Top of page

Manuscript/Mixed Material Qur'anic verses (107-9, 110-112)

About this Item

Title

  • Qur'anic verses (107-9, 110-112)

Created / Published

  • 15th century

Headings

  • -  Calligraphy, Arabic
  • -  Manuscripts, Arabic--Washington (D.C.)
  • -  Egypt
  • -  Arabic script calligraphy
  • -  Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Islamic calligraphy
  • -  Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Masahif
  • -  Thuluth

Notes

  • -  Quranic Pages in Thuluth (headings) and Masahif (verses) scripts.
  • -  Recto: Dimensions of Written Surface: 21.4 (w) x 28.9 (h) cm. Verso: Dimensions of Written Surface: 21.5 (w) x 29.3 (h) cm.
  • -  The calligraphy used for the verses is masahif, a cursive script that is a smaller and less stiff version than muhaqqaq. Its name, which means "codices"or "volumes," reflects its common use for copying the Qur'an. Masahif and other bold cursive scripts such as naskh and muhaqqaq are typical of Qur'ans produced in Egypt during the 14th-15th centuries (James 1988: 16-21).
  • -  The last chapters of the Qur'an are brief and thus several can fit unto one page. For instance, surat al-Ikhlas (112) appears in the lowermost portion of the folio. The heading for this particular surah is executed in large thuluth with white ink, and states that it consists of four verses and was revealed in Mecca. As with the other two chapter headings above, the title appears on a bed of gold flower and vine interlacings on a red and blue background. The other two headings are written in gold and outlined in black.
  • -  The verso of this Qur'anic fragment includes some of the penultimate chapters of the Qur'an (110-112), i.e., al-Nasr (The Victory), al-Masad (The Plaited Rope), and al-Ikhlas (The Purity of Faith). It continues the preceding surahs on the fragment's recto (see 1-87-154.133 R). These surahs discuss victory as God-given, cruelty as self-damaging, and God as the single, everlasting being: "Say He is God, the One and Only, Allah the Eternal, Absolute, He does not beget nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him." (112:1-4).
  • -  These chapters' headings are calligraphed in thuluth script. The topmost surah heading for al-Ma'un is executed in white ink, rather than gold outlined in black, and states that it is Meccan and consists in seven verses. Like the other headings, it appears above gold flower and vine interlacings on a red and blue background. Verse markers consist of rosettes (shamsah) in gold with red centers, with twelve petals outlined in black and blue & red dots punctuating the perimeter. The text's rectangular gold and blue border is a bit faded (Selim 1979, 153).
  • -  This Qur'anic fragment's recto includes three short surahs (107-109) entitled al-Ma'un (The Assistance), al-Kawthar (The Abundance), and al-Kafirun (The Unbelievers). The last chapters of the Qur'an tend to be Meccan and quite short, thus several can fit onto one page. They also tend to deal with sincerity in devotion and true worship, and warn of persecuting men of a different faith. The faithful should state: "To you be your religion, and to me my own" (109:6).
  • -  Script: thuluth (headings) and masahif (verses)
  • -  1-87-154.133

Medium

  • 1 volume ; 31.5 (w) x 40.9 (h) cm

Repository

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

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2019714475

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:

Qur'anic Verses 107-9, 110-112. 15th Century. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714475/.

APA citation style:

Qur'anic Verses 107-9, 110-112. 15th Century. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714475/.

MLA citation style:

Qur'anic Verses 107-9, 110-112. 15th Century. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2019714475/>.