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Mamluk Qur'a>N Manuscripts from 1341-1412 AD

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Mamluk Qur'a>N Manuscripts from 1341-1412 AD Calligraphers, Illuminators and Patrons: Mamluk Qur’a>n Manuscripts from 1341-1412 AD In light of the collection of the National Library of Egypt by Noha Abou-Khatwa A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations University of Toronto © Copyright by Noha Abou-Khatwa 2017 Calligraphers, Illuminators and Patrons: Mamluk Qur’a>n Manuscripts from 1341-1412 AD In light of the collection of the National Library of Egypt Noha Abou-Khatwa Doctor of Philosophy Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations University of Toronto 2017 Abstract The Mamluks of Egypt and Syria excelled in most arts, especially architecture and Qur’a>n manuscript production. While their architecture is heavily studied, very little in depth research has been done on their Qur’a>n manuscripts, especially the collection kept at the National Library of Egypt (Da>r al-Kutub al-Mis}riyya). This dissertation examines and analyzes the illumination and calligraphy of the Mamluk Qur’a>n manuscripts produced after the death of the Mamluk sultan al-Na>s}ir Muh}ammad ibn Qala>wu>n (d. 741/1341) until the death of the second Circassian Mamluk sultan Faraj ibn Barqu>q (d. 815/1412), that are kept in Da>r al-Kutub. This period in Mamluk history was a turbulent one with socio-political calamities, yet Qur’a>n manuscript production was not affected. Illumination and calligraphy workshops have been identified using stylistic similarities in conjunction with the information found in the rich chronicles and biographical dictionaries of the Mamluk period. Biographies of artists, mostly calligraphers, were reconstructed and their modes of learning were investigated to shed light on their training process depending primarily ii on the calligraphy treatises of the period. Patrons, especially in their capacity as supporters of workshops, were also studied in light of the primary sources and to a lesser extent through their architecture. iii Calligraphy and Illumination are as it were compensations for such contingencies as ink and paper, a ‘set up’ which makes it possible, in a flash of wonderment, to approach more nearly and penetrate more deeply the Divine Substance of the Quranic text, and thus to receive a ‘taste’, each soul according to its capacity, of the Infinite and the Eternal. -Martin Lings, Splendours of Qur’an Calligraphy and Illumination, 19. For Tamer, Yahya and Ali iv Acknowledgements I am very thankful to many people who have made this research and my academic life possible. My deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor and mentor Professor Karin Rührdanz whose guidance, support and caring counsel have been essential for my journey. Without her diligence and patience in reading and re-reading my drafts, and her persisting thoroughness this work would not have been. Her office was always opened for very lengthy consultations; I thank her for an unfailing generosity with her time and knowledge. Her supervision has been a source of confidence and encouragement throughout the years. I am indebted to Professor Linda Northrup who generously shared her immense knowledge of Mamluk history and sources with me, and guided me in this field. Her passion for and knowledge of Mamluk studies has been beyond helpful and contagious. I always left her office and classes very inspired. I would like to thank her for meticulously reading my drafts and for all her insights and comments. I am equally thankful to Professor Walid Saleh, who also served on my thesis advisory committee, for all his comments, insights, suggestions and encouragement of the project. I want to express my appreciation to Professor Sheila Blair who kindly accepted being the external examiner for my thesis. I extend my sincere thanks for her thorough reading of my text and for her invaluable comments and suggestions. Her insights helped in the fine tuning of the work and for paving the road for future projects on the Qur’a>n manuscripts. I would like to express my gratitude to Professor Suzanne Akbari who served as the internal reader of my thesis. Her comments and insights have been extremely useful. I was very fortunate to have studied at the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations where I was mentored by great scholars. Professor Maria Subtelny, whose intellect, depth of knowledge and tutoring were enlightening. I always left her classes and discussions in awe. I am forever grateful for studying with Professors Robert Mason, Lisa Golombek and Azita Taleghani, whose expertise in their respective fields has been very beneficial. My heartfelt gratitude goes to the best graduate student coordinator and administrator in the University