31

THE TAESCHNER COLLECTION (Or. 12.339, cont.)

(incomplete) index of the contents, describing nine items, is found on the last page, f. 184b. The aforementioned year is found at the end of the index (184b:8). (1) ff. 4b-49b Vastyet[-name] [^b] A treatise on the principles of the Muslim faith by Mehmed b. PTr ‘All BirgivI (Birgili Mehmed Efendi, d. 981/1573). Many manuscript copies have survived. The title and the name of the author are mentioned in f. 4b:5-6; the legend 'haza kitab Vesdyd-yi Birgtye’ is found in a headpiece preceding the text on f. 4b (see plate). After a short introduction (4b), the work consists of a great number of short chapters, discussing topics ranging from ‘the negative attributes of God’ (as- sifat es-selbtye, 4b) and the miracles of the Prophet, to Koran recitation and ‘atonement through fasting and oaths’ (keffaretii s-savm ve l-yemtn, 38b). In an appendix (geyI, 40b), there are further chapters on canonical ablutions (istinca), prayer and menstruation (hayi). A few marginal corrections and additions. (For other copies of the same work, see Codices Or. 960, 1288, 1562 and 11.042; see also 14.264(2), 17.123, 17.127, and 23.650(2), below). Begins (4b, after a besmele): f5LaJt j 4_ilr ■*.»■■« 4-o I 1111 >. j LiIaa ^ jJI Ju ^—,11 From the introduction {ibidem): j-4 iox J.I «-t a-'JI j lJS j~. i all ö >,II j_. 3 II 3_. -j » «j'« 1 .. L«| ... 4.ui oi I (-1*31 r ,)l l„o^; r Llx. lJlc. Ends (49b): J <« f 4jLj 4jjjl 4j j 413 (j jL*j ...

Catalogue entries: Sohrweide I, 29, where other MSS are mentioned; see also Films 5090-5107 (IV, pp. 263-5); Schmidt 126, G 1515(1); TYTK (Antalya) 207 1170, 1553, 2915-6; TÏYK 29; Yardim 3292-8. Eitions: Istanbul 1218, 1220 and 1249. Translations: into French (from 1704) and Norwegian (1829), see Sohrweide I p. 24. Literature: cf. Sohrweide I, p. 24.