al-Juzʼ al-rābiʻ min Sīrat Fāris al-ʻIrāq : man zalzala jamīʻ al-āfāq wa-shattat al-mulūk min al-ṭibāq, al-fāris al-mumāris wa-zayn al-majālis al-Malik Asad al-Fawāris, [1312, i.e. 1895].

Fourth of twenty-five volumes containing a collection of the epic tales of al-Malik Asad al-Fawāris ibn Jūdar [Jawdar], the fāris of ʻIrāq, in the manner of the Arabic heroic narrative (sīrah shaʻbīyah) apparently compiled in the present form by Muḥammad ibn Sulayman ʻArafāt (fl.1895) and Amīn ibn Muḥammad al-Sārī (fl.1895).Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Library, Isl. Ms. 653 v.4Origin: This volume lacks dated colophon. As appears in colophon of volume 25 (Isl. Ms. 653 v.25, pp.112-113) transcription of the entire set executed by Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥājj Sulaymān ʻArafāt with transcription completed 20 Dhū al-Ḥijjah 1312 [ca. 14 June 1895]. This volume was likely completed within months of that date. The colophon of vol. 25 also indicates that the work was authored by Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥājj Sulaymān ʻArafāt and Amīn ibn Muḥammad al-Sārī.Accompanying materials: For acquisitions slip and inventory cataloguing slip, see volume 1 of the set, Isl. Ms. v.1.Former shelfmark: From interior of upper cover, "IL 163" (likely supplied by Yahuda, see acquisitions slip in volume 1, Isl. Ms. 653 v.1).Binding: Fiber boards covered in dark brown/black, green and now beige mottled paper (sponge painted or faux marbled look) with cream textile now over spine (traces of red cloth underneath) ; Type III binding (without flap) ; board linings in untinted wove paper ; recycled paper (i.e. ms. 'waste' carrying title for sixth volume) used for hinges ; numeral ٤ (indicating volume number) inscribed where spine material overlaps on upper and lower covers ; somewhat crudely sewn in beige yarn or twine, mainly four but also five and seven stations ; overall in fair condition with abrasion, staining, lifting and losses of paper, losses to boards, etc.Support: European laid paper ; mainly with roughly 9 laid lines per cm. (vertical), chain lines spaced 28-31 mm. apart (horizontal), and watermarks of three crescents (67-68 mm. long, perpendicular to chains, see p.12, etc.) and name "FF. PALAZZUOLI" (for "...AZZUOLI" see p.24, etc. and for "FF. PAL..." see p.10, etc.) ; a few leaves at opening and final gathering in another type with 9-10 laid lines per cm. (vertical), chain lines spaced 23-26 mm. apart (horizontal), and watermark of three crescents (78 mm. long, perpendicular to chains) above "FERDINANDO BETTI" itself above word in Arabic script "ليكوريا" (see p.4, 8, 105, 114, 115, etc.).Script: Ruqʻah ; virtually serifless with slight effect of tilt to the left and of words descending to baseline (occasionally more exaggerated), mainly closed counters, some elongation of horizontal strokes, point of final nūn often set deep within bowl, pointing (for two and three dots) varies from strokes or conjoined dots to distinct dots.Layout: Written in 13 lines per page, occasionally divided to two columns to set off poetry.Collation: VI (12), 5 V(62) ; chiefly quinions ; pagination in black ink, Hindu-Arabic numerals, center of the upper margin ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization.Explicit: "فهجم عليه العبد ومسكه من قباطى بطنه والليل امسا والحديث ليلة غدا وغدا تسمعون يا رجال ما يأتي في بقية هذا الكلام واصلي واسلم على سيد ولد عدنان انتهى الجزء الرابع من سيرة اسد الفوارس و يليه الخامس م"Incipit: "اللهم صل وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد النبي الامي وعلى اله وصحبه وسلم قال الراوي ولما فرغ اسد الفوارس من كلامه ..."Title from 'title page' (p.3).Ms. codex."Fāris." EI2,Heath, P. " Sīra Shabiyya." EI2,Fourth of twenty-five volumes containing a collection of the epic tales of al-Malik Asad al-Fawāris ibn Jūdar [Jawdar], the fāris of ʻIrāq, in the manner of the Arabic heroic narrative (sīrah shaʻbīyah) apparently compiled in the present form by Muḥammad ibn Sulayman ʻArafāt (fl.1895) and Amīn ibn Muḥammad al-Sārī (fl.1895).Mode of access: Internet.Acquired in 1926 from the bookseller Isaac Benjamin S.E. Yahuda via purchase transacted on his behalf by his younger brother, the famous Orientalist and manuscript collector Abraham Shalom Yahuda (1877-1951).Possible former shelfmark on spine "٩" ; circular seal impression in outer margin of p.19 ; scribbles and lists at opening and close of codex