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Description of the Prophet (Hilya al-nabi)

Title	Description of the Prophet (Hilya al-nabi)
Author	Turkey
Publication Date:	1800-1900
Type	Document
Language	Arabic
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	Yes
Library:	Chester Beatty
Record ID	T 559.5
Library Location	Turkish collection
Date	1800-1900
Notes	Description of the Prophet (Hilya al-nabi), calligraphy signed by Mahmud known as Jalal al-Din. Descriptions of the Prophet Muhammad's personal appearance (hilya al-nabi, in Arabic) were recorded by his friends, and carefully preserved ever since in Hadith literature, to remember him. In the early seventeenth century, Ottoman calligraphers designed a new format in which to present one of these simple but resonant pious texts, known in Turkish as the hilye. This example is undated, and attributed to the nineteenth century. The first horizontal line is the bismillah ("In the name of God, the most merciful and compassionate"), which prefaces a large circular panel set in a lunar crescent, with the main text quoting the description remembered by the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law, `Ali ibn Abi Talib. Diagonally set at the corners are the names of the first four Caliphs, Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman and `Ali. The two flanking cypress trees hold the 99 names of God (Isma' al-husna'), and the lower medallions names the Prophet's grandsons Hasan and Husayn, and other Companions of the Prophet (comprising the ten promised Paradise, according to some Hadith traditions). Folio, ink, gold and colours on paper, mounted on card, Arabic text set in illuminated panels shaped as a crescent moon, two cypress trees, a footed bowl and medallions, Ottoman hilye, or calligraphic panel describing the Prophet Muhammad's appearance, with additional holy names, calligraphy signed Mahmud known as Jalal al-Din, probably Istanbul, Turkey, undated, c. 1800-1900.
Materyal	Paper (material), Pigment (material), Ink (material), Gold
Nesne Adı	Folio / Bi-Folio (Codex)
Yazı Tipi	Naskh script

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Description of the Prophet (Hilya al-nabi)

Author Turkey

Publication Date 1800-1900

Type Document

Language Arabic

Digital Yes

Manuscript Yes

Library Chester Beatty

Record ID T 559.5

Library Location Turkish collection

Date 1800-1900

Notes Description of the Prophet (Hilya al-nabi), calligraphy signed by Mahmud known as Jalal al-Din. Descriptions of the Prophet Muhammad's personal appearance (hilya al-nabi, in Arabic) were recorded by his friends, and carefully preserved ever since in Hadith literature, to remember him. In the early seventeenth century, Ottoman calligraphers designed a new format in which to present one of these simple but resonant pious texts, known in Turkish as the hilye. This example is undated, and attributed to the nineteenth century. The first horizontal line is the bismillah ("In the name of God, the most merciful and compassionate"), which prefaces a large circular panel set in a lunar crescent, with the main text quoting the description remembered by the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law, `Ali ibn Abi Talib. Diagonally set at the corners are the names of the first four Caliphs, Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman and `Ali. The two flanking cypress trees hold the 99 names of God (Isma' al-husna'), and the lower medallions names the Prophet's grandsons Hasan and Husayn, and other Companions of the Prophet (comprising the ten promised Paradise, according to some Hadith traditions). Folio, ink, gold and colours on paper, mounted on card, Arabic text set in illuminated panels shaped as a crescent moon, two cypress trees, a footed bowl and medallions, Ottoman hilye, or calligraphic panel describing the Prophet Muhammad's appearance, with additional holy names, calligraphy signed Mahmud known as Jalal al-Din, probably Istanbul, Turkey, undated, c. 1800-1900.

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

Nesne Adı Folio / Bi-Folio (Codex)

Yazı Tipi Naskh script