ART OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD AND INDIA
Lot 12:
Description
A rare and well-preserved Arabic manuscript titled Ketab al-Rawdh al-Zaher, authored by Sheikh Abu Imran Sharaf al-Deen al-Khalili, the chief timekeeper at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. The manuscript is a technical and religious treatise dedicated to determining the horizontal directions of the Kaaba from within the city of Damascus. It reflects a sophisticated understanding of astronomy and mathematics used in the service of Islamic ritual, specifically in establishing the correct direction for prayer (Qibla).
The manuscript features beautifully handwritten Arabic text in black and red inks. It includes precisely structured numerical and alphabetical tables, alongside narrative passages framed with red borders. The work is bound in a leather binding, richly tooled and decorated with embossed motifs and delicate gold highlights.
29 x 10cm
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