https://www.codicology.ir/ Journal of Codicology and Manuscript Research (In persian: Pizhūhish/hā-yi nuskhah/shināsī va taṣḥīḥ-i mutūn) en daily 1 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://www.codicology.ir/article_217708.html Heydari's history is one of the historical texts of the Safavid era, which was written by Mir Heydar -ibn Ali -ibn Mahmoud Hosseini Razi, one of the authors and historians of the first half of the 11th century AH. The book Majma al-Tawarikh or Zubda al-Tawarikh or Heydari's history is a general and irregularly authored history of the history of Iran and the Seljuk’s of Minor Asia, the Khans of Karim, the Ottomans, and the Muslim kings of India. This work includes five chapters. These five chapters make up the first volume, which is related to prophets, caliphs, and kings, and the second volume should be on "sages, scholars, and poets".This research aims to introduce the author and his work, as well as to introduce the manuscripts and stylistic features in three linguistic, literary and intellectual levels. At the linguistic level, the morphological and syntactic features of the book have been examined. At the literary level, the original verbal and spiritual industries (figurative language), as well as the manifestation of the science of rhetoric, have been analyzed. And finally, the intellectual features of the work are also mentioned. https://www.codicology.ir/article_217773.html Persian prose epics are an independent literary movement in the history of Iranian literature, which, despite their ancient background, rich content, coherent structure, variety and high number, have not been able to have a place of prestige like verse epics, so they have not been introduced as they should be. Piltan-Nāmeh is one of the stories of the mentioned literary movement, which was probably written by a storyteller named “Abd-Al-Raḥmān Marāḡī” at the end of the 9th century of AH. In this research, it was tried for the first time to examine the only existing manuscript of Piltan-Nāmeh written on the date of 972 A.H. After the preface, in two parts, in a descriptive-analytical way, first, the codicology features of Piltan-Nāmeh have been examined, and then a report of its textual criticism characteristics are presented in seven parts. Since Piltan-Nāmeh is very old and relatively rich in content, and the identity of its Āḏarbāyjān narrator is also known, it can be considered a valuable source in compiling the history of Persian prose epics and providing significant data for researchers. https://www.codicology.ir/article_224682.html The book "Jame' al-Maqamat," in the maqams (spiritual stations) of Ahmad Kasani (866 - 949AH), one of the most important sheikhs of the Naqshbandi order, has been written. Kasani was among the sheikhs who played a prominent role in the expansion and continuation of this Sufi order, and he put forward novel opinions on audition (sama), remembrance (dhikr), and political connections. The purpose of this article is to introduce this book and its versions and to highlight the need for its correction and to elucidate its importance. "Jame' al-Maqamat" is the work of Abu al-Baqa, the grandson of Ahmad Kasani, which was written in the year 1026 AH. More than fifty copies of this work are known to be in various libraries around the world, indicating the great importance of this work. Considering that books of maqams contain the miracles (karamat) of the Sufi sheikhs and that the book "Jame' al-Maqamat" also compiles a collection of Kasani's miracles, a part of the article is dedicated to examining the types of miracles and their direction in this book. In this research, attention is given to the various narratives of "Jame' al-Maqamat" in terms of their material or spiritual nature, and the direction of the miracles in this work is examined to clarify whether the miracles Abu al-Baqa attributes to Kasani are similar to most maqam books in affirming the status and rank of the sheikh, or like the maqams of Zhende Pil in seeking revenge and fulfilling the sheikh's desires. https://www.codicology.ir/article_234164.html Two distinct recensions of Bahr al-Ḥaqāʾiq, the Arabic mystical tafsīr by Najm al-Dīn Rāzī, have come down to us. The first is a longer and older version, fragmentary and marked by numerous textual lacunae. The second is a shorter, more coherent recension, widely preserved across manuscript collections worldwide. The extended version is densely interwoven with quotations from earlier exegeses—particularly al-Thaʿlabī’s al-Kashf wa-l-Bayān—and reflects the formative stage of Rāzī’s interpretive voice. In contrast, the concise version offers a more refined and independent commentary, presenting the author’s mystical insights directly, continuing up to Sūrat al-Najm. Significant differences among manuscripts—including in prefaces, sūra arrangement, terminology, and style—alongside the existence of abridgments by later mystics such as ʿAlāʾ al-Dawla al-Simnānī and Shams al-Dīn Sāwajī, necessitate thorough codicological investigation. This study analyzes selected manuscripts and internal textual features to argue that Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad b. Ḥasan al-Sāwajī, a close disciple of Rāzī, prepared a revised and abridged version of the original tafsīr in Shushtar, likely under his teacher’s supervision. Most later copies appear to derive from this version. Thus, al-Sāwajī emerges not merely as a transmitter, but as a textual architect whose editorial intervention played a decisive role in shaping the final authoritative recension of Bahr al-Ḥaqāʾiq. https://www.codicology.ir/article_228097.html AbstractThis article is dedicated to the introduction and examination of a manuscript containing a selection of Persian poems by Muhammad Qutb Shah(r:1020-1035 AH), dating back to the early 11th century AH. The manuscript, written on 19 folios (38 pages), is the only extant copy of this work, which has not yet been critically edited. Preserved in the Library of the Islamic Consultative Assembiy under the title "Divan-e Zillallah," this manuscript remains unpublished. In addition to introducing and analyzing the manuscript, this study explores the literary persona of its author and concludes with a critical edition of a sample of his poetry.The research method employed in this article is descriptive-analytical, relying on the manuscript and library resources. The findings suggest that the title "Divan-e Zillallah" is inaccurately applied to this manuscript, which should instead be considered a selection of Muhammad Qutb Shah’s poems. Based on the physical condition of the manuscript and the handwriting of its previous owner, it can be conjectured that the manuscript was transferred from the Deccan to Iran, specifically to the city of Mashhad, where it was preserved under favorable conditions. Furthermore, an analysis of the manuscript’s content reveals Muhammad Qutb Shah’s proficiency and familiarity with the Persian language. His elegies, in particular, reflect his intellectual framework and the influence of Iranian and Islamic culture and civilization in the Qutb Shahi dominion.Keyword: Manuscript, Manuscript research , Zillallah ,selection, Muhammad Qutb Shah https://www.codicology.ir/article_228866.html The manuscript of "Etsam al-Murid in explaining the problems of Kalam Allah Al-Majid" was written by Zain al-Abdin bin Mohammad Ali Sabzevari Isfahani in Dhu Qadah of 1276 AH. Zainul Abdin Sabzevari is a descendant of Mohaghegh Sabzevari (1017-1090 AH) and a Shia writer in the 13th century, who has explained about two thousand words of the Holy Qur'an in this book in Arabic. The researched words are arranged according to the alphabetical system and arranged with the first letter of the root, and after the introduction, the text of the edition is divided into 28 chapters. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method, with the aim of introducing the mentioned version and its author, deals with a brief analysis of the content of the book in order to facilitate the study of this work for those who are interested in literature and lay the groundwork for future studies. Considering that the strongest quotations in the explanation of the words of the Holy Qur'an are the statements of Shia imams, the findings of the research show that the author, relying on authentic sources and Shia narrative works, tried to fill the gap in the dictionaries of his time, which in a way expresses the distinction. And the superiority of this work compared to other researches in this field. Also, reference to Quranic examples and evidences, hadith, poetry and proverbs has created a rare and valuable work. https://www.codicology.ir/article_228872.html AbstractThis article critically examines Mohammad Reza Barzegar Khaleqi’s edited version of “Sanai's Diwan”. For this purpose, the section on Qit‘as (also known as fragments) in this edition has been analyzed in detail. The critiques directed at this edition are categorized into eight general issues: uncritical reliance on a single manuscript, misreading certain manuscripts, favoring certain readings that are sometimes metrically flawed, duplication of a poem within the collection, omission of significant witnesses, incorrect arrangement of verses in some Qit‘as, failure to distinguish poems by other poets, and typographical errors. Subsequently, we conducted a verse-by-verse analysis of the Qit‘as, identifying 23 specific examples related to these eight categories. It should be noted that at the end of each instance, the corrected version of the verse(s) has been provided based on manuscripts. Our critique is based on stylistic and linguistic considerations, meter, rhyme, and the textual variants present in the manuscripts. https://www.codicology.ir/article_229052.html Producing and supplying content in cyberspace is as essential as breathing for the actors in this field. Today, in every aspect of human life, there are faces and players who make sports, music, cinema, lifestyle, travel, cooking, technology, industry, the inner aspects of humans, and similar topics the subject of content provision and attracting a general audience. Content supply companies professionally launch and manage various channels, and individuals and