CODRINGTON/READE NO 13. BOX 5. (Library, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland)

Persian Manuscripts

Summary of Contents: Pro-Shi'i polemic, in the form of a discussion supposed to have taken place at the court of Harun al-Rashid, the Shi'a argument being maintained by the slave-girl Hasaniyya.

Title: Risalah-i Hasaniyyah / Claims to be translated from Arabic by Ibrabim b.Wali Allah Astarabadi, who says he found the work with a Saiyid at Damascus on his return from the pilgrimage in A.H. 958. The translation was undertaken at the request of Sulaiman Beg the Tufangchibashi (Chief of Musketeers). (Last folio, recto)

Not in Morley Printed Cat. Front fly leaf, recto: description and number in pencil. F1a of text: David Price, in ink. Morley thought the MS might be the translator's autograph. But there is no evidence to support this. As Morley notes, a copy of the Persian edition of A.H. 1239 was presented to the Library by Sir Henry Willock [British envoy to Iran] on April 7 1827. In this the role of the Tupchibashi is not mentioned and the 'translator's' explanation comes at the beginning rather than at the end. Initial opening illuminated. Ruled borders. Text is said, evidently falsely, to be recited on the authority of Abu 'l-Futuh Razi (F1b).

Incipit: Riwayat kard muhaqqiq-i fadil wa mudaqqiq kamil

Language(s): Persian.

References

Rieu, i, p. 30; iii, p. 1078.

For Price's bequest see the Journal for 1836, pp. xii-xiv (an obituary note p. lx).

Physical Description

Form: codex

Extent: Folios 87

Dimensions (leaf): 9.5 × 6.5 in.

Layout

15 lines on a page

Hand(s)

Naskh.

Binding

Oriental brown leather binding with tooled cartouches and borders. Paper labels: Persian (11 deleted) 13.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Bequeathed by Major David Price.

Availability

Visitors are welcome to consult manuscripts in the library by prior appointment. Information on access is available on the library page of the Society's web site at www.royalasiaticsociety.org and appointments can be arranged by e-mailing library@royalasiaticsociety.org

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