of Toronto, Ms. Anna Sousa, who took my hand throughout my journey and guided me step by step through all the degree requirements with utter sincerity. She never hesitated to go above and beyond the call of duty to help all graduate students in the department. My research was made possible by the generous funding of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship), the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (Ontario Graduate Scholarship), and the University of Toronto Fellowship and the University of Toronto Doctoral Completion Award. I much obliged to their generosity. I am also indebted to Dr. Faarid Gouverneur, Founder and Chairman of the Thesaurus Islamicus Foundation, who was not just my boss but a second father and mentor. He was the v one who introduced me to the world of Islamic manuscripts and it was through him that I imbibed the love of the book. He did not just instruct me in the value of these manuscripts but also in the value of their making; he carefully and meticulously taught me the art of producing and appreciating the written word and its importance. His passion and perseverance were the main drive behind my work. To Da>r al-Kutub (The National Library of Egypt) I owe my entire work. I would like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Saber Arab, ex-Director of Da>r al-Kutub, who allowed us to care for the manuscripts, encouraged me to pursue my PhD, insightfully suggested I focus on the Mamluks and graciously allowed me to use all the images in this thesis. I am very thankful to Dr. Abd al-Nasser Hassan, ex-Director of Da>r al-Kutub, for his permission for me to see the Qur’a>n manuscripts again and re-examine them, and to have new photographs of them. The curatorial team in Manuscript department at Da>r al-Kutub have been of amazing support, I am indebted to Mr. Mustafa ‘Abd al-Sami>‘, Head of the Manuscript Department, Mr. Ibra>hi>m Rif‘at, Ms. Marwa> H{amdi>, Ms. H{amdiyya Muh}ammad ‘Umar, Mr. Muh}ammad Zaynhum, Mr. H{asan Muh}ammadayn, Mr. Muh}ammad ‘Abd al-‘Az}i>m, Mr. Muh}ammad ‘At}iyya, Ms. Naja>t ‘Abd al-Ra>ziq, Ms. Wala>’ Sala>ma and Ms. Umniyya Majdi> for all their help. In the other manuscript collections, I am especially grateful to Dr. Elaine Wright, Curator of the Islamic Collections at the Chester Beatty Library, whose help and hospitality made my research a very pleasant experience. I would like to thank the Topkapi Palace Museum Directorate for allowing me to see the Qur’a>n manuscripts in their possession. Special thanks are due to Mr. Şakir Demirok of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Ramazan Aktemur and Ms. Esra Müyesseroğlu in the Topkapi Sarayi for their immense help and for the photographs they graciously supplied me. Many thanks also extend to Ms. Evyn Kropf, curator of the Islamic Manuscripts Collection at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, for her timely aid; and Dr. Deniz Beyazit, assistant curator of Islamic art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. My work at al-Azhar library would never have been possible without Muh}ammad ‘Abd al-Lat}i>f, may he rest in peace, to whom I am eternally grateful, and Mr. Wah}i>d ‘Abd al- Jawwa>d. I am greatly indebted to my dear friend Iman Abdulfattah who is a sister to me. She was always there throughout the years relentlessly supporting and encouraging me in my journey with all its ups and downs and persevered through my endless complaining. She tirelessly helped me with all the fine tuning. I would like to thank my friend Khalid Youssef, who is a walking library and the acquirer of books par excellence. He was always promptly helping me with a source badly needed; and Muh}ammad al-S{a>wi> for his immense help. I would like to thank my friend Yasmine Abdallah, of the Rare Books and Special Collections Library at the American University in Cairo, for always being there to scan and send me material urgently needed. I value the presence of my fellow graduate students at NMC Department at the University of Toronto who enriched my experience with their advice and help: Mustafa Banister, who was always extremely helpful in answering me with sincere advice, Adam Ali, Meredith Brand, Fadi Ragheb, Amar Baadj, Lale Javanshir, Seyed Hossein Nassab, Abolfazl Moshiri, Nasrin Askari, Sajjad Nejatie, Sarah Schellinger and Amber Hutchinson. My sincerest appreciation goes to the help given to me by my niece, Mennatallah Mansour, who helped redraw material and read drafts of my work. I am much obliged to my best friends in Toronto who supported and helped me with various stages of my work: Aiah Neamatallah, Bita Pourvash and Katherine Blouin. And to my vi best friends in Cairo Reem Mansour, Rania Bedeir, Shahira Rifaat and Yasmin El Shazly for their encouragements and belief in me.
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