Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

Or 15638 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

Oriental Manuscripts

Khayr al-mava‘iz

Contents

1 copy of Khayr al-mavā‘iẓ by Sharīf al-Raḍī, Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn, 969 or 970-1016

A continuous section, each separate text being followed by a Persian translation, of Nahj al-balāghah, the compilation in Arabic of discourses and letters of, or attributed to, the Caliph and Imam ʻAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (d. 40/661), probably compiled by al-Sharīf al-Raḍī.

The title and copyist's and/or author's name appears in gilt print on spine, as follows: Khayr al-mavā‘iẓ / bi-qalam-i Mawlavī Muḥammad Salām Allah Ṣāḥib-i marḥūm.

The contents of the present manuscript correspond to part of the facsimile edition of a manuscript in the Āyat Allāh Najafī Mar‘ashī Library, Qum. The manuscript ends with the translation of a letter to Mu‘āviyah found on pp. 245-8 of the facsimile. Hence the Arabic contents of the manuscript correspond to those of about 25 of the 330 pages in the facsimile.

Language(s): Arabic and Persian
Filiation:

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: 152 ff (plus 2 at the end with text frames and gilt text area).
Dimensions (leaf): 273 × 155 mm.

Condition

Margins are damaged by worms throughout.

Hand(s)

Persian in good nastaʿlīq, Arabic text in good vocalised naskhī.

Decoration

Text frames: red, black, gold, black, black, blue; blue. Illuminated heading, with floral tīghs in somewhat Ottoman-looking style, in gold, black, slate blue and maroon.

Additions:

Binding

19th century maroon and black morocco binding, in European style but unmistakably Indian, with four gilt margin lines.

Seal(s):
Seal impression f. 1r.

History

Origin: 19th century CE ; India

Provenance and Acquisition

2000-08

Purchased August 2000

Record Sources

Based on unpublished description in M.I. Waley, Catalogue of Persian Manuscripts acquired 2000-2014.

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card for admissions procedures contact British Library, Registering for a Reader Pass. Contact apac-enquiries@bl.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript. For information on catalogues and ordering manuscripts see Finding and ordering Persian manuscripts in the British Library.

Funding of Cataloguing

BL


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