Letter: T-S 8J17.15
Letter T-S 8J17.15What's in the PGP
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Description
India Book VI, 15: Letter possibly from ʿAllān b. Ḥassūn, in ʿAydhāb, to his sons (addressed to Fustat "to the house of ʿArūs b. Yosef"), before embarking again for the east. He reports that he had dismissed his traveling companion and chosen a different one, and that no one, not even in the Kārim flotilla, had arrived in ʿAydhāb. He expresses regret at having undertaken the voyage at all, and advises his sons not to be on the road constantly as he is; he advises them that a family partnership would enable them to share the effort of travel. Goitein identified ʿAllān as the author of the letter, however, the handwriting is actually that of ʿAllān's maternal uncle ʿArūs b. Yosef. One possibility is that ʿArūs wrote the letter on behalf of ʿAllān; this is supported by the greetings to "my son Zayn al-Dār," as ʿAllān is known to have had a son with this name. Another possibility is that ʿArūs wrote the letter in his own name. (Information in part from Goitein, "Portrait of a Medieval India Trader: Three Letters from the Cairo Geniza," BSOAS 50 (1987): 449–64, published posthumously; see also the attached notes, used as a basis for the article and stored in Goitein's files.) ASE
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Translator: Goitein, S. D. (in English)
T-S 8J17.15 1r
main text
This my letter is for you, my children, so dear to me and with [me, may] God [prolong] your life and make your honoured position, wel[fare], happiness, and prosperity permanent, and be for you [and with you] in all your affairs.
Please take note that [I arrived] in Qus(!) safely and parted company with the young man who was with me, Ibn al-Dallala (the son of the Female Broker), and got rid of him completely. He is a bad person with little religion. I rented a space (in a boat) with Yahya, and we are ready to depart. But up till now no one has arrived in 'Aydhab, not even in this year's al-Karim flotilla. God is trusted to bring us together well in his mercy and . . . , Oh my children, may he keep you alive and bring us together well after successful completion of our (that is: my) affairs.
I have set out for this voyage, but had I known what I would suffer from yearning after you, I would not have travelled, but come what may, the decisions are God's.
Accept the most perfect greetings, you and your families (wives), take good care of one another, and form a partnership; in this there will be your success.
Convey the most excellent greetings to Abu Sa'd, to his paternal uncle and to his mother; also to our neighbours. Please write to me about the well-being of my son Zayn al-Dar. The travellers have arrived here, but I did not notice any letters from you, which disquieted [my] mind very much.
And Peace.
T-S 8J17.15 1v
address
[This letter should arrive] at the house of 'Arus b. Joseph [and be given] to the house of the Levi-m(ay his) s(oul) be) b(ounded up) in the b(undle of life).
Deliver and you will be rewarded!
