Arthur Jeffrey Papers, 1920-1959
MS# 0674
©2007 Columbia University Library
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SUMMARY INFORMATION
Creator
Arthur Jeffery
Title and dates
Arthur Jeffery Papers, 1920-1959
Abstract
Arthur Jeffery (1892-1959) was Professor of Semitic languages at Columbia University from
1938 until his death. This collection of manuscripts, typescripts, manuscript notes and typescript
notes with some related correspondence reflects Jeffery's research and writing on the vocabulary
and history of the text of the Koran.
Size
28 linear feet (52 document boxes; 2 flat boxes)
Call number
MS# 0674
Location
Columbia University
Butler Library, 6th Floor
Arthur Jeffery Papers
Rare Book and Manuscript Library
535 West 114th Street
New York, NY 10027
Language(s) of material
English, Arabic.
Biographical Note
Arthur Jeffery (1892-1959) was Professor of Semitic languages at
Columbia University from 1938 until his death. His professional life was
spent conducting historical studies of Middle Eastern manuscripts.
Jeffrey is perhaps best know for his books Materials for the history of the
text of the Qur'an: the old codices and The Foreign Vocabulary of the
Qur'an, which traces the origins of 318 foreign (non-Arabic) words found
in the Qur'an.
Some of Jeffery's studies are included in The Origins of The Koran:
Classic Essays on Islam’s Holy Book, edited by Ibn Warraq.
Description
This collection of manuscripts, typescripts, manuscript notes and typescript notes with some
related correspondence reflects Jeffery's research and writing on the vocabulary and history of the
text of the Koran. There are also materials on Islam, pre-Islamic Arabia, Semitic religions and
languages, Christianity, the Eastern Churches, the Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Gnosticism,
general religion and theology.
ACCESS AND USE
Access
This collection has no restrictions.
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least twenty-four (24)
hours in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Restrictions on Use and Copyright Information
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the
collection must be requested from the Curator of Manuscripts Rare Book and Manuscript Library
(RBML). The RBML approves permission to publish that which it physically owns; the
responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
ACQUISITION AND APPRAISAL
Provenance and Acquisition
Gift of Mrs. Arthur Jeffery, 1959; 1979.
Page 2 of 9
Arthur Jeffery Papers
Accrual of Records
No additions are expected.
PROCESSING AND OTHER INFORMATION
Processing Information
This collection was processed by RBML staff and revised by Bernard Crystal in April 1979.
Finding aid revised by Tanya Elder in November 2007.
Descriptive Rules Used
Finding aid adheres to that prescribed by Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Encoding
Finding aid written in English.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Arthur Jefferey Papers; Box and Folder; Rare
Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Subject Headings
These papers have been indexed in the Columbia University Library online catalog using the
following terms. Those seeking related materials should search under these terms.
Arabic language--Foreign words and phrases
Arabic literature--Translations into English.
Bible
Christianity
Dead Sea scrolls
Eastern churches
Gnosticism
Islam
Islamic literature
Jeffery, Arthur
Koran--Criticism, Textual
Koran--Language, style
Koran--Readings
Middle Eastern philology
Religion
Semitic languages--Research
Semites--Religion
Theology
Image: The Koran: Selected Suras (Dover Thrift Editions) by Arthur Jeffery.
Page 3 of 9
Arthur Jeffery Papers
Contents List
Box 1
Box 2
Box 3
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6
F.7
F.8
Box 4
F.1-7
Box 5
Box 6
Box 7
Box 8
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5-7
Box 9
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
Correspondence; Notes.
Introduction and miscellaneous prose; Bibliography of Qur'an
translations; Text and versions.
"Had Muhammad a Scripture Teacher?," undated
Imala Concluding Essay, undated
Lecture Notes on Selected Qur'ānic Passages, 1925
Notes on Qur‫ۥ‬ānic Interpretation; Nöldeke-Schwally's Introduction of
the Qur‫ۥ‬ān; Collation of Qur'ān Texts of Hinckelmann, Marracio
and Flügel Notebooks, undated
On The Translation of the Qur‫ۥ‬ān, 1936
Pause, undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ānic Tractates; Jesus References; Rudolph, "Die Abhängigkeit des
Qoran von Judenlhum und Christentum"; Qur‫ۥ‬anisches
Notebooks, undated
Variant WAQFs According to Al-Marandi (1337), undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ān Subject Index Files
A-H, undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ān Subject Index Files
I-End
Study of Islam; Manichea (Pre-Islamic Arabia & Prolegomena to the
Study of Islam are available on microfilm).
