SIGNED MUHAMMAD BIN MUHAMMAD BIN KHALIL AL-HANAFI BETTER KNOWN AS IBN AL-MASHAD, MAMLUK EGYPT, DATED SHA'BAN AH 869/FEBRUARY-MARCH 1465 AD

Since the author of this work flourished around 1407 and our manuscript is dated 1464-65, it can be considered among an early copy. A later copy with a slightly different title but on the same subject is in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. That is titled Taisir al-matalib wa-raghbat al-talib and is dated 27 Rabi’ II AH 1092/16 May 1681 AD (manuscript no.4942 (1); A.J. Arberry, A Handlist of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Chester Beatty Library, volume VI, Dublin, 1963, p.149).