An Introductory Study of Manuscripts of Khwāja Obāidullah Multani

Abstract

Research in manuscripts is an essential and inevitable part of Islamic Sciences. Scholastic and historical essence of beliefs and commandments including social values lie in manuscripts. Manuscripts not only introduce new generation with predecessors but also provide principles leading towards future destination. Manuscripts enable one to recognize human being and it becomes possible to look through embrasure of the past. These reflect one's familiarity with evolutionary phases as well as dogmatic thoughts. When printing press was not invented and access of scholastic community to this printing press was beyond their limits, people formulated manuscripts to save their memories. Here is presented a brief introduction of repository of manuscripts on Islamic jurisprudence compiled by a well known personality of 13th century hijrī, Mufti Khwāja Ubāidullah Multani.
 This Paper provides a brief introduction o the fourteen manuscripts of Khwāja Ubāidullah Multani on Islamic jurisprudence .Methodology of these manuscripts is analyzed and explained by quotations. The writer had surely considered the time and space factor in analyzing jurisprudential issues. In all his Persian, Arabic and Urdu manuscripts Islamic laws and their details has been discussed in ordinary terms for the better understanding of general public.