Wadh.Minasian 116 (The Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford)

Oriental Manuscripts Minasian Collection

Summary of Contents: The author has written this work in the year 907 AH/1501 for Sultān Ḥusayn Bāyqurā (873-911 AH/1468-1505) in honour of his son, Muḥsin Mīrzā. The work is about governance practices, ethics of kings, and household management, and is composed in a literary style with a clear prose, nice poetry, and free of ornateness. It is presented as to cover three topics (practical philosophy, governance and household management) in 40 chapters: first chapter on Worship,... fifth on Patience,... tenth on Politeness,... fifteenth on Justice,... twentieth on Benefactions and Charities,... twenty and fifth on Honesty,... thirtieth on Braveness,... fortieth on Training of Servants and their Customs. The last folio of the fortieth chapter is missed.

Language(s): Persian

Ethics

Author: Kāshifī, Ḥusayn Vāʿiẓ, -1504 or 1505 Vāʿiẓ Kāshifī Sabzivārī, Kamāl al-Dīn Ḥusayn bin ʿAlī Bayhaqī, (died 910 AH/1504) ‎کاشفی، حسین واعظ واعظ کاشفی سبزواری، کمال‌الدین حسین بن علی بیهقی (د: ۹۱۰ ق/۱۵۰۴م)‏

Title: Akhlāq-i Muḥsinī

Title: اخلاق محسنی

Title: Javāhir al-asrār

Title: جواهر الاسرار

Incipit: ||بسمله، حضرت پادشاهی علی الاطلاق عزّت کلمه و جلّت عظمته منشور دولت سلطان سیدالمرسلین و تتمیم اخلاق المحسنین… فقیر حقیر حسین الکاشفی مشهور حسین الواعظ… خواست که بطریق دعاگویی و دلخواهی دو کلمه از اخلاق ستوده و اوصاف حمیده ملازمان آنحضرت بر ورق بیان مسطور گرداند… پس بتحریر این رساله که به اخلاق محسنی مسمّی گشته اقدام نمود…

Explicit: … بر نیکویی زبان روان باید کرد / و از بد دل و دیده را نگه باید داشت. اصمعی میگوید که روزی نزد هارون‌الرشید رفتم او را دیدم بر تخت نشسته…||

References

Sequence Number in the Persian Catalogue:

FAW 29

Similar copies in other libraries:

GIP, 14-15
MAJ, 5/192, 10/615
UTL, 3/649, 9/1204, 10/1746, 11/2211, 12/2915
AQR, 6/382-384-386
SEP, 3/89

Similar manuscripts listed in other catalogues:

ALZ, 1/377
DEN, 1/468
FAM, 2/1534
COM, 4/2222
FIH, 1/714
FAP, 1/197

Printed editions:

Mumbai, 1298, 1312 and 1313 AH
Tehran, 1321 and 1326 AH
London (translation), 1829
Islamabad, 1361

On the Web:

Online version available through http://dl.nlai.ir.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Western paper (watermark), natural buff, regular thickness, one size, glossy. ⟨Edge mending on initial folios of the copy.⟩

Extent: 100 ff.

Dimensions (leaf): 19 × 13 cm.

Dimensions (written): 12.5 × 7.5 cm.

Layout

15 lines per page.

Hand(s)

Graceful cursive Nastiʿaliq, regular hand, one hand. Anonymous

Decoration

Rubricated titles; rubricated line above hadiths and Quranic verses.

Additions: Oval stamp on f. 1a: "Yā ʿAlī adriknī" Oval stamp on f. 1a: «یا علی ادرکنی» Oval stamp on f. 100a: "ʿAbduhū... Muḥammad... Allāh... Ḥusayn..." Oval stamp on f. 100a: «عبده… محمد… الله… حسین…» Rectangular stamp; illegible.

Ownership note belonging to ʿAlī bin Ḥājī Muḥammad Iṣfahānī (1321 AH/1903) on f. 1a.

Binding

Cardboard with leather mendings of edges and back bone, 14 × 20 cm, front + back cover.

Condition

Cover detached from the copy; disarray in the copy's head band.

History

Origin: 12th century AH; 18th century CE ; Unknown place of origin

Provenance and Acquisition

Donated to The Ferdowsi Library by Dr Caro Minasian in 1972.

Record Sources

This record was created by Dr Mohammad Emami based on the information published in the Persian catalogue by Dr Ali Mir-Ansari (Catalogue of the Persian and Arabic Manuscripts in the Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford (Minasian Collection), Tehran: Miras-e Maktoob, 2016).

Availability

Entry to the Library is permitted upon presentation of a valid university ID card (for admissions procedures, please visit Wadham College Library, Persian Studies Section). Please Contact persian.library@wadham.ox.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript.

Key to bibliographical abbreviations of alternative versions:

Libraries:

AQR: Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi; FAW: Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford (Minasian Collection); GIE: Great Islamic Encyclopedia Library, Manuscripts; GIP: Great Islamic Encyclopedia Library, Photographed and Microfilmed Manuscripts; GUL: Library of Ayatollah Gulpayigani; MAJ: Library, Museum and Documentation Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly; MAL: Malek National Museum and Library; MNL: Mar'ashi Najafi Library; NLI: National Library of Iran; SEP: Sepahsalar (Shahid Motahari) Mosque and School of Tehran; TCL: Tabriz Central Public Library; UTL: Central Library of University of Tehran;

Catalogues:

ALZ: الذریعه; ARP: فهرست کتاب‌های چاپی عربی; COM: فهرست مشترک نسخه‌های خطی فارسی; DEN: فهرستواره دست‌نوشته‌های ایران (دنا); FAM: فهرست نسخه‌های خطی فارسی; FAP: فهرست کتاب‌های چاپی فارسی; FIH: فهرستواره کتاب‌های فارسی; KAS: کشف الظنون عن اسامی الکتب و الفنون; RAY: ریحانة الادب فی تراجمِ المعروفین بالکنیة او اللّقب; TAB: طبقات اعلام الشیعه.

Funding of Cataloguing

Wadham College (University of Oxford)

Subjects

Islamic ethics

Comments

Comment on this record