Textile with Qur'anic Inscriptions

CultureTurkish
Titles
  • Textile with Qur'anic Inscriptions
DateLate 17th–18th century
MediumSilk; lampas weave, satin foundation with patterning wefts in plain weave binding
Dimensions27 1/2 × 26 1/2 in. (69.9 × 67.3 cm)
Credit LineGift of Cathy and Vahid Kooros in honor of Peter C. Marzio
Object number2007.1307
Non exposé

Explore Further

Object Type
DescriptionThis vibrant silk panel belonged to a larger textile that likely served as a tomb cover. According to the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, silk will adorn the dwellers of Paradise; thus, its funerary use may have alluded to this promise. The textile’s elaborate thuluth-style calligraphy, weaving through chevron bands of varying sizes, contains Qur’anic verses and the shahada, the Islamic profession of faith:
“There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”
The smaller inscriptions praise God and cite the Qur’anic verse that
established Mecca as the direction for Muslim prayer (2:144).
Provenance Research Ongoing

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

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