نشریه آینه پژوهش
سال سی و پنجم شماره 6 (پیاپی 209، آذر و دی 1403)

In this article, the author provides information on the first published and manuscript lists of printed books in Iran, focusing on the first list of printed Arabic books in Iran, written and published by Saeed Nafisi. The article includes the full text of this work, with bibliographic details and clarifications provided in footnotes.

MS 3610 in the National Museum of Iran is one of the oldest extant dated Qurʾānic manuscripts, written in Eastern or Iranian Kufic script. It is strongly believed to have been written in the Khorasan region. The colophon indicates it was transcribed in Rabīʿ al-Ākhir, 416/ June 1025, by the scribe Abū Muhammad Jaʿfar b. Alī al-Warrāq. Abū Naṣr Manṣūr al-Mudhahhib was the illuminator, and the diacritical marks were applied by Muḥammad b. Abī Zakariyā according to the readings of Abū ʿAmr al-Basrī and al-Kisāʾī al-Kūfī. The 149 folios remaining of this manuscript, comprising approximately 28 parts (juzʾ) of the Qurʾān, offer valuable insights into early 5th/ 12th century Qurʾānic scribal practices in Khorasan, including textual variations, orthography, reading variants, Kufic script, and illumination.

Mullā Mohammad Ismāīl Aqdāī was one of the prominent scholars of Yazd in the early 13th century AH, leaving behind a large mosque as his legacy. His spiritual influence among the people of Yazd has endured, as evidenced by the stories and accounts that have been preserved about him. The present text consists of narratives compiled by one of his descendants, following the style of early traditionists, complete with chains of transmission, detailing his miraculous acts. Beyond their immediate content, these accounts shed light on various aspects of the religious and social history of Yazd, as well as the prevalent beliefs among its inhabitants.

The book  al-Qirā'āt by al-Sayyārī  and al-‘Ayāshī’s Tafsir are among the early Shiite Hadith sources that contain numerous narrations regarding the differences in Quranic readings and the topic of the “alteration” (tahreef) of the Quran. In this context, al-‘Ayāshī’s Tafsir has been subject to some loss of chain of transmission (isnad) over time, which has led to various speculations about reconstructing and recovering the sources. In the last century, the narrations found in  al-Qirā'āt  and al-‘Ayāshī’s Tafsir have been critiqued by scholars, including Allama Asgari, particularly regarding textual and isnadic issues. One major criticism is that many of al-‘Ayashi’s narrations related to Quranic readings and “alteration” have been derived from  al-Qirā'āt al-Sayyārī , and the loss of isnad in al-‘Ayāshī’s work obscured this connection, thereby leading to weaknesses in the isnad of his narrations. Investigating this matter could lead to a deeper understanding of the roots of a significant portion of al-‘Ayāshī’s narrations and exegesis. However, due to certain isnadic differences, additional textual variations in al-‘Ayāshī’s narrations, and the absence of any references to  al-Qirā'āt al-Sayyārī  in the rest of al-‘Ayāshī’s corpus, the hypothesis that al-‘Ayāshī was influenced by  al-Qirā'āt al-Sayyārī  seems unlikely.

In South Asia, Urdu travelogue writing gained popularity in the second half of the 19th century. The most common Urdu travelogues were written about journeys to Mecca and Medina (for Hajj/Umrah and pilgrimage) and other religious visits to places like Iraq, Constantinople, Syria, Jerusalem, and Iran. For South Asian people, Iran was an attractive travel destination for several reasons: the sweet Persian language, the tombs of famous poets (Ferdowsi, Saadi, Hafez), the shrines of mystics (in Khorasan), the holy shrines of Imam Reza (A) and Lady Masoumeh (S) in Mashhad and Qom, the resting places of philosophers (such as Mulla Sadra), and historical architecture (in Isfahan and Rey). Due to this interest, South Asian travelers documented their experiences during their journeys or upon their return in the form of diaries, memoirs, or travelogues, which they published. This paper first provides a brief overview of travelogue writing in the Urdu language. It then analyzes the history of Urdu travelogues about Iran. Since the earliest printed travelogue in Urdu about Iran dates back to 1886 (1265 AH) during the Qajar era, the paper specifically focuses on Urdu travelogues written by travelers who visited Iran during the Qajar period (1800-1925) and whose accounts were published in British India during that time.

