Top of page

View 2 images in sequence.

About this Item

Title

  • Qur'anic verses

Created / Published

  • 16th-17th centuries

Headings

  • -  Calligraphy, Arabic
  • -  Calligraphy, Persian
  • -  Manuscripts, Arabic--Washington (D.C.)
  • -  Iran
  • -  Arabic script calligraphy
  • -  Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Islamic calligraphy
  • -  Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Naskh

Notes

  • -  Surahs from the Qur'an in the black Persian naskh script, headings are white thuluth script.
  • -  At the very bottom of the left folio appears the heading of the next chapter (54), i.e,. Surat al-Qamar (The Moon), followed by an initial bismillah. The heading is executed much like the heading of Surat al-Waqi'ah on the right side of the fragment, and specifies that it consists of 55 verses revealed in Mecca. However, unlike the heading on the left, this illuminated heading omits a subsequent decorative band of blue floral designs. The continuation of Surat al-Qamar appears on the fragment's verso (1-88-154.167 V, left).
  • -  On the left side of this folio appear the last verses (55-78) of the 55th chapter of the Qur'an entitled Surat al-Rahman (The Most Gracious). These immediately precede the beginning of the 56th chapter of the Qur'an, entitled al-Waqi'ah (The Inevitable), located on the right side of the fragment's recto (see 1-88-154.167 R). Surat al-Rahman is the 6th chapter of a series of surahs dealing with the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter. It is highly poetic and repeats the question "Then which of the favors of your God will you deny?" 31 times throughout its verses, thus giving the text an almost lyrical feeling. In the left margin appears the same gold and blue round juz' marker as found in the right margin of the same folio. Finally, the last verse (78) of the chapter includes the expression "Blessed be the name of your Lord" (tabaraka ismu rabbika) written in gold ink. It is not unusual to find the name of God (Allah) or his epithets and synonyms (Rabb) picked out in gold ink.
  • -  On the top of the left side of this fragment appears the last verses (38-62) of the 53rd chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Najm (The Star). On the fifth line appears a red marginal gloss providing an alternate pronunciation for one of the words (al-awlah, "the first") in the text. At the very end of Surat al-Najm at the bottom of the folio appears a beautifully executed marginal roundel. It contains the word sajdah (prostration) written in gold on a blue ground, thus marking the place for prayer before reading the next surah.
  • -  The verso of this Qur'anic fragment includes verses from two different chapters in the Qur'an. On the right side appear verses 1-20 of the 54th chapter of the Qur'an entitled Surat al-Qamar (The Moon). These verses continue the surah's heading and initial bismillah as found on the right side of the fragment's recto (see 1-88-154.167 R). Surat al-Qamar is the fifth in a series of chapters dealing with the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter. It warns men not to reject God's Message, as did many others. In the left margin appear corrections and comments executed in red ink: for example, the spelling of one word (khushsh'an, "gathering") has been corrected in the margin. At the center of the right margin appears a round section (juz') marker with the word "eight" (thaman) written in gold on a blue ground.
  • -  This Qur'anic fragment includes verses from three different chapters in the Qur'an. On the right side, the fragment contains the first 24 verses of the 56th chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Waqi'ah (The Inevitable). The surah's heading appears at the very top of the right folio, written in white ink on a gold ground and framed by a horizontal cartouche decorated with vine motifs on a blue or red background. Below the frame appears a simple horizontal band of light blue floral vines and minuscule red dots contained in a gold-outlined panel. The heading specifies that al-Waqi'ah consists of 96 verses and belongs to the Meccan period. These first few verses, much like the rest of the surah, are devoted to describing the Day of Judgment, Paradise, and the Hereafter. In Paradise, the faithful will recline on couches and will be served a variety of foods and drinks (Q 56: 15-21).
  • -  When folded in half, this fragment yields continuous verses ranging from Q 53:38 to Q 54:20 and Q 55:55 to Q 56:24. Other folios folded in half inside this particular folio would have contained the now missing
  • -  Script: naskh
  • -  1-88-154.167

Medium

  • 1 volume ; 63.6 (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

  • 2019714487

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. 16th-17th Centuries. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714487/.

APA citation style:

Qur'anic Verses. 16th-17th Centuries. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714487/.

MLA citation style:

Qur'anic Verses. 16th-17th Centuries. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2019714487/>.