Folio from the Holy Qur’an
Surah Maryam, verses 12–17 (partly). Naskh script. 10th century CE. 25.3 × 38.5 cm. From the collection of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan
Audio guide
Description
This 10th-century folio unites revelation with disciplined calligraphy. The page contains verses 12–17 from Surah Maryam and is written in naskh script, which had by this time become firmly established as the principal book hand of Qur’anic transmission.
Unlike earlier, more angular scripts, naskh is characterized by clarity, rounded contours, and measured proportion.
These verses recount the story of the Prophet Zachariah, the birth of Yahya, and the beginning of the narrative of Maryam. They evoke themes of purity, divine election, and spiritual mission.
The horizontal alignment of lines, balanced spacing, and red diacritical marks ensure precision in pronunciation. Here aesthetic form serves textual clarity.
This folio exemplifies how, during the First Renaissance of Islamic civilization, the culture of reading developed in a way that united reverence for scripture with refined artistic expression.