"A Reader of Islam"
Foreign Vocabulary of the Qur‫ۥ‬ān, The Typescript, pgs. 1-150, 1929
Foreign Vocabulary of the Qur‫ۥ‬ān, The Typescript, pgs. 158-276,
1929
"Translation of Ibn Hisham" Manuscript, circa 1940
Transliterations Lecture and Article Notes, undated
Untitled Manuscript, undated
Armenian Language, Old Testament and Mesopotamia Typescripts,
undated
Baldawi; Ikhtilās; Kalila wa Dimna; Mutawakhili and Ath-Tha‛labi
Notebooks, undated
Bergsträsser's "History of the Qur‫ۥ‬ān " and " Qur‫ۥ‬ān Readings Hasan
of Basra" Notebooks, undated
Cheiko's "Christianity in Arabia" and Weil's "Einleitung in Den
Koran" Notebooks, undated
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Arthur Jeffery Papers
F.5
F.6
Critical Text of Qur‫ۥ‬ān Notes, undated
"Dervish Prayer-Meeting: Glass Chewing and Sword Swallowing as a
Spiritual Exercise" Typescript, undated
F.7
"Early Discussions About the Qur‫ۥ‬ān," Muslim World, unknown
author, undated
"Meccan Festival, The," Dr. T. Zaayer Thesis, 1880
Near East Photostatic Map; Der Mastaba-Friedhof bei Gise Print; and
Newsclippings, undated, 1951-1952; 1955; 1957
"Oriental Christianity and the Origin of Islam" Typescript, undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ānic Monography and Qur‫ۥ‬ānic Studies Notebooks, undated
Semitic Epigraphy Charts, undated
Semitic Material in the Egyptian Excretion Texts Summaries, undated
Shanqiti on the Mu‛allaquat Notebooks I-III, undated
Siyuti Itqan Notebooks I-II, undated
Tablet Fragment Photographs and Translation, undated
Taha Hussein on pre-Islamic Poetry Notebook, undated
Untitled Notebooks, undated
F.8
F.9
F.10
F.11
F.12
F.13
F.14
F.15
F.16
F.17
F.18
Box 10
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6
F.7
F.8
F.9
F.10
F.11
F.12
F.13
F.14
F.15
Box 11
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6
F.7
F.8
F.9
F.10
F.11
Analecta Qoranica, undated
Bashshar B. Burd, undated
Christology or Qur'ān [Documents in I. Schlatter in EMM, 1918]
Notebook, undated
Commentary to Variants in Fatihah, undated
Correspondence, undated, 1925; 1937
Eastern Churches, undated
Gods of the Pagan Arabs, The, Notebook, Undated
Imala; Al-Jazā‫ۥ‬irī on the Seven Ahruf; Lines of Tradition from the
Seven According to Al-Mu‛addil's Randatal-Huhaz; and
Introduction to Qur'ān Notes, undated
Religion in Pre-Islamic Arabia, undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ān and Arabic Notes, Misc., undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ān Translations and Correspondence, undated, 1934-1935
Qur‫ۥ‬ānic References in Cosmology, undated
Salman Al-Fārisī Background Information and Correspondence,
undated, 1939-1940
Sigla for Qur‫ۥ‬ān Readers Notebook, undated
Untitled Notebook and Clippings in Arabic, undated
Bartholomew of Edessa Notes, undated
Comparative Semitic Grammar Notes, undated
Canon and Text of the Old Testament Notebook, undated
Interpretation of the Qur‫ۥ‬ān in Present Day Islam, undated
Logos Typescript, undated
"Muhammad's Doctrine of Revelation" Typescript, 1932
Muqni‫ ۥ‬of ad-Dānī Notebook, undated
Muslim Eschatology "Grand Assizes: A Description of the Last
Trump," Typescript, undated
Muslim Eschatology Notes and Correspondence, undated, 1956
Muslim Eschatology Notes and Correspondence, undated, 1957
Notes on the Kabbalah, undated
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Arthur Jeffery Papers
F.12
F.13
F.14
F.15
F.16
Box 12
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6
F.7-11
Box 13
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6
F.7
F.8
F.9
Box 14
Box 15
Box 16
Box 17
Box 18
Box 19
Box 20
Box 21
Notes and Pamphlets, undated, 1928, 1952
Qur‫ۥ‬ānic Material, Misc., undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ānic Orthography, undated
Syriac Grammar Exercises to Robinson's Grammar, undated
WAQF Positions According to Ushmuni's Manār Al-Huda (1286),
undated
Arabic / English Vocabulary Notecards, undated
Bibliographic Notecards, undated
Conspectus of Editions of Arabic Text of the Qur‫ۥ‬ān, Notebooks 1-3,
undated
Misc. Notebook Pages, undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ān Readings of Zaid b. 'Ali, undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ānic Readings Notecards (in Arabic), undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ānic References Notecards, A-Z, undated
Alphabetical List of the Qurrā (Readers of the Qur'ān), A, undated
Alphabetical List of the Qurrā, B-H, undated
Alphabetical List of the Qurrā, I-J, undated
Alphabetical List of the Qurrā, K-R, undated
Alphabetical List of the Qurrā, S-Z, undated
Ambrosiana F289 Manuscript Photographs, undated
Literal Versions of the Themes in the Beirut Marad al-Klutut (sp),
undated
Qurrā Notebooks I and II, undated
Untitled Notebooks, undated
Notes on Sufism; Controversy
Dead Sea Scrolls
Gnosticism
Gnosticism; Semitic Religions
Semitic Materials
Eastern Churches
Notes on Cards
Notes on cards
Page 6 of 9
Arthur Jeffery Papers
Box 22
Box 23
Box 24
Box 25
Box 26
Box 27
Box 28
Box 29
Box 30
Box 31
Box 32
Box 33
Box 34
Box 35
Box 36
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6
F.7
F.8
Ms. Notes
Photostats of Arabic mss.
