I. 1 (University Library, Cambridge University)
E. G. Browne Collection
Contents
Summary of Contents: رساله في محاسن اصفهان للمافروخى This MS., which was given to me on June 18, 1913, by the late Sir Albert
Houtum-Schindler, was originally transcribed in 1277/1860 for Prince Bahman
Mirza Bahá'u'd-Dawla, who, according to a note in Schindler's writing attached to
the volume, died in the Caucasus in A.D. 1883. Schindler subsequently bought the
MS. from one of his sons in Țihrán. It is carefully written in a good, clear naskh, fully vocalized, within margins of gold, blue and red, was copied by Habibu'd-Din
Abú Ya'qúb Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Asghar of Jarbádhaqán (Gulpáyagán), and
completed on Friday the 5th of Rabi'u'l-awwal, 1277 (Sept. 21, 1860). This is the original Arabic treatise on the Charms of Isfahán (Mahásinu
Isfahán) by al-Mufaḍdal ibn Sa'id al-Máfarrúkhí of which the MS. to be next
described (I. 2) contains the much later and better-known Persian version. The
Arabic original is very rare: indeed I know of no other copy but this. The title
and initial words are as follows: هذه رسالة في محاسن اصفهان تأليف الاستاذ المفضّل بن سعيد المافروخى بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ان الله تلقت أسماء وعظمت الله وحل ثناده و كبرياته بعماً صافية المشارع ضافية المقارع
مل خافَةَ العِبَادِ زلال مناهلها وعَمَّ عَامَّةَ الْبِلادِ عِلالَ فَلا ولها الح No precise information is to be derived from the very ornate and rhetorical
Preface. The description or praise of Isfahan begins on f. 7, penultimate line, with
the words: اصفهان بلدةٌ قد اسنى الله من اياديه البيض قِسْمَها ووفّر من مواهبه الغُرّ سَيْمها وصدر في جريدة البلاد (184) اسمها و الْحَق برسوم الجنان رسمها The work is to a large extent an anthology of poems in praise of Isfahan, but
also contains a good deal of historical and archaeological matter of interest besides
many legends of a less authentic character. Concerning himself the author gives
hardly any information, but from the Persian version to be described immediately
we learn that he composed his treatise in 421/1030. Unlike the Persian translation
there is in the original Arabic no division into chapters, and the arrangement of
matter is very unsystematic. Ff. 88 of 21'7 x 14 c. and 18 ll.; excellent modern naskh, fully vocalized;
transcribed, as stated above, in 1277/1860.
Houtum-Schindler, was originally transcribed in 1277/1860 for Prince Bahman
Mirza Bahá'u'd-Dawla, who, according to a note in Schindler's writing attached to
the volume, died in the Caucasus in A.D. 1883. Schindler subsequently bought the
MS. from one of his sons in Țihrán. It is carefully written in a good, clear naskh, fully vocalized, within margins of gold, blue and red, was copied by Habibu'd-Din
Abú Ya'qúb Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Asghar of Jarbádhaqán (Gulpáyagán), and
completed on Friday the 5th of Rabi'u'l-awwal, 1277 (Sept. 21, 1860). This is the original Arabic treatise on the Charms of Isfahán (Mahásinu
Isfahán) by al-Mufaḍdal ibn Sa'id al-Máfarrúkhí of which the MS. to be next
described (I. 2) contains the much later and better-known Persian version. The
Arabic original is very rare: indeed I know of no other copy but this. The title
and initial words are as follows: هذه رسالة في محاسن اصفهان تأليف الاستاذ المفضّل بن سعيد المافروخى بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ان الله تلقت أسماء وعظمت الله وحل ثناده و كبرياته بعماً صافية المشارع ضافية المقارع
مل خافَةَ العِبَادِ زلال مناهلها وعَمَّ عَامَّةَ الْبِلادِ عِلالَ فَلا ولها الح No precise information is to be derived from the very ornate and rhetorical
Preface. The description or praise of Isfahan begins on f. 7, penultimate line, with
the words: اصفهان بلدةٌ قد اسنى الله من اياديه البيض قِسْمَها ووفّر من مواهبه الغُرّ سَيْمها وصدر في جريدة البلاد (184) اسمها و الْحَق برسوم الجنان رسمها The work is to a large extent an anthology of poems in praise of Isfahan, but
also contains a good deal of historical and archaeological matter of interest besides
many legends of a less authentic character. Concerning himself the author gives
hardly any information, but from the Persian version to be described immediately
we learn that he composed his treatise in 421/1030. Unlike the Persian translation
there is in the original Arabic no division into chapters, and the arrangement of
matter is very unsystematic. Ff. 88 of 21'7 x 14 c. and 18 ll.; excellent modern naskh, fully vocalized;
transcribed, as stated above, in 1277/1860.
Language(s): Arabic
Physical Description
Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: Ff. 88
Dimensions: 21.7 × 14 cm.
Layout
18 lines
Hand(s)
Good, clear naskh, fully vocalized.
History
Origin: 1277 AH; 1860 CE
Provenance and Acquisition
This MS. was given to E.G. Browne on June 18, 1913, by the late Sir Albert Houtum-Schindler, who bought it from one of the sons of Prince Bahman Mirza Bahá'u'd-Dawla in Țihrán.
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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