A fine complete Chinese Qur'an, beautifully illuminated

[Qur'an - China]. Illuminated Chinese Qur'an.

€ 250,000.00

A rare complete Chinese Qur'an, sumptuously illuminated and still in its contemporary binding. Chinese Qur'ans more often appear only in Juz' form (which splits the holy book into thirty sections, each forming a separate manuscript); by contrast, complete, single-volume specimens are uncommon in the trade. A comparable manuscript can be found in the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, undated but no earlier than the 17th century CE (thus, late Ming). This manuscript bears an erroneous date on its colophon, and has been carbon-dated to confirm that, like the Doha copy, its earliest dating would be 17th century, but likely a little later (documentation available upon request).

A Qur'an like this one would probably have been crafted among one of the several Muslim religious and intellectual hubs in China, where Muslim presence dates back as far as the first Caliphate: The Prophet's companion Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas is traditionally credited with introducing Islam to China as ambassador in 650 CE. Historically, many major cities in China, such as Xi'an (known as Chang'an during the height of the Silk Road) and Beijing boast a long and rich Muslim history. Qur'an sections written by Chinese Muslims show Chinese influence clearly in both the decoration and the bold Sini script, which is derived from naskh. - Stamped with a multilingual mix of both Chinese and crescent-shaped Arabic ownership seals, this manuscript is a beautiful example of the unique Muslim culture and achievements in premodern China.