Emperor Jahangir’s Copy of the Futuhat al-Makkiyya: A Historical Analysis

Emperor Jahangir’s Copy of the Futuhat al-Makkiyya: A Historical Analysis This article, authored by M. Mahfuzul Haq, provides a detailed historical analysis of a rare manuscript of Muhî-ud-Din Ibn al-‘Arabi’s Futuhat al-Makkiyya housed in the Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta. The document’s exceptional value lies in its possession of original autograph notes from three major historical figures: the Mughal commander ‘Abdur Rahim Khân-Khânân, Emperor Jahangir, and the prominent Sufi saint Mir Sayyid Muhammad of Gujarat. By translating these royal inscriptions, the author traces the manuscript’s fascinating journey from Khân-Khânân’s library in 1584 to Emperor Jahangir, who subsequently gifted it to Mir Sayyid Muhammad in 1619 via the saint’s son, Sayyid Jalal. In addition to providing rich biographical context regarding the saint’s family and their relationship with the Mughal court, Haq utilizes this definitive historical evidence to correct an inaccurate, “fantastic” description of the manuscript printed in the museum’s official catalog By M. Mahfuzul Haq