[IO Islamic 1450] Akhbâr-alakhyâr

Akhbâr-alakhyâr.

This manuscript is now IO Islamic 640 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 1450 here with notations and hyperlinks].

640

Akhbâr-alakhyâr (اخبار الاخيار).

Biographies of the most renowned Shaikhs and holy men of India, from the Muḥammadan conquest to the end of the tenth century of the Hijrah, compiled by ‘Abd-alḥaḳḳ bin Saif-aldîn alturk aldihlawî albukhârî (see fol. 5b, ll. 10 and 11), the well-known author of the تأريخ حقّى ( see Bodleian Cat., Nos. 195-198; Rieu i. p. 223, and No. 290 in this Cat.) the جذب القلوب الى دار المحبوب , a history of Madînah ( see further below in the next chapter ‘Geography, etc.’) , and many other biographical and mystical works. He was not able to finish the original sketch of this work, made many years before, until after his return from Ḥijâz, whither he had gone, A.H. 996 (A.D.1588), see fol. 269a, in A.H. 999 (A.D.1591), according to the chronogram on fol. 268b:

نام و تأريخ اين كتاب عزيز – گر كنى ذكر الاوليا احسن

which gives us at the same time ذكر الاوليا as an additional title of this work, other copies of which are described in Bodleian Cat., No. 363 , and Rieu i. p. 355, where as final date of completion, A.H. 1028 (A.D. 1619) is given, in consequence of an incidental remark in Jahângîr’s autobiographical memoirs. The above chronogram, which seems to fix definitely the completion of the work, has not been noticed in any previous copy.

The work begins with the biography of the great Ṣûfic Shaikh ‘Abd-alḳâdir aljilânî , on fol. 9b , after which follows immediately that of Khwâjah Mu’în-alḥaḳḳ wa-aldîn Sijzî, the founder of the Ćishtî order (who died A.H. 633 = A.D. 1236, see No. 637, I) , his contemporaries and disciples , on fol. 22b ( طبقۀ اول ); it goes then over to Shaikh Farîd-alḥaḳḳ wa-aldîn Ganj-i-Shakar (who died A.H. 664 = A.D. 1265), his followers and pupils, on fol. 49a. ( طبقۀ دوم ); enumerates all the Shaikhs from the time of Naṣîr-aldîn Maḥmûd Ćirâgh of Dihlî ( died A.H. 757=A.D. 1356) down to the author’s own epoch , on fol. 73b; and deals towards the end in special chapters with a number of ecstatic Shaikhs (ذكر بعضى مجاذب ), on fol. 240a ; with female saints ( ذكر بعضى از نساء صالحات ) on fol. 245a.and the author’s ancestors, family, and own life ( here styled تكمله , in the index on fol. 9a خاتمه ), on fol.248a.

Beginning: شكر مر حضرت واهب العطيّات را كه عطاى اورا پايان نيست الخ .

The margin of ff. 2-87 is covered with fragments of theological and cosmographical treatises, without any title.

No date.

No. 1450, ff.270, ll. 17; unequal Nasta’lîḳ; the first page supplied later; size, 10 in. by 57/8 in.