Description of 'la fata ila Ali, la sayf illa Zulfiqar (There is no hero like Ali; There is no sword like Dhu-l-Fiqar)'
The artwork is a reproduction print of an undated calligraphic panel, or lawha, signed by the artist Farid al-Din. The most prominent statement written in black ink reads: ‘There is no hero like Ali; There is no sword like Dhu-l-Fiqar’. The diacritical marks for this proclamation is transcribed in red ink. Below the main inscription praising Imam Ali appear several lines calligraphed in red (with blue diacritical marks), blue (with red diacritical marks), and black (with red diacritical marks) praising the Imam, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and God. The four diagonal lines, written in blue ink, provide an additional eulogistic quatrain in honor of a sultan by drawing a parallel to the great Persian kings Jamshid & Feridun. The artist of this lawha is signed In the lower-right corner.
Saydina Ali is the perfect exemplar of chivalry, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, the fourth Sunni caliph and the first Imam of the Shi'ites. He is considered to be the greatest warrior of Islamic history and the key to the gate of knowledge as described by Prophet Muhammad in various ahadith. According to some sources, after the battle of Uhud, when Sayidna Ali demonstrated his incredible valor, the angel Jibril was heard calling out: ‘There is no hero like Ali; There is no sword like Dhu-l-Fiqar’.
Details of Imam Ali Calligraphic Panel
۩ Country of Origin: Turkey
۩ Time Period: 19th century
۩ Artist: Farid al-Din
۩ Size: Approximately 46 x 34 cm (including frame)
۩ Frame: Wood frame with a gold finish
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