A Political Treatise from the Timurid Era

According to Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), ‘Nasa’ih Shahrukhi,’ authored by Jalal ibn Muhammad Qa’ini, with correction and research by Gholamreza Amirkhan, has been published by the Miras Maktoob Research Institute. ‘Nasa’ih Shahrukhi’ can be considered among the books of advice written for and dedicated to sultans and rulers.

The author of the book, Jalal Qa’ini (died 838 AH), was a famous jurist and preacher in the first half of the ninth century AH in Khorasan and the city of Herat, who was respected by Shahrukh Timurid and was appointed as the muhtasib of Herat for a period.

In the present text, emphasizing the principles of governance for a Muslim ruler and drawing from verses and narrations and topics included in hadith, tafsir, and Sunni jurisprudence texts, especially the Hanafi school, and using some historical texts, he reminds the contemporary ruler (Shahrukh) of advice and admonitions. Through this, new insights into the social, economic, and religious conditions of Khorasan during the Timurid era are gained.

Only one copy of the book ‘Nasa’ih Shahrukhi’ has been identified in the Austrian National Library, which was owned by Shahrukh’s library. According to the text of the book, its authorship began in Dhu al-Qa’dah 813 AH and was completed on Wednesday, 27 Jumada al-Thani 820 AH.

The book’s chapters are structured into 10 principles and 4 objectives, each objective itself divided into 10 chapters. The ten principles of the book include: On the King’s Intention; On how all religious rights can be fulfilled with kingship; On mentioning verses from the Quran that are for the people of the state; On mentioning traditions from the Prophet (PBUH) that are for the people of the state; On knowing the value of governorship and sovereignty; On explaining the danger and harm of governorship and sovereignty accompanied by injustice; On explaining that the most needy people for advice are rulers; On the king’s need for a God-fearing and truthful scholar; On explaining that the advice and prayer of kings are more important than the advice and prayer of all; On the conditions for advising kings.

The four objectives of the book are: Justice with the subjects; Mercy for the weak; On the conditions of the army; and Governance of the subjects, especially regarding those who cause mischief.

Gholamreza Amirkhan