Q. 4 (University Library, Cambridge University)
E. G. Browne Collection
Contents
Summary of Contents: کتاب اصول ملاحم وغيره (1) A Persian work on Omens, beginning: بدانکه نخست اصل این کتاب ملحمه دانیال پیغمبر علیه السّلام نام نهاده است و بعد از او حکماء
قدیم چون حرمس و بوذرجمهر و نحسکان و واليس حكیم هر کس بروزگار خود تجربه کرده اند
و در کتابهای خویش تجربتی باز نموده اند الخ The author, who does not mention his name, says that the word Malḥama
means in Persian Razm-gáh ("Battle-field," "Place of Carnage ") and is applied to
these visions because they abound in portents of slaughter and bloodshed. The
book is said to comprise two Discourses (Maqála), of which the first is divided
into 25 and the second into 28 sections, each treating of the significance of some
particular portent, viz. (1) eclipses of the Sun; (2) eclipses of the Moon; (3) other
signs in the disc of the Sun; (4) - of the Moon; (5) the rising of New Moons;
(6) comets; (7) shooting stars; (8) rainbows; (9) meteors; (10) redness in the
sky; (11) other wondrous signs in the heavens; (12) appearance in the air of the
semblance of a person; (13) thunder; (14) the glittering of snow; (15) fire falling
from heaven; (16) heavy rain; (17) hail; (18) falling of red dust from the air;
(19) falling of frogs or worms; (20) dust-storms; (21) darkness of the air;
(22) noises in the air; (23) earthquakes; (24) unseasonable heat; (25) unseasonable
cold (26) unseasonable snow. As a matter of fact the arrangement indicated at
the beginning of the book does not seem to be observed, and the whole work
appears to be divided into numerous sections (fasl) with recurring numeration.
This part of the volume ends on f. 70a with a colophon stating that it was copied
for Shir Khán Beg and completed on Muharram 4, 1278/July 12, 1861. (II) The second part of the volume (ff. 70-159) containing a Persian treatise
on fortunate and unfortunate days by Muhammad Baqir ibn Muḥammad Taqi,
beginning: ... اما بعد چنین گوید احقر عباد الله الغنى محمّد باقر بن محمّد تقى على الله عن جرائمهما
که این رساله ایست در بیان آنچه از احادیث معتبره اهل بيت عليهم السلام معلوم میشود از
سعادت و نحوست ایام هفته و ماه و روز و ساعات و سایر ضروریات که از كتب علماء سلف
استخراج شده The first section deals with the days of the month from the 1st to the 30th,
the next with the days of the week from Friday to Thursday, the next with the
Muhammadan months from Muharram to Dhu'l-Hijja, others with eclipses, seasons,
the seven climes, the seas, rivers, sources and springs, wells, the order of creation
and the six Zoroastrian Gáhanbárs (گاهنبار), etc. This MS. was acquired in Nov. 1920 in the final partition of the Belshah
collection. It comprises 160 ff. of 22 x 16 c. and 15 ll., and is written in a fair
modern ta'liq with rubrications, dated 1278/1861.
قدیم چون حرمس و بوذرجمهر و نحسکان و واليس حكیم هر کس بروزگار خود تجربه کرده اند
و در کتابهای خویش تجربتی باز نموده اند الخ The author, who does not mention his name, says that the word Malḥama
means in Persian Razm-gáh ("Battle-field," "Place of Carnage ") and is applied to
these visions because they abound in portents of slaughter and bloodshed. The
book is said to comprise two Discourses (Maqála), of which the first is divided
into 25 and the second into 28 sections, each treating of the significance of some
particular portent, viz. (1) eclipses of the Sun; (2) eclipses of the Moon; (3) other
signs in the disc of the Sun; (4) - of the Moon; (5) the rising of New Moons;
(6) comets; (7) shooting stars; (8) rainbows; (9) meteors; (10) redness in the
sky; (11) other wondrous signs in the heavens; (12) appearance in the air of the
semblance of a person; (13) thunder; (14) the glittering of snow; (15) fire falling
from heaven; (16) heavy rain; (17) hail; (18) falling of red dust from the air;
(19) falling of frogs or worms; (20) dust-storms; (21) darkness of the air;
(22) noises in the air; (23) earthquakes; (24) unseasonable heat; (25) unseasonable
cold (26) unseasonable snow. As a matter of fact the arrangement indicated at
the beginning of the book does not seem to be observed, and the whole work
appears to be divided into numerous sections (fasl) with recurring numeration.
This part of the volume ends on f. 70a with a colophon stating that it was copied
for Shir Khán Beg and completed on Muharram 4, 1278/July 12, 1861. (II) The second part of the volume (ff. 70-159) containing a Persian treatise
on fortunate and unfortunate days by Muhammad Baqir ibn Muḥammad Taqi,
beginning: ... اما بعد چنین گوید احقر عباد الله الغنى محمّد باقر بن محمّد تقى على الله عن جرائمهما
که این رساله ایست در بیان آنچه از احادیث معتبره اهل بيت عليهم السلام معلوم میشود از
سعادت و نحوست ایام هفته و ماه و روز و ساعات و سایر ضروریات که از كتب علماء سلف
استخراج شده The first section deals with the days of the month from the 1st to the 30th,
the next with the days of the week from Friday to Thursday, the next with the
Muhammadan months from Muharram to Dhu'l-Hijja, others with eclipses, seasons,
the seven climes, the seas, rivers, sources and springs, wells, the order of creation
and the six Zoroastrian Gáhanbárs (گاهنبار), etc. This MS. was acquired in Nov. 1920 in the final partition of the Belshah
collection. It comprises 160 ff. of 22 x 16 c. and 15 ll., and is written in a fair
modern ta'liq with rubrications, dated 1278/1861.
Physical Description
Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: Ff. 160
Dimensions: 22 × 16 cm.
Layout
15 lines
Hand(s)
Fair modern ta'liq with rubrications
History
Origin: 1278 AH; 1861 CE
Provenance and Acquisition
This MS. was acquired in Nov. 1920 in the final partition of the Belshah collection.
Bequest of E. G. Browne.
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
JISC
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