"Muhammad's Call to Prophecy and the First Revelation", Folio from a Majma' al-Tavarikh (Compendium of Histories)

Author Hafiz-i Abru Iranian

Not on view

Shah Rukh (r. 1405–47), son of Timur, commissioned Hafiz‑i Abru to write an extensive world history, beginning with Adam and continuing down to his own time. Early manuscript copies of the text are heavily illustrated in a simple, direct style—as seen in this example. Here, the angel Gabriel appears to the Prophet Muhammad, calling him to spread the word of God, and transmitting to him the first of God’s revelations—which would become the Muslim holy book, the Qur'an.

"Muhammad's Call to Prophecy and the First Revelation", Folio from a Majma' al-Tavarikh (Compendium of Histories), Hafiz-i Abru (Iranian, born Khorasan–1430 Zanjan), Opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper

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