V. 7 (University Library, Cambridge University)
E. G. Browne Collection
Contents
of Súfi saints, containing the Kulliyyát, or complete works, of the eminent mystical
poet Shaykh Faridu'd-Din 'Attár. See vol. II of my Literary History of Persia,
pp. 506-515, and especially pp. 509-511, where attention is called to the extraordinary
discrepancies of various biographers as to the year of his death, the dates given for
which vary between 589/1193 and 632/1234-5. According to the most circumstantial
account (given by Dawlatshah, whose inaccuracy is, however, notorious) he perished
in the sack of Nishápur, his native town, by the Mongols in 627/1229-1230. Other
MSS. of the Kulliyyát of 'Attár, or portions of them, are described by Rieu
(Persian Catalogue, pp. 576-580); Ethé (Bodleian Pers. Cat., cols. 498-506;
India Office Pers. Cat., cols. 612-627), etc. This MS. was brought to Cambridge with others by Prince Zahiru's-Sultán in
November, 1908, when he was driven into exile during the period of reaction which
followed the destruction of the Persian Majlis and Constitution by Muhammad
'Ali Shah and his Russian aiders and abettors in the preceding summer; and was
bought from him by me for £15, a small price for so excellent a book. It comprises
the following 21 works of 'Attár, the list of which is given on f. 2ª, and the beginning
of each of which is indicated by a small tag of red cloth attached to the margin of
the initial page. (1). Tadhkiratu'l-Awliyá, or "Memoirs of the Saints," the only prose work in
the collection, of which the text, edited by Dr R. A. Nicholson, was published in
my "Persian Historical Texts" Series in two volumes in 1905 and 1907. This
occupies ff. 2-142 of the MS. (2) The Jawharu dh-Dhát (ff. 143-253). At the end are written, in a cursive
modern hand dated 1307/1889-90, two quatrains on the mutability of life and the
transitoriness of all possessions. Beneath them is the signature "Şafá 'Alí." (3) The Iláhí-náma (ff. 254-312). The same two quatrains with the same
signature appear at the end of this poem also. (4) The Mastbat-náma (ff. 313-391). (5) The Kanzu'l-Haqa'iq (ff. 392-405). (6) The Tarjamatu'l-Ahadith (ff. 406-426). The last verse of this poem gives
699/1299-1300 as the date of completion, which throws great doubt on its
authenticity, though 'Attár's name is mentioned in the third verse from the end: گناهی نیز عطار از برونست که من از هرچه میگویم فزونست
دهد این
بیاموزد بنقد آن بنده حق
نسخه را با خلق رونق رساند نفع این بر خاص و عام اینکه در ششصد بود که شد تمام این
(7) The Mazharul- Ajaib (ff. 427-500). It is divided into two parts called
Daftar, of which the second begins on f. 477b, and contains answers to twenty-four
questions. (8) The Asrár-náma (ff. 501-534). (9) The Khusraw wa Gul (ff. 535-619). (10) The Wuslat-náma (ff. 620-635) (11) The Haft Wadt (ff. 636-642). (12) The Khayyál-náma (ff. 643-653). (13) The Mansur-nama (ff. 654-657) (14) The Misbah-náma (ff. 658-664) (15) The Pand-náma (ff. 665-667). (16) The Mantiqu't-Tayr (ff. 668-699). (17) The Bulbul-náma (ff. 700-704). (18) The Ushtur-náma (ff. 705-732). (19) The Lisinu'l-Ghays (. 733-787) (20) Qasidas and Ghasals (ff. 788-854). (21) The Mukhtár-náma (ff. 855-914). The MS. comprises 915 ff. of 33.5 x 20 cm and 25 ll. in four columns (i.e. two bayts
or verses to the line). Written throughout in a small, neat, clear Persian ta'liq of no
great antiquity with rubrications and illuminated 'unwáns at the beginning of each
component part. No date or colophon.The former owner of this MS., Zahíru's-Sultán, though of the blood royal, was
an enthusiastic supporter of the Constitution. After the coup d'état of June 23, 1908,
he was one of those imprisoned by Muḥammad Ali Sháh in the Bágh-i-Sháh
("King's Garden"), and it was said that his cousin the Sháh only refrained from
killing him because his mother (the Sháh's aunt) threatened to kill herself if he
persisted in this intention. It was during his subsequent exile that he visited
Cambridge on November 20, 1908. See my Persian Revolution, pp. 204, 208 and
note, and 209. His father Zahiru'd-Dawla, whose proper name was 'Alí Khán
Qájár, was Master of the Ceremonies (Wazir-i-Tashrifát) under Náşiru'd-Din
Sháh, with whom he was a great favourite, and who gave him his daughter
Furúghu'd-Dawla (the lady above mentioned) in marriage. He was a notable
Murshid, or spiritual guide, and the Head of an Order of Dervishes.
Physical Description
Layout
25 lines
Hand(s)
Written throughout in a small, neat, clear Persian ta'liq of no great antiquity with rubrications and illuminated 'unwáns at the beginning of each component part.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Former owner, Zahír al-Sultán , though of the blood royal, was an enthusiastic supporter of the Constitution. After the coup d'état of June 23, 1908, he was one of those imprisoned by Muḥammad Ali Sháh in the Bágh-i-Sháh ("King's Garden"), and it was said that his cousin the Sháh only refrained from killing him because his mother (the Sháh's aunt) threatened to kill herself if he persisted in this intention. It was during his subsequent exile that he visited Cambridge on November 20, 1908. See my Persian Revolution, pp. 204, 208 and note, and 209. His father Zahiru'd-Dawla, whose proper name was 'Ali Khán Qájár, was Master of the Ceremonies (Wazir-i-Tashrifát) under Náşiru'd-Din Sháh, with whom he was a great favourite, and who gave him his daughter Furúghu'd-Dawla (the lady above mentioned) in marriage. He was a notable Murshid, or spiritual guide, and the Head of an Order of Dervishes.
Bequest of E. G. Browne.
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