Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Al-Qur’an al-Karim: Sacred Verses, Beautiful Pages

(from 8th Mar until 1st Jul 2012)

Discover the Qur’an as a source of artistic inspiration and expression in this selection of works on paper.

Detail of a page from a Qur’an in muhaqqaq, naskhi, and kufic script, Iran or Turkey, 1200-1400 (Mus
Surat al-'Alaqfront

© Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

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Surat al-'Alaq

  • Description

    Dominating the main field of this composition is the Arabic word iqra' (‘Read!’), followed by one of the most frequently quoted Qur’anic passages: ‘In the name of your Lord who created. He created man from a clot of blood. Read! And your Lord is the most Generous. Who taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not’ (Qur’an, 96:1-5).

    As the first revelation received by Muhammad, the surat al-'Alaq (‘The Clot’) represents a turning point in the history of Islam, marking the transition from a time of darkness and ignorance, to an age of enlightenment and truth. By adopting a colour scheme inspired by these ideas – red for the clot of blood from which mankind was created, black for the darkness of pre-Islamic times, and gold for the radiance brought by Islam – Hussain’s composition goes beyond the traditional act of copying the Qur’an to provide a range of additional meanings.

  • Details

    show all
    Associated place
    Europe › United Kingdom › England (place of creation)
    Date
    1999
    Artist/maker
    Syed Tajammul Hussain (active c. 1999 - c. 2001) (artist)
    Material and technique
    colour, and gold or gold paint, on paper
    Dimensions
    mount 103 x 74 cm (height x width)
    print 89 x 61.6 cm sight size (height x width)
    Material index
    processed material › paper,
    processed material › metal › gold
    Technique index
    covered › coated › painted,
    marked › painted,
    decorated › painted,
    painted
    Object type index
    visual representation › calligraphy,
    visual representation › painting
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by Syed Tajammul Hussain, 1999.
    Accession no.
    EA2000.51

Past Exhibition

see (1)

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Notice

Objects from past exhibitions may have now returned to our stores or a lender. Click into an individual object record to confirm whether or not an object is currently on display. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis, so please contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular Eastern Art object.

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