finding common ground: rediscovering our roots samoeil.pdf · finding common ground: rediscovering...

Finding Common Ground: Rediscovering our Roots

Simon SamoeilYale University Library

http://www.library.yale.edu\neareast

Samples of Arabic and Persian Calligraphyprepared by Near East Collection at Yale University Library


A reproduction in twelve different scripts of the opening statement of the Human Rights Charter: "All people are born free and equal".


The Friday Mosque in Herat, Afghanistan.

Here, calligraphy blends with other forms of decoration. The upper sides contain the "Thuluth" (literally: One Third, and called so because the horizontal part of the letter is usually one third the height of the vertical part). The bottom part contains four lines in "Nasta 'liq". Other decorations are done in "Kufie" and N"Naskhi" scripts.


A reproduction in "Thuluth" script of Koranic passages tops other forms of decoration on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.


A 9th Century Koranic fragment (probably from Iraq or Iran) copied in Kufic script on vellum. It corresponds to part of the last verse of chapter 8 and to the beginning verses of chapter 9 (The Repentance).

Martin Lings, The Quranic Art of Calligraphy and Illumination (London: World of Islam Festival Trust, 1976), plate 2


A 1303 Koran copied in Granada, Spain, in ornate Andalusian script. This script is identical with the "Maghribi" script of North Africa. Medieval authors tend to describe the Andalusian as "more aesthetic" than the "Maghribi."

Ghazi Mikdashi, Wahdat al-funun al-Islamiyyah (Beirut: Sharikat al-Mathu 'at lil-Tawzi', 1994)


An 18th century copy of the Koran (in 2 volumes), of probable Iranian provenance, in ornate "Naskhi" style on gilt paper.

Beinecke; Arabic ms. 58

Exhibit "Islamic Books and Bookbinding"prepared by Near East Collection at Yale University Library

Muslims learned the art of papermaking in the eighth century through their contacts with the Chinese, following their expansion into Central Asia. By the 11th-12th centuries, this technique reached Europe by way of Muslim Spain. Prior to the introduction of paper, Muslims used parchment (made from goatskin) and papyrus (indigenous to Egypt which they conquered in 641) for writing. Papermaking contributed to the flourishing of Islamic civilization in the middle ages, by providing readily accessible writing materials, and to the proliferation of the Islamic book and the craft of bookbinding.

The oldest surviving sample of early Islamic bookbinding is a fragment made of cedar wood dating back to 9th century Egypt. In general, early Islamic bindings show a Coptic influence: leather covers with pasteboard made of wood, papyrus or collated sheets of paper.


A distinctive feature of the medieval Islamic book is the flap, an extension of the back cover (the left side of an open book). It is tucked under the front cover when the book is closed, and has the dual purpose of protecting and preserving the book, and serving as a bookmark.

The decoration of early book covers was accomplished through the tracing of the design on the leather and its execution through tooling. Stamping was introduced later through Iran.

Lacquered bindings began to appear in Iran in the 15th century. From the 16th century onward, some book covers exhibited decorations similar to Persian miniatures. These new features are examples of the impact that Mongol rule in Iran had on the development of new art forms in that country and in the rest of the Islamic Middle East.


Tooled and stamped leather binding(ca. 18th cent. A.D. / 12th cent. A.H.)

Dala'il al-khayrat. A work in Arabic, written in praise of the prophet Muhammad by the Moroccan mystic Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Jazuli (d. 1465).Vowelled Naskhi script.

The binding, in traditional Arab style, incorporates Persian elements that became dominant in leather bindings from the 16th century onward. The compass-and-ruler border frames stamped medallions with floral motifs and the flap has been designed to match the cover.



Stamped leather binding(1472 A.D. / 876 A.H.)

A treatise on the qualifications of Muslim judges.

Naskhi script.

All patterns on this binding have been created using stamps. The painstaking method of handtooling began to disappear in the 15th century, as larger and more elaborate stamps became common. The six-pointed star had no particular association with Judaism and was a common motif in Islamic art.



Ottoman binding(18th cent.)

This Koran was copied in Naskhi script by Ali al-Qaramani.

Artists in Ottoman Turkey produced works that drew on centuries-long aesthetic traditions. This binding resembles the 16th century Persian style, also popular in Turkey. A subtle difference is the use of European-type floral patterns. European art, in particular French rococo, had an important influence on Turkish artists/artisans of the 18th and 19th centuries.



Lacquered Koran binding(ca. 18th cent.)

This illuminated Koran is copied in ornate Naskhi script with brief marginal notes in Persian (in Nasta`liq script).

