Jam al-Jawahir fi al-Mulah wa al-Nawadir
- Author died
- 453 AH
- Editions
- Jam al-Jawahir fi al-Mulah wa al-Nawadir
Jam al-Jawahir fi al-Mulah wa al-Nawadir (The Collection of Jewels on Pleasantries and Rare Anecdotes) is an Arabic adab anthology compiled by the North African scholar and literary critic Abu Ishaq al-Husri al-Qayrawani (d. 453 AH / 1061 CE; also reported as d. 413 AH / 1022 CE) . The book collects humorous anecdotes, rare witticisms, and entertaining literary selections drawn from poetry and prose .
Background and Purpose
Al-Husri composed the work in response to a request from an associate who asked him to compile an anthology dedicated to witty repartee, humorous accounts, and rare literary pleasantries . The author framed the collection as a means of refreshing the spirit and relieving the mind when it tires of heavier pursuits, citing early figures such as Abu al-Darda, al-Hasan al-Basri, and Bakr ibn Abd Allah al-Muzani on the value of wholesome humor for restoring vitality to the heart .
The work is closely linked to al-Husri’s magnum opus, Zahr al-Adab wa-Thamar al-Albab, and has often been classified as its supplement (dhayl) . It addressed lighter, entertaining, and humorous material that had been excluded from the serious framework of his larger anthology .
Content and Method
In his prologue, al-Husri defends the necessity of humor for educated individuals and litterateurs, citing the grammarian al-Asma'i: "Through knowledge we reached [our station], and through wit we attained [our goals]" . The anthology draws heavily on Abbasid literary culture, presenting selections from poets, court companions, and writers . Among its selections are rare and otherwise lost texts preserved by al-Husri, such as animal tales and narratives composed by Sahl ibn Harun in the style of Kalila wa-Dimna .
Modern Editions
The work was printed in Cairo in 1353 AH (1934 CE) and 1372 AH (1953 CE), and later in Beirut in 1413 AH (1993 CE) .
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