By Pejman Akbarzadeh
Source: BBC Persian Service
Source: BBC Persian Service
A unique collection of tens of Persian manuscripts is kept at the autonomous Republic of Dagestan.
Dagestan which is a Russian republic, until almost 200 years ago was part of Persia (Iran). Persian was popular amongst the educated layer of Dagestani society.
Afsharid era [1736–1796] is just one of the historical periods that Dagestan was part of the Persian territory. At the time the Persian emperor, Nader Shah sent a tiny Quran to Dagestan local ruler as a memento. Dagestanis believe their ruler sent a letter to Nader Shah and asked for a larger copy of the holy book considering its importance. The emperor, therefore, sent him this huge Quran. This work is just one of the many unique manuscripts kept at the library of Dagestan Scientific Centre.
“This library was established in 1963. Since then Dagestani orientalists study the manuscripts at private collections or mosque depos and have them digitized.” Patimat Alibekov says.
Narrator: When the Soviet Union was formed based on communism, one of the priorities was erasing religion from society: whether it was Islam or Christianity. According to the scholars at Dagestan Scientific Center, at the time keeping Persian and Arabic manuscripts was dangerous for the owners as the manuscripts showed ties with the Islamic world. Therefore most of the manuscripts were either sold or donated to the library.
Patmet: Post the collapse of Sovient Union, the situation changed. Nowadays owners keep manuscripts for blessing their home, memento of their forefathers or reading.
Pejman: Currently over 100 Persian manuscripts are kept at Dagestan‘s Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography which is affiliated with Russian Science Academy.
The institute’s oldest manuscript is “Akhlaq-e Nasseri” [Nasirean Ethics], dated 1235 AD; one of the most famous works of the Persian scholar, Khajeh Nassiredin Tusi. Its content mainly covers social and private ethics.
Another fascinating work is Mohammad ibn Mahmud Amoli’s “Nafaes-ol-fonun” , dated 1339 AD. It is one of the most known Persian scientific treatise that was used to train students.
Patment: It needs to be said that relations between Persia and Dagestan predates the Islamic era. Archaeological research and Sasanian-era inscriptions indicate the importance of Persian language in the region along with the impact of Persian culture on Dagestani culture.
Pejman: Past the emergence of Islam, Arabic dominated the region, however writing Persian manuscripts remained popular.
Patmet: Although Dagestani scholars were fluent in Arabic, they had more tendency toward Persian. They used Persian scientific books as refrences for compliting their studies. In addition, they issued scientific research and poetry in Persian. They even used to translate Persian literary and scientific works into their local languages.
Pejman: One of such works is a Persian-Arabic-Turkish dictionary. It was compiled in the late 18th-century by Dabir Ghazi Khunzakhi in Dagestan. In front of each Persian word, its Turkish translation and also a description in Arabic is mentioned. Occasionally a poem using that word is mentioned as well; mostly works of Hafez. Cataloging the manuscripts is currently in process at Dagestan Scientific Centre.
Patmet: We are going to publish a three-volume catalogue of the Persian manuscripts, lithographic books and royal orders. Inshallah!
Pejman: Some of the manuscripts were badly damaged prior to reaching the library, however Dagestan Scientific Centre is going to save what has survived through digitalizing them.