Kenneth Spencer Research Library Archival Collections

Overview This illuminated manuscript is the poetic retelling of the Qur’anic story of Prophet Yusuf and the Zoleikha by the Persian 15th-century poet Abd ar-Rahmān Jāmi. The original story focuses on the life of Prophet Yusuf from his birthplace of Canaan to Egypt where he served the a high-level servant of the Pharaoh, Potiphar, and his wife. Potiphar's wife falls deeply in love with him, and Yusuf's faith is put to the test. Jami’s retelling is a romanticization of the original Qur’anic story; this...