Iranian Persian Language and Literature Promotion Society Research on Mystical Literature HTTPS://JP 17 1 2023 08 23 The Treatise of Kashf al-Mahjoub: A Translation but Not by Naser Khosro The Treatise of Kashf al-Mahjoub: A Translation but Not by Naser Khosro 25 44 27720 10.22108/jpll.2023.137542.1763 FA Hamed Kashani Mofrad Ph. D. Candidate in Persian Literature, Department of Persian Literature, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, University of Kashan, Isfahan, Iran Mohamad Rastgoofar Associate Professor, Department of Persian Literature, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, University of Kashan, Isfahan, Iran Fatemesadat Taheri Associate Professor, Department of Persian Literature, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, University of Kashan, Isfahan, Iran Journal Article 2023 05 01 Kashf al-Mahjoub is a Persian work by Abu Yaghoub Ishagh Ibn Ahmad Sajestani. Its subject is wisdom from Ismaeli’s point of view. Questions and ambiguities have long been debated such as whether this book was written in Arabic or Persian, whether it has been translated by Nasser Khosrow or someone else, and whether the Arabic version was removed during the translation process. This research was done using the analytical-statistical method based on the assessment of the surviving works of Sajestani and Naser Khosrow and stylistic components. In this research, we showed that Sajestani wrote Kashf al-Mahjub in Arabic and later it was reported to Khama, one of his co-religionists, in Persian. The style of translation and the structure and writing style of the book show that the time of translation should not exceed the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth century AH. Another issue is that the book has not suffered any shortcomings or distortions during the translation process, and most importantly, we proved that contrary to the opinion of some famous Western and Eastern researchers, the translator of this treatise is not Nasser Khosrow Qabadiani. Introduction Abu Yaghoub Ishagh Ibn Ahmad Sajestani or Sajzi (Died between 386-393 AH) with the ambiguous and questionable nickname "Khisfuj" or "Panbehdaneh" is one of the greatest Ismaili philosophers and Da'is belonging to the fourth century AH. After the death of Abu Hatim Razi, a famous Ismaili Da'i (322 AH), he was a Da'i for a while in Rey, and after the death of another Ismaili Da'i Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Nasfi (331 AH), he held the position of Da'i in Sistan and Khorasan. This innovative philosopher and influential Da'i has written numerous works, some of which have been published such as Al-Iftekhar, Ishbat al-Nabawat, Al-Yenabie, Al-Maqalid al-Malakutiyeh, Tahf-e-Al-Mostajibin, Al-Rasaleh al-Bahera. One of his most important works is Kashf al-Mahjoub. In this research, we intend to first mention the various opinions that have been issued by the researchers about the original language of the book and its translator, and then to show the correctness or incorrectness as well as the shortcomings of their arguments. At the same time, we intend to show that the book is a translation with a different method by providing evidence. Most importantly, it aims to show that this translation cannot be the work of Naser Khosrow, the famous poet and preacher of the Ismaili religion of the 5th century AD. Review of the Literature The importance of Sajestani's works and writings is that in the Ismaili religion, which has a special system of intellectual philosophy, is that he personally has a special and unique way of thinking (Daftari, 2020, pp. 197-198; Hemo, 2004, p. 116). Abu Yaqub, who was strongly influenced by Neoplatonic trends, was able to establish a relatively new way by combining Ismaili religion and Neoplatonic philosophy, which made him stand out among other Ismaili Da'is (Madelung, 2002, p. 16; Walker, 1998, pp. 38-56-137; Nanji, 2020, p. 197; Daftari, 2014, p. 174). Kashf al-Mahjub is one of his most important works, and ironically its Persian version is left for us as a legacy. The subject of this book as Safa (2001) said is “theosophy from Ismaeli’s point of view”, and its style is the same as the style of the Samani period (Bahar, 2003). This book was published for the first time in 1949 by Henry Corbin based on only one copy in Tehran. The author organized his book into seven sections and called each section ‘Maghalat’, and each Maghalat is arranged into ‘seven articles’. In attributing this work to Sajestani, none of the researchers had any doubt because the name of this work is mentioned together with the name of its author in old and new sources (Abulqasem Basti, 2002, pp. 226-227; Nasser Khosro, n.d, p. 388; Hemo, 2018, p. 180; Aburihan Biruni, n.d, p. 49; Walker, 1998, p. 157). However, contrary to the definite attribution of this work to Sajestani, there is a difference in opinions about whether the original language of this book was Persian or Arabic, and if it is Arabic, who translated the present Persian report. In this regard, various theories have been proposed by researchers. Methodology This study is done on the basis of an analytical and statistical method depending on the remaining works of Sajestani and Naser Khosrow by using stylistic components. In this study, it is shown that Sajestani's Kashf al-Mahjoub was originally written in Arabic and later translated into Persian. Considering the method, the structure, and the style of the book, it can be guessed that the translation was probably done during the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century. Moreover, it is found that the translation is faithful to the original text and nothing is omitted or distorted. Most important of all, it is shown that contrary to the view of some Eastern and Western researchers, Naser Khosrow is not the translator. Results The results of the present study showed that: 1) By investigating the way the book was composed, the structure of the sentences, and the syntax governing the text of the book, which follows the Arabic syntax, we showed that this book was definitely (not originally) written in Persian and is a translation of an Arabic version. 