The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization’s latest exhibition, Sacred Words, from the Hamid Jafar Quran Collection and Timeless Calligraphy, offers a chance to observe the Arabic script’s stylistic and functional development.
Rare samples of Quran manuscripts and Islamic calligraphy from 14 centuries and locales ranging from China to North Africa are on display in this show. This is the first exhibition of the works, which are from the private collection of UAE billionaire Hamid Jafar. It also commemorates the 50th anniversary of Crescent Petroleum, the oil and gas company founded by Jafar in 1971.
Although it is clear that the script is Arabic, the absence of diacritics makes it difficult to read, if not completely unintelligible, for modern readers. Nevertheless, it is still a mesmerizing piece of history. The script has bends and loops that are more nuanced than contemporary script forms, as well as tiny vertical strokes and lengthy horizontal lines that suggest some dynamism.
It was produced at the turn of the 15th century, when the Timurid Empire, which included parts of modern-day Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, the South Caucasus, Pakistan, and North India, was at its height. Additionally, as the Islamic world spread, different artistic sensibilities and native influences on the Arabic script were introduced. These varied outputs are displayed in the second and third sections of the exhibition.
In addition to the many displays that magnify specifics of the various scripts and illuminations found on the manuscripts, there are QR codes next to each piece that provide information about each document and artifact.
With letter cards that encourage viewers to form the exhibition’s name in several calligraphic scripts, the exhibition concludes with an educational component. A substantial three-piece turn box also aids in contrasting the various illumination designs used throughout the Islamic world.
According to Al Obaidly, “during the exhibition, we will conduct monthly programmes geared at various age groups that will educate participants about the evolution of Arabic calligraphy and the history of Quranic manuscripts.”
The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is hosting the exhibit Sacred Words, Timeless Calligraphy: Highlights of Exceptional Calligraphy from the Hamid Jafar Quran Collection until March 19, 2023.