Arabic Manuscripts

Some    of   the   Arabic   Collections     may     be considered  as the oldest pieces of   handiwork  in the field of Arabic Calligraphy. Among them is the seventh century A.D. Quran written on parchment in early Kufic script  attributed to   Hazrat Ali (d. A.D. 661).

Another specimen of the Holy Quran written in the eighth century A.D. on paper is attributed to the penmanship of Imam Jafar Sadiq. Another copy of ninth century Quran written on parchment is attributed to Imam Abul Hasan Musa. The celebrated scholar and calligrapher 'Ibn Muqla ' who served the three Caliphs of Baghdad as Prime Minister and died on July 20, 941 A.D., wrote the Quran in the early Naskh style in the 10th century. That masterpiece has found an important place in the collection of Raza Library. The noted calligrapher has reshaped the Arabic letters into Naskh which is still invogue in one or the other form. It is indeed a unique specimen of the writing of Ibn Muqla in the world.
  The library has a copy of the Quran penned by the master calligrapher of 13th century A.D. of Baghdad, Yaqut-al Musta' simi .It bears the ornamentation in gold and precious lapislazuli stone colours. Another master piece of Arabic manuscript by the same talented calligrapher is Diwan- al- Hadira dated 629 A.H. (1221 A.D.). It was once the part of the royal library of Sultan Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur. An interesting work in Arabic of Pseudo-geography and wonderful creations profusely illustrated with strange figures of human beings, animals and birds entitled Ajaibul Makhluqat was written by Zakaria bin Mahmud al-Qazvini (d.682 A.H./ 1283 A.D.) and scribed in elegant Naskh by Ibn Kamaluddin Husain in 929 A.H. (1571 A.D.).

Arabic manuscript " Sharhal-Kafia of Razi" is also a unique asset of library. It bears the marginal notes by Nawab Sadullah Khan, the Prime Minster of emperor Shah Jahan. This manuscript also contains a note by emperor Shah Jahan in his own hand writing and bears a seal and signature of Sadullah Khan, Inayat Khan, Itimad Khan, Muhammad Salih Khan, Aurangzib Alamgir etc.