Ahsan ma Sami't
- Author died
- 429 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah
Ahsan ma Sami't (The Best of What I Have Heard) is an Arabic literary anthology by the Nishapuri scholar and philologist Abu Mansur al-Tha'alibi (350–429 AH / 961–1038 CE), compiling choice selections of poetic verse and prose arranged thematically.
Title and Scope
The work is also recorded in biographical bibliographies under the title al-La'ali wa al-Durar (Pearls and Gems), described as Ahsan ma Sami't nazman wa nathran ("The Best of What I Have Heard in Verse and Prose"). The text brings together admired lines of poetry, witty retorts, epistolary excerpts, and anecdotes drawn from classical and contemporary poets and prose stylists, as well as original poems and correspondence composed by al-Tha'alibi himself.
Structure and Contents
The anthology is divided into thematic chapters (abwāb), each presenting the finest selections (aḥāsin) on a specific topic:
- Chapter 1: Divine Themes (al-Ilāhiyyāt): Features verses on praising God, censuring time, expressing gratitude for divine bounty, relying upon God (tawakkul), turning to Him in hardship, and contemplating nature as evidence of divine unity, including verses by Ibn al-Mu'tazz, Abu Nuwas, and al-Tha'alibi.
- Chapter 2: Prophetic Topics (al-Nabawiyyāt): Organized into sections devoted to prophets and biblical figures, including Adam and Iblis, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph, paired with prose excerpts from works like Abu Bakr al-Suli's Kitab al-Wuzara'.
- Chapter 11: Places and Buildings (al-Amkinah wa al-Abniyah): Contains praise and poetic descriptions of major cities and regions, such as Baghdad and Egypt.
- Chapter 12: Food (al-Ṭaʿāmiyyāt): Collects poetic selections on moderation in eating, bread, and traditional confections such as fālūdhaj and khabīṣ.
- Chapter 20: Congratulations and Gifting (al-Tahānī wa al-Tahādī): Gathers poetry composed for weddings, the birth of children, the conferral of robes of honor (khilʿa), and safe returns from journeys, featuring verse by Ibn al-Rumi and al-Tha'alibi.
- Chapter 22: Miscellaneous Selections (Funūn min al-Aḥāsin): Covers diverse topics such as the description of candles by al-Sahib ibn 'Abbad, dark-complexioned maidservants, warnings against underestimating small adversaries, and apologies for fine handwriting.
Other parts of the book contain selections regarding visiting the sick, recovery from illness, and congratulations on good health, citing figures like al-Mutanabbi and Ibn al-Mu'tazz.
Related Works and Transmission
Al-Tha'alibi later authored Man Ghaba 'anhu al-Mutrib (For Him Who Lacks the Singer), which is regarded as a sequel and supplement (dhayl) to Ahsan ma Sami't.
Manuscripts of Ahsan ma Sami't are preserved in library collections, including the Köprülü Library in Istanbul. The work has been printed in modern editions, including a single-volume edition with annotations by Khalil 'Imran al-Mansur, published in Beirut in 1421 AH (2000 CE).
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