specialists in each field also utilize the capabilities of cyberspace to present their personal channels for public viewing and approval.Manuscripts and ancient documents are a rich source and a flowing spring for activists and enthusiasts in this cultural and artistic domain to focus on, produce, and supply content about them. This way, they take on a cultural and historical mission and also test their abilities in attracting audiences in a fresh, novel, and less explored area. The general positive approach to this field, people's interest in manuscripts, the mysterious nature and exploratory essence of this scientific research area align with the elements of the digital economy and entertainment and correspond to the business model of supplying virtual content.Meanwhile, attention to some points is necessary for enthusiasts and actors in this field:1. Be aware of the challenges of this field before entering and plan for them: Access to manuscripts and manuscript repositories usually requires initial coordination. So, before starting, consider this important factor and allocate time and program planning for it.2. Compensate for weak storytelling: Accuracy and attractiveness are two important pillars of content that can be produced in this field. Use an efficient and experienced scientific advisor and do not act recklessly. In an environment where some researchers also fall into the trap of research errors, the task of content creators who produce content in this field without sufficient experience, expertise, and scientific advisors is clear. Please do not introduce incorrect data into public culture.  3. Offer universally appealing form and content: Create story-driven and visual content. Utilize diverse formats such as short podcasts, infographics, and the like. Place yourself in historical contexts close to the subject and strive for temporal and spatial alignment.  4. Have a thematic list of selected manuscripts: This helps you produce attractive and relevant content according to events and stay connected with your audience community.  5. Find your material and spiritual cultural supporters: Libraries, institutions, and cultural centers have budgets for their presence and presentation in the virtual arena. Establish active communication with public relations and do not overlook other commercial and culture-loving supporters.  6. Observe scientific and media ethics: Manuscript content is unfiltered. You must choose which topics are ethical and appropriate to present in the public sphere and which issues should not be published. Adopt self-monitoring as your model.  7. Before starting, look at inspiring examples: Benefit from them but do not rely solely on them; move forward.@Getty Museum Manuscripts (YouTube)@manuscriptsetc (Instagram)@SexycodicologyNet (YouTube)@Spanish Antiphoner: Codicology and Paleography (YouTube)@teachingcodex (Instagram)@The ABCs of Codicology: Describing Manuscripts for Beginners (YouTube)@uofgcodicologist (Instagram)@visions_of_manuscripts (Instagram) https://www.codicology.ir/article_217824.html Heydari's history is one of the historical texts of the Safavid era, which was written by Mir Heydar -ibn Ali -ibn Mahmoud Hosseini Razi, one of the authors and historians of the first half of the 11th century AH. The manuscript Majma al-Tawarikh or Zubda al-Tawarikh or Heydari's history is a general and irregularly authored history of the history of Iran and the Seljuk’s of Minor Asia, the Khans of Karim, the Ottomans, and the Muslim kings of India. This work includes five chapters. These five chapters make up the first volume, which is related to prophets, caliphs, and kings, and the second volume should be on "sages, scholars, and poets." The sources used by Heydari's history, which he also mentioned in the introduction, are many; One of these sources is the history of Alfi belong to Qazi Ahmad Tatawi.In this research, while introducing the author and the manuscript of Heydari's history, using the comparative-analytical method, it is attempted to examine the historiography and compare the two works of Heydari's history and Tatawi's Alfi history, and identify the possible differences and shortcomings of the two works. The result of this research shows that the author of Heydari's history has taken the major part of his book from Alfi history. The most important reason for the difference between these two works should be found in the historiographic goals of these two authors. https://www.codicology.ir/article_217868.html "Al-Basa'ir fi al-Wujuh wa al-Naza'ir" is the title of a Persian work authored by Abu al-Fadail Muhammad ibn Husayn Ma'ini (d. 537 AH), which addresses the discussions of Quranic sciences, particularly the topic of "wujuh" (various meanings) and "naza'ir" (analogies). In this research, conducted through library study and using a descriptive-analytical method, alongside a detailed introduction of "Al-Basa'ir" and its manuscripts, the characteristics, orthography, and stylistic details of the oldest copy of "Al-Basa'ir" are also reported. Additionally, some leniencies related to the introduction of this source and its author have