E. 19 (University Library, Cambridge University)

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E. G. Browne Collection

Summary of Contents: A volume containing five Hurúfi and Súfi tracts in prose and verse, some printed and some manuscript, of which Nos. 1 and 2 (ff. 1-96) were bought from a dealer in Paris in January, 1909, while the remainder (Nos. 3-5) were given to me by Dr Ridá Tawfiq at Constantinople in April, 1908. That Nos. 1 and 2 have also passed through his hands is shown by a descriptive note in French in his hand on f. 1b. (1) Two or three Súfi-Hurúfi tracts in Turkish (ff. 2-68), the first being only the concluding page (f. 2a) of one containing replies to numerous hypothetical questions each prefaced by the words "If they ask ...", the second (ff. 2b-7a) beginning, after the doxology: اگر صورسه لر که ... اما بعد بو مختصرك تأليفنه سبب اول اولديكه بو فقيرك والدي الخ It seems to be a verbatim copy, omitting the last five lines, of f. 12a infra. the third (ff. 7b-68a) beginning, after the doxology: فقيرك خیلی شوقی وار ایدی قطب الاوليا سلطان ابو سعيد ابو الخيرك بيلك كه بو ... اما بعد قدس الله روحه رباعينك معانیسنی بلمكه و رباعی بو در که: كف زد رضوان ز تعجب کف خود بر حورا بنظاره نگارم صف زد مصحف زد در چنگ ابدال ز بیم آن خال سیاه برآن رخان مطرف زد (2) The Táriqat-náma ("Book of the Path") by Sultán Ashraf-záda (ff. 70-96), beginning: قبال الله تعالى أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول وأولى الأمر منكم يعني الله تعالى ببوردكم مطبع اولله الله Written in a small, ugly ta'liq, with rubrications, and dated 1258/1842. (3) The Fayd-náma-i-Iláhí, a Turkish Hurúfi poem by Mithálí Bábá (ff. 102-130), preceded by a prose treatise entitled Miftáhu'l-Ghayb ("the Key of the Unseen"), dated Rabí' II, 1261/April, 1845. There are numerous annotations in French and Turkish in the margins by Dr Ridá Tawfiq. (4) A Turkish treatise (Bektáshí) in mixed prose and verse by Wahbí (Vehbi) Bábá, lithographed at Cairo in 1290/1873-4, and containing 95 pp. The title-page bears the following curious inscription: ۱۲۹۰ اشبو رساله وهبی بابا اسمیله تمهیر اولنمیانلرینه ساخته نظریله باقيله جقدر سمة بمطبعة الحجر الفاخرة بمدينة مصر القاهرة (5) The 'Ishq-náma ("Book of Love"), a Persian mathnawí poem ascribed to Jalálu'd-Dín Rúmí, with the Turkish prose translation and explanation of 'Ali Bahjat, printed at Constantinople in 1301/1883-4, and comprising 24 pp. In the Persian prose preface the title Rumúzu'l-'Árifín ("Riddles of the Gnostics") is given to the work. The poem begins: خانه ازوست سوی صحرا و كنج عشق پنهان دزد خانه ازوست Every verse, except the last two of the poem, begins with the word "'Ishq" ("Love"), and is immediately followed by the Turkish prose translation and commentary.

ff. 2-68

Title: Two or three Súfi-Hurúfi tracts in Turkish; the first is only the concluding page (f. 2a) of a tract of replies to hypothetical questions, the second (ff. 2b-7a) an apparent verbatim copy (omitting its last five lines) of the tract at item 2 below

Incipit: اگر صورسه لر که ... اما بعد بو مختصرك تأليفنه سبب اول اولديكه بو فقيرك والدي الخ

Language(s): Ottoman Turkish

ff. 70-96

Author: Eşrefoğlu Rumî, -1469 Eşrefzade Abdullah-ı Rûmî

Title: Tarikatnâme

Title: طریقتنامه

Written in a small, ugly ta'liq, with rubrications, and dated 1258/1842.

Incipit: قبال الله تعالى أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول وأولى الأمر منكم يعني الله تعالى ببوردكم مطبع اولله الله

Language(s): Ottoman Turkish

ff. 102-130

Author: Mithálí Bábá

Title: Fayd-náma-i-Iláhí

Preceded by a prose treatise entitled Miftáhu'l-Ghayb ("the Key of the Unseen"), dated Rabí' II, 1261/April, 1845; annotated in the margins in French and Turkish by Dr Ridá Tawfiq.

Language(s): Ottoman Turkish

Author: Wahbí (Vehbi) Bábá

Title: Turkish treatise (Bektáshí) in mixed prose and verse

Lithographed at Cairo in 1290/1873-4; 95 pp.

Language(s): Ottoman Turkish

Author: Sulṭān Valad, 1226-1312

Title: 'Ishq-náma

Title: Rumúzu'l-'Árifín

Title: Remzül-Arifin

Title: رمز العارفین

A Persian mathnawí poem wrongly ascribed to Jalálu'd-Dín Rúmí, with a Turkish prose translation and commentary by 'Ali Bahjat; printed at Constantinople in 1301/1883-4, 24 pp.

Incipit: خانه ازوست سوی صحرا و كنج عشق پنهان دزد خانه ازوست

Language(s): Persian, with Turkish prose translation

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Paper; some items printed or lithographed rather than manuscript.

Extent: Nos. 1-2 (ff. 1-96) manuscript, of 20 lines to the page; Nos. 3-5 separately paginated printed/lithographed items bound in the same volume.

Dimensions (leaf):

Layout

20 lines (Nos. 1-2)

Hand(s)

Small, ugly ta'liq, with rubrications (No. 2).

History

Origin: 1258/1842 CE ; Constantinople

Provenance and Acquisition

Nos. 1 and 2 (ff. 1-96) were bought from a dealer in Paris in January, 1909, while the remainder (Nos. 3-5) were given to me by Dr Ridá Tawfiq at Constantinople in April 1908. That Nos. 1 and 2 have also passed through his hands is shown by a descriptive note in French in his hand on f. 1b.

Passed to Cambridge University Library in 1936 (the "Browne Bequest").

Record Sources

Summary, physical description and provenance copied from R. A. Nicholson: A descriptive catalogue of the Oriental MSS belonging to the late E.G. Browne. Cambridge, 1932.

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card for admissions procedures contact Cambridge University Library Admissions. Contact near_eastern@lib.cam.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript

Funding of Cataloguing

Cambridge University

Subjects

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