Unknown - Qur'an - Herat - 1460

Qur'an - Herat - Timurid - AD1460. This manuscript leaf from a Koran scribed shortly after Shah Rukh’s reign at a time of great political turmoil. It was relatively small for ease of carriage, thus was most likely for private use.

The leaf contains scripture from the chapter 6, Al-Annam (Cattle) v.152-156, which establish fundamental ethical, social, and spiritual commandments, urging believers to protect orphan property, act justly in trade and speech, fulfill covenants, and follow the "Straight Path". It emphasizes that the Quran is a blessed guide, warns against dividing into sects, and declares that clear proofs have arrived, leaving no excuse for disbelief.

The leaf contains 14 lines of evenly spaced and elegant naskhi script in black ink and in an educated calligraphic hand. Multiple free-hand 'aya' in a simple gold spiral mark out the verses. It has a single marginal illumination in blue marking the 155 verse of the chapter. The leaf is fully framed in gold and blue lines.

There is some devotional use staining bottom left through page turning, but otherwise this is a good clean copy and very well preserved for its age dating from around the time of the fall of Constantinople to Islam in 1453.

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