Munajat (Confidential Talks) of 'Ali ibn Abu-Talib
Unknown Artist
ca. 1200
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper; morocco leather binding
Dimensions
H. 6 7/8 (17.4 cm) W. 5 1/8 in. (13.1 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Louis E. and Theresa S. Seley Purchase Fund for Islamic Art and Rogers Fund, 1995
Accession Number
1995.324
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the luminous world of 13th-century Islamic manuscript art with *Munajat (Confidential Talks of 'Ali ibn Abualib*, a exquisite codex created around 1200. This small, portable volume—measuring just 6 7/8 by 5 1/8 inches—contains intimate supplications attributed to 'Ali ibn Abualib, the revered fourth caliph and a pivotal figure in early Islam, especially within Shia tradition. Crafted by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the devotional literature that bridged spirituality and aesthetics during the medieval Islamic golden age, when such texts were cherished for personal prayer and refl...