PESHAWAR: Research scholars and literati have termed the publication of the first ever versified narration of miracles of Holy Prophet (PBUH) in Pashto titled `Ejaznama` a great treasure trove.

`Ejaznama` was penned by Sadar Khan Khattak aka Sadar Khushal, the son of Khushal Khan Khattak, more than 300 years ago. Most of scholarly works by Sadar Khan Khattak are considered to be lost expect a few of his books published during the last decades.

The romantic tale of Adam Durkhanai in verse form by Sadar Khan Khattak is considered a great masterpiece in Pashto. A comparative study by late Prof Nawaz Tair, former chairman of Pashto Academy, based on Adam Khan Durkhanai authored by Sadar Khan Khattak and Antony and Cleopatra by Shakespeare was long ago published among a few others of his books but most titles are still considered being lost.

The manuscript of `Ejaznama` was revealed for the first time in a national seminar held in Kabul in 1975 by Abdul Hai Habibi, a noted Afghan scholar. Since then no Pashto scholar had conducted research on the manuscript written in 1130 Hijri by Sadar Khan Khattak.

Dr Abdullah Jan Abid, chairman of the department of Pakistani languages at Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad (AIOU), brought out `Ejaznama` spread over 360 pages after comparison of four of its fragmented copies of its manuscripts retrieved from different sources.

According to Prof Abaseen Yousafzai, the publication is the first versified narration of about 78 miracles mentioned in the Holy Quran and in the traditions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in Pashto. He said that it provided the most important information about the earlier Pashto orthography and religious text prevalent in the 17th century of Mughal-era.

Dr Abdullah Jan Abid told this scribe that `Ejaznama` had been written in Khat-i-Zanzeri, a specialised form of Pashto script introduced by Khushal Khan Khattak, and considered to be the first ever poetic narration of the Holy Prophet`s (PBUH) miracles in Pashto.

He appended the original text in Arabic of all the miracles mentioned in Quranic verses and traditions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) alongside Pashto version by the poet on scientific lines.

The flap on the research book has been written by a Germany-based Afghan scholar Zareen Anzoor, who termed it a great literary treasure trove for Pashto and Pashtun scholars. The research title is available in portable document format (pdf) for online readers.

`Enjaznama` is a rare and significant publication for those, who are interested in deciphering of classical texts in their original contexts to understand a comprehensive perspective of poetic tradition.

The foreword by Dr Abdullah Jan Abid brings authentic information regarding the 17th century Pashto literary trends. The emerging research scholars and philologists could learn a lot from the research publication by a noted Pashto writer.