Sitarah for the Bab al-Tawassul in the Prophet’s Mosque

TXT 348

Istanbul


1839–61


black silk with red and green silk appliqués, relief-embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over card and cotton thread padding



291 x 170cm

The Prophet’s mosque underwent a major program of rebuilding and renovation during the reign of Sultan ‘Abdulmajid I (r. 1839–1861), which included expanding the mosque to the north. A new gate, known as the Bab al-Majidi or Bab al-Tawassul, was opened and this curtain, according to the inscription within the wreath at the top, was intended for it. The green panel is inscribed with Qur’an, Surat al-Baqarah, II, verse 197, in part, which reads, ‘God Almighty has said, “And take a provision with you for the journey, but the best of provisions is good conduct”.’ Below it is the shahadah divided between the two red roundels, followed by the Ayat al-Kursi (‘Verse of the Throne’, Surat al-Baqarah, II, verse 255). The names of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, Hasan and Husayn are written in the small roundels on the sides. The tughra of Sultan ‘Abdulmajid is at the lower end of the sitarah.

Curtain for Door of the Ka‘bah

TXT 307

Cairo, Egypt


dated 1266 AH (1849–50 AD)


black silk, with coloured silk appliqués, heavily embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over cotton thread padding

519 x 278cm

The sitarah (or curtain) for the door of the Ka‘bah – known also as the burdah or the burqu‘ – was by far the most elaborate part of the kiswah and was replaced annually. Since Mamluk times, sitarahs were made in Egypt, and left Cairo with the kiswah accompanied by the caravan of pilgrims amidst great pomp and circumstance.

The majority of the Ka‘bah door curtains made at Dar al-Kiswah in Cairo during the 19th century follow the same basic design in which calligraphic cartouches predominate and which is characterized by the series of stylized ‘palm trees’ either side of the door opening. However, because of the clever manipulation of the colour schemes and variations in the density of the embroidery, hardly any two look alike.

For the inscriptions and a curtain made three years earlier in 1263 AH, see TXT 406.

Curtain for the Door of the Main Minaret at the Prophet’s Mosque

TXT 256

probably Istanbul


period of Mahmud II, 1808–1839


black silk, with coloured silk appliqués, embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over cotton thread padding

250 x 155cm

The curtain, or sitarah, is identified within the wreath at the top as being for bab al-manarah al-ra’isiyyah, that is the door to the main minaret at the Prophet’s mosque. Below this is the signature cartouche of Sultan Mahmud II, ‘written by the Warrior for the Faith (al-Ghazi) Mahmud ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid Khan’. This signature cartouche appears often on sitarahs presented by him to the Prophet’s mosque.

Sitarah for the Rawdah in the Prophet’s Mosque

TXT 273

Istanbul


1839–61


deep turquoise-blue silk with red, green and pale-blue silk appliqués, relief-embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over card and cotton thread padding


240 x 130cm

The large red medallion at the top of the curtain is inscribed with a prayer upon the Prophet. The two lamps to either side of it carry the shahadah. Below these, on green ground, is Qur’an, Surat al-A‘raf, VII, verse 89, in part and, in the pale blue oval, the hadith, ma bayna qabri wa minbari rawdah min riyad al-jannah (‘Between my tomb and my minbar is one of the gardens of Paradise’).

Sitarah for the Prophet’s Mosque

TXT 345

Istanbul


1876 – 1909


dark-green silk with orange and red silk appliqués, relief-embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over card and cotton thread padding



277 x 158cm

The prayer upon the Prophet at the top of the sitarah is follwed by the shahadah, divided between two small medallions, and Surat al-Ahzab, XXXIII, verse 45. Ayat al-Kursi (‘Verse of the Throne’, Surat al-Baqarah, II, verse 255) is in the oval frame, interrupted by small medallions enclosing the names of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, Hasan and Husayn.

Mahmal

TXT 442

Cairo, Egypt


1867–76


mahmal cover, banners and finial banners of red silk, with green and gold-coloured silk appliqués, embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over cotton thread padding; finials of copper alloy; contemporary wooden frame

400 (approximate height, as assembled) x 130 x 102cm

The mahmal was a ceremonial palanquin that represented the authority of the Sultan over the Holy Places. It was carried by a camel – specially chosen for the purpose for its appearance and strength. The Mamluk sultan Baybars (r 1260 – 1277) is reported to be the first to have sent a mahmal with the caravan of pilgrims from Cairo, and the custom was continued under Ottoman rule and almost without interruption until the early 20th century. Following the Ottoman conquest of Egypt, a second mahmal – also representing the Ottoman sultan – left Damascus with the caravan of Syrian and Turkish pilgrims. [see ARC.pp 30.9] The Egyptian and Syrian mahmals were occasionally joined by a third mahmal from the Yemen. [see MSS 1038, folio 29a, where the three mahmals are shown at the bottom of the image]

