Majma al-Amthal
- Author died
- 518 AH
- Editions
- Dar Al-Ma'rifah
Majma al-Amthal (The Confluence of Proverbs) is an encyclopedia of Arabic proverbs compiled by the Persian philologist Abu al-Fadl al-Maydani (d. 518 AH / 1124 CE) . Gathering over six thousand proverbs from both pre-Islamic and Islamic eras, it is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive classical references on Arabic paroemiology .
Composition and Sources
Al-Maydani compiled the work at the request of the dignitary Abu Ali Muhammad ibn Arslan (known by the honorific Diya' al-Dawla Safi al-Muluk) . To assemble the material, al-Maydani consulted more than fifty earlier works on proverbs, including the compilations of Abu Ubaydah, Abu Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam, al-Asma'i, Abu Zayd, Abu Amr, Abu Fayd, al-Mufaddal ibn Muhammad al-Dabbi, al-Mufaddal ibn Salama, and Hamzah al-Isfahani . He also drew historical and genealogical accounts from early authorities such as Ubayd ibn Sharyah, Ata ibn Mus'ab, and al-Sharqi ibn al-Qutami .
Structure and Method
The book contains thirty chapters organized as follows:
- Chapters 1–28: Arranged alphabetically according to the first letter of each proverb . Each alphabetical chapter begins with classical proverbs, followed by superlative comparative proverbs on the measure af'al min (أفعل من كذا), and concludes with post-classical (muwallad) proverbs .
- Chapter 29: Dedicated to the names of the historical battle-days of the Arabs (Ayyam al-Arab), focusing on establishing their correct vocalization and orthography .
- Chapter 30: Devoted to words of wisdom, moral exhortations, and sayings attributed to the Prophet ﷺ and the Rightly Guided Caliphs .
Al-Maydani explains each proverb by analyzing its lexical definitions (lughah), grammatical parsing (i'rab), historical background, narrative origins, and genealogical references (ansab) .
Reception and Adaptations
Majma al-Amthal was received with critical acclaim for its clear arrangement, comprehensive coverage, and detailed commentary . Classical bibliographers record that after al-Zamakhshari composed his own collection, al-Mustaqsa fi Amthal al-Arab, he examined al-Maydani's work and reportedly expressed regret, finding Majma al-Amthal superior in organization, clarity of phrasing, and breadth of useful material .
The book was abridged by al-Maydani's student Shihab al-Din Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Quda'i al-Khuwayyi . It was also versified in Ottoman times during the siege of Candia (1079 AH / 1668–1669 CE), and later versified into an urjuzah and commented upon by Ibrahim al-Ahdab al-Tarabulsi (d. 1307 AH) under the title Fara'id al-La'al fi Majma al-Amthal .
Editions and Studies
The work was printed in Egypt at the Bulaq Press in 1284 AH and subsequently published in Cairo . It was critically edited in Cairo by Muhammad Muhyi al-Din Abd al-Hamid . In European scholarship, it drew early attention through studies and selections by Edward Pococke (1773), Hendrik Albert Schultens (1793), and Étienne Marc Quatremère (1837) . A complete vocalized edition accompanied by a Latin translation was published in three volumes by Georg Wilhelm Freytag in Bonn between 1838 and 1843 .
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