Reşadü'l-İbad - رشاد العباد

This volume contains an explanation by a certain Zati of the symbolic language of the Sufis. This is most probably the earlier and better-known fo the poets of this name who died in 953 AH (1546-47 CE). The reasons against attributing it to Süleyman Zati (died 1151/1738-39 CE) are the general tenor of the work and the age of the manuscript, which appears to be earlier than the 18th century CE. The work opens with a poem, which is followed by a prose preface in which the author states that he has decided to translate the special terms used in Sufi poetry from Arabic and Persian into Ottoman Turkish for the benefit of the people of Rum. The explanation itself is in the form of a kaside, preceded by a list of all the words which occur in it, and is accompanied by a word-for-word explanation. It begins on f 8r. The work is divided into 3 fusul (f 6v). On the first folio, the title has been altered to İrşad ül-İbad but Reşad ül-İbad appears in the text on f 6v and must be the correct title. No other copies of this work appear to be recorded. The manuscript is undated but is probably from the early 17th century CE.

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Purchased in 1910.

For more information on the author Zati, see OM II, p. 410; HOP III, p. 47; and SO II, p. 341. For more information on Süleyman Zati, please see OM I, p. 72; and SO II, p. 342.