Great celebrations accompanied the departure of the Egyptian mahmal from Cairo and its return to the city. The mahmal and the various textiles that make up the kiswah of the Ka‘bah were paraded in the streets of Cairo before being officially handed over to the Amir al-Hajj, the Commander of the pilgrim caravan. [see ARC.pt 76; ARC.pt 83; ARC.pt 101; ARC.pt 123]

This sitr (‘cover’) for the mahmal is one of seven (three Syrian and four Egyptian) mahmals in the Khalili Collection. The earliest is a Syrian mahmal cover in the name of Sultan Muhammad (Mehmet) IV, dated AH 1076 (AD 1656–7) [see TXT 289], while the latest, an Egyptian mahmal, is in the names of the Ottoman sultan ‘Abd al-Hamid (Abdulhamid) II and the Egyptian khedive ‘Abbas Hilmi II, and bears two dates, 1316 and 1318 AH (1898–9 and 1900–01 AD).

The Egyptian mahmal had two covers: an official, richly embroidered one such as TXT 442, which was used during the various parades, when the caravan passed through major cities, as the caravan entered Mecca, and as it entered Medina and the Prophet’s mosque. This cover was not renewed annually, but was used over several years. The second ‘daily’ cover was a simple one, normally green in colour and with appliqué decoration [see ARC.pp 40]. In the 19th and early 20th century (if not earlier) the embroidered cover was replaced by the simple daily cover as the mahmal was carried into the Holy Sanctuary in Mecca.

TXT 442 comprises the sitr itself – a tent-like cover with a pyramidal roof and an almost-square base with a slit opening at the front; a contemporary wooden frame with five finial supports; five finials, four for the corners and a larger one for the top; five small banners, one for each finial; and two larger double-sided banners (bayraq) bearing the name of the Ottoman State. The large central finial, which bears the name and tughra of Sultan Mahmud II (r 1808–1839), was obviously reused.

Curtain for Door of the Ka‘bah

TXT 253

Cairo, Egypt


dated 1015 AH (1606 AD)


black silk, with red, beige and green silk appliqués, embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over cotton thread padding

499 x 271cm

Curtain for the Minbar (Pulpit) of the Holy Sanctuary at Mecca

TXT 503

Dar al-Kiswah, Cairo, Egypt


silk, embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over cotton thread padding

212 x 125cm

This is an exceptionally fine example of the high quality of embroidery produced by the craftsmen of Dar al-Kiswah in the mid 20th century. Very few of the curtains made for the Meccan minbar survive, and none of the known examples predates the early 20th century.

Curtain (Sitarah) from the Tomb of the Prophet in Medina

TXT 250

probably Istanbul


period of Sultan Mahmud II (1808–1839)


black silk, with coloured silk appliqués; embroidered in very finely drawn silver and silver-gilt wire over padding

230 x 143 cm

The Mosque of the Prophet in Medina received several sitarahs from Ottoman sultans in Istanbul, some of which were replaced annually. Inscriptions on some of them clearly state that they were made for a specific mihrab or door within the mosque or tomb chamber. Those on others are not so specific but rather hint at the location through the choice of Qur’anic verses or hadith. That this sitarah was intended for the tomb chamber is suggested by the hadith at the top, ‘he who visits my tomb has, by duty, my intercession’.

Below the hadith, is the opening of ayat al-Nur, ‘God is the Light of the heavens and the earth’ embroidered in mirror script, with the names of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, Hasan and Husayn in the small roundels. This is followed by surah al-Hashr (LIX), verses 22–24, and below it the tughra of Sultan Mahmud II, with his soubriquet ‘adli (‘The just’). The ground is dense with Baroque-style floral scrolls and ribbons characteristic of the designs of sitarahs from his reign.

J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.405, pp.342–3.

Section from the Curtain of the Prophet’s Tomb

TXT 37

Istanbul, Turkey


late 17th or early 18th century


silk lampas, with satin ground and twill pattern, selective brocading and metal thread

155 x 53cm

The inscriptions consist of the shahadah, and the names of God and Muhammad in alternate wide bands. The four narrower bands bear surah al-Ahzab (XXXIII), part of verse 40; surah al-Tawbah (IX), part of verse 33; surah al-Ahzab (XXXIII), verse 56; and a prayer, ‘And may God be pleased with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘Ali, and all of the Companions’. Textiles of similar palette and pattern are often depicted in paintings of the Prophet’s mosque.

[see TXT 241; MSS 97; MSS 745; MSS 1038]

J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.406, pp.344–5.