[IO Islamic 2633] مفتاح المعانى

Miftâḥ-alma’ânî.

This manuscript is now IO Islamic 1103 in the India Office collections.

[metadata: Hermann Ethé, Catalogue of Persian Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, 2 vols. (Oxford: India Office, 1903): volume 1, number 2633 here with notations and hyperlinks].

1103

Miftâḥ-alma’ânî (مفتاح المعانى).

Another complete commentary on the mathnawî, styled مفتاح المعانى (see fol. 2b, l. 6), by Sayyid ‘Abd-alfattâḥ alḥusainî al’askarî (see fol. 2a, l. 10). According to A. Sprenger, Catal., p. 492, this commentary was collected by the author’s pupil Hidâyat-allâh, A.H. 1049 (A.D. 1639, 1640); another work of the same ‘Abd-alfattâh alḥusainî al’askarî is the درّ مكنون or selections from the mathnawî in systematical arrangement with explanations, see ib.

Beginning: حمد و ستايش ذاتى را كه بمقتضاى احببت ان اعرف فخلقت الخلق الخ.

Daftar I, on fol. 2b; II, on fol. 57b; III, on fol. 95a; IV, on fol. 130a; V, on fol. 166a; VI, on fol. 209b.

The second and the fourth daftar are dated at Shâhjahânâbâd, the 21st of Muḥarram, A.H. 1065 (or rather 1067, as we think, the ٥ probably being a closed or contracted ٧ in consequence of hasty writing), and the 26th of Ṣafar, A.H. 1067 respectively (=A.D. 1656, Nov. 9 and Dec. 14) The copy is greatly injured throughout; in most pages part of the inner corner are entirely torn away.

Bibliotheca Leydeniana.

No. 2633, ff. 251, ll. 17; careless Nasta’lîḳ; size, 81/4 in. by 53/4 in.