2) Kashf al-Mahjub cannot be Nasser Khosrow's translation, because based on stylistics and its related components, we showed that the translation used in Kashf al-Mahjub is completely different in terms of the translation method from what Nasser Khosrow used in Khwan al-Akhwan from Al-Yenabie. In addition, the language habits reflected in Kashf Al-Mahjub and Nasser Khosrow's works, especially Khan Al-Akhwan, in which he translated 38 chapters of Al-Yenabie Sajestani, are completely different. 3) Contrary to the opinion of some researchers, the book has not any omissions in the translation process. Kashf al-Mahjoub is a Persian work by Abu Yaghoub Ishagh Ibn Ahmad Sajestani. Its subject is wisdom from Ismaeli’s point of view. Questions and ambiguities have long been debated such as whether this book was written in Arabic or Persian, whether it has been translated by Nasser Khosrow or someone else, and whether the Arabic version was removed during the translation process. This research was done using the analytical-statistical method based on the assessment of the surviving works of Sajestani and Naser Khosrow and stylistic components. In this research, we showed that Sajestani wrote Kashf al-Mahjub in Arabic and later it was reported to Khama, one of his co-religionists, in Persian. The style of translation and the structure and writing style of the book show that the time of translation should not exceed the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth century AH. Another issue is that the book has not suffered any shortcomings or distortions during the translation process, and most importantly, we proved that contrary to the opinion of some famous Western and Eastern researchers, the translator of this treatise is not Nasser Khosrow Qabadiani. Introduction Abu Yaghoub Ishagh Ibn Ahmad Sajestani or Sajzi (Died between 386-393 AH) with the ambiguous and questionable nickname "Khisfuj" or "Panbehdaneh" is one of the greatest Ismaili philosophers and Da'is belonging to the fourth century AH. After the death of Abu Hatim Razi, a famous Ismaili Da'i (322 AH), he was a Da'i for a while in Rey, and after the death of another Ismaili Da'i Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Nasfi (331 AH), he held the position of Da'i in Sistan and Khorasan. This innovative philosopher and influential Da'i has written numerous works, some of which have been published such as Al-Iftekhar, Ishbat al-Nabawat, Al-Yenabie, Al-Maqalid al-Malakutiyeh, Tahf-e-Al-Mostajibin, Al-Rasaleh al-Bahera. One of his most important works is Kashf al-Mahjoub. In this research, we intend to first mention the various opinions that have been issued by the researchers about the original language of the book and its translator, and then to show the correctness or incorrectness as well as the shortcomings of their arguments. At the same time, we intend to show that the book is a translation with a different method by providing evidence. Most importantly, it aims to show that this translation cannot be the work of Naser Khosrow, the famous poet and preacher of the Ismaili religion of the 5th century AD. Review of the Literature The importance of Sajestani's works and writings is that in the Ismaili religion, which has a special system of intellectual philosophy, is that he personally has a special and unique way of thinking (Daftari, 2020, pp. 197-198; Hemo, 2004, p. 116). Abu Yaqub, who was strongly influenced by Neoplatonic trends, was able to establish a relatively new way by combining Ismaili religion and Neoplatonic philosophy, which made him stand out among other Ismaili Da'is (Madelung, 2002, p. 16; Walker, 1998, pp. 38-56-137; Nanji, 2020, p. 197; Daftari, 2014, p. 174). Kashf al-Mahjub is one of his most important works, and ironically its Persian version is left for us as a legacy. The subject of this book as Safa (2001) said is “theosophy from Ismaeli’s point of view”, and its style is the same as the style of the Samani period (Bahar, 2003). This book was published for the first time in 1949 by Henry Corbin based on only one copy in Tehran. The author organized his book into seven sections and called each section ‘Maghalat’, and each Maghalat is arranged into ‘seven articles’. In attributing this work to Sajestani, none of the researchers had any doubt because the name of this work is mentioned together with the name of its author in old and new sources (Abulqasem Basti, 2002, pp. 226-227; Nasser Khosro, n.d, p. 388; Hemo, 2018, p. 180; Aburihan Biruni, n.d, p. 49; Walker, 1998, p. 157). However, contrary to the definite attribution of this work to Sajestani, there is a difference in opinions about whether the original language of this book was Persian or Arabic, and if it is Arabic, who translated the present Persian report. In this regard, various theories have been proposed by researchers. Methodology This study is done on the basis of an analytical and statistical method depending on the remaining works of Sajestani and Naser Khosrow by using stylistic components. In this study, it is shown that Sajestani's Kashf al-Mahjoub was originally written in Arabic and later translated into Persian. Considering the method, the structure, and the style of the book, it can be guessed that the translation was probably done during the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century. Moreover, it is found that the translation is faithful to the original text and nothing is omitted or distorted. Most important of all, it is shown that contrary to the view of some Eastern and Western researchers, Naser Khosrow is not the translator. Results The results of the present study showed that: 1) By investigating the way the book was composed, the structure of the sentences, and the syntax governing the text of the book, which follows the Arabic syntax, we showed that this book was definitely (not originally) written in Persian and is a translation of an Arabic version. 2) Kashf al-Mahjub cannot be Nasser Khosrow's translation, because based on stylistics and its related components, we showed that the translation used in Kashf al-Mahjub is completely different in terms of the translation method from what Nasser Khosrow used in Khwan al-Akhwan from Al-Yenabie. In addition, the language habits reflected in Kashf Al-Mahjub and Nasser Khosrow's works, especially Khan Al-Akhwan, in which he translated 38 chapters of Al-Yenabie Sajestani, are completely different. 3) Contrary to the opinion of some researchers, the book has not any omissions in the translation process.

https://jpll.ui.ac.ir/article_27720_363d163b804148f14c2e0d104c26a00f.pdf