Muqarnas

The passage discusses a pilgrimage scroll, the "Sayyid Yusuf's 1433 Pilgrimage Scroll" (Ziyārātnāma), found in the
Doha Museum of Islamic Art Collection. This scroll was created on behalf of Sayyid Yusuf b. Sayyid Shihab al-Din Ma
Waraʾ al-Nahri was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. The purpose of the scroll was to document his lesser
pilgrimage (ʿumra) and non-obligatory visits to various holy sites.

The scroll is large, measuring 615 centimetres in length and 35 centimetres in width. It features representations of
major Muslim holy sites, including the Kaʿba and the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, the Mosque of the Prophet
Muhammad in Medina, the Dome of the Rock and the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the Cave of the Patriarchs in
Hebron, and the tombs of important religious figures such as Imam ʿAli and Imam Husayn.

The scroll's text includes inscriptions from the Quran, proclamatory texts in Arabic, and a narrative of the
pilgrimage written in Arabic and Persian. The scroll served as a record of the pilgrim's journey, and it was produced
to present to various individuals in medieval society, including sultans, viziers, sayyids, judges, dervishes, and
religious custodians.

The scroll is rich in historical and religious significance, emphasizing the importance of the depicted sites in Islamic
history and their connection to revered individuals and events. It is an example of a pilgrimage certificate, a
document that authenticates pilgrimages, mainly when performed by proxy. These scrolls played a role in
preserving the memory of pilgrimage experiences and were used as visual and material proof of fulfilling religious
obligations.

The text also discusses the scroll's layout, materials, and content, as well as its historical context and relationship to
similar pilgrimage scrolls from different periods. The scroll is a valuable artifact that provides insights into the
practice of pilgrimage and its documentation in the Islamic world.

Bahareh Rostakiani