been critiqued and examined. The purpose of introducing "Al-Basa'ir" and its manuscripts, as a significant reference in the field of lexicology and Quranic exegesis, is to express the necessity of reviving this written heritage of the Persian language, whose breadth of information surpasses that of earlier works on the same subject. https://www.codicology.ir/article_224638.html AbstractGulestan-e- Eram is a narrative of the story of Seyf al-Molook and Badi' al-Jamal which has written in the 11th century. This study introduce this work, its most important stylistic features, and compare it with this story in One Thousand and One Nights and One Thousand and One Days. The results show this story was written before the Henryeh version. The similarity in the beginning and ending style and the shared majority of the story events of Gulestan-e- Eram with the One Thousand and One Nights narrative, and its minimal alignment with the same story in One Thousand and One Days, increases the likelihood that Seyf al-Molook and Badi' al-Jamal in One Thousand and One Nights was rewritten from Gulestan-e Eram. Additionally, the use of archaic language, specific grammatical structures, and the abundance of literary devices such as similes, metaphors, personifications, descriptions, hyperboles, metonymy, attributes arrangement, proverbs, and citations of poems place this work in the realm of intermediate prose. Most of the allusions in this work are verbal, the similes are elaborate, and the metaphors are explicit. Additionally, the inclusion of 274 couplets and 6 hemistichs in this work demonstrates the author’s command over poetry collections. Poems by Saadi, Jami, Helali , Amir Khosro Dehlavi, Hafez, Nezami, Ibn-e-Emad Shirazi, Rumi, and Khajoo Kermani have the highest frequencies in the text. the author reflects many of the cultural, political, and social beliefs prevalent in the courts of Ghaznavi and Egypt, in addition to expressing their religious beliefs. https://www.codicology.ir/article_217853.html Among the advanced sources that have not been known and examined so far, it should be mentioned Dastoor Alinsha or Sahaif-ul-Lataif Abdul Razzaq Samarqandi. Samarqandi is one of the historians, secretaries and nobles of Shahrukh's court in the Timurid era, and the work of the respected Matla e Saadin on the history of that era is one of his works. His works have many values in terms of old writing and essay styles as well as prose style and historical information. In this article, which has been done using qualitative content analysis and description, the writer intends to examine and evaluate the content and structure of the work from the perspective of textology. The findings of the research show that the origins of Samarqandi consist of two separate and distinct parts. The first part, which is called the Dastoor Alinsha, presents and explains the theoretical foundations and principles of court writing and transmission in a detailed plan. In this section, the characteristics of speech in terms of delivery and rhetoric have been examined. Also, the characteristics of the scribe and the textual structures of the manuscripts and some customs related to writing, calligraphy and paper are also discussed. In the second part, Samarqandi, by quoting samples of Diwani and Soltani's letters, has shown both the art of secretarial writing and has drawn practical models for the secretaries and the audience. https://www.codicology.ir/article_217854.html The present article seeks to examine the credibility of the sole printed edition of the book "Haqqaiq al-Tafsir" and its correspondence with manuscript versions. This book, regarded as one of the most significant interpretative writings with a Sufi and esoteric approach, has always attracted special attention from scholars due to this perspective and the important and great personality of its author, Abdul Rahman Solami. The inclusion of approximately 360 narrations from Ja'far ibn Muhammad has further heightened interest in this book. Today, there is only one printed version of this book available, which serves as the basis for many studies regarding its content. This edition was published by Sayyid Imran in the year 1421 AH. This version has been compared with the manuscript used by Sayyid Imran as well as other manuscripts. The findings from this comparison, obtained through a descriptive, analytical method and with a critical approach, indicate that this sole printed edition of "Haqqaiq" is by no means reliable and does not exempt researchers from referring to the original manuscripts of the book. The issues identified in the manuscript, such as numerous significant omissions, literary errors, and inaccuracies in transcription, as well as mistakes made by the researcher in reading the manuscript that led to the omission of the text, along with carelessness in extracting content from the manuscript, are among such issues. https://www.codicology.ir/article_217858.html One of the points that must be taken into account by correctors in correcting ancient texts is the possibility of correcting a word or words from the text. Failure to pay attention