Lot 170: AN ISLAMIC DEVOTIONAL MANUSCRIPT FEATURING A SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF THE MASJID AL-HARAM IN MECCA.
0 views
This framed Islamic devotional manuscript, likely serving as a Hajj certificate or commemorative map of the holy sites, is executed in ink and pigments on paper. The central composition presents a schematic diagram of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, with the Kaaba depicted as a black square at the centre of the sanctuary. The diagram is surrounded by labels in Arabic identifying significant landmarks, including Qubbat Zamzam (Dome of Zamzam) and Maqam Ibrahim. Four circular medallions placed around the sanctuary name the four Sunni schools of jurisprudence: Al-Shafi’i, Al-Hanafi, Al-Maliki, and Al-Hanbali. The upper section of the page is dominated by a large triangular arrangement of dense black calligraphy containing the Ayat al-Kursi (Throne Verse, Quran 2:255), surmounted by the Bismillah. Two horizontal bands of red calligraphy contain Quranic verses 3:96-97, regarding the establishment of the first house of worship and the religious obligation of the pilgrimage. The manuscript is housed in a carved wooden frame featuring a decorative gilt inner border.
Approximately 51.5 x 31.3cm
Condition report:
The paper shows minor age-related toning and scattered foxing, particularly in the upper background areas, though the calligraphy and diagrams remain clear and legible. The pigments and ink are well-preserved with no significant fading. The carved wooden frame exhibits minor surface wear and small abrasions consistent with age and display. Ideal For: * Collectors of Islamic manuscripts and calligraphy * Historians specializing in Hajj and Meccan topography * Institutions focused on Middle Eastern devotional art * Connoisseurs of Ottoman-era religious documents
Share this lot: