Qur'anic verses

Qur'anic verses 12-16 of the 4th chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Nisa' (The Women), written in Kufi script (New Style I) during the 11th-12th centuries. Dimensions of Written Surface: Recto: 22 (w) x 28.5 (h) cm Dimensions of Written Surface: Verso: 22.3 (w) x 28.5 (h) cm If any of your women are guilty of lewdness, / Take the evidence of four (reliable) witnesses / From among you and against them. / And if they testify, confine them to their houses / Until death claims them, / Or God ordain for them some (other) way. If two men among you are guilty of lewdness, / Punish them both. / If they repent and amend, / Leave them alone. / For God is Returning and Merciful. (4:15) No verse markers appear on this fragment. However, the verso of 1-89-154.176b includes an ayah marker constructed as a plain six-petalled flower decorated by a central red dot and marked on its perimeter by alternating red and gold circles. Script: Kufi (New Style I) The text is executed in Kufi script (New Style I) with thick strokes of black ink, and vowels are marked by red dots. Some diagonal lines representing diacritical marks were added at a later date. The script is typical of Qur'ans executed during the 11th-12th centuries (Déroche 1992: 172-3, cat. no. 90). This calligraphic fragment includes verses 12-16 of the 4th chapter of the Qur'an entitled al-Nisa' (The Women). The text continues with verses 16-19 on the fragment's verso (1-89-154.176a V). This fragment belongs to the same Qur'an, another folio of which also is held in the collections of the Library of Congress (1-89-154.176b R & V). Surat al-Nisa' appeals to the solidarity of mankind and the rights of women and orphans. It also discusses societal and legal matters such as marriage, property, and inheritance. Verse 15 in particular sets the standard for the trial of women found guilty of adultery: 1-89-154.176a