Dalá'il al - Islamic manuscripts

The battle of the images
Images of Mecca en Medina in the prayer book of the Moroccan
activist and mystic Muhammad b. Sulayman al-Jazuli
Course The Islamic Book,
from manuscript to modern media
Leiden, 10 October 2007
© 2007, Jan Just Witkam, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Not to be used outside the Course.

Sacred geography.
The Ka’ba in Mecca here
shown as the centre of the
world.
Illustration in a Turkish
manuscript, dated
1060/1650.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 12.365, f. 90b

Sacred geography.
De Ka’ba in Mecca, seen
from above, as the centre of
the world, with the
orientation for the believers
for their ritual prayer.
The text around contruction
contains the names of
Islamic countries, regions
and towns..
Manuscript from Istanbul,
dated 960/1553
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 5, f. 37a

Sacred geography.
The Mosque of the
Prophet Muhammad in
Medina
Under the cupola the
‘Blessed Garden’: the
graves of the prophet and
his first two caliphs, Abu
Bakr and Umar.
Slightly separated:
The grave of Fatima.
At the right: the pulpit
(minbar) of the Prophet.
Source: al-Lari, Tuhfat al-Haramayn, MS Leiden Or.
11.079, f. 35b (1012/1603).

The Mosque of the Prophet
Muhammad in Medina
The same iconographical
elements: cupola, graves,
pulpit, palms in an open
space.
The space is here filled with
prayer niches.
Painting on paper, as
souvenir for pilgrims,
12th/18th century
Source: Khalili Collection, Londen, No. 745-2.

The Mosque of the
Prophet Muhammad in
Medina
The same
iconographical
elements: cupola,
graves, pulpit, palms in
an open space.
Visitors’certificate.
Lithography, Medina,
mid-19th century.
Bron: Leiden UB, plano 53 F 1

Graveyard Baqî’ al-Gharqad,
outside Medina.
The graves of members of the
family of the Prophet (also of his
favourite wife A’isha) and many
other saints and believers.
It is a place to be buried, or to
visit and ask for intercession
(shafâ’a).
Shortly after the Saudi conquest
of Medina (1925) the graveyard
was destroyed.
Source: al-Lari, Tuhfat al-Haramayn, MS Leiden Or. 11.079, f. 38b
(1012/1603).

The Mosque of the Prophet
Muhammad in Medina
The same iconographical elements:
cupola, graves, pulpit, palms in an
open space, but a slightly different
orientation.
From a manuscript from Natal,
West-Sumatra, Indonesia, dated
1229/1814.
Source: Prayer book of Imam Bonjol, MS Leiden Or. 1751,
f. 183a.

Medina and its burial places, here
combined from several
icographical elements.
The palms of van Fatima (above),
a grill (above), the grave of the
Prophet (centre, below), the
graves of the four righteous
caliphs (left, below). At the right
and the centre graves of the
family of the Prophet and other
saints (orang baik).
From a manuscript from Natal,
West-Sumatra, Indonesia, dated
1229/1814.
Source: Prayer book of Imam Bonjol, MS Leiden Or. 1751,
f. 69b.

Beginning of the text
of the Dalá’il al-
Khayrat, the prayer
book by al-Jazûlî.
Here with the title
which is nowadays
current in Morocco:
Dalíl.
Manuscript from
Morocco, 18th cent.
Source: MS Leiden, Acad. 32, f. 1b.

Title-page of one of the
numerous printed editions
of al-Jazûlî’s prayer book
Dalá’il al-Khayrát.
Cairo 1333/1914.
Source: Leiden UB, 830 C 16

Title-page of one of the
numerous printed editions of
al-Jazûlî’s prayer book Dalá’il
al-Khayrát.
Cairo 1369/1949
Source: Leiden UB, 8108 D 23

Colophon of one of the
numerous printed editions
of al-Jazûlî’s prayer book
Dalá’il al-Khayrát.
Cairo 1354/1935
A lithographical edition
destined for the North
African market.
Source: Leiden UB, 8195 C 17, pt. 2, p. 24

Title-page of one of the
numerous printed editions of
al-Jazûlî’s prayer book Dalá’il
al-Khayrát.
Here it is part of a much larger
collection of prayers. With a
translation, and numerous
additions, in Urdu.
Lahore, Pakistan 1405/1985
Source: Leiden UB, 8439 D 6

