The Great Animal Life 1-4 (Net)

Author's name: Kamal al-Din Muhammad ibn Musa al-Damiri Researcher's name: Ibrahim Salh Publisher: Dar al-Minhaj al-Qawim - Damascus Book format: Cardboard binding, Shamoa paper Publication date: 1445-2024 AH Book size: 17×24 Number of pages: 2863 The book "The Great Life of Animals" is the most famous work of Kamal al-Din al-Damiri. It is available in small and large editions, and the printed version is the large one. It features the largest possible amount of historical materials and interpretations of dreams related to those specific animals. It contains 1069 entries arranged alphabetically, but this number does not reflect the total number of animals translated, as many of these entries are synonymous, translating many animals in different regions, depending on their varying names, or specifying their offspring and females with other names. The entries vary in length, some reaching 11 pages, like the lion, and others just a few words. Flying animals and mammals hold a distinguished place in the book. The book was first printed in Bulaq in 1275 AH. It is one of the books translated into Turkish by Sultan Selim I after he conquered Egypt, and it was translated by the wise Shah Muhammad al-Qazwini. It was translated into London between 1906 and 1908, and into French by Sylvester de Sacy. Al-Sakhawi said in "Al-Daw' al-Inglizi": "It is valuable, most of its benefits are well-executed, despite its many digressions from one topic to another, and it contains additions not found in all copies. I suspect that some of these additions are not authentic, as they include questionable matters, but they are included for their benefits. The original was authored by al-Fasi in the year 822 AH, and I note that the shared origin is important." Haji Khalifa also mentioned: "It is a famous book in this field, combining the good and the bad, because its author is a virtuous jurist, well-versed in religious sciences, but not specialized in this field like al-Jahiz. He summarized it by correcting expressions and explaining ambiguous names," then he mentioned its abbreviations and additions. His contemporary, Ahmad Band Imad al-Aqfaqi, wrote: "Al-Bayan al-Taqreeri fi Takhti'ah al-Kamal al-Damiri." He was born into a humble family, leaving tailoring to pursue knowledge, and he advanced in its ranks until he was one of those who called out inside the Kaaba. His name is (Kamal) without an addition, so he was called Muhammad, and his first name became prominent in his writings. He completed the writing of this book in Rajab of the year 773 AH, and he was born in the year 742.