"آئینۂ وصفِ جمال" از ڈاکٹر نجم الرشید: ایک تعارفی مطالعہ

“Aena-e-Wasf-e-Jamal” by Dr. Najam Ur Rashid-An Introductory Study

Abstract

The Persian language and literature in the subcontinent began with the Ghaznavid era and remained dominant as the official and academic language until the Mughal period. Due to the absence of the printing press during this long period, a priceless treasure of historical and literary heritage was scattered in the form of handwritten manuscripts, the preservation of which is a major challenge of the modern era. This article presents a critical review of the life, editorial works, and especially the cataloging (fehrist-nigari) of Dr. Khizar Hayat Noshahi (1952–2021), an eminent scholar, textual critic, and director of manuscripts at Bait-al-Hikmah, who belonged to the Noshahia order. Under the guidance of his mentor, Dr. Arif Noshahi, and by following the style of Dr. Ahmad Monzavi—the master of cataloging in the subcontinent—Dr. Khizar Noshahi gave a modern scientific dimension to manuscript studies. This paper offers a critical analysis of his five key catalogs: the Dr. Nabi Bakhsh Khan Baloch Collection, the Masood Jhandir Library, the Ganjina-e-Azar, the Hamdard Library, and the Ganjina-e-Shauq.