Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

Or 15956 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

Oriental Manuscripts

A collection of prayers

Contents

1 copy of Majmū‘ah-’i az̲kār

An illuminated book of invocations and supplicatory prayers. The ornamentation and script are unmistakably Chinese. Some of the formulae are of the kind customarily used after the five ritual prayers. Also included, on f. 16v-20r, is an invocation of 103 Divine Names that include, unusually, al-Ṣādiq. Title supplied.

There is no textual evidence of a connection to any particular region or religious school of Islam, but only to an ethnic group – probably Iranian, but conceivably Turkic.

The texts are in Arabic, but many are preceded by rubricated phrases in Persian indicating the number of times that the formula should be repeated (sih bar, sī bar, sī va sih bar, etc.). Also in Persian are an explanatory note in the margin of f. 16r, and the additional text on f. 24r-26v.

Other contents: 24r-26v, Durūd-i mustaghās īnast: a tract extolling the merits of a form of prayers of blessing on the Prophet; in this manuscript it breaks off at the point where the text of the prayer should appear. A few folios of the main text include inserted words and phrases in Arabic.

Language(s): Persian and Arabic
Filiation:

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Brownish buff paper.
Extent: 26 ff.
Dimensions (leaf): 137 × 92 mm.
Dimensions (written): 91 × 55 mm.

Layout

54 lines (3 on 1v-2r).

Hand(s)

Ṣīnī script, partially vocalised.

Decoration

Rubrics and overlinings in red. Text dividers: three red dots configured as a triangle. Red text frames. Double illuminated opening in polychrome and gold with ornamentation including leaf motifs, floral motifs enclosed in an undulating scroll, and a Chinese zigzag pattern.

Additions:

Binding

Modern dark maroon leather binding with blind impressed frame design based on a repeated shell pattern.

History

Origin: 18th-19th centuries CE ; China, or perhaps Eastern Turkistan (; Xinjiang or ; Gansu).

Provenance and Acquisition

2003-05-01

Acquired from Bonham's sale, lot 62; 1 May 2003

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Based on unpublished description in M.I. Waley, Catalogue of Persian Manuscripts acquired 2000-2014.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


Comments

Comment on this record

Please fill out your details.

How are we using your feedback? See our privacy policy.

See the Availability section of this record for information on viewing the item in a reading room.

TO TOP