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Manuscript/Mixed Material Prayers for safety and success

About this Item

Title

  • Prayers for safety and success

Names

  • Mir 'Ali

Created / Published

  • ca. 1500-1550

Headings

  • -  Calligraphy, Arabic
  • -  Calligraphy, Persian
  • -  Manuscripts, Persian--Washington (D.C.)
  • -  Afghanistan--Herat
  • -  Uzbekistan
  • -  Tajikistan
  • -  Arabic script calligraphy
  • -  Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Islamic calligraphy
  • -  Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Nasta'liq

Notes

  • -  Prayers for safety and success in Persian in black Nasta'liq script by the calligrapher Mir 'Ali Heravi (d. 951/1544-5) during the Shaybanid period.
  • -  Dimensions of Written Surface: 6.1 (w) x 15.2 (h) cm
  • -  Jahanat bi-kam u falak yar bad / Jahan afarinat nigahdar bad / Bi-kam-i tu bada hama-yi kar-i tu / Khudavand-i giti nigahdar-i tu / Dil u kishvarat jam' u ma'mur bad / Za mulkat paragandagi dur bad
  • -  May the world be (your) fortune and the firmament (your) friend / May the World-Creator (God) protect (you) / May all your works be successful / May God of the World look after you / May your heart and your kingdom be collected and well-frequented / May division stay far away from your realm
  • -  Other calligraphic fragments written by, or attributed to, Mir 'Ali are held in the collections of the Library of Congress. See, for example, 1-04-713.19.38, 1-87-154.158, 1-87-154.159, 1-88-154.65, and 1-90-154.180.
  • -  The verses, both diagonal and horizontal, are executed in black nasta'liq script on a beige paper. They are framed by cloud bands and placed on a gold background decorated with vine motifs and blue flowers. Salmon and blue borders decorated with gold-painted flowers and leaves frame the text panel, which is pasted to a larger blue sheet of paper decorated with gold bouquets. The entire fragment is backed by cardboard for strengthening purposes.
  • -  This calligraphic fragment includes verses in Persian praying for the patron's personal well-being and the prosperity of his kingdom. The verses read:
  • -  While the upper right triangle of the text panel includes an ornamental blue finial, the lower left triangular panel includes the signature of the calligrapher Mir 'Ali, who designates himself as the "poor" (al-faqir). Mir 'Ali Heravi (d. 951/1544-5) was a calligrapher in nasta'liq script active in the city of Herat (modern-day Afghanistan) during the 16th century until he was taken to Bukhara (modern-day Uzbekistan) in 935/1528-9 by the Shaybanid ruler 'Ubaydallah Khan Uzbek (Qadi Ahmad 1959: 126-131).
  • -  Script: nasta'liq
  • -  1-88-154.164

Medium

  • 1 volume ; 26.5 (w) x 29.9 (h) cm

Repository

  • Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2019714673

Online Format

  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The contents of the Library of Congress Selections of Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Calligraphy are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions and are free to use and reuse.

Credit Line: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Mir 'Ali. Prayers for Safety and Success. to 1550, ca. 1500. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714673/.

APA citation style:

Mir 'Ali. (ca. 1500) Prayers for Safety and Success. to 1550. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714673/.

MLA citation style:

Mir 'Ali. Prayers for Safety and Success. to 1550, ca. 1500. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2019714673/>.