Fragment of a Qur’an

Title: FolioClose Tooltipfoliothe back and front of a leaf in a book; the term is usually used in the context of handwritten manuscripts. page – refers to only one side of a leaf and is used in the context of printed books. of a Qur’an, suraClose Tooltipsura[SOO-rah]literally, “chapter,” in the Qur’an. 2:200–201

Type: ManuscriptClose Tooltipmanuscript[man-yoo-skript]a handwritten text.

Associated Religious Tradition: Islam

Origins

• Geography: Near East or North Africa
• Period: 9th–10th century

Physical Properties

• Material: Ink, color, and gold on parchment
• Dimensions: H × W: 24.5 × 33 cm (9 5/8 × 13 in)

Crediting Information

• Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
• Credit Line: Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment
• Accession Number: F1937.6, folio 8b

The Qur’an is considered the divine Word of God in Islam. It was revealed to the ProphetClose Tooltipprophetan intermediary who speaks to humanity on behalf of God. Muhammad (570–632) over twenty-three years between 610 and 632, first in MeccaClose TooltipMecca[MEK-uh]Makka or Makkah [MAK-kuh] – the holiest site in Islam, located in the Hijaz region in the western part of present-day Saudi Arabia. The Ka’ba is located in Mecca. and then in MedinaClose TooltipMedina[ma-DEE-na]the second holiest site in Islam, which is some 270 miles north of Mecca. The Prophet fled from Mecca to Medina in 622, which also marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. Here, he established the Muslim community (ummah). The Prophet is also buried in Medina. (cities in present-day Saudi Arabia). Derived from the Arabic word for recitation and reading (iqraClose Tooltipiqra[ihk-RAH]recitation.), the Qur’an is transmitted both orally and as written text. According to Islam, the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Prophet Muhammad and instructed him to recite/read (iqra).

The Revelations are divided into 114 chapters (suraClose Tooltipsura[SOO-rah]literally, “chapter,” in the Qur’an., in Arabic), each with a varying number of verses, ranging from three to 286. They provide instructions on religious duties and rituals, offer moral and ethical guidance, and include prophetic stories as examples to consider and follow. The chapters are generally arranged by descending length, rather than the order of revelation, an arrangement that was developed after the Prophet’s death. The headings are drawn from random words in the chapter. For example, chapter 19 is called “Maryam” (Mary), inspired mainly by the story of the Virgin Mary and Jesus.

The Qur’anic text was first memorized and then recorded by the Prophet Muhammad’s followers and companions, and to this day, its oral transmission and recitation are as important as reading the written text.

The Qur’an is always in the Arabic language and is read from right to left. When the text appears in a different language, it is considered a translation of the Word of God.

This folioClose Tooltipfoliothe back and front of a leaf in a book; the term is usually used in the context of handwritten manuscripts. page – refers to only one side of a leaf and is used in the context of printed books. belongs to a section of the Qur’an and presents verses 200–201 from the second chapter (suraClose Tooltipsura[SOO-rah]literally, “chapter,” in the Qur’an.) called “The Cow” (“Al-Baqarah”), which prescribes duties, such as fasting and feeding the poor, for Muslims who cannot perform or complete the hajjClose Tooltiphajj[HAJ]pilgrimage to Mecca at a specific time of the year; one of the five pillars of Islam. (pilgrimage), one of the five pillars of Islam.

The text is written with a reed pen in an angular script known as kuficClose Tooltipkufic[KOO-fik]an angular script that was used for transcribing the Qur’an from the late eighth to the eleventh century; it was also employed for Qur’anic inscriptions on objects and buildings., a term derived from the city of Kufa in modern-day IraqClose TooltipIraq[E-rAq]a country in the Middle East.. Kufa was one of several centers associated with the early development of this style of writing. The script stands out for its elongated and horizontal strokes, short verticals, and the regular spaces between words and letters that create a sense of elegant formality. In the margin, the large medallion indicates the end of a section in the text, and the red dots are vowel markers as Arabic has no letters for vowels. The verses are written on parchment (animal skin), a material used only for copies of the Qur’an until about the eleventh century, when it was replaced with paper. To complete such a volume was costly and required the skin of hundreds of animals, which had to be cleaned, washed, smoothed, and otherwise prepared for writing.

Early copies of the Qur’an were often divided into sections (known as juzClose Tooltipjuz[JOOZ]a section of the Qur’an.), which could be carried around more easily and be read by several people at the same time. This folio belonged to a Qur’an that was probably divided into thirty sections, a common division that allowed a reader to complete the entire text over thirty days or the course of a month. This was particularly important during the holy month of Ramadan.

Since the early twentieth century, printed copies of the Qur’an have replaced handwritten copies of the holy text. Memorizing and reciting parts of the Qur’an, however, has always been encouraged and considered an act of devotion. This can be done in private or in a communal religious space such as a mosque (masjidClose Tooltipmasjid[mass-jeed]mosque.) or religious school (madrasaClose Tooltipmadrasa[mah-DRAH-sah]a religious school.). When the Qur’an is read out, the reciter employs a careful modulation of tone and cadence to bring out the beautiful sound of the words.

For Muslims, the daily call to prayer is a powerful form of oral reminder of their religious duties and responsibilities, both as individuals and as a community. As most Muslims around the world today are not native Arabic speakers, they begin to learn Arabic at an early age through their daily prayers. In addition to recitation, writing out verses of the Qur’an has served as an expression of religious respect and devotion.

1. What do you see as you look at the pages of this manuscriptClose Tooltipmanuscript[man-yoo-skript]a handwritten text.?
2. What do you notice about the script? What other elements do you notice?

1. What do you notice about this page? What questions do you have about the page?
2. How do Muslims read and listen to the words of the Qur’an? How do Muslims transcribe and recite the Qur’an?
3. What role does the reading and recitation of the Qur’an play in creating a sense of belonging, community, and shared identity among Muslims regionally and globally?

Farhad, Massumeh, and Simon Rettig. The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 2016.

Sells, Michael Anthony. Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations. 3rd ed. London: Oneworld Academic, 2023.

Suleman, Fahmida, ed. Word of God, Art of Man: The Qur’an and its Creative Expressions. Oxford: Oxford University Press in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2010.

The site quran.com has the text in Arabic and offers multiple translations in many languages as well as the audio recitation.