|
|
- Permanent Link:
- http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LSMD000090/00001
Notes
- Abstract:
- This very long manuscript contains various items. First there is a collection of Dua, religious admonition, in Arabic. The first Dua is by Sheikh Yusuf bin Ismaili al-Nabhani, and the same Dua can be found in MS 279888, Vol.5 (MS 331), Vol. 6 (MS 339), Vol. 10 (MS 440). This is followed by a few lines poem praising the Prophet Mohammed. Then, there is a lond Dua, of 14 pages, in Arabic, praying God to provide health and prosperity for the community. Then, there is a short poem in which the author expresses his love for the Prophet Mohammed. This is followed by a Dua ya kutia Fatiha, which is a poem telling the community to read the first chapter of the Qur’an, the Fatiha. After the poem, the author copied the Fatiha from the Qur’an. There are a further two short Dua. The total of this section is 20 pages. After this first section of Dua in Arabic, there is a short poem in Swahili followed by a short Dua in Arabic. The section continues with a mixture of religious poems in Arabic and Swahili. Aferwards, we find a long Utendi in Swahili, which is a Waadhi, religious poem instructing the Muslim community how to be a proper Muslim following the proper moral values and behaviour. There is no name for the author but only of the scribe, Maryam binti Ali bin Abdalla. The first line for this long Utendi is ‘Andika mwandishi mwenye kwandika-Ismu ya Mola mwandoni weka-uwete himdi ilo hakika-Swala ya mtume ukiswaliya’. Then, there is a long Utendi about the wedding of Fatuma, the Prophet’s daughter, with Ali bin Abii Twalib, one of the Prophet’s companion. The poem was written by Sayyid Ahmad bin Hasan al-Mahdali and scribed by Maryam binti Ali bin Abdalla. Maryam binti Ali also scribed the Dua in Arabic that follows the Utendi. The Dua is written over seven pages and at the end of it there is the name of the author, Sayyidina Abibakr Assidia, and explanation in Swahili about the importance of this Dua. This is followed by the famous religious poem ‘Kishamia’, in which Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Mohammed, extols the prophet’s family. For a more complete description of the poem see Mss 380067c (Knappert) and 380739a (Yahya). The Kishamia is followed by Waadhi wa Sh. Abdalla al-Husniy already catalogued in various items (see Notes). The Waadhi is followed by a long poem, Kisa, a story, where someone called Mudhar asks Ali bin Abi Twalib, the son-in-law of the Prophet, 20 questions about Islamic knowledge and religious issues. And, Ali provides the answers. The poem was composed by Sayyid Amin Al-Mahdaly, in 1950 The last item of this manuscript is a shot poem instructing the Muslim community on fasting during Ramadan. The author, Manswab bin Abdirrahman, says that he had been given the information by the famous scholar and saint Sayyid Swalid who established the mosque and school of Riyadh in Lamu. ( en )
- General Note:
- Biographical information: Sheikh Yusuf bin Ismaili al-Nabhani was a religious scholar from the Middle East. His religious poetry had been used by the Swahili people for their religious practices. We have not found more biographical information about Sheikh Yusuf. --
- General Note:
- Date of Composition: 1786, 1948, 1950 AD1200, 1368, 1370
- General Note:
- Languages: Swahili (Arabic script)
- General Note:
- Dialects: KiAmu and KiMvita
- General Note:
- Poetic Form: Shairi - takhmis (long-measure verse)
- General Note:
- Extent: 100 pages
- General Note:
- Incipit: Allahu yaa Dhahiru yaa Jalilu Allahu yaa Batwinu yaa Wakilu
- General Note:
- Donated to SOAS in 1982
- General Note:
- For Kishamia see SOAS University of London manuscripts Mss 380067c (Knappert) and 380739a (Yahya); and, for Waadhi wa Sh. Abdalla al-Husniy see Mss 380766 (Yahya), and MS 278999, Vol. 8(360-364), Vol.6 (339), Vol. 10 (418) (Allen)
- General Note:
- Other copy: SOAS University of London microfilm: SOAS University of London microfilm: M1008, reel 14
- General Note:
- Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Kenya -- Mombasa County -- Mombasa
- General Note:
- Scribe: Maryam binti Ali bin Abdalla
- General Note:
- Publication information: Dammann, Ernst. 1940. Dichtungen in der Lamu Mundart des Suaheli. Hamburg, pp. 276-284.
- General Note:
- Publication information: Harries, Lyndon. 1958. Maulid Barzanji: the Swahili abridgement of Seyyid Mansab. Afrika und Ubersee 42: 27-40.
- General Note:
- Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1963. The poem of the robe. Swahili 33 (2): 55-60.
- General Note:
- Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1968. Brief Survey of Swahili Literature. London: Centre for African Studies, SOAS, University of London, 26.
- General Note:
- Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1987. Four Centuries of Swahili Verse. London: Heinemann, pp. 201-202 and 204-207.
- General Note:
- Publication information: Knappert, Jan. 1999. A Survey of Swahili Islamic Epic Sagas. Lewiston, New York; Queenston, Ontario; Lampeter, Wales: Edwin Mellen Press; pp. 145-146.
- General Note:
- Publication information: P.J.L Frankl & Yahya Ali Omar. 19..Mashairi ya Waadhi. in AAP-Swahili Forum, Koln, Germany
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- SOAS University of London
- Holding Location:
- Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- This item may be in the public domain. Its status has yet to be assessed.
- Resource Identifier:
- MS 279888-Vol.9 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 393 ( SOAS manuscript number )
|
|
