Poetry and Prayer: Islamic Manuscripts from the Walters Art Museum

Poetry and Prayer

Islamic Manuscripts from the Walters Art Museum

Poetry Ritual Prayer Recitation Calligraphy Personal Piety Digital Books

W.561: Qur’an

This manuscript is an elegantly calligraphed and illuminated large-format codex of the Qur’an. It was made for the library of the Mamluk official Aytimish al-Bajāsī (d. 802 AH / 1400 CE) that was established at the Bāb al-Wazīr in Cairo. The manuscript contains verses 142-252 from chapter 2 (Sūrat al-baqara). It is volume two (al-juz’ al-thānī) of a set which originally had 30 volumes. The decorated binding is contemporary with the fourteenth-century text block.






Folio 4a

Folio from an Islamic Manuscript

This page shows five lines of vocalized muhaqqaq script in black ink.

Folio 3a

Folio from an Islamic Manuscript

This illuminated titlepiece contains a bequest (waqf) statement in the name of the Mamluk Amīr Aytimish (d.802 AH / 1400 CE) indicating that the manuscript was for the library of the Madrasa established at the Bāb al-Wazīr of Cairo (Egypt).