C. 112 (University Library, Cambridge University)
E. G. Browne Collection
Contents
Summary of Contents: البلاغة)
روضة الابرار (ترجمة نهج The Nahju'l-Balagha ("Way of Eloquence") is believed by nearly all Muham
madan men of letters to contain the actual homilies and sayings of 'Ali ibn Abi
Tálib, compiled by his descendant ash-Shariful-Murtadà (b. 355/966: d. 436/1044)
to whom European scholars generally assign the authorship of the work (Brockel-
mann, vol. 1, pp. 404-5) The book therefore enjoys a high reputation, especially amongst the Shi'a, and the present is not the only Persian paraphrase and
commentary on it which exists: see Rieu's Persian Catalogue, pp. 18-19. This Persian translation was made by a certain Ali ibn Hasan az-Zuwárí
apparently in the year 647/1249-50. His short Introduction runs as follows (after
the doxology): كه مرغ فکر و بعد مخفی نیست که بعد از کلام حضرت ربّ العالمين و سيد المرسلين كلام معجز نظام امير
المؤمنین است صلوات الله عليهما وآلهما الطيبين كه بصنوف فصاحت و فنون بلاغت مشحونست
هیچ
سيما كتاب نهج البلاغة كه مشتمل بر معانی لطیفۀ شریفه و نکات غريبه عجيبه
هیچ بلیغ بحرم سرای آن نمی تواند رسید و لیکن
فصیح در فضای آن نمی تواند پرید و اندیشه
غواصان بحور معانی بقدر وسع و توانائی درری و غرری چند از آن دریای بی پایان بساحل بیان
آورده اند که هر کس بحسب قابلیت و استعداد از و محظوظ گشتند و بحكم ما لا يُدْرَك كله لا
يترك كلّه بنده حقیر بی مقدار على بن حسن الزوارى غفر الله تعالى ذنوبه وستر عيوبه بجهت
عموم فائده مرتکب ترجمه آن شد كه موسوم است بروضة الابرار بر وجه اختصار که انسب است
برای استحضار ومن الله التوفيق وهو خير رفيق و جامع این کتاب شریف حضرت من خصه الله
تعالى بالمواهب العلية والمناقب الجليلة ذى الحسبين ابى الحسن السيد رضى الدين محمد بن
الحسين بن موسى بن محمد بن موسى بن ابراهيم بن موسی الکاظم است عليهم السلام سيد
رحمه الله ميفرمايد الخ It will be seen from the conclusion of the above extract that the compilation of
the Nahju'l-Balagha is here ascribed not to ash-Sharifu'l-Murtadá but to his brother
ash-Sharifu'r-Radí. This fine MS. was bought by me from the heirs of the late Sir A. Houtum-
Schindler at the beginning of 1917. He bought it in December, 1906. In 1270/1854
it was in the possession of Kayúmarth Mírzá; in 1787 of Charles Boddam of
Calcutta; in 1198/1784 of Shamsu'd-Dawla Muniru'l-Mulk, and in 1019/1610-11
of Sultan Muhammad of Kashmir. It comprises 497 ff. of 24'2 x 16'9 c. and 23 ll.
The Arabic text is written in clear naskh and pointed; the Persian translation is
good nasta liq, with rubrications and some marginal notes and glosses. There is no
colophon or date, but the writing appears to be of the fifteenth century of our era.
روضة الابرار (ترجمة نهج The Nahju'l-Balagha ("Way of Eloquence") is believed by nearly all Muham
madan men of letters to contain the actual homilies and sayings of 'Ali ibn Abi
Tálib, compiled by his descendant ash-Shariful-Murtadà (b. 355/966: d. 436/1044)
to whom European scholars generally assign the authorship of the work (Brockel-
mann, vol. 1, pp. 404-5) The book therefore enjoys a high reputation, especially amongst the Shi'a, and the present is not the only Persian paraphrase and
commentary on it which exists: see Rieu's Persian Catalogue, pp. 18-19. This Persian translation was made by a certain Ali ibn Hasan az-Zuwárí
apparently in the year 647/1249-50. His short Introduction runs as follows (after
the doxology): كه مرغ فکر و بعد مخفی نیست که بعد از کلام حضرت ربّ العالمين و سيد المرسلين كلام معجز نظام امير
المؤمنین است صلوات الله عليهما وآلهما الطيبين كه بصنوف فصاحت و فنون بلاغت مشحونست
هیچ
سيما كتاب نهج البلاغة كه مشتمل بر معانی لطیفۀ شریفه و نکات غريبه عجيبه
هیچ بلیغ بحرم سرای آن نمی تواند رسید و لیکن
فصیح در فضای آن نمی تواند پرید و اندیشه
غواصان بحور معانی بقدر وسع و توانائی درری و غرری چند از آن دریای بی پایان بساحل بیان
آورده اند که هر کس بحسب قابلیت و استعداد از و محظوظ گشتند و بحكم ما لا يُدْرَك كله لا
يترك كلّه بنده حقیر بی مقدار على بن حسن الزوارى غفر الله تعالى ذنوبه وستر عيوبه بجهت
عموم فائده مرتکب ترجمه آن شد كه موسوم است بروضة الابرار بر وجه اختصار که انسب است
برای استحضار ومن الله التوفيق وهو خير رفيق و جامع این کتاب شریف حضرت من خصه الله
تعالى بالمواهب العلية والمناقب الجليلة ذى الحسبين ابى الحسن السيد رضى الدين محمد بن
الحسين بن موسى بن محمد بن موسى بن ابراهيم بن موسی الکاظم است عليهم السلام سيد
رحمه الله ميفرمايد الخ It will be seen from the conclusion of the above extract that the compilation of
the Nahju'l-Balagha is here ascribed not to ash-Sharifu'l-Murtadá but to his brother
ash-Sharifu'r-Radí. This fine MS. was bought by me from the heirs of the late Sir A. Houtum-
Schindler at the beginning of 1917. He bought it in December, 1906. In 1270/1854
it was in the possession of Kayúmarth Mírzá; in 1787 of Charles Boddam of
Calcutta; in 1198/1784 of Shamsu'd-Dawla Muniru'l-Mulk, and in 1019/1610-11
of Sultan Muhammad of Kashmir. It comprises 497 ff. of 24'2 x 16'9 c. and 23 ll.
The Arabic text is written in clear naskh and pointed; the Persian translation is
good nasta liq, with rubrications and some marginal notes and glosses. There is no
colophon or date, but the writing appears to be of the fifteenth century of our era.
Title: Rawḍat al-abrār
Title: روضة الابرار
Language(s): Persian
References
This work is a Persian translation of the Nahj al-balāghah نهج البلاغة .
Physical Description
Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: Ff. 497
Dimensions: 24.2 × 16.9 cm.
Layout
23 lines
Hand(s)
The Arabic text is written in clear naskh and pointed; the Persian translation is good nasta liq, with rubrications and some marginal notes and glosses.
History
Origin: 9th century AH; 15th century CE
Provenance and Acquisition
This fine MS. was bought by me from the heirs of the late Albert Houtum-Schindler at the beginning of 1917.
Schindler bought it in December, 1906.
In 1270/1854 it was in the possession of Kayúmarth Mírzá
in 1787 of Charles Boddam of Calcutta
in 1198/1784 of Shamsu'd-Dawla Muniru'l-Mulk
in 1019/1610-11 of Sultan Muhammad of Kashmir
Record Sources
Summary, physical description and provenance copied from R. A. Nicholson: A descriptive catalogue of the Oriental MSS belonging to the late E.G. Browne. Cambridge, 1932.
Availability
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Funding of Cataloguing
JISC
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