Delhi Persian 909 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

India Office Library

Tahẕīb al-Akhlāq

Summary of Contents: A Persian didactic treatise by an unnamed author on practical morality, titled Tahẕīb al-Akhlāq. The work has three sections (bāb) dedicated to the three components of 'practical wisdom' (ḥikmat-i ʿamalī). This manuscript seems to be the only listed copy.

Title: Tahẕīb al-Akhlāq

Title: تهذیب الاخلاق

Incipit: اخلاق مهذبۀ اهل کمال که لایق اتباع و انتخاب تواند بود حمد حضرت مبدع قدیمست

Explicit: پیوسته بر ملازمت سیرت عدل و التزام طریق | حق مواظبت کن تا نیکبخت دوجهانی | باشی و الله الموفق الساکن و الماشی والسلام

Colophon: (ff. 109v and 110r) Completed in Shaʿbān 1094 (July/August 1683) in Akbarabad.

Language(s): Persian

Physical Description

Form: codex

Extent: ff. 110.

Dimensions (leaf): 220 × 120 mm.

Dimensions (written): 162 × 70 mm.

Foliation:

Stamped foliation on every leaf with every fifth leaf in pencil.

Collation

Catchwords on the bottom-left corners of the verso.

Condition

Partially damaged. Worm-eaten and fragile leaves. Unbound.

Layout

12 lines per page.

Hand(s)

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

Decoration

Illuminated polychrome headpiece (f. 1v). The text of the opening pages is enclosed within cloud-bands with gold infill between lines.

Ruled polychrome text frames.

Additions:

Occasional marginalia.

(f.1r) Valuation of [Rs] 10.

(f. 110v) Note containing a didactic story.

Accompanying Material

Wrapper: discarded East India Company printed sheet 'Act No. XXXVII of 1850'.

History

Origin: Shaʿbān 1094 AH (July/August 1683 CE) ; Akbarabad, India

Provenance and Acquisition

Purchased by the Government of India at sale organised by Delhi Prize Agents, 1859.

Acquired by the India Office Library as an administrative deposit in 1876.

Record Sources

Based on R. Levy's description in Drafts for Catalogue of Persian Manuscripts in the India Office Library, vol. III, Mss Eur E207/33, f. 14. Revised and completed by Ali Shapouran.

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. For information on catalogues and ordering manuscripts see Finding and ordering Persian manuscripts in the British Library.

Funding of Cataloguing

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