G. 13 (University Library, Cambridge University)
E. G. Browne Collection
Contents
Summary of Contents: و دافع الغصص،
احسن القصص و The Asal-Qisas wa-Dúfi'u'l-Ghusay, an abridgement of the Tarikh-i-Alft
(ie "the Millennial History," or history of the thousand years succeeding the Flight
of the Prophet from Mecca to al-Madina) made in 1248/1832-3 by Ahmad ibn
Abi'l-Fath ash-Sharif al-Hárí al-Isfahání. Concerning the Tarikh-i-Alfi, see
Rieu's Persian Catalogue, pp. 117-119, where mention is made of the present
abridgement with a reference to the Mélanges Asiatiques, vol. VI, p. 121. Pp. 534 of 28 4 × 17 c. and 19 ll.; fair ta'liq with rubrications; the last few
pages much discoloured by damp; no date or colophon. The year 994/1586
appears to be the last mentioned. Begins: الله والحمد لله تعالى
بسم بیا و بنگر اگر چشم خوردبین ،داری كه سنگریزه بطحا عقیق و مرجان است العبد الراجي
احمد بن ابو الفتح الشريف الحارى الاصفهانی معروض میدارد که در هنگام كتابت كتاب تاريخ
الفي كه جامع جميع تواریخ و وقایع سلاطین ذوی الاقتدار از زمان اتفاق امت در سقیفه الی یکهزار
سال آنچه در اسلام بعد از رحلت حضرت خير البشر صلوات الله عليه وآله واقع شده از حادثات و
خلفاء ثلاثه و خلافت جناب امير المؤمنين عليه السلام و بنی امیه چهارده نفر در هزار ماه و بنی
عباس سی و هفت نفر در پانصد و بیست و چهار سال و بقولی مطابق لفظ شرك و حكام طاهريه
و سلاطین سامانیه و صقاريّه و غزنویه و آل بویه و سلجوقيه و خلفاء اسمعيلية مصر و دعاة ايشان
در عراق و غیره و خوارزمشاهیه و ملوك غور و سلاطین هند و چنگیزخانی که در اطراف عالم نسلًا
بعد نسل سلطنت کردند الخ سير The author continues the enumeration of the dynasties down to the rise of the
Safawis in Persia in 906/1500-1 and their establishment of the Shi'a doctrine in our doctrine is true," and مذهبنا حق that country according to the chronogram of the Tímúrid (or "Moghul") dynasty in India down to the time of Akbar. Of the
sources used for the compilation of the Ta'rikk-i-Alft or "Millennial History" (so called because it was compiled in 1000/1591-2) he mentions the works of ad-
Dinawari, Ibn Khallikán, Shaykh Khúrí, Ibn Atham al-Kúfi, al-Yáfi'i, Háfiz
Abrú, and al-Mas'údí, the Rawdatu's-Safá of Mirkhwánd, the Malla'u's-sa'dayn,
and other special histories of Egypt, Baghdad, Turkey (Rim), India, Persia and
Turkistán. Having made numerous copies of the Tarikh-i-Alfi, an enormous
compilation comprising 180,000 bayts, the author of the present compendium in the
year 1248/1832-3 He must, however, have begun the work before this date, for on p. 404 he mentions 1244/1828-9 as the current date. resolved to extract from it the most instructive and entertaining
portions and narrate them in a simple and agreeable style for the benefit of those
who found the original too long and wearisome, and to give to this compendium the
title of Asanal-gisas wa Dafi wl-Ghayas ("the Best of Stories and Dispeller of
Sorrows"). The period preceding the fall of the 'Abbasid Caliphate occupies a much greater
space (to p. 380) than the later period, the account of the Safawi dynasty only
beginning on p. 515, and Bábur's conquest of India on p. 524. The latest date
mentioned is 994/1586, the year in which died the Turkish Sultán Sulaymán "the
Magnificent." The work ends somewhat abruptly: در وصفش همین بس که مزین شد بنام نامی و القاب گرامی بخشید There is no colophon.
