This large curved blade with a waved double edge is known as a ‘jambiya’. The base is inlaid with gold and a magic divination square grid of 16 numbers. A silver inlaid border encloses the inscriptions in naskh script. The importance of the Qur'an to Muslims, gave the Arabic script an elevated status that made it a prominent form of ornamentation. Qur'anic phrases, the names of God or the Prophet Muhammad, and the ‘mysterious letters’ (letters which appear at the beginning of 29 chapters of the Qur’an), known as 'abjad', are often represented numerically and arranged inside a grid. These ‘magic squares’ are believed to have protective properties and are commonly found on textiles, weapons, metalwork, ceramics and jewellery across Asia.Talismanic shirts and weapons inscribed with abjad were often used in battle for protection and military success.