Shahin Torah, a rhymed translation of the Torah composed in the 8th century AH, remains largely unknown, particularly due to the lack of historical information about its poet. Written in the Persian-Hebrew style (Persian texts using the Hebrew alphabet), the work has not received much attention until recently, when it was transcribed into the Persian alphabet and began to attract scholarly interest. The first part of this article explores the unique features of this work. The second part highlights eight main points where Islamic elements and concepts are reflected in the translation. The discussion moves towards viewing Shahin Torah as a shared religious heritage, suggesting that it can serve as a fertile ground for comparative studies. In the conclusion, the article offers some recommendations for further research.

Muhammad ibn Ḥasan ibn Abī al-Ridhā al-‘Alawī (656-735 AH) was an eminent Imami scholar and litterateur, hailing from a distinguished family of descendants of ‘Umar al-Aṭrāf who resided in the "Nayl" region of Hilla, Iraq. It appears that his formative scholarly years were primarily spent in Hilla. He granted four specific authorizations (ijazahs) for transmitting works such as Asrār al-‘Arabīyyah, Gharīb al-Quran, Nahj al-Balāgha, and Maqāmāt Ḥarīrī, along with a general authorization to his nephew and student Muhammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Abī al-Ma’ālī. The article presents the texts of these four ijazahs based on his original manuscript. A new piece of information about him is his reading of a manuscript of  Maqāmāt Ḥarīrī  is evident from his authorization given to Ibn Abī al-Ma’ālī and his certification of two significant existing manuscripts of Nahj al-Balāgha, one of which is previously unknown. Additionally, a commentary attributed to him with a philological, theological, and historical approach on Ibn Abi al-Hadid's Qasā'id al-Sab’ al-Alawiyyāt has survived.

Mohammad Ali Foroughi (1877-1942), widely known for his political career, was also active in philosophy, history, and literature, leaving behind several works in these fields. However, few people recognize Foroughi as a poet. By examining the Tarbiat magazine, which was published by his father, Mohammad Hossein Foroughi, three poems attributed to Mohammad Ali Foroughi have been found. This article presents the complete text of these poems. The accurate meter and rhyme of these verses indicate that he was well-versed in the art of poetry. However, the reasons behind why he did not continue his poetic endeavors remain a subject for further investigation.

The influx of Christian missionaries into Iran began to increase significantly during the Safavid era, particularly under Shah Abbas I (d. 1038 AH). In response, Shia scholars started composing critical works against these missionaries, addressing both Christianity in general and specific Christian writings. This trend accelerated during the Qajar period, leading to the production of numerous books and treatises in cities such as Isfahan, Kashan, and Tehran. Many of these works have since been edited and published. Among the most prominent critics was Fakhr al-Islam, who was active from the Nasiri period to a few years after the Constitutional Revolution, especially during the reign of Mozaffar ad-Din Shah. He authored several critiques of Christianity, some of which remain unpublished. Burhān al-Muslimīn, featured in this article, documents a dialogue between Fakhr al-Islam and a group of Protestant priests. This debate was penned by Fakhr al-Islam himself and was lithographically printed at that time. The article not only presents the original treatise but also provides an analysis of its content.

Aḥmad ibn Abī al-Asba’/Al-Asbagh was a secretary and envoy to several Abbasid caliphs, including Al-Mu'taḍid, Al-Mu'ayyad, and his son Al-Mu'tazz. His name appears in several Persian texts, including Tārīkh-i Beyhaqī, Tārīkh-i Sīstān, and Tārīkh-i Herāt, but upon examining these works, only limited information is available. Although he was a well-known envoy of the Abbasid caliphs who frequently visited Iran, historians have not given him the attention he deserves. Due to the silence of the editors of Tārīkh-i Bayhaqī in their annotations, as well as the oversight by Malik al-Shu'ara Bahār in Tārīkh-i Sīstān, the author believes that it is necessary to explore this figure further. Although Ahmad was famous in his time and wrote books and works, little is known about him, and no works by him have survived. The scarcity of sources on this matter has led scholars to rely on the writings of Ibn al-Nadim in Al-Fihrist. Although Al-Fihrist is an important bibliographic work written a century after Aḥmad ibn Abī al-Asba's death, Ibn al-Nadim did not seem to know much about this figure or perhaps intentionally avoided providing a detailed biography. This article attempts to gather all available information on this person from Arabic sources and reconstruct his biography based on historical records. His name is mentioned in three categories of sources: local histories, general histories, and biographical dictionaries of secretaries and scholars. Sometimes his story is confused with that of Abul-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Thawabah (d. 277), and his name has been subject to distortion and corruption in historical records.

