Patna: Prof. Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor, Chanakya Law University, Patna visited the library with his wife, Dr. Ira Khan.
He saw the rarities of the Khuda Bakhsh Library and appreciated the publications of the library. In particular, he looked with great interest at the Persian manuscripts on the history of the Timurid dynasty, which bears the handwriting of Shah Jahan and is one of the world’s masterpieces of painting by famous Indian painters. Dewan Hafiz, from which the Mughal emperor used to cast fortunes and on which there are inscriptions of casting fortunes by Jahangir and Humayun. Among other rare manuscripts, he was shown Badshah Nama, the Calligraphic art and Miniature paintings of Muraqqa Mir’atul Muluk. He also saw with keen interest an illustrated version of the famous poet Bhupat’s Bhagavad Gita, in Old Hindi or Oudhi, and in Nastaliq script. A collection of miniature paintings, Sirat Feroz Shahi, rare copies of Jahangir Nama were also seen by him. The library is spreading these rarities far and wide to manuscript connoisseurs around the world. Therefore, the same copy of Jahangir has been published by the Library in beautiful letter of the same period. Similarly, the Diwan Hafiz mentioned above, the Diwan from which Humayun and Jahangir used to cast fortunes, has also been published by the library. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Faizan Mustafa Sahib emphasized that there are such precious rarities in the library, for which it is rightly known all over the world, he appreciated Library’s researches and publications on such old valuable manuscripts which is best way for dissemination of knowledge and easy access for the eager appreciative scholar.
The vice chancellor also specially praised the exquisite Arabic manuscripts, beholding rare treatises on medical science, such as Kitab al-Tasrif and Kitab al-Hashaish.
Among the library’s new researches are the oldest Hindi dictionary of 1674, Hindu manuscripts in major libraries of India, and the comprehensive work on partition of India, namely Mother Assassinated, and English translation of Maniri’s Hundred Letters on Sufism, Sirat-e Firoz Shahi on Indian History were highly appreciated by the Vice Chancellor. The distinguished guest also looked very keenly at the library’s recent publications on history, culture, language, literature and interfaith understanding. And appreciated the research work of the Library.
Prof. Faizan Mustafa’s works and words have an authoritative hold on the subject of law. After being the Vice-Chancellor of two Law Universities, Patna is now fortunate that Chanakya University has selected, Prof. Mustafa the epitome of legal wisdom as its Vice-Chancellor.
