külliyat

Külliyat, also spelled kulliyāt in some transliterations, is a bibliographic term used mainly in Turkish, Persian, Urdu and related literatures to denote the complete body of works of a poet or writer. A külliyat typically collects all published writings by the author—poetry, prose, letters, essays—and may include unpublished manuscripts, variants, and editorial apparatus. The aim is to present the author’s entire oeuvre in a single, coherent edition, often accompanied by scholarly notes, biographical chronology, and a critical introduction. The term derives from Arabic kulliyya, meaning totality or entirety, and in Turkish usage it connotes a comprehensive edition rather than a single-volume selection of favorite pieces.

In practice, a külliyat can span multiple volumes and may be published posthumously or during a late stage of the author’s career. It is distinct from a divan, which is typically a poet’s book of chosen lyric poetry, whereas a külliyat intends to cover the full range of the author’s writings. Külliyat editions are valuable for scholars and readers seeking a definitive reference to an author’s life work, and they sometimes appear in multilingual or multi-genre formats.

Thus, külliyat denotes the complete works of an author, published as a comprehensive edition with scholarly apparatus, and remains a standard term in several literary traditions.