Item Reference:
MS 380369a
Collection:
Knappert Collection
File Reference:
MS 380369
Title:
Tarikh ya Miqdad ibn Al-Aswad
First lines of manuscript:
Miqdad ni katika Sahaba Mash'huri sana. Yuwajulikana mno kwa jina la Miqdad ibn Al-Aswad Al-Kindy.
Scribe:
AD Date:
c. 1933
AD date of composition:
c. 1933
AH Date:
c. 1352
AH date of composition:
c. 1352
Extent:
5 leaves
Resource Type:
Essay
Poetic Form:
Format:
Typescript
Language:
Swahili
Script:
Roman
Relevant Dialects:
Subject and keywords:
Miqdad, Mikidadi, Mayasa
People:
Biographical history:
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)
Archival history:
This manuscript first belonged to William Hichens. It subsequently came into the possession of Lyndon Harries, who was then at SOAS, and later into the possession Jan Knappert
Physical characteristics:
In blue type on thin paper
Electronic reproductions:
None
Existence/location of copies:
None
Finding aids:
None
Relevant publications:
Notes:
Scope and content:
This manuscript is labelled 'copy of document on the history of Miqdad prepared by Mbarak Ali Hinawy from the information supplied by Sheikh Al-Amin bin Aly Al-Mazrui, Kadhi of Mombasa.'
It tells of the lineage of Miqdad and outlines the life of his father, Amr ibn Thaalaba. It then tells how Miqdad fled to Mecca after a conflict with Shamir ibn Hajar Al-Kindy; how he was adopted by Al-Aswad ibn Abdi Yaghutha Al-Zahry and became known by the name Ibn Al-Aswad. It explains that Miqdad was born 37 years before hijra, in A.D. 587, and was among the first Muslims when he professed that faith at the age of 24.
The Prophet Mohammed, the authors continue, twice gave his followers permission to go to live in Abyssinia: five years and seven years after his first revelation. Miqdad was among those of the second group. During that time, Mohammed was subjected to a three-year blockade. Miqdad's heroism in the war of Badr is mentioned.
Miqdad's wife is identified as Dhubaa bint Zubeir bin Abdulmutalib, and the story of how they came to marry is narrated. Their children are named as Abdulla ibn Miqdad and Karima bint Miqdad.
Miqdad died in 33 A.H., after one of his servants tried unsuccessfully to treat his stomach troubles; the servant then ran away. Miqdad's son Abdulla died in the war of Jamal, in which he fought against Seyyidina Ali.
As for Mayasa, the authors explain that there is no story of Miqdad and Mayasa in the Arabic tradition, and no wife of any companion had that name. Mayasa in Arabic means a woman who walks proudly, and perhaps Miqdad's wife Dhubaa was called Mayasa because of her walk; but the authors explain that this explanation is problematic.
The authors name sources relevant to their short history and also write briefly on Abdulrahman bin Auf, another of the Prophet's companions.
Description
0.
Location:
None
Places:
Associated Media: