RSPA 87 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)
India Office Library
Jones Collection
Royal Society Arabic and Persian
Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrī, vol 1
Contents
1 copy of Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrī
Language(s): Arabic
The first volume of an important collection of judicial decisions made by order of Aurangzeb.
On f251v, there is a separate paragraph that does not appear to form part of the MS proper, it being written after the colophon and in a different hand (slanted black naskh). This long paragraph, entitled "fī ḥaywat [sic] al-ḥayawān" is a discussion about the spirit of animals and consists of some ḥadīth and discussion of them.
Like all the MSS in this collection of the Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrī, there is an index at the start of the MS (ff(I)-(III)) in red nastaʿlīq script.
There are several seal impressions on f1r: "ʿAbd al-Ḥaqq murīd ʿĀlamgīr Shāh" dating from Aurangzeb's reign (1658-1707). Another seal bears the name of a former owner, Ḥāfiz Masʿūd Khān and the year 1153 (1740). A long note at the bottom of f1r mentions a former owner Muḥammad ʿAūn in possession of the MS in 1194 (1780). The other seal is illegible and largely effaced.
The manuscript is bound with two white lined endpapers made of European paper one bearing the watermark "H.&W.R.S.&Co." and the next a Britannia insignia.
Physical Description
European numerals in pencil. Above this, there is further foliation of Perso-Arabic numerals in both red and black ink.
Condition
Relatively good condition. Pages have suffered sustained and extensive worm damage but the text remains largely legible; there are some ripped folios which have been mended with tape. Some folios are slightly discoloured.
Layout
Uniform layout across the manuscript of one column consisting of 17 lines per side.
Hand(s)
Written in a rough, thick and variable shikastah-influenced nastaʿlīq in black ink. Red ink rubrications and indexing.
Decoration
There are some marginal annotations in a naskh script and some others which more closely resemble the script of the scribe. These latter marginal additions appear often to be corrections or words which have been missed out, whilst those in the fine naskh script are longer explanatory comments and notes.
There is (ffi-iii) a red-ink index matching the hand of the scribe of the main text. This is found at the beginning of the MS.
Catchwords are present on every page.
On f1v, Jones has written "W. Jones. Fetavii Alamgiri".
Binding
The binding is standard maroon and brown half leather India Office binding.
Accompanying Material
History
Provenance and Acquisition
RSPA 1-118 were presented to the Royal Society in January 1792 by Sir William and Lady Jones. According to Wilkins, the MSS of Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrīwere presented to the Royal Society by Lady Jones.
The Royal Society's collection of 280 Persian and Arabic, and 86 Sanskrit manuscripts were transferred to the India Office Library in 1876.
1876
India Office Library
Record Sources
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
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