Many of today’s ummah manifest the Islamic faith through the prisms of hate and enmity. They commit atrocities in the name of Allah (ﷻ) and in the name of His beloved Messenger (ﷺ).
Sweet chestnut leaf with gold calligraphic inscription, Turkey, 19th century
The leaf is inscribed with a Qur’anic verse from Surat al-Isra’ (“The Night Journey,” Q17:80): “And say, ‘Lord grant me a good entrance and a goodly exit, and sustain me with Your power.”
Today I learned (from a Jacob Geller video, but here's an article, too) that Al Qaida went on a rampage committing arson, destroying ancient scrolls and manuscripts (specifically in Mali). A librarian who was preserving a collection of PRICELESS manuscripts in Timbuktu knew that Al Qaida would be coming to their library sooner or later, so over the course of six months with the help of several volunteers, they would transport around 200,000 books.
(Some of the documents & books in the library didn't make it out/were destroyed around January 2013) In the beginning they drove 600 mile (checkpoint filled) round trip again and again to each house that has volunteered to put their life on the line to save the books.
Eventually, that method became impossible, and he discovered he (and the other volunteers) only have one choice: FLOATING THE REST OF THE BOOKS DOWN THE NIGER RIVER. BOOKS. DOWN A RIVER. Seven Hundred Ninety One (791) TRUNKS/"footlockers" of BOOKS were sent down a river. You want to know how many made it? How many were recovered? ALL SEVEN HUNDRED NINETY ONE TRUNKS WORTH.
These books are literal relics. "Some date back to the 13th Century, and have survived more than 700 years." Bro, you are awesome, but you are going to give me a heart attack. Anyway, this some wild history and the art in these manuscripts is beautiful.
A mad dog bites a man. Miniature (gouache, ink, and gold on paper) from an Arabic translation of Dioscorides' Materia Medica, with calligraphy by Abdallah ibn al-Fadl; written in 1224. Now in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem' الرَّحِيْمِ الرَّحْمٰنِ اللهِ بِسْمِ ("In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful") Alhumdulillah the richest of gifts is Imaan.
May the Nur of Allah ﷺ Illuminate our Heart, Mind and Soul and Strengthen our Imaan and guide us to Quran and Sunnah and make our path easy in this World and Jannah.
We wish all Mu’min the barakah of the day shine in our hearts forever, ameen 🕋
Page of Ottoman Calligraphy
Scribe: Seyh Hamdullah (Islamic, 1436 (?)-1520)
10th century AH/AD 16th century-12th century AH/AD 18th century (Ottoman)
Part of The Walters Art Museum