Unkown - Quran - India - 1548

We provide here a delightful miniature leaf from an Indian Qur'an dated 1548/9. It is written in fine Naskh script in black ink It contains the beginning verses of chapter 60, Al-Mumtahanha (The Test fo Faith), opening with the gold-ground header panel (unwanted) identifying the chapter, followed by the Basal and v.1-5. The passage commands believers not to take enemies of God as Aallies, referencing those who were expelled from believing in God, and cites the example of Ibrahim and his companions as a model of disavowal. Two gilt rosette medallions in the left margin, each enclosed within a sunburst of fine blue pinworm, mark the beginning of the chapter and the 5th verse division.

The chapter is about moral and spiritual boundaries, with these opening verses addressing one of the most challenging tests of faith, the command to prioritise devotion to God above tribal loyalty, family ties and worldly alliances. As a 1548 Indian manuscript leaf, it also carries historical weight, produced at a moment when Muslim leaders were navigating complex questions of religious identity, political alliance and pluralism.

Personal Qur'an like these are among the most intimate of all Islamic manuscripts, carried daily, handled in devotion, and often passed down through generations as cherished family heirlooms.

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