Mokhtasar-e Mofid
17th-century Iranian geographical text
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Mokhtasar-e Mofid was a geographical text written by the Iranian administrator Mohammad Mofid Mostofi Bafqi in 1680/81 at Lahore. It is of significant value because it is the only known geographical writing related to the Safavid era.[1]
The text cites sources from both the past and present. In keeping with tradition, the word "Iran" appears rarely throughout the text and usually in reference to "Turan" and/or "Hendustan", or when Iran is under attack or invasion by its opponents. However, the boundaries of Iran are made clear, as is the arrangement of its different regions.[2] The text is filed with a strong sense of nostalgia and longing for home. Many contemporary Iranian writers who moved to India in search of new opportunities expressed a similar sense of nostalgia, reflecting their feelings of separation and loss.[3]
The text highlights its Shia Muslim perspective in the listing, since Arabian Iraq is given a prominent position, and Mashhad is given significant attention with twenty-two pages dedicated to it. In contrast, Shiraz only receives a brief mention of just two pages.[1]
