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About this Item

Title

  • al-Fatihah

Created / Published

  • 14th-15th centuries

Headings

  • -  Calligraphy, Arabic
  • -  Manuscripts, Arabic--Washington (D.C.)
  • -  Egypt
  • -  Arabic script calligraphy
  • -  Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Islamic calligraphy
  • -  Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Naskh

Notes

  • -  First chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Fatihah (The Opening), written cursive Naskh script, typical of illumination Qur'ans frpm Mamluk Egypt during the 14th and 15th centuries.
  • -  Above the first two ayah markers on the first line of text immediately after the initiatory bismillah appears the word la ("no") in red ink, indicating that the reciter must not stop at the places indicated. Finally, this fragment is particular in several ways: there are four extra verse markers at the very end of the surah, a mistake that has been rectified partially by the addition of the exclamatory, terminal praise amin ("Amen") between the last correct verse marker and the first additional marker. The spaces between the last three verse markers on the lowermost line remain empty.
  • -  Dimensions of Written Surface: 15.4 (w) x 15.5 (h) cm
  • -  The illuminated upper and lower panels contain a text, outlined in gold ink to let the plain folio show through, stating that this surah is the opening of the Holy Book (Fatihat al-Kitab al-'Aziz) and contains seven ayahs revealed in Mecca. These illuminated cartouches contain gold vine and flower motifs interlacing on a blue background. In the right margin appear two gold and blue decorative roundels and one semi-roundel in the center.
  • -  The text itself is written in the cursive script called naskh, and each verse is separated by an ayah marker consisting of a gold six-petalled rosette with blue and red dots on its perimeter. Both the script and the illumination are typical of Qur'ans produced in Mamluk Egypt during the 14th and 15th centuries.
  • -  This Qur'anic fragment contains the first chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Fatihah (The Opening). Recited at the very beginning of the Qur'an, this surah proclaims God as Gracious and Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment, and the Leader of the straight path.
  • -  Script: naskh
  • -  1-84-154.22

Medium

  • 1 volume ; 27.3 (w) x 35.3 (h) cm

Repository

  • Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2019714580

Online Format

  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The contents of the Library of Congress Selections of Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Calligraphy are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions and are free to use and reuse.

Credit Line: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

al-Fatihah. 14th-15th Centuries. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714580/.

APA citation style:

al-Fatihah. 14th-15th Centuries. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714580/.

MLA citation style:

al-Fatihah. 14th-15th Centuries. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2019714580/>.