View of the Enclosure Around the Prophet’s Tomb, from a Dala’il al-Khayrat

Location: Turkey

Materials: ink, gold and watercolours on paper; gold-tooled green morocco binding with flap of a later date, possibly European

Dimensions: 69 folios; 17.2 x 11.5cm (folio)

Accession Number: MSS 1213

Script:

This finely painted view is one of the of the most realistic representations of the enclosure around the Prophet’s tomb. Clearly visible through the railings that surround the maqsurah are the curtain that is draped over its walls and the red belt that surrounds it. For a similar curtain, see TXT 37; for the belt, see TXT 365.
 
The painting comes from a copy of Muhammad al‑Jazuli’s Dala’il al-khayrat (‘Proofs of Good Deeds’). The text is signed by al-Hajj Isma‘il al-Fathi, a pupil of Sulayman al‑Shaykhi.