Reading Islamic Texts

Oh no that took such a bad turn :(

or just pseudo-Arabic

We could really use some ease right now.

This is either pseudo-Kufic or it’s a script I’ve never seen before and can’t read

2/ You can follow me on twitter at the handle @islam_texts. I still post there too.

I’ll be restarting my newsletter soon and will let you know when it’s updated iA.

Hope you all are well and staying warm ✨

Hello friends and moon-faced beloveds 💗

About this account:

I made this to share the beauty of Islamic literature / art & to keep up my practice of translating Classical Arabic.

I use alt text to describe images and also add museum reference info there.

All are welcome except haters ✨

Lovely calligraphy from the famous “Pink Qur’an”, made in 13th-century Spain.

‏فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرًۢا

Two lines in thick brown maghrebi script with gold vowel markers from the ‘Pink Qur’an’, made in 13th century Spain and sold at auction at Christie’s in April 2024: https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6476496 أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرًۢا

“Surely God is All-Seeing of His servants.”

— Qur’an 35:45

#quran #islam #arabic #calligraphy #khatt #maghrebi #allah #andalus

Finally, Radwa Ashour's complete Granada trilogy is available in Kay Heikkenen's English translation. Today on ArabLit, authors, translators, & scholars reflect: arablit.org/2024/12/10/a...

My guess is that this hasn’t taken off yet in MENA and that’s part of it (far fewer QTs explaining or translating live updates in Arabic from the ground etc)

This is in the anthology Muʿjam al-shuʿarāʾ by Abū ʿUbaydallāh al-Marzubānī (d. 994) and in many other books.

ربما تجزع النفوس من الامر
‏له فرجه كحل العقال

‎ربما تجزع النفوس من الامر ‎له فرجه كحل العقال

The poets used to say:

“A situation may leave souls in distress, but there is a way out, just as knots can unravel.”

#poetry #arabic #quote #syria #poem #wisdom

The next verse (27:76) starts at the end of the bottom line, and begins with the words “inna hadha” [إِنَّ هَـٰذَا]

The calligrapher nearly runs out of space after writing “inna”, but finds a creative way to add the next word without making the line too long: write vertically!

This calligraphy was written in the 11th century using a distinctive script known as Eastern Kufic (New style).

وَمَا مِنْ غَآئِبَةٍۢ فِى
ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا فِى
كِتَـٰبٍۢ مُّبِينٍ

Verse 27:75 written in Eastern Kufic script, in a Qur'an made in the 11th century, probably in Iran (Smithsonian F2001.16a-b ). وَمَا مِنْ غَآئِبَةٍۢ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍۢ مُّبِينٍ

“There is nothing hidden in the heavens or the earth that is not written in a clear Record.”

— The Qur’an, 27:75

#quran #koran #islam #islamic #quote #calligraphy #arabic #manuscript #islamicart #art #artsky

This is from Nahj al-balāgha, the famed collection of material attributed to ʿAlī, compiled by al-Sharīf al-Raḍī (d. 1015).

وأحسن كما تحب أن يحسن إليك

“Do good unto others, just as you would have them do good unto you.”

— ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib

#quote #arabic #wisdom #islamic #nahj #ali #islam #ethics

Detail from a scene from a 16th-century copy of the Book of Kings, made in Iran (S1986.271), showing the Khaqan's daughter arriving at Nushirwan's palace.

A foreign princess arrives with her entourage at the palace of Khosrow I (d. 579).

Illustration done in 16th-century Iran, in The Book of Kings - a medieval epic poem in Persian.

#islamic #art #artsky #history #manuscript #persian #painting #iran #shahnameh #illustration #islamicart

‏إذا وترت أمراً فأحذر عداوته
‏من يزرع الشوك لا يحصد به عنبا

“If you wrong someone, fear the sting of their hatred.

For whoever plants thorns will not harvest grapes.”

— an old Arab proverb

#quote #arabic #wisdom #proverb #poetry

This is from Ya ayyuha l-walad, al-Ghazali’s letter to a student (who he affectionately calls his “son” (walad))

العلم بلا عمل جنون
‏والعمل بغير علم لا يكون

“Knowledge without action is insanity, and action without knowledge is nothing at all.”

— Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d. 1111)

#quote #knowledge #wisdom #ghazali #learning #praxis #arabic

This is from Nahj al-balāgha, the famed collection of material attributed to ʿAlī, compiled by al-Sharīf al-Raḍī (d. 1015).

‎سل تفقهاً ولا تسل تعنتاً

“Ask questions for the sake of actually learning something.

Do not ask questions just to challenge someone or make them look foolish.”

— ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib

#quote #wisdom #islam #knowledge #education #ali