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About this Item

Title

  • Qur'anic verses

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

  • -  Qur'anic verses writen in Thuluth (headings) and Masahif (verses) from Mamluk era Egypt, 14th-15th centuries.
  • -  At the top of the fragment appears the text, though not the chapter heading, of the 101st chapter entitled al-Qari'ah (The Calamity). This particular surah describes the Day of Judgment, when men's deeds will be weighed to determine whether they will dwell in an abode of pleasure (Heaven) or a blazing fire (Hell). Thereafter follows chapter 102, i.e. al-Takathur (The Piling Up), which warns of humans' inclination to gather worldly goods rather than to pursue the higher things in life. Chapter 103, al-'Asr (Time and Age), continues with a praise for those who are constant and patient in life. Finally, this fragment's recto includes at the bottom the chapter heading and initial bismillah of the 104th chapter entitled al-Humazah (The Slanderer), whose text appears on the fragment's verso (see 1-84-154.19 V).
  • -  Dimensions of Written Surface: 21.5 (w) x 29.4 (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 chapter headings include the total number of verses and are calligraphed in gold thuluth script on a blue and red 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 verso includes surahs 104 to 106, some of the shortest and final chapters of the Qur'an, continuing the text on the recto. At the top of this fragment appears the text of al-Humazah. This particular verse condemns insincerity, hypocrisy and backbiting. Thereafter follows chapter 105, al-Fil (The Elephant), which refers to events that took place during the year of the Prophet's birth. Finally, chapter 106, al-Quraysh (The Tribe of Quraysh), appears at the very bottom of the folio. This surah urges the worship of one single God.
  • -  This Qur'anic fragment includes surahs 101-104, some of the shortest and final chapters of the Qur'an. These are continued on the fragment's verso (see 1-84-154.19 V), as well as on another fragment held in the collections of the Library of Congress (see 1-87-154.133 R & V).
  • -  Script: thuluth (headings) and masahif (verses)
  • -  1-84-154.19

Medium

  • 1 volume ; 30.5 (w) x 41 (h) cm

Repository

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

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2019714545

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. 15th Century. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714545/.

APA citation style:

Qur'anic Verses. 15th Century. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714545/.

MLA citation style:

Qur'anic Verses. 15th Century. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2019714545/>.