Acknowledgements

The core of this book is a critical edition and French translation of Averroes’ Middle Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics (MCMet), an important treatise that was thought to be lost forever. For the main investigations that led to this result, I was fortunate to benefit from two permanent and extremely competent collaborators. Mrs. Hamidé Fadlallah accompanied me, year after year, in the long and laborious task of examining some 1265 files of the Qarawiyyīn library in Fās, a task that was crowned by the discovery presented here. She played a significant role in the efforts to decipher the damaged folios, and her readings and conjectures were often enlightening. Finally, she helped me to establish a presentable text. Dr. Silvia Di Vincenzo was responsible for collating the Arabic text with the Hebrew translations of MCMet. She is the author of Chapter II of the Introduction, establishing a stemma that demonstrates that the preserved Arabic Text of the Qarawiyyīn (F) is a revised recension by Averroes himself of the Arabic version on which the Hebrew one is dependent. Her contribution also made it possible to fill in the lacunae of the manuscript caused by tunnels dug by bibliophagic insects, thus rendering the text more comprehensible. Finally, together with Professor Dr. Charles Genequand, she provided valuable advice about the French translation and the identification of several references.

Our work would never have been possible without the indispensable support of the Alexander von Humboldt Kolleg for Islamicate Intellectual History of the University of Bonn, directed by Professor Dr. Judith Pfeiffer. The following programs and institutions also provided valuable support: Le patrimoine manuscrit philosophique arabe et syriaque en Île-de-France et ailleurs: trésors à découvrir et circuits de diffusion (PhASIF), labelled as an Area of Major Interest by the Conseil Régional de la Région Île-de-France; Philosophy in Context: Arabic and Syriac manuscripts in the Mediterranean (PhiC), which benefitted from an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council; La philosophie arabe au prisme de la diffusion de ses témoins manuscrits dans le monde : Averroès, al-Yānyawī et al-Tūlāwī comme cas d’étude (Ambizione, FNS, Teymour Morel) ; the Centre Jean Pépin, an Associated Laboratory of the Centre Nationale de la Recherche scientifique and the École Normale Supérieure; the Fondation Max van Berchem.

It is with a great deal of emotion that I wish to express my gratitude to the colleagues who have always supported me throughout the long duration of this undertaking. Mr. Abdel Fattah Bougchouf, curator of the Library of the Qarawiyyīn, and Mr. Aboubakr Jaouane, adjunct curator, have allowed Mrs. Fadlallah and myself to benefit from ideal conditions in the prestigious institution which they direct with such competence and kindness. Professor Dr. Judith Pfeiffer acted as a wonderful hostess at the Alexander von Humboldt Kolleg for Islamicate Intellectual History of the University of Bonn in the difficult period of the coronavirus pandemic. What is more, together with Professor Dr. Heidrun Eichner, she provided precious advice on the presentation of the edition. Our Moroccan colleagues, Professor Dr. Aziz Abouchraa and Professor Dr. Jamal Rachak, helped us to become better acquainted with Fās and its institutions. Dr. Michael Chase, Researcher at the CNRS, undertook to supervise the English translation of the Introduction. Dr. Jawdath Jabbour, Researcher at the CNRS, provided us most pertinent remarks about the Arabic text. Useful suggestions were also provided by the two anonymous referees of the Islamicate Intellectual History series (Brill Publishers).

I also wish to thank the eminent scholars who have in general believed in my projects on philosophical manuscripts in Arabic, and offered me extremely precious institutional, moral, and intellectual support: Professor Dr. Cristina D’Ancona, Professor Dr. Amos Bertolacci, Professor Dr. Ahmad Chaouqui Binebine, Professor Dr. Charles Butterwoth, Professor Dr. Pierre Caye, Professor Dr. Salim Daccache, Professor Dr. François Déroche, Professor Dr. Gerhard Endress, Professor Dr. Claudio Galderisi, Professor Dr. Charles Genequand, Dr. Marc Geoffroy, Professor Dr. Marie-Odile Goulet-Cazé, Professor Dr. Richard Goulet, Professor Dr. Dimitri Gutas, Professor Dr. George Saliba, Professor Dr. Gregor Schoeler, and Professor Dr. Claudine Tiercelin.

Finally, I wish to evoke the memory of my mother, Marguerite Aouad-Siegrist, and my father, Paul Aouad, each of whom, in their own way, has helped me so much to follow the path I have chosen.

M. Aouad