معراج نامۂ سیّد بُلاقی کا ایک نادر خطی نسخہ

A Rare Manuscript of Miraj Nama by Syed Bulaqi

Abstract

The Qutb Shahi era holds significant importance in the early development of the Urdu language and literature. During this period, Urdu became known as Dakni, and many poets emerged who greatly enriched the poetic heritage of the language, especially in the form of Masnavi, where they expressed their ideas and thoughts. Syed Bulaqi is one of the prominent poets of the Qutb Shahi era. His Miraj Nama is among his most renowned poetic works. There is limited information about Syed Bulaqi’s life. Some researchers believe that he was associated with the court, although Dr. Jamil Jalibi and other scholars do not support this view. However, all major literary historians have included a detailed account of Syed Bulaqi’s Miraj Nama in their literary histories. Some scholars have regarded the Miraj Nama as an original composition of Syed Bulaqi, but Bulaqi himself claimed it to be a translation from Persian.Numerous manuscript copies of the Miraj Nama are preserved in libraries across the world. While the Miraj Nama has already been published, being a significant early literary work, it still requires publication in accordance with modern editorial standards. One such rare manuscript of this work is preserved in a private library in the village of Narali, in the Rawalpindi district. This article aims to introduce this particular manuscript to the readers.