Juhayna Manuscripts: News of the Kings of the Regions by Ibn Habib al-Halabi (d. 779 AH / 1377 AD) A Codicological Study

Abstract

Ibn Habib al-Halabi's book "Juhayna al-Akhbar" is a concise historical source that covers the history of kings and caliphs throughout the ages in a concise, rhetorical style, different from the traditional approach to history, which relies on lengthy narratives. The research focuses on studying the manuscript and analyzing the text's extraneous notes, which include marginal notes and comments added by copyists or readers over time, reflecting the extent of their interaction with the text and their influence on its original content. By comparing four manuscript copies, it was revealed that these additions ranged from corrections, annotations, critical commentaries, historical additions, and other restrictions.

The research aims to highlight the importance of manuscripts and the restrictions added to them. It also sheds light on the impact of repeated copying processes in shaping the content of historical texts.

The study concludes that the extraneous notes can be a documentary source that contributes to understanding the nature of the circulation of historical texts and their development over time. However, they may also lead to changes in some of the original details. Hence, the importance of examining manuscripts according to a meticulous scientific method to ensure the reconstruction of the text in a manner that is closest to its original formulation.