מכתב: T-S 16.344

תיאור

Letter from Abū l-Maḥāsin Yefet b. Shela, probably in Alexandria, to Yosef ha-Kohen "the pride of the traders" (peʾer ha-soḥarim), in Fustat. Dating: mid-12th century; mentions Abū l-Fakhr Saʿadya Ibn al-Amshāṭī (d. 1172); Frenkel gives the date as 548 AH = 1153/54 CE but does not explain why ("Medieval Alexandria," al-Masāq (2014), p. 32). The sender had gone up to Fustat to visit the addressee and congratulate him on his health, but he was distracted by another errand in the royal court (fī bāb al-ṣulṭān). This errand was successful, and they now have a tax exemption (musāmaḥa) in perpetuity in the dīwān of Alexandria for importing 300 dinars of merchandise annually without paying a penny. This is thanks to the patronage of al-Qāʾid Ghārāt (in Sicily), likely identical with the Qāʾid Ghārāt b. Jawshan who is otherwise known from a letter of gratitude sent to him by Ibn Qalāqis when Ghārāt was in the service of William II (r. 1166–89) (see ديوان ترسل ابن قلاقس no. 29 and Ihsan Abbas, al-ʿArab fī Siqilliyya, https://shamela.ws/book/1020/280#p1). He reports that everyone in Sicily longs for the addressee, and that he has sent them news of the addressee's health. He intends to remain where he is (fī l-bilād) for the winter, and he urges the addressee to come (ilā l-balad), because business is thriving and he will do well for himself. However he should first obtain a rescript from the government ordering that no one should oppose him. As for the capitation tax, the administrator (mutawallī) "here" is an "evil man." He then instructs the addressee “while in Fustat, do not disregard the advice of al-Shaykh Abū l-Fakhr Ibn al-Amshāṭī and his brother's son and his brother-in-law (reading צ{ה}רה) Ibn al-ʿAjamī" (See Goitein and Friedman, India Traders, p. 96 n. 31). He offers to rent the addressee a house or storehouse if he wishes to come and bring his merchandise. He also offers to come up to Fustat if that is what the addressee wishes. The remaining lines of the letter deal with business instructions mentioning indigo, silk, and other commodities. Mentions "your friend" the faqīh the son of Khulayf and Bū Sahl. ASE