SIGNED MIR HADI IBN MIR IBRAHIM, ABU QUBAYS, MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA, DATED AH 1003/1594-95 AD

During the 16th century, several new travel guides to the sites of pilgrimage were written that were based on the earlier Hajj certificate tradition. One of the earliest and most popular accounts was by Muhyi al-Din Lari, a polymath who dedicated the work to Muzaffar bin Mahmudshah, the ruler of Gujarat in AH 911/1505-06 AD. The text was long attributed to the poet Jami, perhaps on account of the quotations from his work that were included. The text also includes prayers for the different stages of the journey as well as advice for visiting Mecca and Medina. The earliest known copy of the work is in the British Museum (Or. 3633), copied in Mecca in AH 951/1544 AD, only fifty years before our manuscript. Other dated copies are in the India Office Library (the British Library), Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, the Edwin Binney, 3rd Collection of Turkish Art at the Harvard University Art Museum, The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin and the New York Public Library (Barbara Schmitz, Islamic Manuscripts in the New York Public Library, 1992, pp. 42-46, I.3). Examples of the text have sold at Christie’s, London, 17 April 2007, lot 163. More recently, another, probably copied in Bukhara and dated to the early 18^th century, sold at Sotheby’s, 13 March 2021, lot 14. Another related poetic text, with illustrations very similar to those found in our Futuh al-Haramayn was sold in these Rooms, 28 October 2020, lot 96.

One of the most unusual elements of this manuscript is that the colophon states that it was copied at the sacred mountain of Abu Qubays, one of the most important locations in Islam. Whilst other copies of the Futuh al-Haramayn are known to have been copied in Mecca (see for example one sold in these Rooms, 6 October 2009, lot 221 and another sold Christie’s South Kensington, 5 October 2012, lot 521) this is the only one that gives such a precise – and important – location.

Artisans, calligraphers and artists from Iran, Turkey and India took residence in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in order to sell their wares as souvenirs to pilgrims. According to Tim Stanley “The Haramayn, the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, were important locations of manuscript production during the four centuries of Ottoman rule over the two cities … The Haramayn were the focus for the Hajj and ‘Umra, and for the commercial activities that went with them, which included the sale of books, particularly those of a religious character. The cities also attracted mujawirun, that is settlers who wish to live and die in the proximity of the holy places, they included people engaged in the production in of fine manuscripts” (Tim Stanley, 2003, pp.224-225).

The opening fly-leaf of the manuscript has a note in Persian, by a ‘Charchil’ (ie. Churchill), giving a description of the work. The illustrations in this manuscript have captions and explanations in Ottoman Turkish. The subjects include:

1. Jabal Mafrah and the Mosque of ‘Ali
2. Jabal al-Nur and the Cave of Hira
3. Jabal al-Thawr and the Cave of the Hijra. An inscription next to the painting is dated “the year one thousand and seven, 1007 (1598-9)”
4. Mount Arafat with the standing place (maqam) of Gabriel on top, tents at its base, and with the Nimra Mosque and standards (a‘lam) in the foreground
5. The Sacred Spot (mash‘ar-i haram), i.e. the valley between Muzdalifa and Mina where pilgrims stop to make a prayer
6. Jabal Abu Qubays with the cave and Dar al-Khayzuran
7. The birthplaces of the Prophet, Fatima, ‘Ali and the shop of Abu Bakr
8. The place where prayers are answered (muda‘a) of the Prophet
9. Mu‘alla cemetery with the tombs of Khadija and other saints and the Masjid al-Fath
10. The birthplace of ‘Umar
11. The Mina district with the Masjid al-Khayf
12. The Prophet’s Mosque with his tomb in the upper left, the mihrab of ‘Uthman, the minbar, the date tree, Fatima’s room, the dome of the treasury (qubbat al-khazina)
13. The cemetery next to al-Baqi’ Gate (Bab al-Baqi’)
14. The Haram precinct
Along the top, various gates: Bab Hazwara, Bab Ibrahim, Bab al-‘Umra
Along the bottom, further gates: Bab al-Salam, Bab Madrasat Qaytbay (Gate of the Madrasa of Qaytbay) Bab al-Nabi (Gate of the Prophet), Bab al-‘Abbas, Bab ‘Ali
Captions on the centre include: The standing places (maqam) of Ibrahim, Malik bin Anas, Ahmad bin Hanbal, Abu Hanifa, the Zamzam well, the minbar, Qubbat al-Farrashin (Dome of the Sweepers) and Qubbat al-Zayt (Dome of the Oil)
15. The site of the sa‘i (the walk between Safa and Marwa)
16. The Quba, Shams and Jum‘a mosques in Medina
17. Four mosques and the Mosque of the Two Qiblas (Masjid al-Qiblatayn) in Medina