Or 16486 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

Supplications and invocations to be recited after the daily ritual prayers (ṣalāt), followed by two prayers for use in cases of special need or difficulty. In Arabic, with marginal comments (in nasta‘līq script) in Persian linking each invocation to one or another of the Imams of the Shī‘a.

The contents are as follows: f. 1v, preface; 2v, Ta‘qīb-i namāz-i ṣubḥ va shām, for after dawn and night prayer; 5v, Ta‘qīb-i namāz-i ‘aṣr, for after afternoon prayer; 7r, Ta‘qīb-i namāz-i maghrib, for after sunset prayer; 8r, Ta‘qīb-i namāz-i ‘ishā, for after night prayer; 9v, Du‘a’ li-kifāyat al-umūr, supplication for one’s needs to be met; 9v, Du‘ā’ li-jamī‘ al-muhimmāt, supplication for any matter of concern.

Begins: Ta‘qīb-i namāz-i ṣubḥ va shām Basmalah Aṣbaḥt bi-zimmat Allāh va zimam anbiyā’ih va zimam rusulih ‘alayhim al-salām va zimmat Muḥammad sallà ‘alayh va sallam... [in margin:] Dar kutub-i mu‘tabara az Dāvūd-i Raqqī rivāyat karda ast ki guft Rūzī bi-ḥurmat-i Imām Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq ‘alayh al-salām raftam Farmūd ki Mīkhwāham turā du‘a’ī ta‘līm kunam

Ends: Du‘ā’ li-jamī‘ al-muhimmāt Basmala Ilāhī bi-ḥaqq al-Ḥusayn va akhīh va jaddih va abīh va ummih va banīh Najjinā min al-hamm allaz̲ī naḥn fīh ya Arḥam al-rāḥimīn

Iran. Dated 1117/1705-6 on both f. 9v and 10r. Apparently signed by the renowned naskhī calligrapher Aḥmad Nayrīzī. The attribution appears plausible in view of the quality of the calligraphy.

Exquisite naskhī, fully vocalised. 6 lines. Titles in riq‘a script in gold. Text in gold cloudbands throughout. Fine illuminated heading, f. 1v, with title Ta‘qīb-i namāz-i ṣubḥ va shām. Text frames: red, green, gold, black. Off-white paper of medium thickness. 142 x 94 mm.; text area 80 x 42 mm. 9 folios, plus 2 blank. Light tan morocco binding with gilt floral medallions and chain borders.

Purchased from Christie's South Kensington (26 October 2007, lot 328).