Kur’an’ın Kur’an’ı (5: 89-95)

This interlinear Qur'an fragment of Surat al-Ma'idah (The table/the repast) is believed to belong to a manuscript dating from A.H. 1207 (A.D. 1792–93). The Qur'an includes translation in Persian written in complete sentences in red ink between each verse of the Arabic original. The late 18th-century practice of translation (or even paraphrasing) reflects the development of the production of interlinear Qur'ans over the centuries. Some of the earliest bilingual Qur'ans include only word-by-word translations; this is especially the case for Qur'ans from the Ilkhanid period (1256–1353). Three gold leaf-shaped cartouches appear at the top, bottom, and left margins of the folio. Each cartouche contains writing in red ink, which reads: Surat al-Ma'idah, nuzilat fi al-Madinah (The chapter of the repast, revealed in Medina). The verses on this folio (5:89–95) discuss the importance of keeping one’s oath, giving food and clothing to the indigent, and avoiding gambling and divination. At the top, bottom, and center of the right margin of the fragment’s verso appear four gold leaf-shaped cartouches bearing writing in red ink. These three cartouches read: al-juz' al-sabi' min ajza' al-thalathi