Nathr al-Durr fi al-Muhadarat
- Author died
- 421 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyya
Nathr al-Durr fi al-Muhadarat (Scattered Pearls for Conversational Gatherings) is an extensive Arabic literary and anthological compendium compiled by the Buyid vizier, historian, and man of letters Abu Sa'd Mansur ibn al-Husayn al-Abi (d. 421 AH / 1030 CE; another report gives 422 AH) .
Composition and Purpose
Al-Abi abridged the work from his larger book, Nuzhat al-Adib (The Promenade of the Literatus) . In his introduction, the author states that he designed the collection to prioritize concise phrasing, rare and delightful anecdotes, tender exhortations, and elegant diction over lengthy discourses or ubiquitous material . He intentionally excluded lengthy poetic works and protracted historical narratives, admitting only occasional standalone verses or single hemistichs when needed to complete a rhetorical cadence or suit a specific discourse .
Al-Abi conceived the work as a multipurpose reference of utility across social and professional classes: aiding scribes in their epistolary writing, orators in speeches, preachers in warnings, judges in reminders, rulers in governing, ascetics in reflection, and boons companions (nudama') in polite conversation and entertainment .
Structure and Contents
The work was structured into distinct parts comprising thematic chapters pairing serious and lighthearted lore (al-jidd wa-al-hazl) . Haji Khalifa notes that the work spans seven volumes—or four volumes according to an alternate description—and outlines its initial division into major sections :
- First section: Comprises five chapters containing parallel and difficult Quranic verses needed by scribes, concise and eloquent sayings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, remarks and witticisms of Ali ibn Abi Talib, sayings of Ali's descendants, and sayings of the notable figures of Banu Hashim .
- Second section: Comprises ten chapters alternating between serious topics and humor .
- Third section: Comprises thirteen chapters .
- Fourth section: Comprises eleven chapters .
Influence and Reception
Nathr al-Durr served as a substantial source for later anthologists, most notably Ibn Hamdun in his compilation al-Tadhkira al-Hamduniyya . Ibn Hamdun drew heavily upon al-Abi's quotations, sharing a similar organizational approach in opening with the Quran and Hadith followed by the words of Ali and the Prophet's household before other figures, though Ibn Hamdun integrated poetry far more heavily than al-Abi .
Manuscripts and Editions
Manuscripts of Nathr al-Durr are preserved in several international collections, including the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, the State Library in Berlin, Leipzig University Library, Leiden University Library, the British Library in London, the Bodleian Library in Oxford, the Institute of Oriental Studies in Saint Petersburg, العاشرة Efendi in Istanbul, and the Egyptian National Library (Dar al-Kutub) in Cairo .
The complete work has been printed in seven volumes edited by Muhammad Qurna and other scholars in Cairo (completed in 1990), with individual volumes and editions also prepared by other editors, such as Uthman Boughanmi (Tunis, 1983) and Khalid Abd al-Ghani Mahfuz (Beirut, 2004) .
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