Islamic Manuscripts at Michigan
المشاركة في الفهرسة: المخطوطات الاسلامية في جامعة ميشيغان

Shajarah-i ilāhīyah,[1066, i.e. 1655 or 1656].شجره آلهيه,[1066ه, 1655 او 1656م].

Shelfmark:

Isl. Ms. 261

Title:

Shajarah-i ilāhīyah,[1066, i.e. 1655 or 1656].شجره آلهيه,[1066ه, 1655 او 1656م].

Author:

Rafīʻā, Muḥammad ibn Ḥaydar,1588 or 9-1670?رفيعا, محمد بن حيدر.

Place/Date of Production:

[1655 or 1656].

Size:

56 leaves :paper ;240 x 143 (160 x 70) mm.

Summary:

Superb copy of the treatise on Shīʻī theology by Rafīʻ al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Ḥaydar al-Ḥusaynī al-Ṭabāṭabāʼī al-Nāʼinī (d.1670 or 73?), in an introduction (in two parts, faṣl-i avval, faṣl-i duvvum) and eight subjects (maṭlab) each in several faṣls.

Other Title(s):

Edge title (tail):شجره الهیه

Subject(s):

Shīʻah--Doctrines--Early works to 1800.
God (Islam)--Early works to 1800.
Manuscripts, Persian--Michigan--Ann Arbor.

Genre:

Headpieces (layout features)17th century.

Language:

Persian.

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title from preface (dībāchah) on p.7.

Incipit:

"حمد بیحد و ثنای بیعد معبودی را سزد که بافاضۀ [به افاضه] انوار وجود مكتومات ظلمات عدم را بعرصۀ ظهور در آورده ..."

Explicit:

Can you help transcribe the explicit? Please comment!

Colophon:

"Scribal," triangular, Arabic, reads: "نمقه العبد المذنب الراجى آقا محمد المراغى سنه ١۰۶۶"

Dedication:

As appears in preface (dībāchah) on p.5-6, dedicated to Shāh Ṣafī I (r.1629–1642).

Contents:

Unidentified-Can you help supply this information? Please comment!

Physical Details:

Collation:

i, IV-2 (6), 6 IV(54), I (56), i ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes insert).

Layout:

Written in 15 lines per page, written area occasional divided to two columns to set-off poetry ; frame-ruled.

Script:

Nastaʻlīq ; bold, elegant hand ; serifless with characteristic descent of words to baseline and superscripting of words and letters at the end of each line ; pointing in distinct dots ; extension and exaggerated thickness of many horizontal strokes.

Decoration:

Exquisite illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.4, consisting of rectangular piece with gold cartouche carrying basmalah in white and elegant swirling vegetal design in gold, yellow, red, lavender, white, etc. on a field of lapis lazuli surmounted by scalloped semi-circular piece (dome) with flanking partial dome pieces filled with similar vegetal decoration on fields of gold, lapis lazuli, etc. ; rectangular piece is surrounded by rich border with bands of red and turquoise flanking a heavy band of gold interlace and entire piece is surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue ; written area throughout surrounded by frame consisting of gold and turquoise bands with outermost blue fillet ; use of cloud-bands (in gold) throughout ; keywords in blue ink.

Support:

non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with 9 laid lines per cm. (mainly vertical) and chain lines visible but indistinct, cloudy formation, beige in color, crisp, transluscent, and well-burnished.

Binding:

Pasteboards covered in dark red-brown leather ; Type III binding (without flap) ; two-piece binding (overlapping flanges visible at spine) ; board linings and hinges in marbled paper (in mauve, orange, light blue, blue, etc.) ; upper and lower covers carry tooled and gold-painted guilloché roll border flanked by gold fillets as well as blind diagonal rules intersecting near center of panel ; sewn in red thread, two stations, failing, most gatherings loose ; worked chevron endbands in pink and light green, headband virtually gone, tailband damaged but in fair condition ; overall in good condition with only minor abrasion, lifting of leather at spine, negative draw in lower cover, etc. ; housed in box for protection.

Accompanying Materials:

a. Scrap of paper with unsigned note "treatise of Shīah theology 1665 [sic]-1656 AD" -- b. Scrap of paper with note in French "Poésies a persan par Md Alauram [?] al Kateb 954 ... £ 900" (paginated pp.107-108).

Former Shelfmarks:

"394 T. D. M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.

Origin:

As appears in scribal colophon on p.115, copied ("nammaqahu") by Āqā Muḥammad al-Marāghī with transcription completed in 1066 [1655 or 6]. As appears in authorial colophon at close on p.115, composition completed 9 Rabīʻ II 1047 [ca. 31 August 1637].

Ownership and History:

Inscription in pencil on verso of front flyleaf "331 T. D. M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" ; traces of an oval seal impression and possibly an obliterated ownership statement on 'title page' (p.3) ; clean copy.

Contributor(s) / Included work(s):

Unidentified-Can you help supply this information? Please comment!

Scribe(s):

04 Āqā Muḥammad al-Marāghī, fl. 1655 or 6, scribe. 04 آقا محمد المراغي, ناسخ.

Former Owner(s):

Abdülhamid II, Sultan of the Turks, 1842-1918, former owner.

In Collection:

Abdul Hamid Collection.

References:

Cat. Pers. Mss. Brit. Mus.,p. 31