Wadh.Minasian 98 (The Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford)
Oriental Manuscripts Minasian Collection
Contents
Summary of Contents: Tuḥfat al-aḥrār is one of the masnavis of Haft Awrang of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Jamī. Its meter, similar to Makhzan al-Asrār of Niẓāmī, is "Muzāḥafāt-i baḥr-i sarīʿ" (Muftaʿilun Muftaʿilun Fāʿilun). It is put in verse in the same style as that book and Maṭlaʿ al-Anvār of Amīr Khusraw Dihlavī, in twenty articles. The topics are mainly ethical, mystical and educative, in the form of many anecdotes and narratives in every article. It has a preface in prose. In this masnavi, Jāmī has praised Khvājah Nāṣir al-Dīn ʿUbayd Allāh Aḥrār Naqshbandī, one of the main figures of the Naqshbandi sect. The number of couplets is recorded to be 1800. It has been composed in 886 AH/1481.
Language(s): Persian
Poetry
Title: Tuḥfat al-aḥrār
Title: تحفة الاحرار
Incipit: بسمله، حامدا لمن جعل جنان جنان کل عارف مخزن اسرار کماله و لسانه کل واصف مطلع انوار جماله گنجینهٔ اسرار کمالش مائیم / آیینهٔ انوار جمالش مائیم…
Incipit: بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم / هست صلای سر خوان کریم
Explicit: … مهر نه خاتمهٔ این خطاب / شد رقم خاتم تم الکتاب بسرحد اتمام رسیده شد و در رشتهٔ انتظام کشیده آمد این مهره‌های خراشیده از صدف و خزف تراشیده هرچند چون عقد لولوی آبدار گردن‌بند سروران و گوشوارهٔ هنرپروران را نشاید امیدست که سبحه دار دست‌آویز از پای افتادگان دبیر رشتهٔ ز دست دادگان گردد و اتمام و انتظام این نسخهٔ تسبیح و شهر تراویح منتظم در سلک شهور سنه ست و ثمانین و ثمانمائه لا زال مبارکا علی کل کافیه اتفاق افتاده و الحمدلله الکریم الجواد و الصلوه علی محمد و آله خیر العباد و سلّم تسلیما کثیرا کثیرا.
References
Sequence Number in the Persian Catalogue:
- FAW 155
Similar Copies in Other Libraries:
- GIE 1/46
- MAJ 8/435
- NLI 2/522
Similar Copies listed in Other Catalogues:
- ALZ 19/135
- COM 7/535-546
- DEN 2/906
- FAM 4/2706
- FAP 1/1197
Printed editions:
- Tehran, 1378 Shamsī/2000
Physical Description
Support: Oriental paper, dark buff, regular thickness, one size; rubricated titles, frontispiece (gilt, azure, white lead, cinnabar), triple ruling (gilt, azure, black).
Extent: 79+1 ff.
Dimensions (leaf): 17 × 10.5 cm.
Dimensions (written): 12 × 9 cm.
Condition
Some parts of the frontispiece removed; water damage; edge mending of some folios
Layout
12 lines in two columns per page, ruled
Hand(s)
Graceful Nastaʿalīq, one hand, regular
Additions: Oval stamp on f.78b: المتوکل علی الله ابن محمد قاسم ۱۲۳۲ . Oval stamp on f.79a: یا من ارفع من کل رفیع ۱۱۷۲ . Circular stamp: بندهٔ آل محمد یوسف بن احمد . Rectangular stamp: … محمد … . Notes on the final end paper, and on f.1a; Persian couplets.
Binding
Maroon leather, 11.5×18 cm, front + back cover, leather+pasteboard, black fabric doublure
Envelope flap on the front cover with gilt edges; decorated tooled edges.
Condition
Water damage; cover restored.
History
Origin: Unknown place of origin; 10-11th century AH; 16-17th century CE
Provenance and Acquisition
Donated to The Ferdowsi Library by Dr Caro Minasian in 1972.
Record Sources
This record was created based on the information published in: Mir-Ansari, Ali, Catalogue of the Persian and Arabic Manuscripts in the Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford (Minasian Collection), Tehran: Miras-e Maktoob, 2016.
Availability
Entry to the Library is permitted upon presentation of a valid university ID card (for admissions procedures, please visit Wadham College Library, Persian Studies Section). Please Contact persian.library@wadham.ox.ac.ukfor further information on the availability of this manuscript.
Key to Abbreviations
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- COM:
- DEN:
- FAM:
- FAP:
- FAW:
- GIE:
- MAJ:
- NLI:
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