Persian MS 989 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Persian Manuscripts

Summary of Contents: An undated copy of a geographical work entitle Haft Iqlīm (Seven Climes) authored by Amīn Aḥmad al-Rāzī, fl. 1593-1619, an Iranian émigré to India who composed this work for his patron, the Mughal ruler, Emperor Jahāngīr (r. 1605–1626).

Author: Amīn Aḥmad al-Rāzī, fl. 1593-1619 امين احمد الرازي

Title: Haft Iqlīm

Title: هفت اقليم

Language(s): Persian

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Thin beige paper.

Extent: 260 folios (ff. 260).

Dimensions (leaf): 214 × 150 mm.

Layout

Written in 2 columns with 20 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.

Hand(s)

Written in clear black nasta‘līq with red subheaders.

Decoration

Red headings and overlinings. Text frames: gold, red, and blue.

Additions:

Additions on the margins of ff. 68v-84v.

History

Origin: Probably completed in the Indian subcontinent 18th century.

Provenance and Acquisition

Subsequently acquired by Manchester merchant and scholar Samuel Robinson (1794–1884) of Wilmslow, the author of Persian Poetry for English Readers (1883), who donated it to Owens College (the original institution that evolved into the of The University of Manchester today).

Transferred to the John Rylands Library in 1975 after it merged with the University of Manchester.

Record Sources

Bibliographical description derived from Siavash Rafiee-Rad, 'Persian Manuscripts in Samuel Robinson’s Collection in The John Rylands Library' (2017).

Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2022 with reference to the volume in hand.

Availability

To book an in-person or online appointment to consult the manuscript, visit Using the Special Collections Reading Rooms. For any other enquiries please email uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.

Bibliography

S. Rafiee-Rad, 'Persian Manuscripts in Samuel Robinson’s Collection in The John Rylands Library', Manuscripta: A Journal for Manuscript Research, Vol. 61, No. 2 (2017): pp. 273–275, pls. 7–8.

C. Rieu, Catalogue of the Persian manuscripts in the British Museum, Vol. I (London: British Museum, 1879), p. 355 [British Library Or. 203].

Catalogue of Persian manuscripts in the library of the India Office (2 vols.) H. Ethé 1903-37 col.380, no. 724 [BL IO Islamic 49] {up to col.499}

Catalogue of the Persian, Turkish, Hindûstânî, and Pushtû Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library E. Sachau and H. Ethé 1889 col.410, no. 416 [Bodl. Elliot 158]

Catalogue of the Persian, Turkish, Hindûstânî, and Pushtû Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Part III A.F.L. Beeston 1954 p.15 no. 2507 [Bodl. Ms. Pers. C. 24]

Persian Literature: a bio-bibliographical survey C. A. Storey 1927–39 I.2 p.1170 (imperfect)

Mughals in India: a bibliographical survey. Vol. 1. Manuscripts D.N. Marshall 1962 p.71

Funding of Cataloguing

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library

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