Cover of one of the
numerous printed editions
of al-Jazûlî’s prayer book
Dalá’il al-Khayrát.
Here with a modern Turkish
translation (in Latin script).
Istanbul 1997.
Source: Private collection_

Cover of one of the
numerous printed editions
of al-Jazûlî’s prayer book
Dalá’il al-Khayrát.
Here with a corrected
Arabic text.
Kudus (Central Java) ca.
2000.
Source: Private collection

Title-page of the Turkish
commentary by Kara Davud
of the Dalá’il al-Khayrát.
Istanbul 1975
Source: Leiden UB, 8161 C 22

Title-page of the Urdu
translation of the work
Matáli` al-Masarrát, the
authoritative and detailed
commentary by a 17thcentury
follower of al-Jazûlî,
Muhammad al-Mahdi al-
Fásí, on the Dalá’il al-
Khayrát.
Lahore, ca. 2000.
Bron: Particuliere collectie

Interior of the Mosque of Sidi Ben Slimane al-Jazûlî in
Marrakech.
Source: Photograph by Ahmed Ben Smaïl, in: Edmond Amran el Maleh, Lumière de l’ombre, Rabat 2003.

Collective recital of the Dalâ’il al-Khayrât of al-Jazûlî, in
the Mosque of Sidi Abû ’l-‘Abbâs al-Sabtî, Marrakech
(1997). Source: Photograph by Mariette van Beek, Leiden, No. 2594/26.

Collective recital of the Dalâ’il
al-Khayrât of al-Jazûlî, in the
Mosque of Sidi Abû ’l-‘Abbâs
al-Sabtî, Marrakech (1997).
Source: Photograph by Mariette van Beek, Leiden, No.
2594/23.

Collection Asmâ’ al-Nabî,
the names (epitheta) of the
Prophet Muhammad,
followed by eulogies in the
shape of a tasliya.
This type of prayer has
become wide-spread Dalâ’il
al-Khayrât of al-Jazûlî. The
litany of tasliya is possibly
invented by al-Jazûlî.
Manuscript of Dalâ’il al-
Khayrât, end 18th century,
from Banten, West Java
Source: MS Leiden Or. 7057a, f. 29b

Modern, separate publication
of Asmâ’ al-Nabî, the names
of the Prophet, a booklet from
India.
In the introduction of the
Dalâ’il al-Khayrât al-Jazûlî
sums up his collection of 201
names, which he has brought
together from holy sources,
the Qur’an and the Tradition.
These names are the basic
material for the litanies of
which the Dalâ’il al-Khayrât
mainly consists.
Source: Private collection

Description of the
grave chamber in the
Mosque of the Prophet
in Medina: the ‘blessed
garden’, Al-Rawda al-
Mubaraka.
Manuscript of Dalá’il
al-Khayrat from West
Africa (Mauritania of
Northern Nigeria), 20th
century.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 25.418, f. 8a

Satchel for the
manuscript of
Dalá’il al-
Khayrat from
West Africa.
(Mauritania of
Northern
Nigeria, 20th
century)
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 25.418

Image of the burial chamber
in the Mosque of the Prophet
in Medina, the blessed
garden, al-Rawda al-
Mubaraka, with the graves of
the Prophet Muhammad and
the first two caliphs, Abu
Bakr and Umar.
Manuscript of Dalá’il al-
Khayrat from Morocco, 18th
century.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 23.723, f. 10b.

The burial
chamber in the
Mosque of the
Prophet in
Medina, with the
three graves.
Manuscript of
Dalá’il al-
Khayrat from
Morocco, 18th
century.
Bron: MS Leiden, Acad. 33, p. 45.

Al-Rawda al-Mubâraka.
The burial chamber in
Medina.
Manuscript of Dalá’il al-
Khayrat, from India,
19th century.
With interlinear
translation Persian.
Source: MS Leiden, 22.958, ff. 23a

Al-Rawda al-
Mubâraka.
The burial chamber in
Medina.
Manuscript of Dalá’il
al-Khayrat, from
Banten (West Java),
end 18th century.
Source: MS Leiden, Oe. 7057a, f. 32b.

Al-Rawda al-Mubâraka. The burial chamber in Medina.
Miniature manuscript of Dalá’il al-Khayrat, from Sumatra
(Indonesia), 19th century.

Al-Rawda al-Sharîfa.
The burial chamber in
Medina.
Moderne edition of the
Dalá’il al-Khayrat,
Casablanca 1418/1997.
Source: Particuliere collectie

Al-Rawda al-Sharîfa. The burial chamber in Medina (at right),
and the Minbar (pulpit) of the Prophet Muhammad in the
Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
Manuscript of Dalá’il al-Khayrat from Morocco, 18th century.
Source: MS Leiden, Acad. 32, ff. 22b-23a.

