Example of the note found in the copy against which the present manuscript was collated: “It was written out by its author, Ahmad ibn Ali Ibn Hajar, who completed it on the first day of Dhu al-Hijja, 818 AH.” After that comes: A specimen of the shaykh’s own handwriting in that copy: “Praise be to Allah, and peace upon His chosen servants. To proceed: This Nukhba and its commentary were read to me during the hadith lessons held at the Baybarsiyya, and were collated with my text by its owner, the shaykh, the imam, the erudite scholar, the unique one, Muhibb al-Din al-Bakri—may Allah Most High benefit through him. I have authorised him to transmit it from me, together with whatever I am permitted to convey, whether heard, compiled, or licensed. This was on the tenth of Rabi al-Akhir, 837 AH. Written by Ahmad ibn Ali Ibn Hajar al-Shafi‘i—may Allah pardon him.” On the recto of the same folio that bears the foregoing lines: “Praise be to Allah, and peace upon His chosen servants. To proceed: The entire text of this Tawdih—in the abridged form I prepared—was read to me from beginning to end by the virtuous and accomplished shaykh Sharaf al-Din Yahya, son of the shaykh, the imam, the solid scholar, helper of students, pride of the practising scholars, Muhibb al-Din al-Bakri. He read it with critical study and precision, drawing out benefits and illuminating rare points, such that he now deserves to impart it to whomever he wishes and to satisfy every seeker’s aim. I have authorised him to transmit it, teach it, and read aloud all that he has taken from it and mastered. These readings took place in several sessions, the last of which occurred on the night of 13 Rajab al-Fard, 845 AH. Written by Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ali Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, praising Allah, invoking blessings, and offering peace.” • In manuscript W: “Written for himself by the poor, sinful, disobedient servant Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Akhsasi al-Shafi‘i—O Allah, forgive him, his parents, and all Muslims. Copying was completed during the middle ten days of Ramadan, 851 AH.” In its margin, in the author’s hand: “Its owner finished reading it to me. Written by Ibn Hajar.” After that, in a later hand: “… [one word erased] I say: This copy was read before our shaykh, Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Safuri—may Allah perpetuate the benefit through him—on 5 Jumada al-Ula, 1077 AH.” (a) An erasure equivalent to a single word.