Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

Delhi Persian 44 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

India Office Library

Akhbār al-Mā‘ad by Ghulām Muḥammad al-Satirkhī

Contents

Summary of Contents: Treatise translating and commenting on traditions relating to the subjects of death, burial, resurrection, the day of judgement, intercession and salvation, the conditions of heaven and hell, etcetera, collected from the Mishkāt and Bukhārī’s al-Ṣaḥīḥ, entitled Akhbār al-maʿād hādiyatan li al-ṭarīqin al-sadād by the author Ghulām Muḥammad al-Satirkhī, begun 5 Muḥarram 1089 (27 February 1678) and completed 1 Jumādá al-Ukhrá of the same year (21 July 1678).
Language(s): Persian and Arabic

The work begins with a preface in Arabic, and is divided into two maṭlab, consisting of multiple bāb and faṣl. It begins and ends with a lengthy and effusive dedication to the Mughal Emperor Abū al-Ẓafar Muḥyī al-Dīn Muḥammad Awrangzīb Bahādur ʿĀlamgīr Pādshāh Ghāzī, who apparently helped the author with his work.

There is no dated colophon but the manuscript is datable to within the author and patron’s lifetime.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: ff. ii+318+wrapper
Dimensions (leaf): 250 × 165 mm.
Dimensions (written): 165 × 97 mm.

Collation

Catchwords.

Condition

Slightly worm-eaten and torn. Without binding but with remnants of sewing. Encased in plain wrapper with detached binding. Has been remargined, perhaps in 19th century.

Layout

15 lines per page.

Hand(s)

Naskh; copied in black ink, with headings and overlinings in red.

Additions:

Folio 1r contains the following Mughal inscriptions: Transfer from Muʻnim Bayg to Murād Bayg, certified by Muḥammad Rashīd, inspector (mushrif), dated 29 Zu’l-Ḥijjah year 50 (1117, 13 April 1706); transfer from Murād Bayg to ʻAẓīm Bayg, dated 7 Rajab year 2 (1120, 22 Sept 1708); transfer from ʻAẓīm Bayg to … [illegible] Bayg, dated 3 Rabīʻ I year 3 (1121, 13 May 1709), and a valuation of Rs. 18(?); and an inspection dated 19 Rabīʻ I(?) year 3 (1121, 29 May 1709).

Wrapper made of re-used list of works in the Delhi Persian collection.

Binding

19th-century plain leather binding with patterned paper pastedowns on a red ground.

Seal(s):

f. 1r: damaged circular seal of Sayyid ʻAli al-Ḥusaynī murīd-i ʻĀlam’gīr pādshāh.

f. 1r: damaged circular seal of Qābil Khān, khānah’zād-i ʻĀlamgīr Pādshāh [RY] 29 (1685/86).

f. 1r: circular seal of Arshad Khān khānah’zād-i Shāh ʻĀlam Pādshāh Ghāzī, sanah aḥad 112[0]? (1707/8).

f. 1r: circular seal of Arshad Khān khānah’zād-i Shāh ʻĀlam Pādshāh Ghāzī, sanah 3, 1121 (1709-10).

f. 1r: undated octagonal seal inscribed "naqsh-i Muḥammad ʻAlī bandah bi-dil".

f. 1v: two illegible rectangular seals.

Black Government of India Delhi MSS oval stamp (ff. 1r, 318v).

History

Origin: Copied between 1678 (date of composition) and 1683 (death of librarian Sayyid ʻAlī al-Husayni) CE ; India

Provenance and Acquisition

Entered the Mughal imperial library during the lifetime of the librarian Sayyid ʻAlī al-Ḥusayni (d. 1683) (his damaged seal, most likely dated RY 8, 1075/1665); remained there at least until 1709 (inscriptions dated regnal year 3 most likely of Bahadur Shah ʻAlam (r. 1707-12).

Acquired by unknown owners (indecipherable rectangular seals, f.1v and octagonal seal, f.1r).

Purchased by the Government of India at sale organised by Delhi Prize Agents, 1859; administrative deposit India Office Library, 1876.

Acquired by the Government of India in 1876

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.

Bibliography

    N. Sobers-Khan"Aurangzeb Ponders the Afterlife", in British Library Asian and African Studies Blog, 12 August 2013.

Funding of Cataloguing

BL


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