Daily grace

Two leaves from a Koran manuscript

Late 16th century, Shiraz, Iran, or India

ink and colors on paper

Muslims in this period decorated the written word of the Koran with nonfigural illumination. These two pages, from Sura 39: 24–41, open the 24th section of a Koran manuscript that is separated into 30 parts total, divided to ease daily reading of the Koran through the month, particularly during Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. The ten lines of muhaqqaq (“indubitable”), a cursive Arabic script, are surrounded by gold bands of clouds decorated with floral arabesques. The clouds embellish open space, but never touch the sacred text.