Sana'a Ke Zaili Matan Ki Asal

Aik Makhtoota Jo Do Baar Likha Gaya

Yemen ke shehar Sana'a ki Jaame Masjid ki chhat (baala-khaane) mein, 1972 mein, shadeed baarishon ke baad deewaar ki marammat karte hue mazdooron ko aik shigaaf mila jo puraane chamde aur kaaghaz se bhara hua tha. Toote phoote awraaq mein aik ghair maamooli cheez thi: nihayat qadeem Qur'ani chamde ke awraaq jinhein istemaal kiya gaya, khurach kar saaf kiya gaya, aur phir un par dobaara likha gaya. Nazar aane waale Qur'ani matan ke neeche aik maddham, mitaya hua matan posheeda tha — kisi pehle qalam ka saaya.

Jo makhtoote likhe, mitaaye aur dobaara istemaal kiye jaayen unhein "palimpsest" (zer-nawisht makhtoota) kehte hain. Is makhtoote ko — jis ka fehristi number DAM 01-27.1 hai aur ulama ise "Sana'a 1" ke naam se jaante hain — itna mutanaaza kis cheez ne banaya? Woh yeh ke is mitaayi hui zaili tehh mein bazaahir kya mojood hai: aik aisa Qur'ani matan jo lafz ba lafz bilkul mayaari Qur'an jaisa nahin padha jaata, aur jagah jagah un riwaayaat se mutabiqat rakhta hai jo baaz Sahaba karaam ke zaati masaahif ke baare mein manqool hain. Yeh mazmoon Sana'a ke palimpsest ki umoomi kahaani ka aik markooz tasalsul hai. Yahan sawaal zyada mehdood aur tez hai: woh zaili matan kya hai, aur kahan se aaya?