Nukhbat Iqd al-Ajyad fi al-Safinat al-Jiyad
- Author died
- 1331 AH
- Editions
- Nukhbat Iqd al-Ajyad fi al-Safinat al-Jiyad
Nukhbat Iqd al-Ajyad fi al-Safinat al-Jiyad (The Quintessence of the Necklace of Steeds Regarding Noble Thoroughbreds) is a treatise on Arabian horses and equestrian lore by the Algerian-Ottoman scholar and historian Muhammad ibn Abd al-Qadir al-Jazairi (1256–1331 AH / 1840–1913 CE). The book is the author's concise abridgment of his own larger, comprehensive work on the same subject, Iqd al-Ajyad fi al-Safinat al-Jiyad.
Background and Composition
The author composed the original extensive compendium, Iqd al-Ajyad, by gathering an abundant corpus of classical Arabic heritage, literary excerpts, and historical material relating to horses, reflecting both his philological erudition and the equestrian tradition associated with his father, Amir Abd al-Qadir al-Jazairi. To make the material more accessible, he subsequently prepared this abridged edition. According to historical records, the text was completed around 1323 AH.
Contents and Subject Matter
The treatise covers classical Arabian hippology, blending legal, biological, practical, and belles-lettres material. Its primary topics include:
- The origin, nobility, and veneration of horses, along with Islamic legal discussions regarding the consumption of horsemeat.
- Breeds, physical traits, bodily anatomy, colorings, and markings.
- Care, maintenance expenses, developmental stages, and jumping exercises.
- Training methods, conditioning (tadmir), horse racing (sibaq), and horse-related etiquette and societal customs.
Publication History and Reception
The work was printed several times during and after the author's lifetime:
- An early print appeared in Beirut in 1293 AH (410 pages).
- Another edition was issued in Beirut by al-Matba'a al-Ahliyya (recorded under 1322 AH and 1326 AH / 1908 CE, 304 pages).
- A later edition was published in Damascus by Dar al-Fikr in 1405 AH / 1985 CE.
The Syrian scholar Muhammad Kurd Ali reviewed the book in his journal al-Muqtabas, commending its indispensable practical and literary benefits and praising the author for dedicating his time as a nobleman to the service of learning and letters.
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