A TEXTUAL STUDY OF THE MANUSCRIPT COPIES OF “MAJMUAT UR-RASOIL,” AUTHORED BY MAHDUMI A’ZAM DAHBEDIY (BASED ON MANUSCRIPT NO. 2352)

Abstract

In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, alongside a series of political changes, a distinct literary milieu emerged in Central Asia. The Timurid rulers, who consistently sought to bring the nation’s creative individuals together, and later the Shaybanids, who served as major patrons of literary figures, left a notable mark on literary history. Their efforts led to the formation of a new creative school, which in turn resulted in the creation of numerous works. Particularly noteworthy are the didactic works in the Sufi tradition, which remain relevant to this day. One such work is “Majmuat ur-rasoil,” encompassing 29 treatises written in a Sufi-didactic spirit. It is notable that, prior to the compilation of this corpus, no other collection or tazkira had preserved such comprehensive information about the literary milieu of Central Asia and its Sufi perspectives. From this standpoint, the inclusion of details regarding the life and activities of Jaloliddin Kosoniy Dahbediy in “Majmuat ur-rasoil” indicates his distinct position within that literary environment. Taking the above into account, this article provides a concise overview of the textual study conducted on the primary manuscript copies of “Majmuat urrasoil.”