Sacred Hands

This splendidly illuminated muṣḥaf (copy of the Qur’ān) includes a marginal commentary in Persian. In manner of calligraphy, decoration, layout, etc. it is characteristic of the Qurʼānic manuscripts produced in Kashmir from the 17th into the 19th centuries.

The Qurʼānic text is executed in a careful, bold naskh on bands of gold defined by black fillets and separated at some distance from one another. Though left blank here, in other manuscripts these bands carry an interlinear translation. Small red dots or discs serve as verse dividers and sūrah headings are in blue riqāʻ on a field of gold outlined in a black band with white accents. The text of the commentary is set off by gold cloud-bands with floral accents in gold on blue fields in the triangular spaces at the corners and center of the marginal area. The opening of the 30th juzʼ is marked by marginal decoration in gold and blue and heading in red ink. A large "ع" in the margin to indicate bowing (rukūʻ) also appears in red.


References: Bayani, Manijeh, Anna Contadini and Tim Stanley. The decorated word: Qur'ans of the 17th to 19th centuries (The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, vol.4 pt. 1). London: Nour Foundation in association with Azimuth Editions and Oxford University Press, c1999, pp.229-257 ; Blair, Sheila. Islamic calligraphy. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006, pp.550-552