The Manuscript Copies Of Siyari Sharifi Turkiy: A Codicological Study And Analysis Of Distribution Patterns

Abstract

This article explores the codicological and paleographic dimensions of Siyari Sharifi Turkiy, an autonomous Turkic work composed by Muhammad Rahim Miskin in the 18th–19th centuries. Although the narrative originates from the Persian Miʿraj al-Nubuwwa, the Turkic version contains major structural transformations, original interpolations, and cultural adaptations that qualify it as an independent work rather than a mere translation. This study examines 24 verified manuscripts from repositories in Uzbekistan, Turkey, Germany, Russia, and Sweden. Each manuscript is analyzed in terms of textual structure, scribe attribution, copying date, and physical characteristics such as number of folios and lines per page. Through this codicological comparison, the article seeks to reassess the neglected position of Siyari Sharifi Turkiy in modern scholarship and to contribute toward a more inclusive understanding of Turkic Islamic textual production.