Misc. Notes & Clippings: A -L
Misc. Notes & Clippings: M -Z
Printed Materials
Printed Materials (cont.)
Printed Materials (cont.)
Printed Materials (cont.)
Printed Materials (cont.)
General Files
General Files (cont.)
General Files (cont.)
General Files (cont.)
General Files (cont.)
Arab Influences on Culture and Words Notes, undated
Correspondence, 1935-1958
"Eschatological Midrashim in Jellinek's Beth Ha-Midrash,"
Dissertation by Herman J. Fine, 1949 June
Geology School Notebook, undated
"Jewish Community in Egypt During the Twelfth Century,"
Dissertation by Abraham N. Zuroff, 1948
Life of Mohammad from Original Sources, The, by A. Sprenger, MD,
1851
Lord's Prayer, The, Various Languages, undated
"Muhammed ‛Abdu's Critique of Christianity and Defense of Islam
with His Suggestions for the Renaissance of Islam," Dissertation
Page 7 of 9
Arthur Jeffery Papers
F.9
F.10
F.11
F.12
Box 37
Box 38
Box 39
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6
F.7
F.8
F.9
Box 40
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5
F.6
F.7
F.8
F.9
F.10
Box 41
Box 42
Box 43
Box 44
by John G. Lorimer, undated
"Manuscrits Orientaux" List, undated
"Pseudo-Philo's Saul and The Rabbis' Messiah Ben Ephraim," by
Abram Spiro, 1952
"Study of Foreign Words Occurring in the Hebrew and Aramaic of the
Old Testament, A," by Maximillian Ellenbogen, undated
"Summer Journey to Al-Maghrib Al-Aqsa, A," Typescript with
Photographs, [Travel Magazine?], circa 1931
Ms. Notes
Ms. Notes
Farquhar, J.N., Dr., Lectures on the Religions of India, Lecture I-VIII
Outlines, undated
Introduction to Qur'ān, Parts I-IV, undated
"Kur‫ۥ‬ān" Typescript, undated
Nubian Christianity and Modern Theories of Religion Manuscripts,
undated
"Qira‫ۥ‬at, The," Manuscript undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ān Editions, Translations, Articles, undated (1 of 2)
Qur‫ۥ‬ān Editions, Translations, Articles, undated (2 of 2)
Qur'ān Notebook #2, undated
Rowe, Alan, "Excavations in Palestine" and "Discoveries at BethShan During the 1926 Season" Typescripts, 1920s
Arabic, Ethiopic and Germanic Vocabularies Notebooks, undated
Dvořák, Rudolf, "Fremdwörter (Foreign Words)" Notebook, undated
Hebrew Commentaries on the Story of Joseph Typescript, 1928
Goldziher, "The Most Primitive Stage of Qur'ān Interpretation,"
undated
Pre-Islamic Arabia Notes, Notebooks and Journal Articles, undated,
1921 (1 of 2)
Pre-Islamic Arabia Notes, Notebooks and Journal Articles, undated,
1921 (2 of 2)
Psalms Translations Notebook, undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ān Commentaries, Known Authors, undated, 1921; 1932
Qur‫ۥ‬ān Commentaries, Unknown Authors, undated
Qur‫ۥ‬ānic Introduction and Islam Bibliographies, undated
Semitic Religions and Languages (2)
Semitic Religions and Languages (3)
Islam (1)
Islam (2)
Page 8 of 9
Arthur Jeffery Papers
Box 45
Box 46
Box 47
Box 48
Box 49
Box 50
Box 51
F.1
F.2
F.3
F.4
F.5-11
Box 52
Flat Box 661
Flat Box 662
Islam (3); Gnosticism; Arabic History, Literature & Culture
Bible
Bible
Christianity
Religion; Theology (general)
Misc. mss.; Misc. Notebooks (non-religion topics)
(Added to the collection by Mrs. Arthur Jeffery, 1979)
Development of the Alphabet, undated
Germanic Philology Notebooks I and II, undated
Language and Philology Notes, undated
Lecture Notes on Science of Language, 1932
School Notebooks with Language Lessons (seven volumes), undated,
1916
Photocopies of Arabic mss.
Photocopies of Arabic mss. (2 v.); Corpus Lectionum Variorum in
Qoranum by A. Jerrery (3 volumes).
Al-Muhtasas, L'ibn Jinni, Egy. Lib. Qira'at. 78
Fragments of the Sahîh of Al-Bukhârî
Page 9 of 9