The elaborate decoration of this Koran is an example of the way European motifs were incorporated into Islamic arts in the 18th and 19th centuries. The techniques and overall design of the binding and the illuminated text are traditionally Persian, but the execution of the individual flowers, particularly within the medallions and on the interior cover, reflects a European influence.


With the advent of Islam in the seventh century, the Arabs established their domain in the former regions which were parts of the Assyrian, Persian, Greek, Roman and Byzantine empires. As heirs to the civilizations, which flourished in these regions for millennia, the Arabs inherited medical and pharmacological knowledge which was eventually produced and formulated by Greek scholars.

As they were organizing the administration of their new empire, the Arab rulers realized the importance of medicine for the stability and progress of society. With the coming of the Abbasid dynasty to power in the middle of the eighth century and the building of Baghdad as the new capital of the empire, institutions were established to facilitate, organize and develop the scholarly and scientific knowledge, which was now in the custody of the Arabs. One of these institutions was a royal library by the name of Bayt al-Hikmah (The House of Wisdom), established in the ninth century in Baghdad to house the scientific and medical classics of the time.

In the course of the ninth century, a translation movement sponsored by various sectors of society led to the translation into Arabic of most of the Greek scientific works, including a large number of Greek works of medicine and pharmacology. Many of the early translators were Syriac-speaking Christians who were able to deal with Greek manuscripts either directly or through intermediary Syriac translations. Illustrious scholars like Hunayn ibn Ishaq, his son Ishaq and his nephew Hubaysh produced highly refined, precise, and scientific translations of numerous Greek original works of science medicine.

In addition to the major encyclopedic works produced by such scholars as al-Razi (Latin Rhazes, d. 925 AD) and Ibn Sina (Latin Avicenna, d. 1037 AD), whose works were translated into Latin as early as the twelfth century, and continued to be studied through the second half of the seventeenth century, the major Islamic discoveries and contributions to the field of medicine include:

1) The introduction of new fields of medical research and clinical practice such as maternity, gynecology, embryology, pediatrics, dietary medicine, public health, and psychic medicine. 2) The diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of many new diseases such as smallpox and measles. 3) The qualitative development of the field of pharmacology beyond the comparatively limited earlier state of knowledge. 4) In contrast to the Greek tradition which excluded it, Muslims incorporated surgery into the study of medicine, and developed its practice and techniques. 5) The structure and organization of modern hospitals follows patterns established as early as the ninth century. Islamic hospitals had open admission policies for patients of all economic background, and regardless of sex, religion, or ethnicity. They were run by large administrative staff and could accommodate as many as 8,000 patients. They were separated into different wards by sex and nature of illness. Moreover, hospitals had their own pharmacies and facilities in which medicines were prepared, and each hospital had its own apprenticeship program where students obtained practical experience under the guidance of a physician.

Tashrih-i Mansuri / by Mansur ibn Muhammad ibn Ilyas (fl. 1384)

An illustrated Persian treatise on human anatomy, usually referred to as Tashrih-i Mansuri (Mansur's Anatomy), also known as Tashrih-i badan-i insan (Human anatomy); dedicated to the Sultan Pir Muhammad ibn Umar ibn Timur, the Timurid ruler of Fars from 1393-1409. Copied in ca. IX cent. H/XV cent. CE. 25 folios in medium size naskh, illustrated with 6 full page anatomical figures, pen drawn in various colors, among them being one representing the arterial system of a pregnant woman. The written surface measures 17x13 cm; 25 lines per page. Catchwords and headings in red; Indian influence noticeable; laid paprer is brown. Ref. Ullmann, Medizin, p. 180. Gift of John Farquhar Fulton.

Historical Medical Library: Cushing Persian Ms. 14.

Kitab al-Qanun fi al-tibb / by Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Abd Allah ibn Sina (Avicenna) (980-1037)

The complete Canon of medicine of Avicenna in five parts. The authoritative reference on medicine of the Middle Ages. Copied by Abd al-Karim al-Qutbi (?) al-Hanafi in 1006 H/1597 CE. 505 leaves in medium size naskh, 21.5 x 31 cm. Writing surface 14.7 x 22.5 cm. The text is gilt ruled, 39 lines per page. Catchwords and headings in red, blue and gold. The leather binding is gilt stamped. Includes two leaves of notes in Arabic and Persian at the end.

Historical Medical Library: Cushing Arabic Ms. 5.

Jawahir al-lughah / by al-Harawi, Muhammad ibn Yusuf (16th cent.)

