Analytical review and introduction of Zij manuscripts in the Astan Quds Razavi libraryCase study: Zij al-Shastke manuscripts

Examining the developments of sciences (exact sciences such as mathematics, astronomy, ‘ilm al-ḥabl (physics, mechanics), and natural sciences such as medicine, botany, and zoology) in the context of history has always been of interest to scientists. In the meantime, one of the important topics of astronomy and its branches is azyāj or the science of zīj (astronomical table), whose topic has been researched and written extensively about and has made the manuscripts of the history of science distinguished. This research is intended to identify and examine the content of the manuscripts of Islamic zījs in the Astan Quds Razavi library, and to analyze and compare the manuscripts of zīj and especially Zīj al-Shastke among other libraries in Iran and the region; and finally, to further clarify the impact of these Muslim scientists on the development and progress of these sciences.

Research Method/Approach: 

This research was conducted with a descriptive and analytical approach and based on library study of the manuscripts titled zīj in general and Zīj al-Shastke in Persian, Arabic and Urdu languages, which were extracted, identified, examined and researched ​​from among the collection of manuscripts on the subject of history of science (mathematics and astronomy, music and medicine) preserved in the library of Astan Quds Razavi.

According to the investigation and research done, out of 80 thousand manuscripts in the treasure of Astan Quds Razavi, 6124 manuscripts are on the subject of history of science (mathematics and astronomy, music and medicine, etc.) and 92 of them are under the general title of zīj. Of the 80,000 manuscripts in the Astan Quds Razavi treasure, there are 6124 manuscripts on the subject of the history of science (mathematics and astronomy, music and medicine, etc.). Through a study and comparison, it was clarified that the collection of ancient and exquisite manuscripts titled zīj in the Astan Quds Razavi libraries amounts to 92 copies; that is to say approximately 37% of all Iranian manuscripts are in the Astan Quds libraries. Also, out of the 18 manuscripts of zīj-i hurmuzĪ (Zīj al-Shastke) available in Iran, 11 of them are preserved in the libraries of Astan Quds. Out of these 11 Astan Quds copies (61% of the total), 5 copies of are of complete work and with two astronomical tables about congregation and welcoming the moon and the sun and seeing the crescent moon in Astan Quds, and the rest of the library copies are abridged and shortened versions of this work and are without astronomical tables. In the incomplete copies, the author's name is mistakenly recorded as Ḥasan bin Mūsā Hiravī and Mehri instead of Husayn bin Mūsā Hurmuzī; and it was clarified among the identified copies that a significant percentage of the exquisite and old copies with the title of zīj, including the oldest Zīj al-Shastke, with the transcribing date of 581 AH/1185 CE, are preserved in the library of Astan Quds Razavi.