Guide for the pilgrimage.
The manuscript once
belonged to the Mamluksultan
Chaqmaq (reigned:
842-857/1438-1453).
Description of the Mawqif
al-Nabî, de ‘position of the
Prophet’, between the grave
and the pulpit in the
Mosque of Medina. This
Mawqif is described as one
of the gardens of paradise.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 458, p. 133.

(Fictional) portrait of
Ludovico di Varthema,
an Italian traveller who
visited, in 1503, Medina
(and also Mecca).
He too mentions the
existence of the grave of
Jesus in the grave
chamber of Medina.
Title-page of a Dutch
translation of his
travelogue, Utrecht 1654.
Source: Leiden UB 352 C 25

Al-Rawda al-Sharîfa. The burial chamber in Medina (at
right), and the Minbar (pulpit) of the Prophet Muhammad in
the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
Manuscript of Dalá’il al-Khayrat from Morocco, 19th
century.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 23.263, ff. 21b-22a.

Al-Rawda al-Sharîfa. The burial chamber in Medina (at right), and
the Minbar (pulpit) of the Prophet Muhammad in the Prophet’s
Mosque in Medina. Manuscript of Dalá’il al-Khayrat from Egypt,
18th century.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 11.065, ff. 15b-16a.

Al-Rawda al-Sharîfa. The burial chamber in Medina (at left), and
the Minbar (pulpit) of the Prophet Muhammad in the Prophet’s
Mosque in Medina. Manuscript of Dalá’il al-Khayrat from Egypt,
19th century. Illustration made from pasted strips of coloured paper.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 14.462, ff. 16b-17a.

Al-Rawda al-Sharîfa. The burial chamber in Medina Manuscript
and lithography of Dalá’il al-Khayrat from Istanbul, 1275/1858.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 12.016, pp. 104-105.

Combined miniature of Al-Rawda al-Mubâraka (left) and the
Minbar, the pulpit of the Prophet in the Mosque of Medina.
Manuscript from Central Asia, late-19th century.
Source: MS private collection

Miniature of Al-Rawda al-Mubâraka (right) and the Minbar, the
pulpit of the Prophet in the Mosque of Medina. Manuscript from
South-East Asia, probably 19th century.
Source: MS Kuala Lumpur, National Library of Malaysia, No. 1273.

The mosques of Mecca (right) and of Medina.
Miniature in a manuscript of the Dalâ’il al-Khayrât, from Natal
(West Sumatra), dated 1229/1814.
Prayer book of the famous Imâm of Bonjol.Source: MS Leiden, Or. 1751, ff. 68b-69a.

The Great Mosque in Mecca.
Image made as a souvenir for
a pilgrim.
Source: Khalil Collection, Londen.

The Great Mosque in
Mecca.
Image made as a souvenir
for a pilgrim.
Iznik tiles, middle of the
16th century
Source: Athene, Benaki Museum

The Great Mosque in Mecca.
Illustration in al-Nahrâwâli,
al-I`lâm bi-A`lâm Bayt Allâh
al-Harâm.
Manuscript from Istanbul,
dated 1005/1596
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 832, f. 88b

The mosques of Mecca (right) and of Medina.
Miniature in a manuscript of the Dalâ’il al-Khayrât, from Istanbul
1254/1838. A luxury book.
Bron: MS Leiden, Or. 12.455, ff. 15b-16a.

The mosques of Mecca (right) and of Medina.
Miniature in a manuscript of the Dalâ’il al-Khayrât, possibly from
Kashmir or Gujerat. 19th century.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 14.276, ff. 70b-71a.

The mosques of Mecca (right) and of Medina.
Miniature in a manuscript of the Dalâ’il al-Khayrât, possibly from
India.
Source: MS Leiden, Or. 22.963, ff. 18b-19a.

The mosques of Mecca (right) and of
Medina.
Illustrations in a recent reprint (Ankara
1421/2000) of a lithographical edition
of the Dalâ’il al-Khayrât (Istanbul,
mid-19th century). Source: Private collection.

The mosques of Mecca (right) and of Medina.
Illustration to Sharaf al-Anâm, an Indonesian Arabic poem.
From Kudus (Central Java) ca. 2000.
Source: Private collection..