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- Permanent Link:
- http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LSMD000136/00001
Notes
- Abstract:
- This section of MS 196884 contains biographical and historical information on some of the most outstanding Swahili poets. The section begins with two pages of information about Seyyid Mansab. It gives the origins of the name Mansab, which refer to a person whose both parents are descendants of the Prophet Mohammed. Seyyid Mansab was born in Lamu in AD 1828 (AH 1243), and studied theology with prominent theologians in Lamu, Siu and Mecca. He wrote many poems that were, for the most part, translations in Swahili, in poetic form, of Arabic religious and legal books. The second biography of the manuscript is that of Seyyid Saleh bin Alawy (1852-1935), also a religious poet who lived in Lamu, although he was originally from Singani, a town in the Comoro Islands. He is known for having built the famous Riadha Mosque, in Lamu. The final biography of this section is a 30 page biographical and historical account of the life and time of Muhammad bin Abdalla bin Mbarak Bakhashweini, known as Al-Akida. This section should be read together with the content of MS 210009, as it also forms the material for the book on Al-Akida written by Hinawy (1950). The description is in English with extracts from poems by Al-Akida, in Swahili. Muhammad bin Abdalla-Al-Akida lived at the time of the war between the Sultan Seyyid Said and the Mazrui dynasty, in c.1850 (AH 1266). Al-Akida fought alongside Sultan Said and once the Mazrui were expelled from Fort Jesus, Al-Akida (which literally means commandant) was appointed in their position in charge of the Fort. Information on the life and time of Al-Akida are given in prose, written by Hinawy, together with extracts from poems, with some explanation of words. This section is divided into three main parts: a- Muhammad bin Abdalla and Sheikh Mbaruk the Mazrui Rebel. b- Al-Akida and the Inhabitants of Mombasa. c- Muhammad bin Abdalla and The Baluchis ( en )
- General Note:
- Biographical information: Sheikh Alamin bin Ali Mazrui was born in Mombasa in A.D 1891 (A.H. 1308) and died in A.D. 1947 (A.H. 1366) . -- He was, and still is, considered one of the greatest scholar of Islamic religious science, in East Africa, and was appointed chief Kadhi (Muslim judge) of Kenya in 1937. -- During his life he wrote many books about Islam, literature, and the history of the Coast. His most important contribution was to provide Islamic religious books to the people of East Africa, in Swahili. -- His book ‘The History of the Mazrui Dinasty of Mombasa’ was translated by J.McL Ritchie and published by Oxford University Press in 1995. -- In 1932 he began the publication of the weekly newspaper in Arabic and Swahili called Al-Iswlah. -- He also began to translate the Qur’an, of which some parts have been published. -- He left many unpublished manuscripts, including a very relevant study of Swahili prosody, in which he gave a neat classification of the poetic forms for the study of Swahili poetry. -- Sir Mbarak Ali Hinawy was born in Mombasa c.1896AD (1314AH). He became Liwali of Mombasa and, after the death of Sir Ali b. Salim, Liwali of the Coast. Shaikh Mbarak, as he was also known, was probably the first non-European to collect manuscripts relating to Swahili literature, and his papers were given by his family, after his death in 1959AD (1379AH), to the university of Dar-es-Salaam archives. His publications together with his surviving papers reveal the depth of his scholarship. (Frankl & Omar, 1993)
- General Note:
- Date of Composition is unknown
- General Note:
- Poetic Form: Utenzi
- General Note:
- Extent: 37 leaves
- General Note:
- Incipit: In accordance with the established customs of the Arabs of Hadhramaut a person is called “Mansab”
- General Note:
- VIAF (name authority) : Hichens, William, -1944 : URI http://viaf.org/viaf/250560982
- General Note:
- Donated to SOAS,26 July 1966
- General Note:
- VIAF (name authority) : Mazrui, Al-Amin Bin Ali : URI http://viaf.org/viaf/39558103
- General Note:
- Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Swahili Coast
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- SOAS University of London
- Holding Location:
- Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- This item is likely protected by copyright. Its status has yet to be assessed.
- Resource Identifier:
- MS 196884 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 196884b ( SOAS manuscript number )
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