Or 14370

This volume contains a commentary in Ottoman Turkish on the kaside of the pre-Islamic Arab poet Imruʾl-Qays, who passed away around 550 CE. It forms part of the Mu‘allaqāt, a collection of seven pre-Islamic Arabic poems authored by the most renowned poets of the sixth century CE.

In his preface, the author of the commentary identifies himself as a scribe and bureaucrat in the service of Mustafa Pasha, former Grand Vizier and incumbent governor of Egypt. He is more than likely referring to Köse Mustafa Pasha (died 1178 AH/1765 CE), who was Grand Vizier on three occasions: 1165-1168 AH/1752-1755 CE; 1169-1170 AH/1756-1757 CE; 1177-1178 AH/1763-1765 CE. He was appointed as the governor of Egypt on 4 Şevval 1171 AH/11 June 1758 CE, a role which he fulfilled for two years later before his dismissal. The author also praises the reigning Sultan, Mustafa III (reigned 1171-1187 AH/1757-1774 CE) and the reigning Grand Vizier, Koca Ragıp Pasha (in office 1170-1176 AH/1757-1763 CE). Since the colophon states that the work was written (ketebehu) in 1173 AH/1760 CE, while Köse Mustafa was governor of Egypt, Mustafa was Sultan, and Ragıp Pasha was Grand Vizier, it may be that the present copy is the author’s own. Moreover, there is no other known copy of this work, which increases the importance of the present volume.

The author describes himself as a lover of literature who worked on this much-needed commentary during his time in the Ottoman bureaucracy. He says that similar works in Arabic were difficult to access or understand. The author breaks down each verse of the kaside (written in large red lettering) from a grammatical standpoint before explaining them in sections titled ‘mahsul-i beyt.’

Begins (2v):

İstianet-i nokta-yı ba-i nam-ı Hüdai’yle iptida ve hamt u sena ol kadir-i mutlak-i Rabbi’l-alemin’a, ve salavat ve salam beray-i hâce-i kainat Ahmadu’l-Muhtar…

First commentary section (6r):

(Qif) Emr-i hazır (Nabki) Aslında Nabkī cevab-i emirde ya duştu.

There is a good illuminated unvan on f 2v with gold and polychrome floral motifs including the title of the work in white ink. There are floral illuminations of the borders on ff 2v-3r, as well as illuminated roundels and flower-spray motifs between sections.

The colophon on f 69v states that the work was written (ketebehu) by Süleyman el-Mevdevi (or el-Mevlevi) on ‘13 C’ [1]173 AH/January 1760 CE.