[Tefsir] - [تفسير]

This volume contains the last volume of a commentary on the Qur'an without indication of either a title or the name of the author. It comprises the last third of the Qur'an, from the beginning of Surah XXXVI (Yā Sīn) to the end. The text of the Qur'an is inserted in detached verses or portions of verses, either in red ink or with a red line drawn over it. The commentary is written in Old Anatolian Turkish. The grammatical forms and vocabulary contained in the text mean that it was likely composed no later than the 9th century AH (late 14th century CE). The author does not deal in grammatical or lexical explanations, but gives a considerable paraphrase, beginning with the word 'yani' after each of the verses. In some cases, however, they begin by stating 'sebeb-i nuzul' or with the occasion on which the verse was revealed. Authorities are seldom quoted, and then only the earliest commentators, such as Ibn Masᶜūd (died 32 AH/652-53 CE); Ibn ᶜabbās (died 68 AH/687-88 CE); Saᶜd bin Jubayr (died 95 AH/713-14 CE); ᶜikrimah (died 106 AH/724-25 CE); Qutādah (died 117 AH/735-36 CE); and Kalbi (died 146 AH/763-64 CE). Of the later commentaries, only the Kashshāf is referenced. There are three digressions of some extent: (1) on the Aṣḥāb al-akhdūd (الاصحاب الاخدود) (Surah 85, ayah 4), a story, ascribed to Muhammad صلعم, of a youth, who instead of studying, as ordered, magic from an old wizard, learnt the true faith from a monk, performed miracles, and finally was martyred by being cast into a trench filled with fire (ff 313-315); (2) On Surah 89, ayah 5, the story of Shaddād and Iram Dhāt al-ᶜimād, as told by Kaᶜb al-Akhbār (ff 320-322); and (3) On Surah 105, ayah 1, the legend of Abrahah and the Aṣḥāb al-fīl (اصحاب الفيل) (ff 340-343). Of the few Ottoman Turkish tefsirler mentioned by Haj. Khal., the work entitled Cevahir el-asdaf is perhaps the only one with which the present commentary might be identified. It was written by some author not named for Emir İsfendiyar İbn-i Bayezit, Emir of Kastamonu, who was re-instated by Timur in 805 AH (1402-03 CE), and appears to have lived to 833 AH (1429-30 CE). The fly-leaf contains a table of chapters. This manuscript was copied by Derviş Abdulkadir İbn-i el-Hacc Mehmet, likely in the 17th century CE.

Unrestricted

Acquired by the British Museum from the collections of Alexandre Jaba.

See Rieu, Catalogue of the Turkish Manuscripts in the British Museum, pp. 3-4.

A copy of an earlier portion of the Cevahir el-asdaf can be found at Or 11270. A more complete copy of this work can be found at Or 12991. More information on the Cevahir el-asdaf can be found at Haj. Khal. II, p. 640, and a much less extensive copy of it can be found in Tornberg, Uppsala Catalogue, no. 389.