M. Al-Kaisi

Kitab Sim- al-la’ali’ al-durriyya wa-uslub al-jawahir al-bahriyya (“A Book of the String of the Glittering Pearls and Sea Gems”), an Unknown Text on the Science of Jafr 

Key words: Divinatory art known, science of jafr, unique manuscript, London private collection

Abstract: The text is not mentioned in any published library catalogue making this manuscript unique and the only existent copy. The manuscript is a private property of a London based gentleman. The name of the author as noted on the title page of the MS is Shams al-Din Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Malik b. ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Muhammad al-Qurashi al-Bakri al-Murjani. It should be noted that the dates given are various placing him thus in three different centuries. The manuscript is generally in a very good condition. It measures 26.3×17.5 cm and consists of 106 folios of buff paper with 25 lines to the page of naskhi script.