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Qur'an scroll from Mamluk Cairo

Title	Qur'an scroll from Mamluk Cairo
Author	Cairo
Publication Date:	1362-1366 (763-767H)
Type	Document
Language	Arabic
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	Yes
Physical Dimensions	115 mm x 11260 mm (height x length)
Library:	Chester Beatty
Record ID	Is 1624
Library Location	Islamic Collection
Date	1362-1366 (763-767H)
Notes	Qur'an scroll from Mamluk Cairo. This remarkable Qur'an scroll is over 11m in length. It contains the complete text of the Qur'an, laid out in a sequence of shaped panels and also down the long borders on the sides, with gold-painted margins and leafy illumination throughout. There are also further sections, adding with the powerful primary blessing (baraka) associated with the Qur'an itself: a set of talismanic squares (awfaq) each linked with a different planet, followed by short prayers to the Prophet, the four Rashidun caliphs and Imams Hasan, Husayn and Ja`far al-Sadiq, all to protect the patron. This combination of Islamic faith with astrological concepts is a good example of "licit magic", a widespread social system of invoking protective unseen forces, used in conjunction with more mainstream religion. Scroll, ink, colours and gold on paper, Arabic text in naskh script of varying sizes (ghubar, large naskh, and occasionally larger text reserved against the ghubar), text set in a sequence of panels of different shapes (rectangles, stars, ovals, medallions and lobed medallions) on gold and blue foliate illumination, framed within inscribed or plaited borders, the Qu'ran (originally the complete text, but now missing suras 1 to 2:75, 3:40-154) , followed by talismanic squares (awfaq) for each planet, and additional protective prayers (hijab) and eulogies to the Prophet, Four Rashidun Caliphs, and three of the Imams Hasan, Husayn and Ja`far al-Sadiq, produced for Yalbugha al-`Umari or al-Khassaki (r. 1362-66, former Mamluk amir of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad), colophon signed by Muhammad ibn Mansur `Ali al-Hanafi al-Husayni al-Kakhtawi, Cairo, Egypt, dated Jumada I-II 763H (colophon one), February-April 1362, and also 15 Dhu'l-Hijja 767H (colophon two), 23 August 1366.
Materyal	Paper (material), Pigment (material), Ink (material), Gold, Silk
Nesne Adı	Scroll (object name), Qur'an
Yazı Tipi	Naskh script, Thuluth script

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Qur'an scroll from Mamluk Cairo

Author Cairo

Publication Date 1362-1366 (763-767H)

Type Document

Language Arabic

Digital Yes

Manuscript Yes

Physical Dimensions 115 mm x 11260 mm (height x length)

Library Chester Beatty

Record ID Is 1624

Library Location Islamic Collection

Date 1362-1366 (763-767H)

Notes Qur'an scroll from Mamluk Cairo. This remarkable Qur'an scroll is over 11m in length. It contains the complete text of the Qur'an, laid out in a sequence of shaped panels and also down the long borders on the sides, with gold-painted margins and leafy illumination throughout. There are also further sections, adding with the powerful primary blessing (baraka) associated with the Qur'an itself: a set of talismanic squares (awfaq) each linked with a different planet, followed by short prayers to the Prophet, the four Rashidun caliphs and Imams Hasan, Husayn and Ja`far al-Sadiq, all to protect the patron. This combination of Islamic faith with astrological concepts is a good example of "licit magic", a widespread social system of invoking protective unseen forces, used in conjunction with more mainstream religion. Scroll, ink, colours and gold on paper, Arabic text in naskh script of varying sizes (ghubar, large naskh, and occasionally larger text reserved against the ghubar), text set in a sequence of panels of different shapes (rectangles, stars, ovals, medallions and lobed medallions) on gold and blue foliate illumination, framed within inscribed or plaited borders, the Qu'ran (originally the complete text, but now missing suras 1 to 2:75, 3:40-154) , followed by talismanic squares (awfaq) for each planet, and additional protective prayers (hijab) and eulogies to the Prophet, Four Rashidun Caliphs, and three of the Imams Hasan, Husayn and Ja`far al-Sadiq, produced for Yalbugha al-`Umari or al-Khassaki (r. 1362-66, former Mamluk amir of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad), colophon signed by Muhammad ibn Mansur `Ali al-Hanafi al-Husayni al-Kakhtawi, Cairo, Egypt, dated Jumada I-II 763H (colophon one), February-April 1362, and also 15 Dhu'l-Hijja 767H (colophon two), 23 August 1366.

Materyal Paper (material), Pigment (material), Ink (material), Gold, Silk

Nesne Adı Scroll (object name), Qur'an

Yazı Tipi Naskh script, Thuluth script