Name of Object:Rab’a of Sultan Murad Location:Jerusalem Holding Museum:Islamic Museum, al-Aqsa Mosque / al-Haram al-Sharif About Islamic Museum, al-Aqsa Mosque / al-Haram al-Sharif, Date of Object:Hegira 1001 / AD 1593 Museum Inventory Number:م/ ش/40 Material(s) / Technique(s):Coloured ink and gilding on paper; the binding embossed and illuminated leather. The box made from wood, covered with decorative stucco. Dimensions:Length 36 cm, width 24.5 cm, depth 2 cm Period / Dynasty:Ottoman Provenance:Turkey. Description:A rab’a (Qur'an divided into 30 parts) that has been preserved in two identical wooden cube-shaped boxes, each of which is covered with a level of stucco and painted black. A number of inscription bands form part of the decoration and contain gilded texts written in thuluth script. The texts include hadiths of the Prophet to encourage study of the Qur'an. The corners of each box are decorated with vegetal designs composed of intertwining plant motifs gathered within a frame of zigzag lines. View Short DescriptionA rab’a (Qur’an in 30 parts) in two wooden boxes covered with stucco and painted black with inscriptions and vegetal designs. The rab’a was donated by Sultan Murad to al-Aqsa Mosque. Each page is divided into five parts, three in illuminated rayhani script and two in thuluth script written with black ink. The word ‘Majestic’, chapter names, verse numbers and their area are illuminated. Original Owner:Sultan Murad III (r. AH 982–1003 / AD 1574–95) How date and origin were established:The rab’a is inscribed with the date and endowment. How Object was obtained:The rab’a was transferred from al-Aqsa Mosque to the Islamic Museum but it is not known when. How provenance was established:Turkey was narrowed down as the place of production for this manuscript supported by the text of the waqf charter which appears on the third page of the Qur'an. The name of the copyist, illuminator and the place of production does not appear. Selected bibliography:Farid, M., Tarikh al-Daula al-'Ulya al-Othmaniya [History of the Ottoman Empire], Beirut, 1981. Citation of this web page:Khader Salameh "Rab’a of Sultan Murad" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;pa;Mus01;36;en Prepared by: Khader Salameh
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