.).

·        al-Waraqāt fī Usūl ‘Ilm al-Fiqh- ‘Folios on the Principles of Jurisprudence’ by Imam Mecca and Medina al-Juwayniy (703 H.).

·        Ramy al-Qūs wa al-Nišāb- ‘Archery’ by an anonymous author (735 H.).

·        Collection of Ibn Sīnā’s (Avicenna) medical treatises (687 H.).

·        Šarh al-Šamsiyya fī al-Mantiq- ‘Explanation of al-Šamsiyya on Logic’ by al-Taftāzāniy (883 H.).

The above-mentioned titles are some samples from the collection. Considering the dates of transcription, we realize that they were written close to their authors’ death, i.e., they are more genuine than the ones copied in the following centuries; hence they are to be more reliable to underlie the publication of an authenticated version of one of the manuscripts. Nonetheless, the best and most valuable manuscripts in this group are the autograph ones, to name some:

• Manzūmat al-Jāmi‘ al-Kabīr- ‘Treatise in Verse of the Great Comprehensive Book’ by Ibn Ishāq

• Bulghat al-Sā’il fī Tablīgh al-Rasā’il- ‘The Inquirer’s Answer in Conveying Messages’ by al-Jawjariy

• Šarh Qasīdat Dhāt al-Hulal- ‘Interpretation of the Poem of Dhāt al-Hulal’ by al-Sakhāwiy.

• Tarīq al-Istaqāma bi-Ahkām al-Imāma- ‘The Path of Righteousness Following the of Rules of Imamate’ by Ibn Hišām.

• Fawāt al-Wafayāt- ‘The Missed from al-Wafayāt (book of Deceased)’ by Ibn Šākir al-Kutbiy.

The aforementioned authors lived before the tenth century of the Hijra. The collection also comprises manuscripts by writers from the following centuries.

Before considering the group of rare and unparalleled manuscripts, I would like to clarify a particular point; originally, all manuscripts are rare. Each manuscript when transcribed or illuminated becomes matchless like the fingerprint, even if two given manuscripts are by the same calligrapher or on a similar subject, they are never alike. In this context, the word rare denotes the scarcity of finding another corresponding copy of a given manuscript. To name some of them:

·        Collection of Muhammad bin-Yūsuf al-Antākiy’s treatises.

·        Collection of al-Astūniy’s treatises.

·        Khāfiyat Aflātūn- ‘Aristotle’s Occult Mystery.’

·        Tāj al-‘Arūs al-Hāwī li-Tahdhīb al-Nufūs- ‘The Bride’s Crown Embodying Self Discipline’ by Ibn ‘Atā’illāh al-Sakandariy.

·        The unabridged divan of ‘Ā’iša al-Bā‘ūniyya.

·         al-Sab‘iyyāt fī Mawā‘iz al-Bariyyāt- ‘The Sevenfold on the Exhortations of Mankind’ by ‘Ayn al-Qudā al-Hamadhāniy.

·        al-Lamahāt al-Rāfi‘āt- ‘The Elevating Glimpses’ by al-Bakriy.

·        Qatr al-Sayl fī Sīyāsat al-Khayl- ‘Rain Drops in Horse Training’ by Qunbur.

·        al-Kāfī- ‘The Sufficent’ by al-Maqri’.

