Kisa cha Miiraji

Permanent Link:

http://digital.soas.ac.uk/AA00000016/00001

Material Information

Title:

Kisa cha Miiraji

Series Title:

Knappert Collection

Alternate Title:

MS 380747a : Kisa cha Miiraji

Physical Description:

16 leaves

Language:

Swahili

Creator:

Sheikh Mohamed Jambein Al-Bakry

Publication Date:

[20th century]

Technique:

Typescript
In black type, often faint and blurred, on thin paper

Learning Resource Information

Intended User Roles:

Learner

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:

Islam
Religious practice
Religious belief
Swahili poetry
Mohammed, Prophet, -632
Uislamu
Mazoezi ya kidini
Imani za kidini
Kiswahili mashairi
Mohammed, Mtume, -632
ابن المهيب، محمد ابو بكر

Genre:

Poetry (Utenzi)
Utenzi (poetic form)

Spatial Coverage:

Africa -- Kenya -- Lamu -- Lamu
Afrika -- Kenya -- Lamu -- Lamu

Coordinates:

-2.27169 x 40.90201

Notes

Scope and Content:

This poem narrates the Prophet Mohammed's miraculous journey to heaven. Its content may be outlined as follows: Stanzas 1-5: Praises for God, the Prophet and the Prophet's family and companions Stanzas 6-24: Arrival of the three angels in Mecca and the washing of Mohammed's heart Stanzas 25-44: Arrival of the miraculous creature Burak, the Prophet's mount, and visits to Medina, Mount Sinai and the birthplace of Jesus Stanzas 45-48: The appearance of a demon; Jibril teaches Mohammed a prayer Stanzas 49-59: The rewards to be enjoyed by participants in jihad; the faith of the wife of Firauni and her death as believer Stanzas 60-81: The Prophet observes the punishments endured by evildoers in Hell Stanzas 82-95: The Prophet is addressed by various figures, to whom he refuses to speak; Jibril stops him from speaking to a devil Stanzas 96-104: The Prophet prays in Jerusalem, alone and in the company of other prophets, whom he leads in prayer Stanzas 105-110: Jibril offers beverages to the Prophet, who chooses milk Stanzas 111-126 most of which are missing in this manuscript: Ascent and admittance into heaven, greetings from Adam; the Prophet sees the gate of Paradise and the gate of Hell Stanzas 127-130: The second heaven, greetings from Jesus and John Stanzas 131-135: The third heaven, greetings from Joseph Stanzas 136-140: The fourth heaven, greetings from Idris Stanzas 141-148: The fifth heaven, greetings from Aaron Stanzas 149-158: The sixth heaven, greetings from Moses; Jibril quiets the envy of Moses Stanzas 159-263: The seventh heaven Stanzas 264-300: The Prophet descends through the heavens, returns to Mecca and tells of his journey; the mockery of Abu Jahal and the belief of Abu Bakr. This is the poem published in the journal 'Afrika und Ubersee' (Mohamed Jambein, 1964), with slight variations. Each version contains small errors, and in many instances one may be used to correct mistakes in the other. Knappert (1966) discusses other versions of the poem.

General Note:

First lines of manuscript: Nimeanda kukutubu, iliyokuwa ajabu, Miujiza ya Habibu, Rasuli wetu Nabiya

Biographical:

Jan Knappert, in an introduction to the 1964 publication of this poem, writes that Mohamed Jambein Al-Bakry lived for some time in Mombasa, 'probably at the beginning' of the 20th century. Mohamed Jambein was also the author of 'Kiokozi cha Banati' (see MS 380749), 'Mashairi ya Faraidhwi' (see MS 380748) and the Maulid contained in MS 380759. In the present MS, the poet identifies himself as a resident of Lamu

General Note:

Script: Roman script

Original Location:

This manuscript was formerly part of MS 380526

Bibliography:

Knappert, Jan. 1966. Miiraji: the legend of Mohammed's ascension. Swahili 36 (2): 105-156. Mohamed Jambein. 1964. Utenzi wa Miiraji: the ascension of the Prophet Mohammed. Ed. by Jan Knappert. Afrika und Ubersee 48: 241-274.

Numbering Peculiarities:

Page 7, which would contain verses 108 to 125, is missing. These verses may be found in Mohamed Jambein (1964)

Record Information

Source Institution:

SOAS, University of London

Holding Location:

Archives and Special Collections

Rights Management:

This item is licensed with the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this work non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms.

Resource Identifier:

soas manuscript number - MS 380747a

System ID:

AA00000016:00001