al-Tadhkira al-Fakhriyya
- Author died
- 692 AH
- Editions
- al-Tadhkira al-Fakhriyya
al-Tadhkira al-Fakhriyya (The Memorial Dedicated to Fakhr) is an Arabic literary compendium (adab) compiled by Baha' al-Din Ali ibn Isa al-Irbili (d. 692 AH / 1293 CE) in 671 AH (1272–1273 CE) . The book gathers selections of poetry and prose organized by thematic descriptions, accompanied by linguistic commentary and biographical notices of contemporary literary figures .
Composition and Dedication
Al-Irbili composed the work in 671 AH and dedicated it to Fakhr al-Din Abu Nasr Manuchihr ibn Abi al-Karam al-Hamadhani, the deputy governor under Sahib Ala' al-Din Ata Malik in Baghdad and Iraq, naming the compendium after him . In the prologue, al-Irbili praises Fakhr al-Din, remarking that acquaintance with him cleared his heart of grief and that he composed the collection at his behest despite the hardships and distractions of the time .
Method and Structure
Al-Irbili arranged the anthology around thematic descriptions (awṣāf) . In the introduction, he emphasizes the primacy of Arabic poetry as the register of Arab eloquence, ancestral record, and societal esteem . Throughout the collection, the author committed himself to explaining rare vocabulary and interpreting obscure meanings that appear within the texts . He noted that he dictated a substantial portion of the material directly from memory, entreating readers to overlook any unintentional oversights or slips .
In addition to classical poetry, al-Irbili documented verse and literary exchanges involving contemporary seventh-century AH poets and officials, such as the poet and vizier Muhyi al-Din Ibn Zaylaq al-Mawsili (d. 660 AH), Kamal al-Din Muhammad ibn Abd Allah al-Bawaziji, and Majd al-Din Muhammad ibn Zahir al-Din al-Irbili .
Reception and Citations
The book was described as a fine work by the historian and biographer Ibn al-Fuwati, who frequently cited al-Irbili's direct transmissions, personal recollections, and evaluations of seventh-century scholars and poets from al-Tadhkira al-Fakhriyya in his biographical dictionary Majma' al-adab fi mu'jam al-alqab . The encyclopedist Ibn Fadl Allah al-Umari also drew upon al-Irbili's notices and characterizations in Masalik al-absar fi mamalik al-amsar .
Editions
al-Tadhkira al-Fakhriyya was edited by Nuri Hammudi al-Qaysi and Hatim Salih al-Damin and published by al-Majma' al-Ilmi al-Iraqi (the Iraqi Academy of Sciences) in Baghdad in 1404 AH / 1984 CE in a single volume of 559 pages .
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