AN OTTOMAN COTTON TALISMANIC SHIRT (JAMA), 18TH CENTURY

A shirt (jama) covered with text written in thuluth, square Kufic and naskh scripts, in assorted colors, roundels and cartouches. The inscriptions include quotations from the Quran, invocations to Allah, attributes of Allah and prayers, beautiful names of Allah. Length: 105 cm.
Sleeve to sleeve: 95 cm.

To the front side: Two squares encloseing a view of al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, surrounded by Kalimaat al-Tawhid in black sqaure kufic script and v.1-v.9 from surah az-zukhruf in thuluth script. Two squares of Kalimaat al-Tawhid surrounded v.9-v.11 from surah az-Zukhruf, flanking on both sides Quran verses in small naskh script forming a view of al-Kabaa. Two squares enclosing surah an-Nas and al-Falaq, surrounded by v.13-v.19 from surah az-Zukhruf, flanking on both sides Quran verse forming a view of al-Masjid al-Nabawi. The right and left sleeve with small panels enclosing ‘Allah, Muhammed ’ in square Kufic script, urther stylized with the Beautiful names of Allah and Muhammed.

To the back side: Two squares of Kalimaat al-Tawhid surrounded v.18-v.22 from surah az-Zukhruf, flanking on both sides Quran verses in small naskh script forming a gate in al-Masjid al-Haram. A central roundel enclosing Ayat al-Kursi surrounded by v.23-v.24 from surah az-Zukhruf. flanked on both sides with Quran verses in small naskh script forming Maqam Ibrahim and the Mihrab of al-Masjid al-Nabawi. Two squares enclosing surah an-Nas and al-Falaq, surrounded by v.25-v.31 from surah az-Zukhruf

Furter stylized with Kalimaat al-Tawhid, Beautifl names of Allah, Quran verses and prayers in different scripts and colours.