Coptica v. 16 2017

Fakhr al-Dawlah ibn al-Muʾtaman

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The account of Fakhr al-Dawlah in the biography of Marqus al-Anūnī stops there, but we can now return to the biography of Anbā Ruways in order to round off the story. There we read as follows: 7 [Fakhr al-Dawlah] abandoned wife, children, brethren, fine clothes, and horses, and made his way to the Mountain of St. Antony the Great, and there became a monk. He lived there for a long time, striving in that Mountain. As for the king [Barqūq], whenever he asked about him and people told him, “He is in that Mountain,” the Lord brought inattentiveness upon him—and he did not seek him out. When this news reached this youth, his love for and faith in this saintly father [Anbā Ruways] increased. He continued to strive, comforted and strengthened in heart by God and by the help of this saintly father, through his powerful prayer, until news reached him of the death of that king. At that time [the monk] arose and came to Miṣr in order to see that saintly father before his death and to thank him for the greatness of his dealings with him. So he came to him and took a blessing from him. He intended to return to his monastery without seeing his mother or brothers; but they had, for a long time, been beseeching God to show them his face, because of his long absence from them. By the prayer of this saintly father, he made his way to them. When they saw him, they rejoiced greatly in him. They were beseeching him to remain with them. He did not desire that, but God willed that his death should be among them: since they had been deprived of the sight of him during his life, God did not deprive them of the sight of him at his death. And so he became ill for a few days and died, while in that virtuous state. And [his mother and brothers] marveled at what had taken place. The stories of Fakhr al-Dawlah ibn al-Muʾtaman preserved in the biographies of Anbā Ruways and of Marqus al-Anṭūnī fit together almost perfectly. It is clear that these two texts are speaking about one and the same person, the young Coptic scribe who converted to Islam, married a Muslim woman, lived a life of luxury—but then repented, fled, and became a monk at the Monastery of St. Antony. To these two texts, we can perhaps add a third, this time from the biography of Patriarch Matthew. It goes like this: 8

7 Continuing my English translation of MS Paris ar. 282, ff. 136v-137r (the conclusion of Miracle # 13). 8 History of the Patriarchs of the Egyptian Church, known as The History of the Holy Church, by Sawîrus ibn al-Muḳaffaʿ, Bishop of al-Ašmûnîn , Vol. III, Part III, Cyril II – Cyril V (A.D.