Introducing the Manuscripts of Selk al-Jawâher and Its Content and Stylistic Analysis

Selk al-Jawâher of ‘Abd al-Hamid is a versified encyclopaedia (ArabicPersian) which was composed in 575 AH in imitation of Nesâb al-Sebyân by Abu Nasr Farâhi and Nasib al-Fetyân by Hesâm al-Din Ḵo’i. This encyclopaedia contains a brief preface and 35 passages/pieces which each piece has been composed in a specific rhythm. The number of the couplets in this work is 550 in total which together with 35 summarized couplets and added couplets become 590 couplets altogether. The current study has been carried out through application of documents, library facilities and content analysis method. By studying various hand-written versions of this work nearly 24 manuscripts of the Selk al-Jawâher have been recognized in the libraries of Iran and the libraries all around the world. The present paper first attempts to introduce the author and his works. In the second section, 24 manuscripts are identified and in the third section, 8 manuscripts with which the author has been consulted in editing the work are presented. Eventually, the content analysis of Selk al-Jawâher and its stylistic characteristics are dealt with. Lack of an accurate and reliable edition of the foresaid work is the main reason for doing this study and introducing the manuscripts which can be used as reference resources in a scholarly correction is the finding of the current paper.