Skip to main content
Link to Smithsonian homepage
Smithsonian Music
Main menu
Calendar
Listen
Learn
Ask Smithsonian
Collections Spotlights
Music Stories
Watch
Blog
Music and Spirituality
Music and Islam
Music and Spirituality
Music and Christianity
Music and Judaism
Music and African Spiritual Traditions
Music and Buddhism
Music and Hinduism
Music and Islam
Page of calligraphy
Folio from a Rawzat al-safa (Garden of purity) by Mirkhwand (died 1498); recto: illuminated titlepiece, border and text; verso: text
Kulliyat (Complete works) by Sa'di (d.1291)
Detached folio from a Bustan (Orchard) by Sa'di (d.1291); Execution of the Barsisa
Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami; recto: Shirin seated with Farhad by the milk conduit; verso: text
Old man and three youths
Folio from an unidentified text; Sulayman and Bilqis Enthroned
A standing Woman
Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); recto: text; verso: The envoys of Salm and Tur before Faridun
Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami (d.1209); recto: Bilqis enthroned, left-hand half of a double-page; verso: Sarlawh and text unrelated to Khamsa (from the Shahnama of Firdawsi)
Mihr u Mushtari (The Sun and Jupiter) by Assar (died ca.1377-1390)
Folio from a Rawzat al-safa (Garden of felicity) by Mirkhwand (died 1498); recto: colophon; verso: illuminated heading, border, and text
Folio from a Falnama (Book of omens); recto: blank; verso: Angels bow before Adam and Eve in Paradise
Folio from a Rawdat al-safa by Mirkhwand (d. 1498); recto: illumination; verso: illuminated text
Folio from a Rawzat al-safa (Garden of felicity) by Mirkhwand (d. 1498); recto: colophon; verso: illuminated titlepiece, border and text
Folio from an Aja'ib al-makhluqat wa gharaib al-mawjudat (Wonders of creation and oddities of existence) by al-Qazvini (died 1283); recto: A man by the edge of a stream; verso: text
Folio from a Rawdat al-safa (Garden of felicity) by Mirkhwand (d. 1498); verso: illustration and text, Muhammad converses with Nestor; recto: text, On the events of the twenty-fifth years of Muhammad's birth, his trip to Damascus and his marriage to Khadijeh Kobra
Page of calligraphy
Page of calligraphy
Page of calligraphy
Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); recto: illuminated page of text, Baysunghuri preface; verso: twenty-five lines of prose from the Baysunghuri preface
Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020)
Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami (d.1209)
Folio from a Garshaspnama (Book of Garshasp) by Asadi Tusi (d. 1072); recto: Garshasp slays a dragon; verso: text
Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); recto: The Combat between Kay Khosrow and Afrasiyab and Afrasiyab’s retreat; verso: text from the story of Kay Khusraw
Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami; recto: text; verso: text
Folio from an unidentified text; Sulayman and Bilqis enthroned
Folio from a Rawdat al-safa (Garden of felicity) by Mirkhwand (d. 1498); recto: text, Muhammad performed Hajj ceremonies and warned his disciples of his death; verso: illustration and text, Muhammad performed the rites of pilgrimage with his son in law
Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami (d.1209); recto: text; verso: text
Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); recto: The beginning of the Shahnama of Hakim Firdawsi; verso: last section of Baysunghuri preface
Khamsa (Quintet) by Amir Khusraw Dihlavi (d.1325)
Cover of the manuscript accessioned as S1986.58.1, Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d. 1020)
Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); recto: The court of Gayumarth; verso: text: Siyamak slain by the black demon
Woman with a spray of flowers
Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); recto: Mehr Hormozd kills Khusraw Parviz, The story of Shiruya and Shirin; verso: The story of Shiruya and Shirin
Border
Lampas fragment depicting two standing figures and flowers on a green ground
Folio from an unidentified text
Habib al-siyar (Beloved of virtues) by Ghiyath al-Din b. Humam al-Din Muhammad Khwandamir (d. circa. 1534-37), Volume 3
Folio from a Divan (Collected poems) by Hafiz (d. 1390); A scene in a tavern
Folio from an unidentified text; Shapur fetches Shirin and pays homage to Khusraw
Folio from a Rawdat al-safa by Mirkhwand (d. 1498); verso: The prophet watches Ali behead a foe; recto: illuminated text
A prince and princess embrace
Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami; recto: text; verso: text: The twelfth discourse: on the lamentation of fortune
Mathnavi-ye ma'navi (Rhyming couplets of profound spriritual meaning) by Rumi (d.1273)
Bahram Gur wins the crown, from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi
Folio from a Rawdat al-safa (Garden of felicity) by Mirkhwand (d. 1498); recto: The Battle against the Byzantines for Aleppo; verso: text: Muslim army in Damascus, Ilea, and Jordan
Folio from a Rawdat al-safa (Garden of felicity) by Mirkhwand (d. 1498); verso: Sarlawh and text; recto: blank
Mihr-u Mushtari (The Sun and Jupiter) by Shams al-Din Muhammad Assar Tabrizi (d. circa 1390)
Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami (d.1209); recto: Bahram Gur hunts with Azada; verso: text, Bahram Gur's letter to Manzar-i Arab, Response of Manzar-i Arab to Bahram Gur's letter
Back to Top