|
For non-specialists, this Glossary provides a collation from the author's introduction to Golden Pages and subsequent catalogue entries of technical and other terms intended to help in understanding. Numbers refer to this website or numbers from the book. |
| THE GLOSSARY - the QUR'AN | ||
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see
item
|
term
|
meaning
|
|
throughout see 3 - 38 |
basmalah
|
The abbreviation for Bismallah al-Rahman al-Rahim, "In the name of Allah the Compassionate and the Merciful". Thjis formula is found at the beginning of each surah.see 38, basmalah written as mirror image |
|
throughout
|
surah
|
The Qur'an is divided into 114 surahs (roughly translated as 'chapters'.These surahs are generally arranged according to length. The longer surahs are found at the beginning of the Qur'an and the shorter ones at the end. |
|
3
|
hizh,
half-hizh and quarter-hizh
|
textual divisions |
| 4 | mashayikh | teacher of religious knowledge |
| 64 | mushir | catchword |
| 54 | shahadah | the text "There is no god but God, and Muhammas is His Prophet" |
| 54 | muhr al-nubuwwah | the seal of prophethood, a mark which the Prophet bore between his shoulders |
| 42 | hafiza | a woman who has learned the text of the Qur'an by heart |
| 52 | wird | prescribed day of prayer |
| THE GLOSSARY - TECHNICAL | ||
|
see
item
|
term
|
meaning
|
|
throughout
|
murakka
|
Many
works of calligraphy, in particular single sheets were written on prepared
card which Ottoman binders and calligraphers called the murakka.
|
|
introduction
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tarwis
|
the
serif to the letterform
|
|
throughout
|
kagit
suya
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the
water absorbing nature of the paper
|
|
throughout
|
the
six great classical hands
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naskh, thulth, rayhan, muhaqqaq, riqa, tawqi A seventh hand, nasta'liq, was only as a great exception used for copies of the Qur'an. See the Introduction 'Tools of the Trade' |
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37
|
ebru | marbled paper |
| 2 | halkari | marginal decoration using gold of different hues |
| 43 | qit'ah | calligraphic composition |
| 44 | murakkabat | connected letters |
| 44 | mufradat | single letters |
| 59 | mistar | stencil-like device on to which the page is pressed to leave fine traces of parallel lines as a guide for the calligrapher |
| 64 | tavafuklu | where a combination of letters, words or phrases rests on the same lettering on the opposite page when the book is closed. both sequences of letters are picked out in red with a slightly narrower cut nib, called tavafuklu - corresponding |
|
STRUCTURAL
AND DECORATIVE LANGUAGE
|
|
medallions
- borders - panels - penc (five petalled rosette) - cloud cartouche
- - arabesque - palmettes - scrollwork - strapwork - arabesques
|
| diacritical marks - marginal commentary - verse marker - interlinear spacing - seal (see 41) - vocalisation - |
