'Picture of the Paradise of al-Ma'ala'. Photographer: H. A. Mirza & Sons [‎11r] (1/1)

Content

Genre/Subject Matter

This image shows the cemetery known as the Paradise of al-Ma’ala or Jannat al-Mualla, situated north northeast of the Masjid al-Haram, in which several of the Prophet Mohammed’s relatives were buried.

Some of those buried there are listed in the surrounding prose, including the Prophet’s mother Amina and his first wife, Khadija. The words to the right and left of the title also mention that this graveyard was the resting place of the ‘neighbours of God’, in other words, neighbours of the ‘House of God’, i.e. Meccans.

Inscriptions

Recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. :

Upper centre: ‘Picture of the Paradise of al-Ma'ala’

To the right and left of the title:

‘Friends, this is the burial place of the neighbours of God.

Friends, this is the resting place of the pilgrims and the people of Mecca.

How fortunate are those who have been buried here.

Friends, on this cemetery is the infinite mercy [of God].’

To the right and left of the image:

‘This vast cemetery on the road to Mina and ‘Arafat, between two mountains adjoining the honourable city of Mecca to the north and east, contains two divisions. Its original and former name was Ma’alat. From frequency of use it became Ma’ala. The word jannat (paradise) was added later. In the parlance of the pilgrims its popular name is the “paradise of al-Ma’ala” [“the lofty paradise”]; the Meccans, however, still call it Ma’ala or Mala. This is the cemetery in which are buried hundreds of companions of the Prophet and the followers [i.e., the generations after the companions], thousands of enlightened friends of God [saints], and the beloved servants of God. The mausoleum of the Prophet’s glorious mother, the Lady Amina, may God be pleased with her, located at the boundary of this cemetery is well adorned with great splendour, carpets, and so on. The holy mausoleum of the Prophet’s first wife, the mother of Fatima, the resplendent, and the mother of believers, the Lady Khadija the Great, is also here. It is near the mausoleum of the Lady Amina, may God be pleased with her, and is decorated with various kinds of beautiful inscriptions, valuable and elegant arabesques, and lanterns. Its dome is of great splendour. In reality, nobody knows with certainty the real location of her tomb. The existing mausoleum was built by Fuzail ibn ‘Iyaz on the basis of an inspiration. This perfect man was a saint and his mausoleum is also here.’

Lower centre: ‘H. A. Mirza & Sons, Photographers, Chandni Chowk, Delhi’

Lower right corner, along right edge, in pencil: ‘11’ ‘148’

Verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. :

In pen, upper right corner:

‘I.O / 148

4th [?] [? 07?] [illegible]’

In pencil (cataloguer’s note):

‘This refers to photo 147’ [sic]

Recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. :

In red ink in the upper right-hand corner of the image and – faintly – beneath lower left intersection of cruciform double-barred frame:

رجسطری شده

[superscript ط]

Labels

Labels ( verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. ):

1 – Letterpress

‘148 H. A. Mirza and Sons, Photographers.

نقشه مزار سیر حمزه رضی الله عذه (Naqsha-i-Jannat-ul-Baqi.

A photo. [sic] of the Medina graveyard, with a

brief description.) One sheet. Published

by the Photographers: Delhi. (Octr.

15, 1907.) 14 x 18º. Litho. Ist Edition.

Price, Re. I, A. 4.’

2 – Ink stamp

‘India Office

19 May 1909

Library.’

Other Notes

The image was formerly referred to as ‘The tomb of Amir Hamaza at Medina’

An erroneous cataloguer's note handwritten in pencil beneath the letterpress on verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. states that the letterpress ('caption') refers to the following image in the sequence, Photo 174/10, previously listed as ‘147’). This is incorrect.

However, the letterpress does refer to Photo 174/12 (formerly ‘149’).

Extent and format

1 b&w photographic print held within a blue card window mount

Physical characteristics

Dimensions

Mount (external): 346 x 445 mm

Mount (internal): 202 x 276 mm [landscape]

Format

Photographic print held within window mount in landscape format

Materials

Mottled blue-tinted window mount, card, gelatin silver The principal photographic process used for black and white photography from the 1870s. print, indigo ink (printed), red ink (hand-painted)

Condition

Mount is mildly bowed, with light staining along all edges, particularly right-hand. Light staining and scuffing is also visible on the paper verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. backing, which is otherwise in good condition.

The print is welled throughout, but otherwise shows no sign of toning. A tear 2 cm from upper and 8 cm from right has been stabilised.

Foliation

11 (148)

Process

Gelatin silver The principal photographic process used for black and white photography from the 1870s. print

Written in

Urdu and English in Arabic and Latin script

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