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| Source: IAMM. The exhibition catalogue. |
The Dala’il al-Khayrat is a collection of prayers asking for blessings for the prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and is meant to be read a section a day. It has inspired calligraphers, illuminators and painters of court ateliers to produce illustrated and illuminated manuscripts that reflect the history and the diverse art form of the Islamic world.
The exhibition begins with the history of Dala’il al-Khayrat and its author, Imam Al-Jazuli, whose ancestry has been traced to Imam Hassan ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Visitors will then discover the contents of Dala’il Al-Khayrat, the eight ahzab (days of recitation) and other main elements of the book. There is also a special section on how to distinguish the regional characteristics of Dala’il al-Khayrat, through masterpieces from North Africa, Central Asia, Turkey, the Indian Subcontinent, China and Southeast Asia.
Among the highlights of the exhibition are Moroccan copies of Dala’il al-Khayrat and also a rare one-page Dala’il Al-Khayrat, signed by Alhafiz Mahbub Muhammad. The illustrated pages which feature Makkah and Madinah among others, inspired by Imam Al-Jazuli's description of Al-Rawdah Al-Mubarakah (the Blessed Garden) in which the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is buried, together with his two companions Abu Bakr and Umar (رضي الله عنهم).
This exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue (RM98) that is available in the museum shop.
Interested?
An English version is available for download (PDF)
Audio links are available on Wikipedia