RSPA 90 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)
India Office Library
Jones Collection
Royal Society Arabic and Persian
Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrī, vol 3 part 2
Contents
1 copy of Fatāwā ʿĀlamgīrī
Language(s): Arabic
The second part of the third volume of an important collection of judicial decisions made by order of Aurangzeb.
The index (ff1v-5v) does not match up to this MS but rather to MS RSPA 89, the second part of this work. The index for this MS is found in MS RSPA 89. Jones has noted this in this MS (but not in the other one), writing "This belongs to the first volume of Book III" on f1v and "See next volume" on the bottom of f5v.
On f6r, before the text of the MS begins, Jones has signed "W. Jones" and written "Fetāwii Aālamgīrī Book III Part 2".
On f1v, a hand that is found nowhere else in this MS writes in Persian nastaʿlīq "jild-i sivvum-i fatavi-yi ʿĀlamgīrī".
On f1v, there are two ownership seals, one belonging to Abū al-Fatḥ Muḥammad Akram al-Dīn, dated 1107, regnal year 39 (1695), and the second to Ḥāfiẓ Masʿūd Khān, this latter with the date 1153 (1740).
Physical Description
European numerals in pencil. On f6r (the beginning of the text proper after the index), foliation continues in Perso-Arabic numerals in black ink from the previous MS (RSPA 89) volume of the Fatāwā, starting at f.492 and ending with f1073.
Condition
Whilst the text block is in relatively good condition, being largely repaired from extensive worm damage, the binding is almost completely broken. The MS as it stands is in two main parts, where the binding has completely ripped apart. Further, f320 and several other folios have come loose from the binding.
Layout
Uniform layout of one column per side consisting of 23 lines per column. Colums are bordered by thin-line blue and red textboxes.
Hand(s)
Neat black-ink naskh with rubrications and red-ink indexing.
Decoration
There are no marginal comments except for the scribe's own addition of missed words or corrections of spelling errors.
Catchwords are present on every page.
Binding
Brown leather European style Indian binding with gilded floral decoration down the spine. Broken in two places entirely; several pages are loose. The endbands are also almost entirely broken.
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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