The very foundation of Islam is literacy - to read & seek knowledge. The first word of the Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was “Iqra” which means Read.
To celebrate International Literacy Day, here are 24 beautiful Qur’anic manuscripts in museums across the world…
1/ ‘Read: In the name of thy Lord who created. Created man from a leech like clot. Read: And your Lord is the Most Bountiful. He taught by the pen. He taught man which he knew not’ (Al-`Alaq 96:1-5)
2/ In Islam, the duty of seeking knowledge & learning is obligatory for every Muslim. Islam affirms the right to education for all, without discrimination.
Qur’an leaf in Muhaqqaq script
Mamluk period, c. A.H. 728 / A.D. 1327
Egypt
3/ Calligraphers who specialized in beautiful writing often dedicated their lives to copying the Qur’an to grow closer to Allah and receive his blessings.
Qur'an Manuscript Folio,
Afghanistan, Herat, Safavid period (1501–1722)
4/ Double Folio from a Qur'an
c. 1330-1350, Central Asian or Turkish
Early Muslim settlers from central & western Asia carried Islamic book traditions to India, especially in the form of Qur'ans, such as the one from which these pages come
5/ Closing Prayer in the Jerrāḥ Pasha Qur˒an
Iran, Shiraz
ca. 1580
1st of 2 pairs of ornamental facing pages that appear at the end of the Jerrāḥ Pasha Qur˒an, made in Shiraz about 1580. It enshrines a prayer written in 12 lines
6/ Qur'an Manuscript, 18th–early 19th century
India, Kashmir
Illumination found at the opening to 9 of the suras of this Qur'an (al-Fatiha, al-Ma'ida, Yunus, Bani Isra'il, al-Shu'ara, Qaf, al- Falaq & al-Nas) style characteristic of Kashmir
Made for a Muslim ruler in or near Delhi, this copy is one of the oldest surviving Qur’ans from India. The scribe used a distinctive script called Bihari with letters ending in long, swooping lines
Calligrapher: Ahmad Sayri. Qur’an with selection of prayers and a falname; Arabic in black naskh script with white headings in illuminated cartouches in thuluth, muhaqqaq, and nasta’liq script
Produced for a noble patron from either Granada or Valencia, this 13th century Spanish manuscript of the Qur’an, is known as the Pink Qur’an, due to its distinctive tinted paper
Verses of chapter 1 (Surat al-fatihah) written in Naskh script in black ink with reading marks in red & interlinear gold decoration. Chapter headings & verses are written in Riqa" script in red ink
14/ This exquisite illuminated Qur’an manuscript probably comes from the northeast coast of the Malay peninsula, either from Kelantan in present-day Malaysia, or from Patani in southern Thailand.
This Qur’an was copied in Shiraz, by Muhammad Shafi‘, the most accomplished Persian calligrapher of the 19th century. It is the largest 19th-century Persian Qur’an known.
Dagestan is a republic located in the Russian Federation, & home to a rich manuscript culture. A feature of Daghistani manuscript illumination is the vibrant palette of colours.
18/ This 17th-century Chinese Qur’an shows how Islamic styles of calligraphy and illumination were combined with local styles, symbols and aesthetics that came from a very different culture.
Rare copy of the Qur’an produced during Tughluq dynasty (1320–1413) India. After the invasion of Timur in 1398–1399, it was taken to Gwalior Fort in Agra, where its colophon was completed
The scribe was a pupil of Hüseyin Vehbi, who lived at Shumen in Bulgaria. During the late Ottoman period, Shumen was a provincial centre for the copying, illumination & binding of Qur’ans
The Timurids ruled most of Iran & Central Asia for much of the 15th c. As patrons of the arts they established kitabkhanas (royal library-workshops) in Samarkand & Herat, producing luxurious Qur’ans
Arabic calligraphy is the most highly regarded element of Islamic art, as it is the language of Qur’an. The script has the potential for creating ornamental forms
Today, the art of Arabic calligraphy continues. Here are 20 contemporary artists redefining calligraphy
A thread...
1/ Influenced by her British and Pakistani heritage, artist Maaida Noor combines ancient techniques with modern expression. Through her work, she aims to reconnect with nature and spirituality, using harmonious geometries and vibrant colors as her language.
2/ Born in Tehran, @snasernia
began his career primarily as a calligrapher & typography artist. He turns Arabic letters into an abstract language, creating a new concept called Crazy Kufik & deconstructs the rules of Arabic & Persian writing
It is believed 2000 years ago in Persia, Arabs who conquered the Persian Empire enriched the recipe of snow chilled honey with milk & sugar #IceCreamDay
For #WorldIceCreamDay here are 25 frozen treats from Muslim cultures…
A thread…
1/ Es Doger, Indonesia
Made of shaved ice, coconut milk, coco pandan syrup, fermented sticky rice & fermented cassava. It is popular in Bandung, West Java & comes from Cirebon. Its name is derived from ‘es dorong gerobak’, which translates as ‘carousel-pushed ice.’#IceCreamDay
2/ Dondurma Ice Cream, Turkey
Dondurma is a Turkish mastic ice cream, typically including the ingredients cream, whipped cream, salep, mastic, and sugar. It is believed to originate from the city and region of Maraş and hence also known as Maraş ice cream #IceCreamDay
Chess is a significant part of Muslim history. The game originated in northern India in the 6th century AD & spread to Persia. When the Arabs conquered Persia, chess was taken up by the Muslim world
For #WorldChessDay here is the history of chess & Muslim heritage
A thread...
1/ The Indian ancestor of Chess was called chaturanga, developed in the 6th century AD meaning “4 Members”, it comes from the 4 military divisions of the Indian army: infantry, cavalry, elephantry, & chariotry.
Two women play Chaturanga, c. 1805 — c. 1815
#WorldChessDay
2/ Eventually, the game spread to Persia. After the Islamic Conquest of Persia, the game spread westward & a large portion of the Arabian population began to take up chess where it became known as Shatranj
Chess Piece as Seated Man, 13th c. Iran @KhaliliOnline
#WorldChessDay
The incredibly unique contemporary Bab Al-Salam Mosque in Oman is nothing like you’ve ever seen before!
Designed in the form of a circular disc, borrowing from the moon, the windows in the shape of its crescents & its glass ball pendant symbolises the vault of heaven
A thread…
1/ ‘Allahu Nur as Samawati wa al Ard’ means Allah is the Pure, Primordial Light of both the Heavens and the Earth.
Surah An-Nur ayat 35
Bab Al-Salam Mosque
2/ This is embodied in prayer that involves raising hands to the sides of the face, proclaiming Allah Akbar, and entering a peaceful and silent world where there is a connection with the divine. This state of surrender is what true prayer is all about.