Qur'anic Board

ca. 1900

Not on view

Across Muslim Africa, Qur’anic instruction begins as early as the age of five, with the first sura (Qur’anic chapter), "Al-Fatihah." Some pupils start with the letters of the Arabic alphabet before mastering the recitation of the text itself, which they must do accurately and melodically. Instructors would inscribe verses on wooden tablets using a reed pen and homemade ink that could be washed off and replaced with another passage. The Qur’an’s holy words are handled with special care, and even the runoff water used to clean the writing board is treated with respect. Believers may drink the water with ink or use it for spiritual or medicinal purposes.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Title: Qur'anic Board
Date: ca. 1900
Geography: Attributed to Mali
Medium: Wood and ink
Dimensions: H. 17 1/4 in. (43.8 cm)
W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm)
Classification: Wood
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Islamic Art Gifts, and funds from various donors, 2025
Object Number: 2025.579
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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