The third group embraces the works of the pioneers of reform and enlightenment, among are the personal and original manuscripts by Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy such as: Jughrāfiyat Bilād al- Šām- ‘The Geography of al- Šām;’ Tarīkh Qalā’id al-Mafākhir fī Ghārīb ‘Awā’id al-Awā’il wa al-Awākhir- ‘History of Necklaces of Glorious Deeds in the Exotic Traditions of the Predecessors and Successors;’ Mukhtasar ‘Anwān al-Bayān- ‘Compendium of Rhetoric,’ to name but few. The collection also comprises the works of Sheikh Hasan al-‘Attār for instance: Risālat al-Mantiq- ‘The Treatise on Logic;’ ‘Aqūd al-Dur fī al-Ādāb- ‘The Pearl Necklaces in Arts;’ Šarh Lāmiyyat al-Af‘āl- ‘Explanation of the Verbs’ Lām (in Arabic morphology the root of the verb is of three letters, the last of which is always referred to by the letter lām);’ and Šarh al-Samarqandiyya fī al-Isti‘ārāt- ‘Explanation of al-Samarqandiyya on Metaphors.’ Furthermore, there are number of the works of Ahmad al-Damanhūriy, one of the unknown great Egyptian figures who died in 1192 H., i.e. just before the arrival of the French military to Egypt. Some titles of his works are as follows: Šarh al-Sullam al-Murawnaq fī al-Mantiq- ‘Interpretation of the Splendid Steps in Logic;’ and al-Muškilāt min Fann al-Isti‘ārāt- ‘The Problems from the Art of Metaphors.’ In addition, there are a considerable number of manuscripts by Egyptian contemporary scholars of Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy as well as members of his family such as: his son ‘Aliy Pasha Fahmiy Rifā‘a and his grandson Muhammad Badawiy Rifā‘a (the latter is the donator of the entire collection).

Collection Cataloging

I started the cataloging of Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s manuscripts at the end of the summer of 1993, after I finished the cataloging of Alexandria University’s collections. With three years behind, God only knows how hard they were, the catalog is finally ready to be published. If it were not for the initiative of the Institute of Arab Manuscripts, this delightful catalog would have never come to existence. Thus, I would like to extend my deep gratitude and the appreciation of the present generations of researchers and students and those to come to the Institute.

The first step in the cataloging process was to determine the definite number of existing manuscripts and to compare their subject matters with what is written in the library’s records. It appeared that the substantive content exceeds the number included in the archaic records with more than 400 manuscripts! According to the records, there are 989 manuscripts on assorted fields; however, the library’s actually comprises 1437 ones. Furthermore, the records sometimes list some printed books within the manuscripts collection as the case with Manzūmat Anwār al-Rabī‘ fī ‘Ilm al-Badī‘- ‘Treatise in Verse of the Lights of Spring on Rhetoric’ (no. 3/Rhetoric). Moreover, they refer to some volumes with the same classification number, or even give the same number to different manuscripts mixing titles, fields and classification numbers. In other words, they are utterly unreliable.

The second step was to gather the necessary bibliographic data of each manuscript as follows: title, author, incipit, explicit, description, transcriber, date of transcription, number of pages and lines, paper size as well as the classification number.

The final and most difficult step was to authenticate the titles, authors’ names, classification, alphabetical order and to add footnotes (it could take weeks of around the clock work). At the end, I had to write the fair copy, revise the proofs and work on indexes. Sometimes, it occurred to me that the realization of this one thousand-page catalog would never take place. However, it was for the Divine will that this catalog is be published within the coming weeks.

I took into consideration the set rules and standards in cataloging Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s manuscripts, with the development of some aspects to render the work a more useful tool. In addition to these general rules, I would like to highlight the particular aspects in the cataloging process of Rifā‘a al-Tahtāwiy’s collection; they are as follows:

a)      The cataloging was carried out according to the authenticated title of a given manuscript, regardless of the one written on the cover that may be fully or partially correct, or a mere work of imagination on the part of the transcribers. For example, there are four copies of al-Sunūsiy’s manuscript on theology, whose authenticated title in the catalog is Um al-Barāhīn- ‘Source of Evidences’, each copy bears a different title: the first entitled al-Sunūsiy (no. 44/Monothesim); the second labeled ‘Aqīdat Um al-Barāhīn- ‘The Doctrine of Source of Evidences’ (no. 36/Monothesim); the third called Muqaddima fī al-Tawhīd- ‘Introduction to Monotheism’ (no. 9/Collection); and the fourth named al-Hukm al-‘Aqliy- ‘Mental Judgment’ (no. 3/Collection). Moreover, other manuscripts apart of Um al-Barāhīn share its title by mistake! And so is the case with many others. In the catalog, I refer in the footnotes to those inaccurate titles and I include only the authenticated ones, so as not to disturb the alphabetical order and render it more easily looked up.

