Adilnor Collection, Sweden
Ilkhanid Scroll 35
An early illuminated talismanic scroll containing one of the earliest complete copies of al-Busiri’s (died circa 1294-6) al-Burdah, a poem in praise of the Prophet Muhammad.
Probably Ilkhanid Iran, late 13th / first half of the 14th century
Arabic manuscript on paper laid down on cloth in scroll form, the text written within alternating cartouches and roundels in naskhi script in black and red ink, small gold dots or large rosettes between verses, titles written in thuluth script in white (now oxidized) or gold incorporated within illuminated panels decorated with gilt floral and vegetal motifs on blue ground, some titles written in smaller naskhi script in maroon ink, interspersed with cornerpieces with similar decoration as that of the title panels, outer bordres with selected verses from the Qur’an written diagonally in larger thuluth script in black ink, large gilt rosettes decorated with alternating gold and blue dots, flanked by an inner and outer band containing surat al-Ikhlas written in smaller naskhi script in red ink and which is repeated in the borders of the whole scroll, eight diagrams containing letters, words or numbers, each within a square or a lozenge and written in black or red ink, with drawings of a sword, spear and bow and arrow
approximately 6 metres 75 cm. x 13.7 cm.
This extremely rare and early talismanic scroll was most probably commissioned by a high ranking official such as a royal or military person to be carried close to the body in battle for protection against the enemy. This is confirmed by the drawings of the sword, spear and bow and arrow which would have been worn and used by such a person during military campaigns. Whereas many talismanic scrolls of the sixteenth-century onwards mostly written in ghubari script in Turkey, Iran, Egypt and India are to be found in abundance, very few early scrolls from the 12th to the 15th centuries did survive the destructive forces of battle and the harsh climate of the above mentioned countries.
The handwriting and the way the numbers 4 and 5 are written indicate a Persian as opposed to a Mamluk provenance, and the scroll must have been produced after the death of al-Busiri around 1294-6, since he is given the title of marhum (deceased, late) at the beginning of the poem.
The texts included in this scroll are as follow:
Two prayers incorporated within an illuminated cartouche and roundel.
Al-Asma’ al-Husna, the Beautiful Names of God or the divine names or epithets of God which are usually ninety-nine in number.
Du’a, a prayer.
Hirz al-Amani, an amulet or talisman for protection.
Du’a ‘azim jalil, a prayer.
Du’a mubarak sharif, a prayer with a diagram of nine squares each containing a number.
There follows seven haykals (structures or temples) each containing a prayer, one for each day of the week.
Hijab sharif ‘azim, amulet or talisman of protection with a diagram composed of thirty-six squares containing words which make up the verse , “there is no fear for the holy men of God”. The diagram is surrounded by numbers on three sides.
A prayer against the enemy (al-‘adu) with drawings of a sword, spear and bow and arrow.
A prayer in relation to Kings (al-muluk) with a diagram containing letters.
A prayer to revoke or invalidate spells( li-ibtal al-sihr) with a diagram containing letters.
A prayer invoking the protection of youth (al-shubban) with a diagram containing letters.
A prayer for healing (shifa’) with a diagram containing numbers.
A prayer for the increase of wealth (al-rizq) and prosperity (al-barakah).
A prayer related to freeing from prisons (al-sujun) with a diagram containing words.
Hirz ‘azim, an amulet or talisman for protection with a diagram containing letters.
A prayer for the deliverance of pregnant women with a diagram containing letters and surrounded by numbers.
Al-Kawakib al-Durriyah fi Madhi Khayr al-Barriyah, Glittering Stars: In Praise of the Best of Creatures, commonly known as al-Burdah, The Mantle. The work is a famous poem in praise in the Prophet Muhammad composed by Sharaf al-Din Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Sa’id al-Daulasi al-Busiri who imitated the Qasidah of Ka’b bin Zuhair. The author, al-Busiri died in A.H. 694 / A.D. 1294-5 which makes this copy one of earliest of this work, probably written within fifty years of the author’s death. The poem is written in its complete form with 162 verses (bayt).
Another early copy of the poem copied by the scribe Yusuf al-Sara’I at Cairo, dated 16th Sha’ban 707 / 10th February 1308 is in the Chester Beatty Library, see A.J. Arberry, A Handlist of the Arabic Manuscripts, volume V, Dublin, 1962, p.58, no. 4178.
The verses from the Qur’an selected to be written in the outer borders of this scroll were thought to be by many as being effective protection against the dangers encountered in battle. Surah CXII, Al-Ikhlas, Purity, which maintains the unity of God in Islamic belief is associated in popular belief with superstitious practises and which explains why it was repeatedly written around the inner and outer border of this scroll. Another scroll with the same outer bands containing surat al-Ikhlas, and the seven haykals, produced in Mamluk Egypt in the fifteenth century, was sold at Sotheby’s on the 13th October 1980, lot 92.
