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Outside View of Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf, Iraq
Facade of the Meshed Ali, Najaf, Iraq Original description: 030408-N-5362A-002 Near Al Najaf, Iraq (April 08, 2003) — The holy Shiite Muslim shrine (Dareeh) of the Caliph/Imam Ali (r. 656-661 CE) sits in Najaf. U.S. Navy photo by...
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Calligraphy of Ali's Name
A beautified calligraphic rendition of the name of Ali, the fourth Rashidun Caliph (r. 656-661 CE).
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Haidar Ali
An 18th-century engraving by James Gilray of Haidar Ali, ruler of the southern Indian kingdom of Mysore from 1761 to 1782. (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)
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Ottoman Zulfiqar Flag
Silk damask flag from Istanbul, dated 1810–1811 CE; it depicts the zulfiqar, Caliph Ali's (r. 656-661 CE) two-pronged sword.
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Calligraphic Representation of Husayn's Name
An adapted version of the calligraphic pane of Husayn ibn Ali in the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
Definition
Songhai Empire
The Songhai Empire (aka Songhay, c. 1460 - c. 1591) covered what is today southern Mauritania and Mali. It replaced the Mali Empire (1240-1645) as the most important state in West Africa. Originating as a smaller kingdom along the eastern...
Definition
Nasta 'liq
Nasta 'liq is one of the styles of Islamic calligraphy that was developed on Persian grounds by Persian calligraphers. The art of calligraphy has always held a prominent position in Persia, and its usage extends beyond the limits of the pages...
Definition
Rashidun Government
The Rashidun Caliphate (632-661 CE) was responsible for setting up the basis of the Islamic empire and expanding its borders beyond the Arabian soil. These leaders were selected by the consent of the people and based on their own merits...
Definition
Abbasid Dynasty
The Abbasids were an Arabic dynasty that initially ruled over most of the Islamic empire (save some western parts) after assuming the caliphate in 750 CE, later on, their empire fragmented, however, they retained spiritual supremacy as caliphs...
Definition
Persian Rose-and-Nightingale Paintings
Rose-and-nightingale paintings and patterns (gul-u-bulbul) are a subtheme of the bird-flower (gul-u-morḡ) genre in Persian art. Bird-and-flower paintings are of Chinese origin and include pictorial elements such as flowers and plants, birds...