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| can anyone translate this Arabic - is it the key to a fortune? |
As far as I was concerned, it was just a cheap woolen runner to clad the cold stone floor of a corridor. The design appealed, of course, as I love Arabic script.
Unfortunately, I did not have the presence of mind to write down the details so can anyone translate the Arabic and tell me if I am sitting, er treading, on a much needed restoration fortune?
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| rug with Arabic script in corridor |
Hi David
ReplyDeleteThe text in your picture is written in farsi and translates to the following in Arabic;
"هدية مخصوصة من الحرم المطهر لابن الإمام السيد محمد العابد .. يقدمها علي اكبر فراهانجي"
In English this translates to;
“A Special gift from the pure shrine of the son of Imam, Sayed Mohammed Al Abed presented by Ali Akbar Farahangi"
Looks like this carpet was gifted to the shrine of ‘Sayed Mohammed Al Abed’ by a person named ‘Ali Akbar Farahangi’
For context;
Sayed Mohammed Al Abed was the son of a prominent leader (Imam) by name of Musa Al Khadim (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musa_al-Kadhim) who is buried in Baghdad, Iraq and was a direct decendant of Prophet Muhammad.
Sayed translates to ‘Mr’ and is a title used to denote someone from the lineage of Muhammad.
Therefore Sayed Mohammed Al Abed was a decedent of Muhammad through his father Musa Al Khadhim.
There are two reported burial sites for Mohammad Al Abed, one in the city of Mehran, Iran (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehran,_Ilam) and one in Wait, Iraq. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasit,_Iraq)
I suspect his carpet is probably from the one in Mehran, more info on this site in link below.
(https://www.itto.org/iran/attraction/imamzadeh-pir-mohammad-abed-shrine-mehran)
I would be really interested to see how the carpet made its way to the castle, I wonder if it was gifted to its previous owner. Having done some googling I suspect this item was around during David Lyon’s time.
Fascinating stuff.
As for its value, I really could not tell.. Maybe one for the British Museum.
Ciao David, my muslim friend tells me much the same as above AND he says this would not have ever been meant to be on the floor (with a name on it,you would never walk on it) rather on the wall.
ReplyDeletetotally fascinated.
lisa
Thanks Lisa, it is indeed fascinating. How it moved from one of two holy shrines in Iran, and ended up on my corridor floor is a mystery. The worrying thought at the back of my mind is that I am handling stolen goods. :-) / :-(
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