A medical dictionary arranged alphabetically, covering anatomical and pathological terms and concepts and medicinal substances. Also known under the titles Jawahir al-lughah fi lughat al-tibb and Bahr al-jawahir. Composed 9 Shawwal 924 H/14 October 1518 CE. Copied 18 Dhu al-Hijjah, 1009 H/20 June 1601 by the physician Amin al-Din Muhammad in Ahmad ibn Ali al-Kashani. 244 leaves in clear medium size naskh, 12x18.2 cm., 16 lines per page.

Historical Medical Library: Cushing Arabic Ms. 2.

Middle Eastern & Islamic Cuisine


This tablet includes 25 recipes for stews, 21 are meat stews and 4 are vegetable stews. The recipes list the ingredients and the order in which they should be added, but does not give measures or cooking time - they were clearly meant only for experienced chefs.

YBC 4644 from the Old Babylonian Period, ca. 1750 BC

The Oldest Cookbooks in the World


Copied in A.H. 738 (A.D. 1338). Housed at Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Landberg MSS 473). In this manuscript the famous Muslim physician and philosopher al-Razi (Rhzes in Latin) speaks about the various kinds of foods and drinks from a medicinal point of view. He mentions their benefits and how to counteract their harmful effects.

Daf' Madarr al-Aghdhiyah [On the Means to Counteract the Harmful Effects of Various Kinds of Food], by Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (865?-925?).


In these two books the two famous medieval physicians, al-Razi and Avicenna-who were very well known in the West through the translation of their medical treatises into Latin in the Middle Ages-speak about the different kinds of foods prevalent in the Islamic world at their time; their benefits on the one hand and their harmful effects and how to avoid them on the other. The overall guidelines are summarized in the old Arabic proverb: "Do not eat until you are hungry and when you eat do not do not satiate yourself."

Manafi' al-Aghdhiyah wa-Daf' Madarriha [The Benefits of Foods and Warding off their Harmful Effects] by Abu Bakr Munhammad bin Zakariyya al-Razi (865?-925?). On the Margins: Kitab Daf' al-Madarr al-Kulliyah 'an al-Abdan al-Insaniyah [Warding all Harmful Effects off the Human Body] by Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980-1037). Bayrut: Dar Sadir, [1975?] (Photo reproduction of the edition published in Cairo in 1888).


The Muslim Arabs established themselves in al-Anadalus (Andalusia, Southern Spain) since the Middle of the eighth century and remained there until 1492 when the Christian armies of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile drove them out. However, the influence of the Arabic and Islamic food traditions were passed along to the Spaniards and Portuguese and survived until modern days.

The Food of Spain and Portugal: A Regional Celebration by Elisabeth Luard. London : Kyle Cathie, 2004.


Celebration of 'Id al-Fitr at the Mosque of Thonburi (part of Bangkok the capital of Thailand) at the end of the holy month of Rmadan by the Muslim community of the city. The Islamic culinary traditions are strictly observed and adhered to despite the vast distance that separate Thailand from the main Islamic centers.

Ahan: Sap læ Sin Phændin Thai = Thai cuisine: Treasure and Art of the Land. Krung Thep : Plæn Mothip, 2546 [2003].

Illuminated Islamic ManuscriptA Selection of New Acquisitions at Yale UniversityLate June through late August, 2008

Islamic manuscripts uniquely mirror the civilization that produced them. The entire gamut of learning can be seen in these pages, from grammar, literature, and poetry to theology, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. The Islamic manuscripts shows not only the beauty and variety of Islamic calligraphy, illuminatiions and painting, but also the extreme care various artisans took in penmanship, binding, and papermaking. These colorful illuminations and miniatures transcend time and place, providing a window into pre-twentieth-centry Islamic culture.

Free and open to the public; for more information call (203)-432-2969

Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript LibraryYale University121 Wall StreetNew Haven Connecticut

Illuminated Islamic ManuscriptA Selection of New Acquisitions at Yale UniversityLate June through late August, 2008 Qur'an [Koran]. Undated, but probably

copied in the 18th century.

Chapters from the Koran in beautiful, large Chinese Arabic script, in black ink on white glossy paper. The text is vocalized throughout with Koranic recitation markings in red. All chapter headings are written in red ink. The opening two pages are illuminated in gold, blue, green, red, and other colors. The last page is also illuminated and the text is ruled in two red lines. This undated manuscript was probably copied in the eighteenth century. Bound in contemporary morocco, wallet style with a flap, in the Islamic manner. Covers embossed with central medallions; borders, with a floral design. Chinese manuscripts of the Koran are extremely rare.

Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

Illuminated Islamic ManuscriptA Selection of New Acquisitions at Yale UniversityLate June through late August, 2008 Zij Gurgani [Zij Jurjani = Gurgani Astronomical

Tables]. 1193 H/1779. An anonymous Arabic and Ottoman Turkish manuscript of astronomical tables written for the Ottoman Sultan Abd al-Hamid I (1725-89; reigned 1774- 89).

The manuscript was completed, in the year 1193 H/1779. Written in clear, small naskhi script, in black ink on white paper, with headings, keywords, and markings in red. No reference can be found to this manuscript. It is probably unique. The term "Zij-i Gurgani," i.e., a Gurgani Zij, is derived from the word "Gurgan," a title used by the Mongol leader Timur (1336-1405). It was originally invented by the Persian astronomer Ulugh Beg (1394-1449), the most outstanding astronomer of the medieval times. His tables served as the basis for many similar works, and were even used by John Flamstead (1646-1719), the first Royal Astronomer at the Greenwich Observatory. Ulugh Beg's work held sway for close to three centuries, until it was supplanted by telescopic data.



Futuh Afriqiya [The Conquests of Africa]. Book I, by Muhammad ibn Umar al-Waqidi (747-823). 1 Shaban 1083 H / 21 Nov. 1672.

One of the earliest works on the Islamic conquests in Africa, written in clear maghribi script in brown ink on yellowish paper, with headings, keywords, and markings in red. It appears that the first ten leaves were lost and replaced in a different hand. The present manuscript is significantly different from the printed version. It was copied by Ahmad ibn Ibrahim of Bani Salih, who completed it on 1 Sh'ban 1083 H/21 November 1672. In Arabic.



Hayat al-Qiddis Mar Afram al-Suryani [The Life of Saint Ephrem the Syrian] (303-373), an anonymous text translated from Syriac into Arabic by Butrus Rizq al-Andari (a student at Madrasat Dayr Mar Yuhanna Marun [Kafr Hayy, Lebanon] (The School of the Monastery of Mar Yuhanna Marun). 17 Jan. 1895.

Written in clear ruq'ah script, in purplish ink, this manuscript was completed at the monastery on 17 January 1895. Christian manuscripts of this nature, even though late, are quite rare. There is no information about the original Syriac text from which the Arabic translation was made.


Delegation of Scholars and Clerics Visiting Yale University LibraryNew Haven, CT, USA Nov 3, 2008

Dr. Mainus Sultan (5th from left), Program Director, Faith and Community Project, Institute for Training and Development (ITD), Simon Samoeil (7th from left), Curator, Near East Collection, Yale University Library, and members of the Philippines delegation.

Yale workshop and conference

New Haven, CT, USA July 24-31, 2008Dr. Alice Prochaska, Director of Yale University Library (second row, middle), Dr. Andrew D. Saperstein, Associate Director of the Reconciliation Program, Yale Center for Faith and Culture, Yale University Divinity School (second row, first from left), Mr. Simon Samoeil, Curator of the Near East Collection at Yale University Library (first row, first from left) with members of Yale workshop and conference “ Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed: Implications for Christians and Muslims ”. Photo taken at Sterling Memorial Library, Selin Courtyard.

Yale Center for Faith and Culture, Reconciliation Program

Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed: Implications for Christians and Muslims

Visit to NEC by a high religious dignitaries from Syria

New Haven, CT, USA May 6, 2008 On May 6, 2008, a high religious dignitaries from Syria visit to the Near East Collection at Sterling Memorial Library, accompanied by Prof. Ibrahim Abu Rabi'.

Accompanied by Prof. Ibrahim Abu Rabi'

Left to right:Prof. Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi' (Prof. of Islamic Studies at Hartford Seminary), Dr. Husam Al-Din Farfour (Prof. of Comparative Islamic Law & Modern Thought at al-Fath al-Islami Institute), Simon Samoeil (Curator of the Near East Collection, Yale University Library), Dr. Abdul-Fattah Al-Bizem (Mufti of Damascus), Dr. Abdul-Nabi Isstaif (General Director, the Syrian General Organization of Books), Dr. Andrew D. Saperstein (Associate Director, Reconciliation Program, Yale Center for Faith and Culture, Yale University Divinity School).

Photo taken at the Arabic Islamic Reading Room, Sterling Memorial Library, Yale University Library. New Haven, CT.

On May 6, 2008, a high religious dignitaries from Syria visit to the Near East Collection at Sterling Memorial Library, accompanied by Prof. Ibrahim Abu Rabi'.

Thank You!

For more information:http://www.library.yale.edu/neareast/exhibits.html

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