Persian Manuscripts : Dīvān-i Saʻdī

Saʻdīسعدي الشيرازي، عبد الله بن مشرف، ت. 690 هـ

Persian Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'> This <i>Dīvān</i> of Saʻdī, contains nine books of <i>qaṣāyid</i> (panegyric odes), <i>tayyibāt</i> (pleasantries), <i>badāyi‘</i> (cunning innovations), <i>khavātim</i> (signets), <i>ghazaliyāt</i> (lyric poems), <i>ṣāḥibiyah</i> (companionship), prose <i>khabīs̱āt</i> (impunities) which includes three satirical homilies, and lastly, <i>rubā‘īyāt</i> (quatrains). Two further collections of the author's <i>marās̱ī</i> (elegies) and <i>tarjī‘āt</i> (stanzaic poems) appear written in the margins of folios <a dir='auto' href='' onclick='store.loadPage(12);return false;'>1b to 24b</a>. A scribe named Ya‘qūb completed this volume in 993 AH (1585 CE) on behalf of a patron named Ghiyās̱ al-Dīn Muḥammad bin Khvājah Aḥmad, but the colophon omits a precise location. The commercial style and illuminated headers suggests it may possibly be from Safavid Shiraz; however, the lavish binding features gilt recessed onlays and extensive gilt painted decoration likely dates to the 18th century.</p>