Manuscripts Gallery

The Arabic and Persian manuscripts constitute one of the museum’s most valuable collections. The collection includes works by some of the most renowned calligraphers. The earliest manuscript on display is a Holy Qur’an, written in Arabic in Naskh script on parchment against a rich indigo background. It is dated to the 9th century CE. The gallery also displays several beautifully illuminated and embellished copies of the Holy Qur’an.

One of the highlights of the collection is a Qur’an featuring exquisite West Asian illumination and calligraphy in the Naskh script. It is traditionally attributed to Yaqut al-Musta’simi, the celebrated court calligrapher of the last Abbasid Caliph, al-Musta’sim Billah. (Attribution should be verified.) This remarkable manuscript bears the inscriptions of the Mughal emperors Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb, adding considerably to its historical significance.

Another notable manuscript is the Book of Poems by the celebrated Persian poet Hafiz. An inscription by Emperor Jahangir records that it was presented to his father, Emperor Akbar, by his uncle Hakim Mirza during the latter’s rule in Kabul.