An illuminated muraqqa' of the Qasida al-Burda, signed by 'Abdullah Hafid Muhsinzade, Turkey, Ottoman, dated 1296 AH/1879 AD

Arabic manuscript on paper, 9 album pages comprising 16 pages of text in total, each with a large upper and lower line in large thuluth script (the Qasida al-Burda of Ka'b ibn Zuhayr), with two smaller lines of text in naskh script in the centre (the Qasida al-Burda of al-Busiri), flanked by illuminated panels of varying floral designs, outer margins of marbled paper ruled in gold, possibly missing at least 1 page at the beginning, brown morocco binding with large floral silk panels

In good overall condition, text bold and illumination bright, occasional minor stains, as viewed.
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'Abdullah Muhsinzade

'Abdullah Muhsinzade was the grandson of Damad Mahmud Pasha and the son of Mehmed Bey, the director of the Imperial Stables. He was born in 1832 in Kuruçeşme. He was employed as the secretary to various departments and was eventually appointed on the orders of the sultan as the calligraphy teacher in the school for the training of military scribes in 1877. He studied first with Hafiz Mehmed Efendi and later with Kazasker Mustafa Izzet, who immediately recognised his pupil's talent. He died in 1894 from a stroke while cultivating his garden in Kuruçeşme. For his biography and samples of his work, see Şevket Rado, Türk Hattatlari, Istanbul, 1984, pp.230-1 and M. Ugur Derman, Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakıp Sabancı Collection, Istanbul, exh. cat., New York, 1989, pp.128-9.

The Qasida al-Burda of Ka'b ibn Zubayr, also known as the Banat Su'ad, is the earliest na't, or panegyric in praise of the Prophet Muhammad. Ka'b ibn Zuhayr was a contemporary of the Prophet and was originally one of those who mocked him. After he composed a satire attacking the Prophet, the latter decided he should be punished: Ka'b repented, however, converted to Islam and composed the qasida in the prophet's praise.

The Qasida al-Burda of Busiri is perhaps the most famous panegyric to the Prophet and was written by the Egyptian poet Sharaf al-Din Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Sa'id al-Misri, known as al-Busiri (d. circa 1296 AD). After the poet was suddenly paralysed in half of his body, he was said to have received the order by the Prophet in a dream to compose the ode. Upon its completion, al-Busiri was apparently cured.