al-Afdaliyyat
- Author died
- 542 AH
- Editions
- al-Afdaliyyat
al-Afdaliyyat (The Afdalid Treatises) is a collection of literary, ethical, and administrative epistles (rasāʾil) composed by the Fatimid chancery official, historian, and man of letters Abu al-Qasim Ali ibn Munjib al-Sayrafi (463–542 AH / 1071–1147 CE) .
Background and Purpose
The compilation takes its name from the Fatimid grand vizier al-Afdal Shahanshah (Amir al-Juyush), under whose administration Ibn al-Sayrafi served in Cairo . Ibn al-Sayrafi states in the opening of the work that these were epistles he composed during the "Afdalid days," dedicating and presenting them in service of al-Afdal’s court .
Structure and Contents
The collection brings together multiple independent treatises composed in an ornate epistolary style, addressing ethical virtues, administrative conduct, and literary themes:
- Risalat al-ʿAfw (The Epistle on Pardon): The opening treatise, dedicated to al-Afdal, discusses the moral excellence of clemency, forgiveness, and restraining anger, illustrating its virtue through historical anecdotes of rulers—such as the Abbasid caliph al-Ma'mun—alongside poetic citations and Quranic verses .
- Radd al-Mazalim (The Redress of Injustices): An epistle examining judicial redress and fairness .
- Lamh al-Mulah (A Glance at Pleasantries): A literary piece treating adab and wit .
- Manahij al-Qara'ih (Paths of the Intellects): A treatise on language and stylistic expression .
- ʿAqa'il al-Fada'il (The Choice Virtues): An ethical discourse on noble character traits .
- al-Tadalli ʿala al-Tasalli (Descending into Consolation): A treatise on coping with affliction and adversity .
Manuscripts and Publication
The collection is preserved in manuscript form in the Fatih collection (MS no. 5410) in Istanbul . It was published in Baghdad in 1976, and later critically edited by Walid Qassab and Abd al-Aziz al-Maniʿ, published by the Arab Academy of Damascus (Majmaʿ al-Lughah al-ʿArabiyyah) in 1402 AH / 1982 CE .
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