An elaborate astronomical calendar consisting of one long scroll. It was made by an astronomer (name not given) for the Hijrī year 1259 (1859-1860). On one side, it is written in the form of tables, on the other side is a list of different categories of male and female personal Islamic names arranged alphabetically. Beside the months and days, it gives the times of prayers, the times of fasting and breaking the fast during Ramaḍān, the direction to the holy city of Mecca "qiblah", and personal reading of one's fortune. Written by al-Sayyid al-Ḥājj ʻAbd Allāh al-Ṭarsūsī (could not be identified) who may also have been the author
Description:
In Ottoman Turkish and Arabic., Title supplied by cataloger., Romanization supplied by cataloger., 108 x 10.8 cm., and In naskh/ruqʻah script in black, gold and red ink on white paper.
Subject (Topic):
Astronomy, Arab, Fortune-telling by names, Islamic calendar, Names, Personal, Islamic, Prayer, Islam, Qiblah, and Ramadan
A collection of Islamic prayers, invocations and decorations, as follows: 1. Part of an invocation in Ottoman Turkish and Arabic (folio 1a). The first leaf seems to be missing. 2. Asmāʼ Allāh al-ḥusná (The 99 most beautiful names of God), written within gold squares (folio 1b-3a). 3. The name of the Prophet Muḥammad (folio 3a-4b). 4. Duʻāʼ istighfār kabīr (A prayer for seeking God's forgiveness) (folios 4b-5a). 5. Sharḥ muhr kabīr sharīf (An explanation of the noble seal of God) (folio 5b). 6. The seal itself written in large thulth script (folio 6a). 7. The word "Allāh, jalla jalāluh", written within a crescent moon surrounded by a decorative rectangle in gold and blue (folio 6b). 8. The word "Muḥammad, ʻalyhi al-salām" written in a similar fashion (folio 7a). 9. The name of "Adam" written within a circle surrounded by a decorative rectangle in gold and blue (folio 7b). 10. The names of Noah, Muḥammad, Abū Bakr, ʻUmar, ʻUthmān, ʻAlī, Ḥasan, Ḥusayn in a similar fashion (folios 8a-12a). 11. The names of the famous companions of the Prophet Muḥammad, written within decorative circles: Abū Bakr, ʻUmar, ʻUthmān, ʻAlī, Ṭalḥah, Zubayr, ʻAbd Allāh, ʻAbd al-Raḥmān, Ibn ʻAwf, Saʻd, Saʻīd, Abū ʻUbaydah, Ḥasan, Ḥusayn (folios 12b-19a). 12. The names of "Ahl al-Kahf" (Seven sleepers of Ephesus): Yamlīkhā, Makshalīnā, Mithlīnā, Marnūsh, Bardanūsh, Shādhanūsh,Kafshaṭṭayyūsh and their dog "Qaṭmīr" (folios 19b-23a). 13. A prayer in the form of cypress trees (folios 23b-32a). 14. Invocation seals "muhrs": "Yā Ḥannān", "Yā Mannān" (Oh Merciful, Oh Generous), "Wa-huwa ʻalá kull shayʼ qadīr (He is able to do anything), Unity of God, Shifāʼ al-Qurʼān (Quranic medicine), seal of a prayer for getting well, seal for the great prayer of getting well, the seal of the Prophet, the seal of Sulaymān (Solomon), explanation of the seal of Jaʻfar al-Ṣādiq (the sixth Shiʻī Imām, died 765), the seal of the Almighty, all written within decorative circles (folios 32b-38a). 14. Drawings of: "Hand of Faṭimah", "Dhū al-Fiqār" (ʻAlī's sword), foot of the Prophet Muḥammad, the Prophet's shoes, "Tawakkalū ʻalá Allāh" (Rely upon God), the staff of Moses, an ax, a rose, the banner of gratitude, the cloak of the Prophet Muḥammad, his rosary, his ewer and his basin, all drawn in gold (folios 39b-43a). 15. Decorative sketches of Mecca and Medina in gold and other colors (folios 43b-44a). 16. A prayer for attaining "al-Maqām al-Maḥmūd" (the Glorious Station "a place in Heaven") (folios 44b-45a). 17. Various Islamic flags drawn in gold (folios 45b-47a). 18. Various prayers for variety of occasions (folios 47b-69a). 19. Various talismanic numerology squares (folios 69b-72b). Name of copyist and place and date of copying not mentioned, probably from the 18th century
Description:
In Arabic and Ottoman Turkish., Title supplied by cataloger., Romanization supplied by cataloger., Incipit: The first leaf seems to be missing., Secundo folio: al-rāfiʻ al-muʻizz al-mudhill., 12 x 19 cm; written surface: 6 x 10 cm; lines per page vary., Binding: In brown leather binding with flap; covers richly gilt with central medallion on both sides and corners decorations; edges slightly rubbed., In large and beautiful naskh or thulth scripts, in black ink on thin white paper; with headings in white ink on gold background; catchwords., and Colophon: Last page seems to be missing; ends with a magic square and the katchword "barkamsah".
Collection of prayers and invocations for seeking God's protection from the enemies, with many verses from the Qurʼān. Name of the author not mentioned. Copied and illuminated in 1267 Hijrī (1850 or 1851) by the calligrapher al-Sayyid Muḥammad Rāsim, a student of Muḥammad Dhākir nicknamed "Ḥāfiẓ al-Qurʼān" (Memorizer of the Qurʼān). Place of copying not mentioned
Description:
In Arabic., Title supplied by cataloger., Romanization supplied by cataloger., Incipit: "Bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm. al-Ḥamdu lillāh Rabb al-ʻĀlamīn, al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm. Īyāka naʻbudu wa-īyāka nastaʻīn. Ihdinā al-ṣirāṭa al-mustaqīm, ṣirāṭa alladhīna anʻamta ʻalayhim, ghayr al-maghḍūbi ʻalayhim wa-lā al-ḍāllīn ...", Secundo folio: nunjī al-muʼminīn., 10 x 16 cm; written surface: 5 x 9 cm; 13 lines per page., Binding: Bound in contemporary blue wrapper with flap; both covers beautifully hand-decorated in gilt., In beautiful naskh script, in black ink on white paper, keywords in red; the opening page is illuminated with a handsome heading in gold, blue, rose, and other colors; there are also four different medallions on the margins in gold, blue and other colors (folios 1b, 5a, 9a, 11a); catchwords; text within gold frame., Text folios 1b-11b., Interspersed in the text is an invocatory refrain, repeated ten times, in red ink: "Aʻdāʼunā lan yaṣilū ilaynā bi-al-nafs wa-lā bi-al-wāsiṭah, lā qudrata lahum ʻalá īṣāl al-sūʼ ilaynā bi-ḥāl min al-aḥwāl" (Our enemies will not be able to reach us, neither in person nor by proxy. They have no power to inflict harm on us under any circumstances)., Colophon: "Katabahu al-mudhnib al-Sayyid Muḥammad Rāsim min talāmīdh Muḥammad Dhākr [al-mulaqqab] bi-Ḥāfiẓ al-Qurʼān, ghufira la-humā, sanat 1267 H.", and Translation of the colophon: "Copied by the guilty al-Sayyid Muḥammad Rāsim, a student of Muḥammad Dhākir [nicknamed] Ḥāfiẓ al-Qurʼān [Memorizer of the Qurʼān], may God forgive both of them, in the year 1267 Hijrī [1850 or 1851]."
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Invocation, Religious aspects, Islam, and Prayer
