Unknown - Qur'an - Bihar India - 1425

An exceptional illuminated large form folio from a Quran originating in the state of Bihar, India during the Sultanate period, c.1425. It contains Scripture from chapter 22, Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage), v.40-42. The scripture roughly translates as, "those driven from their homes and mosques in which God's name is mentioned much. God will surely help those who help Him; God is Powerful, Mighty - those who, if we establish them in the land, keep up prayer, give alms and enjoin good and forbid evil...." These verses explain the divine justification for allowing believers to fight in self-defense. They highlight the persecution of the early Muslims, establish a core Quranic principle of protecting all religious freedom, and remind the Prophet Muhammad of past messengers who faced similar rejection.

It is written in a Arabic naskh script, with black ink and red diactritical markings to guide the devotee through prayer. In this case there are 11 lines of bold Bihari script with elaborate gold 'aya' marking the verses and several 'Allah' in burnished gold thuluth font. The folio has an elaborate decorative marginal marking the 40th verses of the chapter. The folios palette and geometric vocabulary reflect the broader Islamic decorative style transmitted via Persian and Arabic manuscript culture into the Indian Sultanate courts.

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