A large Sub-Saharan Qur’an. 

Apart from recording the scribes name and the volumes completion date, the colophon here also names the patron as “Muhammad Sheikh bin Sheikh Ali bin Sheikh Musi(?) bin Sheikh Abu’bakr bin Sheikh Abu’Adir Yassi Lutf’ullah”.

The colophon, on f. 268v, states that this copy of the Qur’an was completed on 28 Jumadi al-Akhir (16 July 1844) ‘by the hand of Afqar ‘Abad Allah’. Following the colophon is the Dua Khatam al-Qur’an, literally ‘the prayer to seal the Qur’an’, a prayer that is recited once one has completed the reading of the Qur’an. Marginal notes indicate the number of verses in the various traditions of reciting according to the Qira’at al-Saba’. A note at the bottom of f. 268r states that the Qur’an was read on 2 Jumada al-Awwal, 1270 (1 February, 1854).

Qur’ans from this region are very rarely bound and usually appear as loose leaves. The present manuscript was copied and illuminated with great care and detail, particularly to the hand-painted doublures, and comes enclosed within a contemporary leather binding with a flap.

Islam is the second largest religion in Ethiopia with over 33.9% of the population practicing. According to UNESCO, Harar is regarded as the fourth holy city of Islam. It has 82 mosques, three of which date from the 10th century, as well as 102 shrines.