Rare Ibn Asakir Manuscript featured in “First Edition”

A unique piece of History of Damascus

In its third episode, the programme highlights a rare fragment from History of Damascus by Ali ibn al-Hasan ibn Hibat Allah ibn Asakir al-Dimashqi. The fragment is considered exceptionally rare, with no other known copies existing worldwide. It is carefully preserved at the Sharjah Islamic Manuscript House.

The largest work on a single city

Saeed Al Madawi, General Supervisor of the Manuscripts House, explains that Ibn Asakir’s History of Damascus is regarded as the most extensive work devoted to a single city in Arab historical and scholarly heritage. The monumental book spans 80 volumes and bears the full title: The History Of The City Of Damascus And Mentioning Its Virtues And Naming Those Who Solved It From The Proverbs Or Passed Through Its Neighborhoods From Its Borders And Its People.

Distinctive manuscript features

Al Madawi notes that the manuscript opens with ownership inscriptions bearing the names Al-Mustafa ibn Muhibb al-Din and Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Husseini. Midway through the text are reading notes attributed to Al-Mustafa ibn Muhibb al-Din. The headings and key terms are written in red ink, and the manuscript is catalogued at the House under number 1128.