Bibliography:
F. Maddison & E. Savage-Smith, Tools and Magic, Part 1, London, 1997.
D. James, Islamic Calligraphy, Geneva, exhibition catalogue, 1988, p. 98, no 22.
Ilkhanid Scroll 35
An early illuminated talismanic scroll containing one of the earliest complete copies of al-Busiri’s (died circa 1294-6) al-Burdah, a poem in praise of the Prophet Muhammad.
Probably Ilkhanid Iran, late 13th / first half of the 14th century
Arabic manuscript on paper laid down on cloth in scroll form, the text written within alternating cartouches and roundels in naskhi script in black and red ink, small gold dots or large rosettes between verses, titles written in thuluth script in white (now oxidized) or gold incorporated within illuminated panels decorated with gilt floral and vegetal motifs on blue ground, some titles written in smaller naskhi script in maroon ink, interspersed with cornerpieces with similar decoration as that of the title panels, outer bordres with selected verses from the Qur’an written diagonally in larger thuluth script in black ink, large gilt rosettes decorated with alternating gold and blue dots, flanked by an inner and outer band containing surat al-Ikhlas written in smaller naskhi script in red ink and which is repeated in the borders of the whole scroll, eight diagrams containing letters, words or numbers, each within a square or a lozenge and written in black or red ink, with drawings of a sword, spear and bow and arrow
approximately 6 metres 75 cm. x 13.7 cm.
This extremely rare and early talismanic scroll was most probably commissioned by a high ranking official such as a royal or military person to be carried close to the body in battle for protection against the enemy. This is confirmed by the drawings of the sword, spear and bow and arrow which would have been worn and used by such a person during military campaigns. Whereas many talismanic scrolls of the sixteenth-century onwards mostly written in ghubari script in Turkey, Iran, Egypt and India are to be found in abundance, very few early scrolls from the 12th to the 15th centuries did survive the destructive forces of battle and the harsh climate of the above mentioned countries.
The handwriting and the way the numbers 4 and 5 are written indicate a Persian as opposed to a Mamluk provenance, and the scroll must have been produced after the death of al-Busiri around 1294-6, since he is given the title of marhum (deceased, late) at the beginning of the poem.
The texts included in this scroll are as follow:
Two prayers incorporated within an illuminated cartouche and roundel.
Al-Asma’ al-Husna, the Beautiful Names of God or the divine names or epithets of God which are usually ninety-nine in number.
Du’a, a prayer.
Hirz al-Amani, an amulet or talisman for protection.
Du’a ‘azim jalil, a prayer.
Du’a mubarak sharif, a prayer with a diagram of nine squares each containing a number.
There follows seven haykals (structures or temples) each containing a prayer, one for each day of the week.
Hijab sharif ‘azim, amulet or talisman of protection with a diagram composed of thirty-six squares containing words which make up the verse , “there is no fear for the holy men of God”. The diagram is surrounded by numbers on three sides.
A prayer against the enemy (al-‘adu) with drawings of a sword, spear and bow and arrow.
A prayer in relation to Kings (al-muluk) with a diagram containing letters.
A prayer to revoke or invalidate spells( li-ibtal al-sihr) with a diagram containing letters.
A prayer invoking the protection of youth (al-shubban) with a diagram containing letters.
A prayer for healing (shifa’) with a diagram containing numbers.
A prayer for the increase of wealth (al-rizq) and prosperity (al-barakah).
A prayer related to freeing from prisons (al-sujun) with a diagram containing words.
Hirz ‘azim, an amulet or talisman for protection with a diagram containing letters.
A prayer for the deliverance of pregnant women with a diagram containing letters and surrounded by numbers.
Al-Kawakib al-Durriyah fi Madhi Khayr al-Barriyah, Glittering Stars: In Praise of the Best of Creatures, commonly known as al-Burdah, The Mantle. The work is a famous poem in praise in the Prophet Muhammad composed by Sharaf al-Din Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Sa’id al-Daulasi al-Busiri who imitated the Qasidah of Ka’b bin Zuhair. The author, al-Busiri died in A.H. 694 / A.D. 1294-5 which makes this copy one of earliest of this work, probably written within fifty years of the author’s death. The poem is written in its complete form with 162 verses (bayt).
Another early copy of the poem copied by the scribe Yusuf al-Sara’I at Cairo, dated 16th Sha’ban 707 / 10th February 1308 is in the Chester Beatty Library, see A.J. Arberry, A Handlist of the Arabic Manuscripts, volume V, Dublin, 1962, p.58, no. 4178.
The verses from the Qur’an selected to be written in the outer borders of this scroll were thought to be by many as being effective protection against the dangers encountered in battle. Surah CXII, Al-Ikhlas, Purity, which maintains the unity of God in Islamic belief is associated in popular belief with superstitious practises and which explains why it was repeatedly written around the inner and outer border of this scroll. Another scroll with the same outer bands containing surat al-Ikhlas, and the seven haykals, produced in Mamluk Egypt in the fifteenth century, was sold at Sotheby’s on the 13th October 1980, lot 92.
Bibliography:
F. Maddison & E. Savage-Smith, Tools and Magic, Part 1, London, 1997.
D. James, Islamic Calligraphy, Geneva, exhibition catalogue, 1988, p. 98, no 22.