AN ILLUMINATED OTTOMAN AN'AM SHARIF BY ZAHIDE SELMA HANIM, TURKEY, DATED 1312 AH/1894 AD

Arabic and Turkish manuscript on paper, 7 lines to the page, written in naskh script in black ink, text separation represented by gold roundels pointed by polychrome dots, illuminated frontispiece, surah headings in red ink, ruled in gold and red, containing 21 pages of illumination. Brown gilt morocco binding with flap. 14 by 20 cm. CATALOGUE NOTE This finely-illuminated manuscript is a collection of Arabic and Turkish prayers. it opens with a prayer, Surah al-Fatiha, al-Kahf, Yasin, al-Dukhan, al-Ahkaf, al-Rahman, al-Waqia , al-Mulk , al-In- shirah, al-Zalzalah, al-Takathur and many different small verses with commentaries. These are followed by the Seven Quranic Verses (Yedi aye). This is followed by two prayers for com- pletion of the recitation of the Quran (Dua-al- khatm), the Beautiful Names (Asma’ al-husna) and a commentary (sharh) on them; the Names of the Prophet and a commentary on them, the Prayer of Forgiveness (Istigfar),the Prayer of the Lord of Forgiveness (Seyyid-i istigfar) and its commen- tary; the Prayer of Faith and its commentary, the Prayer of The Greatest (Dua-i azem), the Prayer of the Contract (Dua-i ahdname); the Prayer of Light (Dua-i nur) and its commentary, the Prayer of the Goblet (Dua-i kadeh), the Prayer of Supplications (Munajat), Hibz al-Bahr by al-Shadhelli and other special prayers by well-known imams. These are followed by diagrams of the Names of the Lord of the Worlds (Rab al-’alamin), Names of the Prophet with three Seals of Prophecy (Muhr-i nubuwet), the hilyes of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, the Seal of Ja’far al-Sadiq, the eye of Ali, two detailed views of Mecca and Me- dina, two detailed illustrations of Rawdah al-Shariffa, Alam or flag of the prophet, the Rose of the Prophet Muhammad, and Tuba tree. The last five folio with a prayer for completion of the recitation of the Quran (Due- al-Khatm) in elegant black script reserved in clouds a gilt ground, the margin decorated with gilt floral motifs outlined in red. THE CALLIGRAPHER Zahide Selma Hanim was born in 1274 AH/1857 AD in Istanbul and died in 1313 AH/1895 AD. She is buried in Istanbul at the Suleymaniye Mosque Cemetery. As the youngest daughter of Sadr-ı esbâk Ali Pasha, she was born in her father's mansion in Bebek, studied privately and received ta'lik practice from Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi, their mansion neighbor (d.1291). In 1874, she married Hüseyin Nâzım Bey, who was the son of Müşîr Circassian İsmâ'il Pasha, one of the captains of the Erkan-ı Harbiyye. Three sons and two daughters were born from this marriage. She passed away in 1895 AD and was buried in the Süleymaniye Mosque burial area next to her father's grave. Some calligraphers praise her callighraphy like Zihni Efendi who says "According to what we have heard, there is also Zâhide Selma Hanım from the time of our century, who is the deceased Ali Pasha woman. Very well known with calligraphy and adab. Habib Efendi says about her: " Zâhide Selma Hanım graduated from the late İzzet Efendi, even in ta'lik, as she was excellent in different types of calligraphy. She wrote some hilyehs of well known mosques and takaya in Istanbul.