Manuscript/Mixed Material Qur'anic verses

Title

• Qur'anic verses

Created / Published

• 14th-15th centuries

Headings

• -  Calligraphy, Arabic
• -  Manuscripts, Arabic--Washington (D.C.)
• -  Egypt
• -  Arabic script calligraphy
• -  Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
• -  Islamic calligraphy
• -  Islamic manuscripts
• -  Naskh
• -  Qur'anic verses

Notes

• -  Qur'anic verses 1-4 of the second chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Baqarah (The Cow) written in the Naskh script from Mamluk period in Egypt, 14th-15th cents.
• -  Another fragment in the Library of Congress containing the first chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Fatihah (The Opening) appears to come from the same manuscript (see 1-84-154.22). The fragment's illumination, script, and size all correspond to this fragment's style and dimensions.
• -  Dimensions of Written Surface: 15.6 (w) x 15 (h) cm
• -  The chapter's first verse begins with the three mysterious letters alif, lam, and mim (a, l and m). These three abbreviated letters (muqatta'at) containing esoteric meanings introduce a series of chapters (2-3, and 29-32) in the Qur'an.
• -  The illuminated upper and lower panels contain a text, outlined in gold ink to let the plain folio show through, stating that this surah is al-Baqarah and contains 286 ayahs revealed in Medina. These illuminated cartouches contain gold vine and flower motifs interlacing on a blue background. In the left margin appear two gold and blue decorative roundels and one semi-roundel in the center.
• -  The recto of this calligraphic fragment includes verses 1-4 of the second chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Baqarah (The Cow). The fragment's verso continues the text with verses 5-17 (see 1-88-154.7 V). This surah is the longest in the Qur'an. It begins with verses 1-29, which classify men into categories depending on how well they receive God's message. With a preliminary encouragement to those who trust in God, the rest of the chapter warns of disbelief and false belief:
• -  The text itself is written in the cursive script called naskh, and each verse is separated by an ayah marker consisting of a gold six-petalled rosette with blue and red dots on its perimeter. Both the script and the illumination are typical of Qur'ans produced in Mamluk Egypt during the 14th and 15th centuries. Recitation markers signaling where not to stop recitation ("la" or "no stopping") are marked in red above the first two verse markers.
• -  This is the Book, / In it is guidance without a doubt / For those who fear God, / Who believe in the Unseen, / (And) are steadfast in prayer. (2:2-3)
• -  Script: naskh
• -  1-88-154.7

Medium

• 1 volume ; 25.6 (w) x 35.7 (h) cm

Repository

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

Digital Id

• https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.amed/ascs.218

Library of Congress Control Number

• 2019714682

Online Format

• pdf
• image

LCCN Permalink

• https://lccn.loc.gov/2019714682

Additional Metadata Formats

• MARCXML Record
• MODS Record
• Dublin Core Record

IIIF Presentation Manifest

• Manifest (JSON/LD)