The codicology of Masnavi-yi Ma'navi transcripted by Mulla Sadra Shirazi

Abstract

Sadr Al-Din Mohammad b. Ibrahim b. Yahya Qawami Shirazi, also known as Mulla Sadra left behind a number of handwritings. These manuscripts represent either his original works or his copies of other authors' works. This article aims to introduce one of these manuscripts which is a 13-leave book and includes a selection of Mowlavi's Masnavi-yi Ma'navi poems. It is kept in Shiraz's Pars Museum and neither the scribe's signature nor the date of composition is available. This manuscript is not included in Mulla Sadra's lists of manuscripts or works.The present study investigated the codicology and the attribution of the script of Mowlavi's Masnavi-yi Ma'navi's selected manuscript to Mulla Sadra Shirazi. Thus, the historical evidence of this manuscript was first discussed and then its script and the visual features were mentioned. The aforementioned manuscript includes selected verses of second to fourth books of Masnavi-yi Ma'navi.This manuscript was written when Mulla Sadra engaged in his studies. The binding date of the current manuscript can be traced back to the late 19th century. Within this time, Mirza Abu-Talib Razavi presented this manuscript to Mutamid al-Dawlah, the sovereign of Fars. During the reign of Farhad Mirza Mutamid al-Dawlah, Mirza Abu Talib Razavi assumed the position of head of the Fars Court of Justice. The additional date of of the beginning note of the manuscript coincides with the reign of Uwais Mirza Ehtesham al-Dawlah, the son of Farhad Mirza, as ruler of Fars. He also held the designation of Mutamid al-Dawlah.

Keywords

• codicology
• masnavi-yi ma'navi
• mulla sadra
• mutamid al-dawlah
• shiraz