b)      The full title is included in the catalog, if not, this means that it is partly mentioned in the manuscript or does not exist at all. For instance, the manuscript number 19/Rhetoric is entitled Taqārīr Zarīfa wa Taqāīd Latīfa alā Šarh al-Taftāzāniy- ‘Delightful Reports and Witty Notes on al-Taftāzāniy’s Explanation,’ after authentication, it was added to the catalog as follows: Hāšiya alā Šarh al-Taftāzāniy (al-Mukhtasar) li-Talkhīs al-Miftāh- ‘Critique on al-Taftāzāniy’s Explanation (the Concise) of the Compendium of al-Miftāh,’ by al-Qazwīniy, by al-‘Adawiy al-Sa‘īdiy (‘Aliy bin-Ahmad bin-Makramillāh al-Azhariy, d. 1198 H.).

c)      When a manuscript is an explanation or a critique of another work, the title of the critique or explanation is included first followed by the title of the explained work, then comes the author’s name preceded by a comma and at the end the name of the explainer or the critic on the following line. For example the cover of the manuscript number 10/Hadith bears the title Kitāb al-Iqtisād li-al-Suyūtiy- ‘Book of Economy by al-Suyūtiy,’ but the authenticated one mentioned in the catalog is al-Iqtisād bi-Šarh al-Kawkab al-Waqād- ‘Economy in Explaining al-Kawkab al-Waqād (the Luminous Star),’ by al-Sakhāwiy,

by al-Suyūtiy (Jalāl al-Dīn Abūl-Fadl ‘Abdul-Rahmān bin-Abī-Bakr bin-Muhammad, d. 911 H.).

d)      The author’s name is written in the catalog after authentication as follows: epithet, appellation, name, surname or attribution, date of death, and related references. This is regardless of the name or the inaccurate data written in the manuscript as well as the false attribution to another author.

e)      A few manuscripts remained anonymous after cataloging, though I have done my utmost to recognize their authors. The rate of anonymous writers in the catalog does not exceed one per cent of the total number of its contents, whereas it was fifty per cent before cataloging.

f)        The description of manuscripts is limited to the essential information and distinguishing aspects of each copy, without excessive and unnecessary accounts on the common features of manuscripts in general. The brief description is narrowed down to five basic terms that indicate the status of the manuscript, they are as follows: treasury, exquisite, good, bad, and worn out copy. In the case of the absence of any of the above terms, then it denotes that the manuscript ranges between a good and bad condition.      

g)      Since it is an established fact that the majority of the library’s manuscripts, rather the majority of Arab(ic) manuscripts, contain (red) rubrications between sentences, I did not indicate this feature within the descriptions except for those few which are to the contrary.  In the latter case, they are described as golden or colored rubrications.

h)      The transcribers’ names are described according the text without the epithet at the beginning as the case with the authors. If the transcription date is stated clearly in the manuscripts, it is indicated in the catalog. When it is referred to in letter form, it is converted into numbers. In case of absence, the date is estimated in centuries. I was concerned to indicate ex libris inscriptions, qirā’āt, or mutāla‘āt (sing. Mutāl‘aliterally meaning ‘reading,’ a mutāla‘a was the indication that the manuscript was read by a certain person usually an eminent scholar or well known figure) if any, as well as whether the manuscript was transcribed during the lifetime of its author, recited to him or written in his handwriting.

i)        During the cataloging, I kept the numbers of classification given by the library, to make them more accessible to researchers. Nonetheless, to guide them in their assorted fields of specializations I mentioned the subject of each manuscript before the classification number, to be compiled at the end in the index of the catalog. The reader will possibly realize that subject matter may differ than the classification number set by the library. The reason for this is that the library’s classification was carried randomly. For instance, there are two copies from al-Hikam al-‘Atā’iyya- ‘Aphorisms of Ibn ‘Atā’’ by Ibn ‘Atā’ al-Sakandariy, the first is classified with number 59/Juriprudence and the second with number 7/Collection, though its subject is Sufism! And so is the case with around 500 manuscripts.