In certain historical sources, there is mention of a brief letter written by Khājih Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī under the command of Hulagu Khan. This note first refers to the historical accounts regarding the issuance of the letter and its text. Subsequently, the article delves into a discussion of one of the phrases within the letter.

Fekr Azad newspaper, one of the journals published in the late Qajar period in Mashhad under the management of Ahmad Bahmanyar Kermani, is the focus of this study. In previous issues of  Khurāsāniyāt , unpublished poetry from this journal has been explored and presented in chronological order. This issue presents a long poem by Ahmad Bahmanyar, which he wrote in response to the specific circumstances of the time. In addition, in issue 35 of the newspaper, a lengthy poem by Sheikh Muhammad Khalesi, also known as Khalesi-zadeh, a prominent scholar from Iraq who fought against British colonialism, was published. This poem was written in invocation to Imam Reza (A) and was added by Bahmanyar as a translation with an introduction. Khalesi, during his time in Mashhad, gave fiery speeches against colonialism that gained great popularity among the people.

Miʿyār al-ʾAšʿār al-Šamsiyyah, An Unpublished Treatise on Persian Prosody This note introduces Miʿyār al-ʾAšʿār al-Šamsiyyah, an unpublished treatise on Persian prosody by Ḥusām al-Dīn al-Ḫu'ī (c. 13th CE). Some fascinating features of this work are discussed here, such as the use of a circle identical to that of Abolhassan Nadjafi, which has been presumed to be unique to modern Persian prosody, and the scansion of meters by means of musical elements (or Atānīn).

In the tenth issue of “Neveštegān”, we first point to the presence of two previously unknown forms of Persian verbal endings in early texts. We then expand on the author’s discussion of Middle Persian ka remnants in New Persian by presenting additional examples and providing a correct explanation for the phrase “kaẟ” in the Šunqušī translation-commentary. The third section examines a term from The Judaeo-Persian London Pentateuch, correcting a previous interpretation of this word. In the final section, we discuss a graphic symbol in ancient Persian financial documents and provide evidence for the description of a similar symbol in an early verse.

Jalal al-Din Fereydun, known as Amir Aref (670-719 AH), was the son of Sultan Walad and the grandson of Jalal al-Din Rumi. His mother was Fatima Khatun, the daughter of Salah al-Din Zarkub. After the death of his father, Baha al-Din Walad, Aref Chalabi became the spiritual leader of the Mevlevi order. Like his father and grandfather, he was also a poet, with most of his poetry being imitative of Rumi's style. A small divan of his poetry, consisting of ghazals and quatrains, has survived. The first edition of Amir Aref Chalabi’s divan was published in Konya in 2013 by two Turkish scholars, and this edition was later republished in Iran with additional notes and a translated introduction by Tawfiq Sobhani. This paper critiques the editing of both the Konya and Tehran editions.

The Myth of Bukhara is an extensive study that critiques the exaggerated portrayal of the figure of Bukhari, the author of Al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ, by contemporary Salafi scholars. These scholars have resorted to exaggeration regarding Bukhari’s scholarly status in contrast to the critical approach to Bukhari. This study is part of the larger work The Myth of Bukhara and specifically critiques Sīrat al-Bukhārī by Abdal-Salam Mubārakfūrī, one of the primary sources of the book Al-Ṭu'ūn wa Shubahāt al-Shīʿah al-Imāmīyah ḥawl Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī wa al-Radd 'alayhā, which is the latest and most prominent Salafi work defending Bukhari. In the conclusion of his book, Mubārakfūrī describes Bukhari’s scholarly circle as having characteristics of authenticity and fame, widespread across the Abbasid state, with diverse and comprehensive teachings, the attendance of 20,000 students, and the participation of intellectual elites in Islamic sciences. The outcome of Mubārakfūrī's argument is the unparalleled and incomparable nature of Bukhari’s scholarly circle, which, like his book Al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaḥīḥ, is irreplaceable. This article, using a critical analysis approach, reveals the flaws, challenges, and shortcomings in Mubārakfūrī’s portrayal of Bukhari’s scholarly circle. It uncovers the underlying motives, hidden goals, and ideological causes behind Mubārakfūrī’s exaggerated portrayal, proving that this image represents one of the most prominent examples of exaggeration in his work.

