Abu'l Makarim Hibatallah ibn Jumay al-Isra'ili (d.1198 AD), al-Ikhtiyar fi’l-adwiyah al-mufradah ('The Abridged Selection of Simple Medicines'), Near East, second half 12th/first half 13th century AD

The full title of the text is al-Ikhtiyar fi’l-adwiyah al-mufradah wa’l-hajah kanat ila tarkibiha wa yu’raf quwaha wa amzijatiha wa baqiyat ahwaliha ‘ala sabil al-ikhtisar ‘The selection by way of abridgement of simple medicines and what is needed for their composition and what is known of their strengths, mixtures and other states.’

Although the text in this abridged format is not recorded, it closely relates to the renowned medical encyclopaedia of Ibn Jumay’ al-Isra’ili (d.1198 AD). The author was the court physician of Salah al-Din and mentor of Ibn Abu’l-Bayan. He is renowned for his Kitab al-irshad li-masalih al-anfus wa'l-ajsad that he dedicated to al-Qadi al-Fadil, secretary of Salah al-Din. That text is divided into four sections (maqalas): the first maqala talks about the general principles of medicine, the second about materia medica, the third deals with diseases and the last one with their remedies. Unfortunately, he died before finishing it, leaving this task to his son, Abu Tahir Isma’il (Chipman 2010, pp.18-21).

This manuscript relates to the second maqala of his medical encyclopaedia – the section concerning materia medica. In the extended text, the materia medica section is divided into two parts, the second of which concerns al-adwiyah al-mufradah arranged in alphabetical order. Close comparison with manuscript copies of the text reveal that, aside from a lengthy introduction covering thirteen pages, the text in the present lot is the same as the second part of the materia medica chapter.

Importantly, a radiocarbon dating report on the paper of this manuscript supports that this manuscript was produced during the lifetime of the author or just following his death in 1198. This is supported by the omission of rahimahu Allah (‘May God forgive him’) after the author is mentioned, indicating that the author was most likely alive when the manuscript was copied. It is probable that this text formed the basis of the materia medica section of his well-known encyclopaedia, possibly an early draft of the text.

In the introduction, the author refers to the works of Greek physician Galen and the ninth century Christian physician Hunayn ibn Ishaq who is known to have translated and added to the contributions of Galen. Later, there is a reference to Ibn Sina indicated by a marginal note with the name Al-Shaykh a’is, mostly likely referencing Shakyh al-Ra’is, a title reserved for the great polymath. By referencing these masters, our author is positioning himself within an established academic lineage and emphasising the tradition of translating works and developing them in the medieval period. It further underscores the collaborations between Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities in the academic milieu of the medieval Islamic period which would go on to inspire the work of his student Abu al-Fadl Dawud ibn Abi al-Bayan al-Isra’ili (d.1240 AD), as shown by a medical manuscript by him recently sold in these rooms, 26 October 2022, lot 14.

The manuscript is accompanied by a radiocarbon dating report that supports the proposed date of manufacture.