Shīrāzī's Nihāyat al-Idrāk: Introduction and Conclusion

Quṭb al-Dīn al-Shīrāzī (634H/1236CE-710H/1311CE) wrote four major works on astronomy: Nihāyat al‐idrāk fī dirāyat al‐aflāk (“The utmost attainment in comprehending the orbs)، in Arabic، first edition completed mid-Shaʿbān 680/November 1281); the Ikhtiyārāt‐i Muẓaffarī (“Selections for Muẓaffar al-Dīn Arslan” [a minor ruler in Qasṭamūnī (modern Kastamonu، Turkey)]، in Persian، completed sometime between 680/1281 and 684/1285); al‐Tuḥfa al‐shāhiyya (“The imperial gift” dedicated to the Vizier Amīr Shāh ibn Tāj al‐Dīn Muʿtazz ibn Ṭāhir in Siwās، in Arabic، first edition completed last part of Jumādā I 684/ July or August 1285); and Faʿalta fa‐lā talum (“You’ve done it so don''t blame [me]”)، a supercommentary on the Tadhkira fī ʿilm al‐hayʾa by Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī، in Arabic، completed sometime after the Tuḥfa، which، Shīrāzī claims in Faʿalta، was plagiarized by a certain al-Ḥimādhī، whence the need for this rather vituperative work). None of these works has been edited or translated، which is rather surprising given the importance of all these texts for an understanding of Islamic astronomy. As a small contribution toward the goal of giving Shīrāzī’s works the editions they deserve، an edition and translation of the introduction and conclusion of the Nihāya are presented below.