The Qur’an is the foundational text of Islam and a Muslim’s most important possession. Through stories about God’s messengers and teachings that illustrate moral conduct, the text provides guidance on living a pious life. The Qur’an emphasizes theological concepts such as the oneness of God, resurrection and the Day of Judgment, and other important acts of devotion including the ‘five pillars of Islam’. The five pillars of Islam are the fundamental elements that every practicing member of the faith should continuously fulfill, which are: (1) testifying that God is One and that Muhammad is His prophet (Shahada); (2) praying five times a day (Salat); (3) giving charity (Zakat); (4) fasting during the month of Ramadan (Sawm); and (5) making a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca (Hajj). Muslims strive to develop a full knowledge of the Qur’an, and are encouraged to contemplate and reflect on God’s words in all aspects of their lives, including social, economic, legal, and political matters.
This large Qur’an is a superb example of manuscript production from western Islamic lands, which encompass North Africa and Spain. This particular script of Arabic writing, known as the Maghribi script, was developed in Maghrib, a region in North Africa, and Muslim Spain. Arabic is read from right to left, and in this example, deeply curved, looping terminals of words characterize the script.
In a Qur’an, there are 30 parts (Juz’), 114 chapters (Surah), and over 6,000 verses (Ayah).Situated between some of the words are gold trefoil markers composed of three small overlapping circles. These markers indicate the end of a verse and the beginning of another. In the margins, large illuminated medallions of geometric or radial designs contain notations in red, which indicate every fifth and tenth verses, or which Juz’ the reader has reached. Illuminated chapter headings stretching across the page boldly highlight each new Surah with ornamental gold letters written in a different script known as Kufic.
Another visual interest of this manuscript is the multicolor dots and marks that accent the letter forms. These are not merely decorative but a crucial element of the Arabic script. In the Arabic alphabet, some letters are formed from the same basic shape but are distinguished by the number of dots and their placement. The diacritical marks indicate short vowels and can completely change the meaning of a word. A single dot can differentiate between one letter in the Arabic alphabet and at least two other letters. The diacritical marks indicate short vowels and can completely change the meaning of a word.
The Qur’an is a written form of the revelations that the prophet Muhammad received from God through the archangel Gabriel. Calligraphers copied the sacred text and developed an impressive range of calligraphic styles. Calligraphy thus became the highest and noblest form of expression in art because of its connection with the holy Qur’an. The beauty of this Qur’an manuscript lies not only in its calligraphy and illumination but also in its spiritual content. Ultimately, the Word of God – the foundation of Muslim inspiration and creation – is what defines beauty in Islam.
