Calligraphy: Shahryanshah Sirjuddin
Islamic Illumination: Ayşe Gülcan Özbalak
Style: Celi Sülüs ve Nesih/ /Thuluth Jali and Naskh Scripts
Date: 1442 H/ 2021 M
Size: 53.5x78 cm
Private Collection: Istanbul, Turkiye
Printed by: Elma Basım
This calligraphic arrangement of the Hilya Sharif originated in Ottoman times by the scholar and master calligrapher Hafiz Osman. Hilya (Hilye in Turkish) literally means "ornament" and is understood as “a beautiful description”.
The Hilya is a written description of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and it originates from shama'il, the study of Muhammad's ﷺ appearance and character. The best source on this subject is considered to be Imam Tirmidhi's al-Shama'il al-Muhamadiyyah wa al-Khasa'il al-Mustafawiyyah, "The Sublime Characteristics of Muhammad". The Hilya has historically been displayed in a prominent place in Muslim households throughout the world.
THE COMPONENTS OF THE HILYA SHARIF:
- The basmala, “In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate” at the top
- A large central disc, typically containing the description of the Prophet ﷺ found in hadith 7 of the Shama’il
- Four smaller discs containing the names of the four rightly-guided caliphs
- A verse of the Qur’an containing a description of the Prophet ﷺ, often verse 21:107 or 68:4, below the discs
- The remainder of the text of hadith 7 of the Shama’il at the bottom, followed by prayers and blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