Publication Date
19th century
Publication Place
Syria -
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Museum
Subject
Silk, wood: printing
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
طول: 120 سم عرض: 76.5 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
FBQ.HH.703
Record ID
object;EPM;qt;Mus22;50;ar
Library Location
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Museum
Date
19th century
Notes
This devotional tapestry was hung from the ceiling or walls inside the Kaaba, the Islamic house of God in Mecca. Quranic verses in different calligraphic styles appear printed on red silk. The sultans have been draping the inner walls of the Kaaba with silk from China or India as a religious offering since the Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Hassan in 1359. In the medallions, tughra calligraphy spells out the prayers and the names of God, “The Merciful” and “The Generous.” The opening surah of Surah Al-Fatihah and the Shahada or declaration of faith rest between the indented lines in thuluth script. Protected from environmental factors inside the Kaaba, the Muslim rulers would not change the inner silk annually but rather wash it twice a year. As a form of worship, the bestowal of this cloth would simultaneously bring blessings closer to the shrine, reinforce the sanctity of the Kaaba, and remind you of the sultan's power and status.
Sample Text
Sarah Schroeder “Silk” in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;qt;Mus22;50;ar
