The Dala’il al-Khayrat is a collection of prayers & blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ composed by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Jazuli in the 15th century.
The book is also renowned for its beauty.
For Ramadan, here are 24 exquisite examples across the world
A thread…
1/ Dala’il al-Khayrat, Muharram 1233/AD November 1818, Kashmir
This manuscript has previously been identified as Ottoman, but it reflects the tradition of Dala’il al-Khayrats from Kashmir and general manuscript production from that region
The name of the scribe is Khan Yunus Khan Bahu. It includes two illustrations of Mecca and Medina, which are very fine and decorated with little details from local architecture, or works of art.
Created for Üsküdar-i Muhammad ‘Aden-I, scribed by Ibrahim al-Hafiz, scribe: Ibrahim al-Hafiz. The Dala’il contains a selection of prayers meant as blessings upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Manuscript comprising a compendium of devotional works, including the Dala'il al-Khayrat (Guides to Good Things) by al-Jazuli. Copied by Hafiz Faydullah/Hakkakzade (Turkey).
Double page illustration of Mecca and Medina. The various stations and features of the sacred mosques of Mecca and Medina are marked on the drawing in nastaliq script.
By Mehmed Reja’i, student of Ibrahim Rodosi. With several illustrations & diagrams, including Mecca & Medina, the tombs of the first Caliphs, the minbar of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), the Tree of Paradise.
13/ Dala’il al-Khayrat, 1801-1802, India, or possibly Mecca by Indian artists
Contains a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) tomb, views of the Prophet’s (PBUH) mosque at Medina & the al-Baqi cemetery, Masjid al-Haram, Mount ‘Arafat & Jerusalem.
An illuminated Dala'il al-Khayrat, signed by Muhammad Adib al-Tucati. Double page illustration of Mecca & Medina, various marginal glosses, brown morocco binding with gilt-stamped medallions with flap.
Copied by Khaffaf Zadeh, opening bifolio with gold illuminated margins, including two original depictions of Mecca & Medina, a depiction of the Tombs of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) & first Caliphs.
Mustafâ al-Kûtâhî (d. 1787) (Calligrapher)
Jazūlī, Muḥammad ibn Sulaymān, d. 1465 (Author)
The Mosque at Mecca showing the 7 minarets on the surrounding walls, and the Ka'ba surrounded by kiosks & minbar on wheels.
Illustrations of the Great Mosque of Mecca and Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Mosque, by Al-Hajj Hafiz Muhammad Nuri, in The Dala'il al-Khayrat of al-Juzul.
19/ Dala’il al-Khayrat, 18th – early 19th century, Mughal, India
The depictions in Indian copies were often diagrammatic in nature, in contrast to the more realistic, three-dimentional representations in Ottoman copies.
Mariam Astrulabi was a pioneering female Muslim scientist & astronomer, born in Syria during the 10th century. She is known for developing Astrolabes, an ancient astronomical computer for solving problems related to time & position of the sun & stars
A thread on Mariam Astrulabi
1/ Mariam al Astrulabi's remarkable contribution to the art of astrolabes has largely been ignored by the world. What she achieved in the 10th century consequently helped several generations of scientists to explore the concept of time and space.
Astrolabe @HSMOxford
@HSMOxford 2/ Astrolabes were beneficial in determining the position of the sun, moon, stars & the planets. They were used in astronomy, astrology & horoscopes. Muslims would specifically use it to find the Qibla, determine prayer times & the initial days of Ramadan and Eid
Did you know Mosque ceilings are designed to reflect the magnificence of the universe?
Here are spectacular details of 24 Mosque ceilings from around the world…
A thread…
1/ Jami Mosque, Andijan, Uzbekistan
The construction of the madrasah began in 1883 and lasted for 7 years. It has a gorgeous fretwork of wooden columns supporting a ceiling decorated with bright patterns made of a combination of geometrical ornaments & vegetal elements
Construction of the mosque started in 1603 and was finished in 1619. Built by the chief architect Mohammadreza Isfahani, during the reign of Shah Abbas I of Persia. Beautiful interior dome details
Ever wondered who paved the way for the age of algorithms?
It was a 9th-century Muslim genius, mathematician, geographer & astronomer, Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi - also known as the Father of Algebra
A thread on the incredible Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi…
1/ Even the term algorithm is Al-Khwarizmi translated into Latin!
The scientist and mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi lived from 780 to 850 AD in Persia and Iraq.
2/ Al-Khwarizmi's most significant contribution to mathematics was the development of algebra. His book, "Kitab al-Jabr wal-Muqabala" (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing), introduced systematic methods for solving linear and quadratic equations.
Did you know that the Persian scholar of medicine, Ibn Sina (980-1037) suspected some diseases were spread by microorganisms.
To prevent human-to-human contamination, he came up with a method of isolating people for 40 days.
A thread on Ibn Sina & his impact on modern science…
1/ Ibn Sina, also known to the Latin West as Avicenna, was a Persian polymath and one of the most influential Islamic philosophers, physicians, and scientists of the medieval period. He was born in 980 CE in present-day Uzbekistan and passed away in 1037 CE in Iran.
2/ Ibn Sina's medical works had a profound impact on European medicine. His most renowned work in medicine is "The Canon of Medicine" (Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb), considered one of the most influential medical texts in history. It consists of five books & covers a range of medical topics
‘Traveling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller’
- Ibn Battuta
The most famous explorer in the Muslim World, Ibn Battuta, travelled more than any other explorer in pre-modern history - around 117,000 km!
A thread on the 14th century explorer Ibn Battuta…
1/ Ibn Battuta was born in 1304 CE in Tangier, Morocco. His travelogue the Rihla is his most important work. His journeys in the Rihla lasted for a period of almost thirty years, covering nearly the whole of the known Islamic world & beyond.
2/ Ibn Battuta travelled more than any other explorer in pre-modern history, surpassing Zheng He with 50,000 km (31,000 mi) and Marco Polo with 24,000 km. His total distance travelled was approximately 117,000 km (73,000 mi) (15,000 mi).
Ismail al-Jazari, a Muslim inventor from the 12th century is known as the "father of robotics" due to his groundbreaking work in the field of automata, which are self-operating machines.
A thread on Ismail al-Jazari, engineering & robotics…
1/ While robotics is considered a relatively new field of science, with the public’s consensus that it is the creation of 20th-century scientists, it would be surprising to know that the field has its roots in the medieval era nearly a millennium ago, with Ismail Al Jazari
2/ Ismail Al Jazari gained fame for his extraordinary inventions, encompassing a wide spectrum of marvels. His repertoire included robots programmed to provide guests with towels, programmable on-off switches for fountains, automated mechanical clocks & much more!
A Candle Clock from a copy of al-Jazaris treatise on automata