Middle East
late 9th – early 10th century AD
ink, gold and opaque watercolour on vellum
copied in Kufic script; 9 lines to the page
2 bifolios; 11 x 18.4cm
Text: surah al-Infitar (LXXXII), verse 8 to surah al-Mutaffifin (LXXXIII), verse 3; surah al-Inshiqaq (LXXXIV), verse 4 to surah al-Buruj (LXXXV), verse 5; and surah al-A‘la (LXXXVII), verse 4 to surah al-Ghashiyah (LXXXVIII), verse 1.
The surah titles and verse counts are written in gold outlined in black, with fine marginal vignettes. There are no diacritical marks and red dots indicate the vocalization. Three gold dots separate the verses, a gold pear-shaped ornament marks the end of every fifth verse and a gold circular device every tenth verse.
F. Déroche, The Abbasid Tradition, Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, vol. I, London 1992, cat.44, p.97.
J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.8, p.34.