to this point, in addition to moving the text away from its exact meaning, can cause the forgetting of an original word. One of these words, which was spelled due to the tradition of same writing of some of letters such as "P" and "B" in Persian manuscripts, and then was forgotten over time and with the scribes copying each other's manuscripts, is the word "Barkham". This word, which is used in a significant number of important texts of Persian literature such as Sanai's Divan, Anvari's Divan, Kamal Khojandi's Divan, Zahir Faryabi's Divan and Saeb's Divan, is recorded everywhere as "Porkham" and has not entered Persian dictionaries. In this article, we will recover this word and its difference with "Porkham" which is spelled with it with a descriptive-analytical method and based on documentary studies. Based on this, the word "Barkham" is another form of "Bekham" and means "bent". In addition, this article also discusses the two words "barbar" and " barbar " that are recorded in a corrected form in some texts. https://www.codicology.ir/article_224629.html The Syntactic System of Sayyid Alinaghi Hosseini Dashti, a magnificent and unpublished work from the 13th century AH, is one of the most prominent scientific works in the field of the rules of Arabic grammar, composed in a poetic order and in the meter of Al-Fiyah of Ibn Malik Al-Andalus. The present research is descriptive-analytical and is based on the study of existing manuscripts and the analysis of its content. The article first briefly introduces the life, works, and scientific position of Sayyid Alinaghi Hosseini Dashti; then it examines the stylistic and structural features of the system. The research findings show that this work is included in 47 syntactic chapters in a systematic and structured manner in the form of 736 verses. This work, utilizing linguistic eloquence: literary devices such as simile and metaphor, and novel syntactic combinations, is a unique example in the tradition of scientific verse literature. Unlike other educational poetry collections such as "Al-Fiyah Ibn Malik" that focus more on syntactic and educational aspects, Al-Fiyah of Sayyid Alinaghi Dashti is not only an educational source; it is also an inspiring model for Arabic educational literature that has been able to convey syntactic concepts along with moral and spiritual values ​​to the audience in a novel way. In addition to its educational value, this poetry collection is considered a document for studying the scientific and cultural history of the Dashti region of Bushehr province. https://www.codicology.ir/article_206031.html In the Safavid period, with the connection between Sufism and Shiism, art, works with religious and mythological themes can be seen. In the following article, the painting Siavash passing through the fire, from, the manuscript of the Shahnameh of Shah Ismail II in 984 A.H. is examined; This painting contains many layers of meaning. The purpose of reading this painting is to investigate the mystical and religious concepts of the Safavid period and reflect it in this painting. How has the combination of the structure of the image been influenced by Shiite mysticism in reaching this meaning? How does the painting show mystical effects? This research was done by descriptive-analytical method and it is of qualitative research type and it was done using library resources. The picture of the painting was obtained by the authors from the archive of Reza Abbasi Museum in Tehran. The results of this research show that it has mythological and symbolic concepts, which conveys mystical and Shiite meaning to the audience with multiple figures and the use of diverse compositions. The composition of the work is circular and ascending and refers to the meanings of transcendental mysticism and spiritual ascension. The attention of the political government in the Safavid period to Shiism along with Sufism and the combination of the two has resulted in the creation of a painting with a beautiful composition and bright colors with hidden religious themes, which is rare in its kind and has not been the subject of independent research. https://www.codicology.ir/article_241927.html Subject: Considering the expansion of the culture of endowment in the Safavid period and the high number of endowment Qurans of this period to the court of Munor Razavi, during this research, the endowment letters of these Qurans were investigated from various aspects. will beObjectives: To investigate and analyze the literary and jurisprudential structure and content, the level of eloquence and eloquence of the dedication notes in the manuscript Qurans of the Safavid period in the Astan Quds library.Research method: A descriptive-analytical survey method was used and the endowment notes in 66 manuscripts of the Quran were examined and analyzed.Findings: The highest frequency in using preface with 73% and the lowest frequency with 41% in using subsequent sentences. About half of the endowment notes have an opening sermon (Hamdiyyah and prayer), The use of this phrase at the beginning of the endowment note originates from the religion of Islam