An Ancient Manuscript of Masnavi Ma'navi Belonging to the Library of Alameh Mohammad Ghazvini: Its History, Writing Date, Decorations, Evaluation
Document Type : pajoohesh
Author
10.22081/jap.2024.75876
Abstract
Mohammad Ghazvini owned an ancient manuscript of Masnavi Ma'navi dated 715-716 AH, which he sold to the National Library of Iran shortly before his death in 1328 SH (No. 12326, No. 2326 /). This article examines this manuscript from four perspective.
Its History: Due to the fallen pages at the beginning and the end of the manuscript, only the transmissions of the manuscript in the last century are known. This manuscript was taken out of Iran in 1301 by Mirza Mahmoud Khansari, the bookseller, and returned to Iran in 1324 by Qazvini. In this section, the relationship between Ghazvini and Mirza Mahmoud and the National Library of Iran is examined based on available documents. A detailed report of the process of exporting handwritten books and valuable objects from Iran after they were stolen from the Qajar royal library is presented, and numerous examples of manuscripts that have been exported from Iran in this way are shown. 2.Writing Date: The Ghazvini manuscript is the oldest and most complete manuscript of Masnavi in Iranian libraries. On this occasion, the history of writing other remaining manuscripts of Masnavi belonging to the mid-seventh century and the first half of the eighth century AH in Iranian libraries, as well as the history of the appearance and presence of Masnavi in Iran, are examined. 3. Decorations, which were done in three different periods and at intervals of three centuries: simultaneously with the writing of the manuscript, in the second half of the ninth century or perhaps the end of it in Herat or perhaps Shiraz, the eleventh century. 4. Evaluation: Comparing the recordings of this manuscript with two other manuscripts, such as the Konya Museum, Sh. 1193, with different dates of recording, has listed examples of differences and disagreements in the recordings for each: a) Revisions and amendments by Molana himself; b) Scribes' corrections to smooth the Masnavi; c) Writing errors. Also, in this section, based on this manuscript and other manuscripts written until half a century after the composition of Masnavi, it is determined that the introduction to the fifth volume of Masnavi is supplementary and not original.
At the end of the article, the characteristics of manuscriptology of this manuscript, such as corrections, signs, fallen pages, calligraphy, cross-references, scribes, and sizes, are mentioned. This manuscript was registered as one of the handwritten manuscripts of Molana's works in the UNESCO World Memory Program in 2023.
Its History: Due to the fallen pages at the beginning and the end of the manuscript, only the transmissions of the manuscript in the last century are known. This manuscript was taken out of Iran in 1301 by Mirza Mahmoud Khansari, the bookseller, and returned to Iran in 1324 by Qazvini. In this section, the relationship between Ghazvini and Mirza Mahmoud and the National Library of Iran is examined based on available documents. A detailed report of the process of exporting handwritten books and valuable objects from Iran after they were stolen from the Qajar royal library is presented, and numerous examples of manuscripts that have been exported from Iran in this way are shown. 2.Writing Date: The Ghazvini manuscript is the oldest and most complete manuscript of Masnavi in Iranian libraries. On this occasion, the history of writing other remaining manuscripts of Masnavi belonging to the mid-seventh century and the first half of the eighth century AH in Iranian libraries, as well as the history of the appearance and presence of Masnavi in Iran, are examined. 3. Decorations, which were done in three different periods and at intervals of three centuries: simultaneously with the writing of the manuscript, in the second half of the ninth century or perhaps the end of it in Herat or perhaps Shiraz, the eleventh century. 4. Evaluation: Comparing the recordings of this manuscript with two other manuscripts, such as the Konya Museum, Sh. 1193, with different dates of recording, has listed examples of differences and disagreements in the recordings for each: a) Revisions and amendments by Molana himself; b) Scribes' corrections to smooth the Masnavi; c) Writing errors. Also, in this section, based on this manuscript and other manuscripts written until half a century after the composition of Masnavi, it is determined that the introduction to the fifth volume of Masnavi is supplementary and not original.
At the end of the article, the characteristics of manuscriptology of this manuscript, such as corrections, signs, fallen pages, calligraphy, cross-references, scribes, and sizes, are mentioned. This manuscript was registered as one of the handwritten manuscripts of Molana's works in the UNESCO World Memory Program in 2023.
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