احسن القصص و The Asal-Qisas wa-Dúfi'u'l-Ghusay, an abridgement of the Tarikh-i-Alft
(ie "the Millennial History," or history of the thousand years succeeding the Flight
of the Prophet from Mecca to al-Madina) made in 1248/1832-3 by Ahmad ibn
Abi'l-Fath ash-Sharif al-Hárí al-Isfahání. Concerning the Tarikh-i-Alfi, see
Rieu's Persian Catalogue, pp. 117-119, where mention is made of the present
abridgement with a reference to the Mélanges Asiatiques, vol. VI, p. 121. Pp. 534 of 28 4 × 17 c. and 19 ll.; fair ta'liq with rubrications; the last few
pages much discoloured by damp; no date or colophon. The year 994/1586
appears to be the last mentioned. Begins: الله والحمد لله تعالى
بسم بیا و بنگر اگر چشم خوردبین ،داری كه سنگریزه بطحا عقیق و مرجان است العبد الراجي
احمد بن ابو الفتح الشريف الحارى الاصفهانی معروض میدارد که در هنگام كتابت كتاب تاريخ
الفي كه جامع جميع تواریخ و وقایع سلاطین ذوی الاقتدار از زمان اتفاق امت در سقیفه الی یکهزار
سال آنچه در اسلام بعد از رحلت حضرت خير البشر صلوات الله عليه وآله واقع شده از حادثات و
خلفاء ثلاثه و خلافت جناب امير المؤمنين عليه السلام و بنی امیه چهارده نفر در هزار ماه و بنی
عباس سی و هفت نفر در پانصد و بیست و چهار سال و بقولی مطابق لفظ شرك و حكام طاهريه
و سلاطین سامانیه و صقاريّه و غزنویه و آل بویه و سلجوقيه و خلفاء اسمعيلية مصر و دعاة ايشان
در عراق و غیره و خوارزمشاهیه و ملوك غور و سلاطین هند و چنگیزخانی که در اطراف عالم نسلًا
بعد نسل سلطنت کردند الخ سير The author continues the enumeration of the dynasties down to the rise of the
Safawis in Persia in 906/1500-1 and their establishment of the Shi'a doctrine in our doctrine is true," and مذهبنا حق that country according to the chronogram of the Tímúrid (or "Moghul") dynasty in India down to the time of Akbar. Of the
sources used for the compilation of the Ta'rikk-i-Alft or "Millennial History" (so called because it was compiled in 1000/1591-2) he mentions the works of ad-
Dinawari, Ibn Khallikán, Shaykh Khúrí, Ibn Atham al-Kúfi, al-Yáfi'i, Háfiz
Abrú, and al-Mas'údí, the Rawdatu's-Safá of Mirkhwánd, the Malla'u's-sa'dayn,
and other special histories of Egypt, Baghdad, Turkey (Rim), India, Persia and
Turkistán. Having made numerous copies of the Tarikh-i-Alfi, an enormous
compilation comprising 180,000 bayts, the author of the present compendium in the
year 1248/1832-3 He must, however, have begun the work before this date, for on p. 404 he mentions 1244/1828-9 as the current date. resolved to extract from it the most instructive and entertaining
portions and narrate them in a simple and agreeable style for the benefit of those
who found the original too long and wearisome, and to give to this compendium the
title of Asanal-gisas wa Dafi wl-Ghayas ("the Best of Stories and Dispeller of
Sorrows"). The period preceding the fall of the 'Abbasid Caliphate occupies a much greater
space (to p. 380) than the later period, the account of the Safawi dynasty only
beginning on p. 515, and Bábur's conquest of India on p. 524. The latest date
mentioned is 994/1586, the year in which died the Turkish Sultán Sulaymán "the
Magnificent." The work ends somewhat abruptly: در وصفش همین بس که مزین شد بنام نامی و القاب گرامی بخشید There is no colophon.
Title: احسن القصص ودافع الغصص
Language(s): Persian
References
An abridgement of the Taʼrīkh-i Alfī تاريخ الفى of .
Physical Description
Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: Pp. 534 of Ff. 28'4 × 17 c.
Dimensions: 28.4 × 17 cm.
Layout
19 lines
Hand(s)
fair ta'liq with rubrications
History
Origin: undated AH; Gregorian CE
Provenance and Acquisition
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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