Unknown - Quran - Chinese - 1760

A generous bi-folio from an 18th Century Chinese Qur'an (circa 1760) written in elegant Muhaqqaq script, characterised by bold left leaning extended upstrokes of the pen, well-spaced ligatures, and shallow and sweeping horizontal sub-linear flourishes. During the caliphate of al Ma'mun (813-833) it became the preferred style of the Warraqun (professional scribes) to enable relatively easy reproduction. It also suggests the brush strokes associated with Chinese calligraphy, and is often referred to as sini (Chinese) Arabic.

The bi-folio contains on the right folio the closing verse of chapter 67, Surat Al-Mulk (All Authority) (67:30) - "Say. 'Have you considered if your water were to sin into the earth, then who could bring you flowing water?" - followed by the heading for Surat Al-Qalam (The Pen) (Chapter 68), noted as Meccan with fifty two verses, the basmalah and v:12, followed on the left folio by the continuation of v:2-6, which are a divine reassurance and defense of Prophet Muhammad against the insults of his opponents.

Of note. Chapter 68 begins with the curious letter "Nun". "Nun" (ن) is one of the isolated, mysterious Arabic letters (Muqatta'at) that appear at the beginning of several chapters in the Quran. Most traditional Islamic scholars state that these individual letters are symbols whose exact meanings are known only to God.

The measurements shown are for the mounted manuscript. Each leaf is 12x16cm.

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