farfel_n03_016_140

140
Feb 26, 1983
Calif BookFair $80.00
Maggs Bros. Ltd.
Manuscript Koran leaf written in black ink
on native egg glazed paper 11 3/4 x 8" with text written
in space 4 5/8 x 8 3/16" within border of gold, red + blue.
9 lines of nahi script, with illuminated florels
between verses. 16th C, Egypt or Syria
From Sura XL of the Qur'an (verse 8-12 17)
The Bleiver (Moamim). Total 85 verses.
Kufic - the earliest form of Arabic script, anguler style.
Naskhi - Arabic script of cursive style
(Nashi)
The earliest printing of any portion of the Scriptures in
Arabic came in 1516.
oldest extant Qur'an - late 8th C. Korean
verse divisions are in gold
vowels indicated by red dots Kufic
Korean - ink, opaque
watercolours + golden
paper

Otto Eye - THe Koran was dictated by Mohammed after extensive travels
to Syria + Palestine with a wealthy uncle. It was on these
expeditions that Mohammed gained his concepts of
monotheism + star worship. The 114 chapters of the Koran are
arranged according to their length. Th followers of Mohammed
believed that the text contained revelations from the Angel Gabriel
given to Mohammed in dreams afte rthe year 600. The
Koran gave all believers equality + eliminated the priestly
class.
The art of writing is regarded by Moslems as the finest
of the arts, but few wrote before the time of Mohammed;
in his own tribe, the Koreishites, only 17 knew how to write.
-The 1st printing of the Koran was in 1518.
1514 - the 1st book printed in Arabic types Fano,
Italy by Gregorius de Gregoriis