Takmilat al-Laṭā'if wa Nuzhat al-Ẓarā'if authored by Abū Muhammad Abdul Azīz ibn ‘Uthmān al-Ḥibrī, is a lesser-known Persian text from the 5th century AH. This work is referenced extensively by Aḥmad ibn Muhammad ibn Manṣūr Arfanjānī (active in 475 AH) in his book Qiṣaṣ al-Anbiyā (Stories of the Prophets). According to Arfanjānī, al-Ḥibrī's work includes not only stories of the prophets but also various anecdotes, witty remarks, and instructive tales. A manuscript selection of  Takmilat al-Laṭā'if wa Nuzhat al-Ẓarā'if  is preserved under the catalog number 3/1697 in the Asad Efendi Library, which is introduced and discussed in this article.

"The Heritage of Shiite Literati" is a valuable four-volume collection curated by Ali Fazeli, focusing on the rich domain of Persian literary heritage, particularly the religious poetry of Shiite poets. This collection includes the works of poets who emerged around the time of the Safavid dynasty's rise. Despite their fame, many of these poets showcased significant creativity, intellectual depth, and literary talent. The extensive poetry in this collection also reveals diverse historical, cultural, and linguistic nuances embedded within the verses.

The Children's Book Review Journal was a specialized periodical aimed at enhancing the quality of written works for children and young adults, published in ten issues from Spring 2020 to Spring 2023. The main sections of the journal included reviews of original and translated books, as well as literature covering religious, mystical, philosophical, dramatic, psychological, and war themes, alongside humor literature. The journal featured various types of critiques such as analytical, comparative, editorial, editorial-content, thought-provoking, research-oriented, and reviews of non-fiction literature, regional literature, literature from Persian-speaking communities, picture books, promotional programs, textbooks, theoretical resources, reprints, and the state of publishing. Additionally, it regularly addressed topics like reading culture, lectures, meetings, statements, notes, commemorations, and reports, along with a review of works related to children's and young adult literature.

The book Al-Fuṣūṣ fi 'Ilm al-Naḥw wa Taṭbīq Qawā'idihi 'ala al-Nuṣūṣ is a grammar textbook currently being written in two parts for the seminaries dedicated to female students. The first part has already been published and is set to be taught at Level 2 as the introductory grammar textbook for beginners in the academic year 2024-2025. The book aims to achieve three main objectives familiarizing students with the language of the classical Shia heritage and its comprehension, reducing the rigidity of Arabic grammar rules, and enhancing the understanding of these rules through practical examples. However, the book’s structure and content have hindered the achievement of these goals. One of the structural issues of this book is that each lesson begins with an extended narrative text containing difficult vocabulary and unfamiliar grammatical rules for Persian-speaking beginners. These novice learners, who have not yet mastered reading and comprehending texts, are required to read, translate, and grasp the content of these stories before learning the corresponding grammatical rules. Additionally, they must complete exercises related to the text's content. This approach prioritizes reading, understanding, and mastering the content of the narrative text over teaching the grammar rules, which should logically precede text comprehension. From a content perspective, the book omits several introductory topics and essential, widely-used grammatical rules. For instance, it does not cover the basic concepts of nouns, verbs, and particles. Among the rules, it only discusses I'rāb (inflection) but neglects Binā (fixed forms) and concepts like definiteness and indefiniteness (ma'rifah and nakirah). Furthermore, the book fails to address the masdar mu'awwal (verbal noun) due to the absence of coverage on relative pronouns (mawsul). Additionally, it lacks discussions on grammatical exceptions such as majzūmāt (verbs that take the jussive case), conditional tools, conditional sentences, and their responses.