and the popular Shiite religion during the Safavid era and the respect and interest for the Twelver Imams.One of the most common parts of the waqf name is the curse, in most cases the waqf uses the verse of waqf, and it is reminded that changing the waqf name and the endowment is a sin.97% Literary and smooth prose have the highest frequency with 62% and written prose withhave the lowest frequency.In more than half of the endowment notes of the Quran the purpose of the endowment are mentioned. https://www.codicology.ir/article_224635.html AbstractThrough the study of a work's manuscripts, it becomes possible to carry out precise editing, comprehensive analysis, and to fill the gaps in the knowledge of manuscript studies. Tazkirat al-Abrar is a work with mystical themes, describing the lives of Sufi Sayyids in the Indian subcontinent who were initiated into various Sufi orders. Some of the prominent figures among them also served in military and governmental affairs. This book is largely unknown to most scholars and has not been introduced or published elsewhere. The purpose of this article is to identify the manuscripts of Tazkirat al-Abrar, clarify the ambiguity surrounding its true author, and ultimately examine the stylistic features of the manuscript housed at the Malek National Library in Tehran. This theoretical study uses a descriptive-analytical method to collect, compare, and draw final conclusions on the subject. Linguistically, the dominant style of the Mughal period is evident in the frequent use of compound adjectives, participial forms, equivalent adjective-noun pairs, weak sentence structures, Indian and Gujarati vocabulary, Persian words commonly used in the subcontinent, and unconventional plural forms such as Afaghina (Afghans) in this tazkira (biographical compendium). From a content perspective, the use of miraculous acts attributed to the sheikhs, followed by discussions on sainthood in Sufism, Welayah, Tawhid, knowledge of the divine, and the significance of the kherqa (successorship cloak), are more frequent. https://www.codicology.ir/article_224643.html Hazrat Sultan Bahoo is one of the great religious and mystical scholars and one of the prominent writers and poets of Arabic, Persian and Punjabi languages. He has written 140 books in the field of Sufism and mysticism, which includes one book in Punjabi language and 139 other books in Persian language, including prose and a divan of poetry. Bahoo- founder of the Qadiriyya famil- whatever he said and whatever he wrote against his contemporaries, the people accepted it with open heart and mostly became his disciples. So his words have a deep impact on people.The title of this research is “The necessity of correcting the manuscript of "Aql e Bidar" by Sultan Bahu". The book Aql e Bidar is a manuscript whose date of authorship is unknown, but it is often believed that it was written during the reign of King Aurangzeb Alamgir. The mysteries of the names of ALLAH (Attributes), the interpretation of Faqr(فقر) and the rank of Faqr, the Role and Importance of Hoo(هُو), the goals and objectives of the chain of Qadiriya, and the details and assessment of evil scholars are mentioned in this book.His writings have been translated in many languages and are taught across the world. He holds a distinguished and celebrated position among all-time great Punjabi Sufi poets and his poetry always remained popular among academics as well as common people alike. https://www.codicology.ir/article_228098.html "Contextual correction" is a method applicable in the correction of ancient texts (manuscripts). This method, alongside other conventional methods such as foundational correction (news-based), comparative (grammatical), selective (jurisprudential), and their integration, can be beneficial and possesses the necessary efficiency. This fundamental research, conducted in a library-based manner with a qualitative approach, identifies and examines "contextual correction" as an effective and efficient method, and explores "context" and its role in the accurate reading of historical texts in the direction of developing text correction theory. This research indicates that mastery over the context of the text leads to the identification of damages, resolution of inadequacies and problems, improvement and reconstruction of errors and omissions, and revitalization of the text. Historical naming (following in the footsteps of predecessors), logical and scientific definition, methodological validity and efficiency, and clarification of ambiguous concepts and texts considering the context of the text are among the advantages of contextual correction. In contextual correction, attention is paid to linguistic types, and the historical grammar of the language is the researcher's criterion. Additionally, besides the general style of the period under study, the specific style of the author in their other works is also examined and read. Thus, "contextual correction" as an innovative and effective method provides researchers and literary correctors with a new capability for the accurate reading and reconstruction of historical texts.