Examining the stylistic features of Entekhabe-Muntakhab-ol-Tawarikh manuscript

Abstract

Entekhabe-Muntakhab-ol-Tawarikh, abbreviated as Entekhab Muntakhab, is one of the historical texts of the 11th century, written by Abd-ol-Shakur Bin-Abd-ol-Vase Tattavi Hindustani, one of the secretaries of the Gurkanian Empire in India, in order to describe a summary of the general history of humankind from the beginning of creation to the author's living time (1084 A.H.). It has been written in the literary language in five articles consisting of different sections and chapters and dedicated to Aurangzeb, the 6th Gurkanian King. In this research, while introducing the work and its author using the existing manuscript and library sources, with a descriptive-analytical approach and employing the method of textual analysis, it has been tried to examine its stylistic features in three linguistic, literary, and intellectual areas. At the linguistic level, many Arabic, Turkish, and Indian words and expressions can be seen; some of which are attributed to the author's living period style and some to his literacy and literary knowledge. The book's prose in the description section is rhymed, different puns are used, and unique special allusions can be seen in it. From an intellectual point of view, the work contains valuable sociological and anthropological information that can be useful for researchers in this field. Although the manuscript's topic is general history, the inclusion of expressions, words, and information used in the author's lifetime can help examine the progress and development of Persian prose in Persian-speaking regions.

Keywords

• entekhabe-muntakhab-ol-tawarikh
• stylistic examination
• persian prose
• indian subcontinent