Preface & Acknowledgements -- Notes on Translation, Transliteration and Dates -- List of Illustrations -- Historical Background: The Prince and the Calligrapher ; The Emperor and the Calligrapher -- The Texts of the Taj Mahal -- The Great Gate, South Façade: I. al-Fajr -- Mausoleum, Exterior: II. Ya Sin ; III. South Doorway: al-Takwir ; IV. West Doorway: al-Infitar ; V. North Doorway: al-Inshiqaq ; VI. East Doorway: al-Bayyinah -- Mausoleum, Interior: VII. al-Mulk ; VIII. al-Fath ; IX. al-Insan ; X. al-Zumar ; XI. Cenotaphs -- Upper Cenotaph: al-Fussilat. al-Mum'min ; al-Mutaffin ; al-Baqarah ; al-Hash -- Lower Cenotaph: al-Zumar:Al Imran ; Al-Mu'minun ; al-Hashr ; al-'Asma al-Husna -- The Mosque: XII. al-Shams and al-Ikhlas -- The Great Gate, North Façade: XIII. al-Duha ; XIV. al-Sharh ; XV. al-Tin -- Conclusion: The Religion of Shah Jahan -- Chronology -- Illustration Credits -- Bibliography -- Index.
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"The Taj Mahal, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1592-1666 CE) as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal (1593-1631 CE), is considered exceptional in the history of world architecture. This book provides a deeper understanding of the Taj Mahal and its builder by examining its inscriptions within their architectural, historical and biographical contexts. The texts adorning the Taj Mahal comprise verses from twenty-two different chapters of the Qur'an but their meaning and significance escapes most non-Muslim visitors or those unable to read them. This book will be the first dedicated solely to the inscriptions in the monument, providing translations, commentary and interpretation of the texts. As well as offering a unique approach to the study of the building, the book uses the inscriptions to expound the foundational elements of Islam, the faith of Shah Jahan and also what the Taj Mahal still means today."--