Kunashat al-Nawadir
- Author died
- 1408 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Khanji
Kunashat al-Nawadir (A Notebook of Rarities) is a compendium of historical, literary, and cultural miscellanies compiled by the Egyptian philologist and manuscript editor Abd al-Salam Harun (1327–1408 AH / 1909–1988 CE) .
Background and Title
Harun dated the introduction of the work to 1 Rabi al-Thani 1405 AH / 23 December 1984 CE . He explained that over approximately half a century of research and critical text editing, he had recorded around three thousand notes and topical headings preserving rare benefits, unusual historical anecdotes, and points of intellectual interest gleaned from classical Arabic literature .
The author defended his choice of the word kunashah (notebook or miscellany) by tracing its linguistic and historical roots. He noted that classical dictionaries like al-Qamus al-muhit and its commentary Taj al-arus mention kunashat as roots from which branches diverge, and that Maghribi scholars used kunashah to refer to bound notebooks in which scattered benefits and stray information were recorded . He also cited Shihab al-Din al-Khafaji's observation in Shifa al-ghalil that kunash is a Syriac loanword denoting a collection or notebook, used historically by early physicians such as Yusuf al-Sahir, Abu Bakr al-Razi in his al-Kunash al-Mansuri, and the Egyptian physician A'yun ibn A'yun .
Method and Contents
Harun organized his entries alphabetically by topic headings, providing precise citations to the original sources for each entry . Rather than using loose index cards (judhadhat), he preferred maintaining a single indexed notebook (daftar fihris) to ensure that rare observations would not be misplaced, invoking the Arabic maxim that knowledge is a hunt and writing is its bond .
A central theme in his selections was highlighting civilizational and cultural ideas in classical Islamic heritage that prefigured modern institutions and practices . Among the anecdotes and historical curiosities he documented are:
- An early account of cosmetic abdominal surgery attempted on the companion al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi .
- State-mandated adult literacy and education, cited from Ibn Hazm's Jamharat ansab al-Arab .
- Customer queueing systems, drawn from al-Jahiz's Kitab al-Hayawan regarding the shop of Faraj the cupper at al-Mirbad .
- Early references to shadow plays (khayal al-zill) as precursors to modern cinema, including verses by Ibn al-Jawzi .
- Distinct tribal emblems and animal symbols on early Arab banners, recorded by al-Marzuqi .
- Early birthday observances and celebrations, such as those of Sa'id ibn Salm al-Bahili (d. 209 AH) and Christmas gift exchanges recorded in al-Tuhaf wa-al-hadaya .
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