معرفی و بررسی دستنویس حل مثنوی، نسخہ بانکی پور

Introduction and Analysis of the Manuscript of Bankipur Version of the HALL-E-MASNAVI

Abstract

Masnavi is one of the most ancient and productive poetic forms of Persian literature. Since its inception, poets have continuously employed this genre to express themes ranging from heroic epics to moral, philosophical, and mystical reflections. Structurally, the masnavi is composed in rhyming couplets, each line being independently rhymed, which allows the poet freedom to elaborate on extended narratives and didactic themes. On the basis of subject matter, masnavi can generally be divided into four major categories: epic and historical narratives, romantic tales, allegorical and mystical texts, and didactic or ethical works. Exemplary instances include Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, Khosrow and Shirin of Nizami, Manṭiq al-Ṭayr of Attar, and Būstān of Saʿdī. Among these, the Masnavi-ye Maʿnavi of Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi occupies a unique and unrivalled place. Consisting of nearly 26,000 verses in six books, it is not only a masterpiece of Persian mystical poetry but also an authoritative text in the spiritual, ethical, and religious traditions of Islam. Its central theme revolves around divine love, which serves as the axis of Rumi’s philosophical and mystical thought. Over the centuries, this monumental work inspired a rich tradition of commentaries, explanations, and translations, written not only in Iran but also across the Indian subcontinent. The present research introduces and critically examines a manuscript of Hall-e-Masnavi, a Persian commentary authored by Sheikh Muhammad Afzal Illah Abadi, a distinguished poet and scholar of the subcontinent. This work reflects the intellectual engagement of South Asian scholars with Rumi’s masterpiece and their efforts to render it accessible for learners of Persian and seekers of Sufi wisdom.