Unknown - Quran India (Bihar), Surah Al-Hajj - 1425

A beautifully preserved and rare illuminated manuscript folio from a Qur'an originating in the state of Bihar, India, circa 1425. All references to God are written in gold.

The folio contains scripture from Chapter 22, Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage), v:51-53 which address how God deals with opposition to divine revelation and the reality of satanic interference or temptation faced by all prophets. The core lessons from this are: divine reassurance that God consoled Prophet Muhammad, showing that obstruction happened to previous messengers and that divine truth always prevails; and A Filter for Hearts: that trials and misinterpretations separate sincere believers from hypocrites.

This prosperous state, lying south of Nepal close bordering the Ganges river, became Muslim in the 12th century originally under the Bengal Governors. The Muslim calligraphers developed a distinctive style of script called Bihari (after the State), characterised by wide, heavy and extended horizontal lines, and thin verticals. This manuscript, is in usually good condition for its age with the scripture untouched by damp and the gold 'aya' (roundels) and gold writing all being in a very good state.

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