F. 5 (University Library, Cambridge University)
E. G. Browne Collection
Contents
Summary of Contents: Persian translation by Muhammad Radí ibn Muhammad Ridá of an Arabic treatise written by Sayyid Kázim of Rasht in reply to certain questions addressed to him by an unnamed enquirer, beginning: بعد از حمد و ستایش خداوندی که رحمت جمیلش متحيّرينرا دلیل و رأفت جزيلش طالبينرا هادئ سبیل است و درود با معدود بر رسول رادش محمد مصطفی و ائمه هدى عليهم السلام كه خلاصه وجود و از آفرینش مقصود هستند بنگارش مراد میپردازد که اینرساله ایست از رشحات قلم معجز رقم جناب علامه عالم و عماد اعظم ملاذ الاسلام والمسلمين آية الله على العالمين قوام الملة والدين قطب العلماء والعارفين حاجی سید کاظم دام فیضه که در جواب سؤالی بیان فرموده اند و این فقير كثير التقصير متمسكا بذیل ارادته محمد رضى بن محمد رضا طاب ثراه حسب الاشارة جمعی از مخادیم كرام به ترجمه آن اقدام کرد بنحویکه فهم آن بر خواص و عوام آسان باشد سؤال سائل و جواب آنفخر افاضل را بفارسی نقل نموده امید که در حضرت طالبين موقع قبول يابد، Here follow eight lines of the Arabic text, written throughout in red, beginning, after the Bismillah : الحمد لله الذى أرشد من استرشده الى سبيل الرشاد وأوصل من استهداه إلى أقصى الغاية وأعلى المراد الخ The questions chiefly concern the attitude which the simple Shi'a believer should adopt towards the rival sects or schools of the Uşúlís, Akhbárís, and Bálá-sarís on the one hand, and the Shaykhís or Kashfis on the other (f. 4). This leads to an account of the life and teachings of Shaykh Aḥmad ibn Zayni'd-Din al-Aḥsa'i, the founder of the Shaykhí school and predecessor of the author Sayyid Kazim of Rasht, who is eulogized in the following terms (f. 7"): ... لہذا میگوئیم در جواب سؤال سائل سلّمه الله تعالى كه فمنهم من سمى نفسه شيخيا وكشفيًّا مراد از شیخی و کشفی اصحاب شیخ اعظم و عماد اقوم و نور اتم و جامع أعظم عزّ الاسلام والمسلمين ركن المؤمنين الممتحنين آية الله في العالمين المبطل لمخترعات الصوفيين والمزيف الأغاليط أوهام الحكماء (1) الأولين الممين للطريقة الحقة التى أتى بها سيد المرسلين وخاتم النبيين والشارح لبعض مقامات الأئمة الطاهرين مظهر الشريعة وشارح الطريقة بسرّ الحقيقة شيخنا وأستادنا وعمادنا الشيخ احمد بن زين الدين الاحسائى اعلى الله مقامه است و مقصود از جمعی که ایشانرا كشفيه نامیده اند منسوبان آنجنابست بجهة اینکه خداوند عالم کشف کرده است پرده جهل را از نظر و قلوب آنها و ایشانند کسانیکه کشف شده است از ضمایر آنها ظلمت شكوك و شبهات الخ Apparently the author prefers the sect or school which he represents to be called Kashft rather than Shaykhi, for he says (f. 8): مراد از اسم شیخیه که در اینروزها اینفرقه را بدان اسمی نامند چنانکه اثنا عشریه را برافضیه کسانی هستند که منسوبند بر این شیخ جلیل و عالم نبیل فهو الشيخ احمد بن زين الدين بن ابرهيم بن صغر بن واغر بن راشد بن دهيم بن شمروخ الصغر المسطرفى الاحسائى وحيد عصره و یگانه دهره که اخذ کرده است علومرا از معدنش و بر داشته است از منبعش که عبارت باشد از ائمه طاهرين الخ What he means by Shaykh Ahmad having "drawn knowledge from its source, to wit the pure Imáms" is that first the Imam Hasan and subsequently the Prophet himself appeared to him in dreams and imparted to him spiritual knowledge. He seems to have been driven from 'Iraq by the fanaticism of the Wahhabis, and to have gone to Persia with the intention of visiting Mashhad. He remained some time at Yazd, where his teaching attracted much attention, and drew round him the most notable of the 'Ulamá. Finally his fame reached the ears of Fath-'Alí Sháh, who invited him to Tihrán, and, having become acquainted with him, wished him to take up his abode there, but he declined this honour, and preferred to return to Yazd, where he remained for five years. Having resolved to visit the Holy Shrines in 'Iráq, he journeyed by way of Isfahan, where he remained forty days and made the acquaintance of many eminent doctors, including his biographer. Then he went to Kirmánsháh, where he was so well received by the Prince Governor that he returned thither after accomplishing his visit to the Holy Shrines, and took up his residence there for some time. After quoting a number of ijázas and other testimonials of distinguished theologians, in which they testify to Shaykh Ahmad's learning and piety, the author proceeds to enumerate 97 of his works (ff. 20"-26"), beginning with the Sharkul-Jami'ati'l-Kabira mentioned above (F. 1, 1 and 2), commentaries on two of Mullá Şadrá's works (al-Hikmatu'l-Arshiyya and the Mashá'ir), and his own Fawa'id and its commentary (F. 3). Ff. 69 of 21'6X 12'8 c. and 22 ll.; excellent modern naskh, the Arabic passages in red and fully pointed; copied by Mírzá Mahdí ibn Ibráhím of Rasht and completed at the beginning of Rajab, 1308/Feb. 10, 1901. Given to me by the Nawwab Mirza Abbas-quli Khan,
Physical Description
Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: Ff. 69
Dimensions: 21.6 × 12.8 cm.
Layout
22 lines
Hand(s)
Modern naskh, Arabic passages in red and fully pointed
History
Origin: 1308 AH; 1901 CE
Provenance and Acquisition
Given to E. G. Browne by the Nawwab Mirza Abbas-quli Khan
Bequest of E. G. Browne.
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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