Khas al-Khas
- Author died
- 429 AH
- Editions
- Dar Maktabat al-Hayah
Khas al-Khas (The Quintessence of the Quintessence) is an Arabic literary anthology of select prose and poetry compiled by the philologist and man of letters Abu Mansur al-Thaalibi (350–429 AH / 961–1038 CE) .
Structure and Scope
The work is organized into eight thematic chapters gathering rare and exquisite specimens of Arabic literature :
- Chapter One: Rhetorical conciseness bordering on the miraculous from eloquent speakers and scribes .
- Chapter Two: Proverbs of the Arabs and non-Arabs (al-Ajam) .
- Chapter Three: Proverbs constructed on the comparative morphological pattern afʿal min kadha ("more ... than such-and-such") .
- Chapter Four: Witty subtleties and anecdotes of refined individuals (al-zurafaʾ) concerning various figures and occasions .
- Chapter Five: Notable sayings and maxims associated with practitioners of various crafts, trades, and professions .
- Chapter Six: Chancellery signatures and marginal decrees (tawqiat) issued by monarchs, viziers, and high dignitaries. Despite the book's modest size, it serves as a key source for this genre, recording decrees of ancient rulers such as Alexander the Great, Roman and Persian kings, Muslim caliphs, commanders, governors, and Abbasid viziers .
- Chapter Seven: The wonders of poetry and poets, presenting selections from 185 poets arranged chronologically, opening with the pre-Islamic poet Imru' al-Qays and concluding with al-Thaalibi's own contemporaries .
- Chapter Eight: Selections of al-Thaalibi's own verse, comprising motifs and meanings in which he maintained he had not been anticipated by earlier poets .
Reception and Editions
Reflecting al-Thaalibi's refined literary taste, the work was traditionally praised as "a vessel filled with knowledge" and "elegance stuffed with wit" . It was printed in Cairo in 1326 AH / 1908 CE and later published in Beirut in 1966 CE with an introduction by Hasan al-Amin .
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