Three Short Sufi Works

Walters manuscript W.643 is an illuminated manuscript comprised of 3 short works on Sufism by Nur al-Din 'Abd al-Rahman Jami (died 898 AH/AD 1492), produced in Safavid Iran. The first work is called Lavayih and consists of a collection of apophthegms. The second work is a commentary on the famous Arabic "Wine poem" (Khamriyah) by 'Umar ibn Farid (died 632 AH/AD 1235). The third work is a commentary on the "Song of the flute" from the beginning of the Masnavi of Jalal al-Din Rumi (died 672 AH/AD 1273). The manuscript was written in Nasta'liq script by the well-known Iranian calligrapher Baba Shah ibn Sultan 'Ali Isfahani in 999 AH/AD 1591. There is a note dated to the year 1105 AH/AD 1694 on fol. 1a indicating that the manuscript is made up of 2 papers: Samarqandi (for the text) and Dawlatabadi (for the margins). There are also seals dating between the 11th century AH/AD 17th and the13th century AH/AD 19th.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Alllah Muhammad 'Ali, 1030 AH/AD 1620-1621 [mode of acquisition unknown] [Round seal in the center of fol. 1a]; Unknown owner, 22 Jum. II 1105 AH/AD 1694 [mode of acquisition unknown] [a note on fol. 1a]; Mahmud, 1115 AH/AD 1703-1704 [mode of acquisition unknown] [Square seal with name Mahmud (partially erased) and an inscription with the date on fol. 1a]; Husayn Shah Ghulami, Dhu al-Qa'dah 1127 AH/AD 1715 [mode of acquisition unknown] [Octagonal seal with name underneath an inscription giving the date on fol. 1a]; Husayn Qavam (?), Daftar, 1301 AH/AD 1883-1884 [mode of acquisition unknown] [ownership statement on fol. 2a]; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, 1931, by bequest.