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MANUSCRIPT An

Introduction

The particular copy of this nisba lent me for translation was the

property of one of the family of Talha 'Abd el Baki, the head sheikh of the Batahin, a tribe of nomads hving east of the Blue Nile.

Its history was unknown, but from internal evidence it would seem clearly to have had the same origin as A 2 and A3. It has more the appearance of a paraphrase than of an exact copy. The Arabic is somewhat colloquial, the style is disconnected, there are a number

of clerical errors, and glosses have been added.

The impression left is that the earliest copyist had access to a

lengthy manuscript, possibly the original of "El Samarkandi," and that he or one of his successors made a hasty transcription without greatly discriminating between the relevant and the irrelevant, at times merely paraphrasing the meaning, at times hurriedly copying a whole passage literally, and at times omitting a few paragraphs.

The glosses were probably added after the Batahin had acquired their copy, and the latest copyist of all may be entirely responsible for the clerical errors, as for the cramped and crude writing of the text.

I In the name of God ....

II Now the knowledge of pedigrees should be pursued with pains

and care, for he upon whom be the blessings of God said "Ye know

from your pedigrees how ye are connected " ; and many reliable men of learning, brilliant savants and geniuses, have given their attention

to the study of pedigrees, such as Si'di el Sheikh Abu Sulayman el 'Iraki and Sheikh Mahmud el Samarkandi and Sheikh Abdulla ibn Sa'id el Samarkandi and Sheikh Abd el Rahman el Bahrani.

III El Bahrani, God bless him, used to say " Verily we have under-

taken a mighty task, and the pedigrees have fallen into confusion

among us. What hero will take them in hand^ that the Sheri'f may be distinguished from other men ?. . .etc."

IV I will mention what is necessary concerning the pedigree of

Ga'al, and, God being my aid to the right way, I will tell of the pedigree of the Arabs known as Ga'al. [But as] the tribes of the

Arabs are many, I will not deal with them [all]. He that would do so-

1 reading lvJ.*a^ for lyA^-^d . " reading JUui'^)! for Jli;:-/^)l .