One of the most interesting aspects of this Mathnawi is the lavishly decorated outer margins which adorn each page. While usually margins in Safavid Persia are mono-chrome, this manuscript has been embellished by gold-outlined interlac🐲ing vegetal scrolls and🅘 flowers, interspaced by birds perching on branches. An anthology of Persian poetry dated 1105 AH/1693 AD now in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (inv.no.Ms.W.653) bears very similar margins although depicts quadrupeds rather than birds.

A note on the opening page written by Mirza ‘Aziz Khan the superintendent at the ‘luminous blessed’ shrine of Shah-e Mardan in Kabul, states that he purchased the manuscript from Hafiz ‘Ali🌟 Muhammad, resident of Lahore for 200 rupees in 1202 AH (1787-88 AD) and is accompanied by his oblong seal impression with corners cut that reads: ‘I am ‘Aziz, an infant of Shah-e Mardan’, dated 1190 AH (1776-77 AD). 

The pilgrimage site of Shah-e Mardan, also known as Sakhi Pilgrimage site (ziyaratgah-e sakhi) is the site where the cloak of the Prophet is reported to have been kept for eight months on its way from Fayz Abad to Qandahar, when a visitation by Imam ‘Ali was experienced and on those bases, the Durrani ruler Ahmad Shah ordered a monument to be built over the site where Imam ‘Ali’s visitation had occurred and where Imam ‘Ali had placed his sword dhu’l-faqar.