8vo. 307 pp., Arabic lithographed text within borders, modern hard back binding, few ink annotations in margins, paper slightly browned, light foxing to end leaves, Matba’at Boulaq, Cairo, 1283 A. H./ 1866.

Synopsis

Abu Nasr al-Fath ibn Muhammad ibn Khaqan (died 1134), also known as al-Fath ibn Khaqan, was a well-known writer from al-Andalus. This work, Qalaid al-Iqyan (Necklace of Rubies), is a biography of his contemporary Andalusian poets including extracts of their poems. His other best-Known work is Mathmah al-Anfus wa Masrah at- Ta’annus fi-Mulah Ahl al-Andalus (The Aspiration of the Souls and the Theater of Congeniality in the Anecdotes of the People of al-Andalus). The works are written in rhymed prose full of metaphorical expressions and are an excellent source of information about the apogee of Andalusian letters.