Religious folio - India - Muslim Prayer Manuscript (miniature) - 1815

A fragmentary Indian miniature (pocket) Islamic prayer manuscript (Du'a/devotional text), Northern India, dated 1815 (1230AH). 13 surviving leaves of a once larger volume, written in black naskh script with select words and diacritics (advisory marks for users) picked out in red, set within ruled borders. All pages retain fine illuminated panels with gilt highlighted floral and vine scrollwork framing the text, characteristic of provincial Mughal influenced manuscript decoration.

The text block is bound in brown Morocco-style leather binding with blind-tooled panel decoration to the covers, somewhat worn with splitting to the spine and joints. Leaves within are mostly loose from the binding.

Later ink annotations appear in the front and end paper. These appear to be written in Persian or Pashto, with references to Mishkat al-Masabih - a selection of hadith compiled by Imam Khatib at-Tabrizi. covers almost all aspects of Islamic belief, jurisprudence (fiqh), and virtues - which fits with the manuscript origins of the Indian/Afghan frontier region. Despite condition issue consistent with age and use, the manuscript contains genuine interest as a devotional artefact with attractive period illumination.

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