Fatawa.

Large 8vo (180 x 271 mm). 76 ff. Arabic manuscript on paper. 18th century full calf, ruled in blind. A remarkably early manuscript of Muslim law, dated to the 13th century and copied just five years after the death of the author. Simply titled "Fatawa" (and also known as "Zawaw'id Majmu'ah"), it was written by Muhammad ibn Mahmoud al-Ustarushani (d. 1234 CE), a Hanafi jurist from the region of Ustrushana, in what is now Tajikistan. His work is listed in Kayr al-Din al-Zirikli's Biographical Dictionary, alongside a short biography of al-Ustarushani himself. - A book of fatawa is a collection of Islamic rulings or verdicts given by a qualified jurist on issues of Islamic law. Al-Ustarushani's 13th century "Fatawa" is brisque and professional: the author poses a legal issue or question, and then discusses and answers it by citing a ruling. The legal issues themselves are often complex, with no clear-cut legal precedent, often leaving al-Ustarushani to urge his reader that a jurist must study such a case personally, and issue a verdict based on the evidence at hand. - A fascinating glimpse into 13th century Muslim law, very nearly contemporary with its author. - Marginal dampstains, and some marginal commentary trimmed; quite well preserved. - GAL I, 380.