An Anecdote at the Ka’ba


Back to Nigaristan of Ahmad Ghaffari


Aga Khan Museum Object: AKM272 f31r
An Anecdote at the Ka’ba
Fol. 31r from a manuscript of the Nigaristan of Ahmad Ghaffari
Iran, Shiraz, 1573-1574
Opaque watercolour, ink, and gold on paper
AKM272
While largely historical in content, the Nigaristan also contains wry and humorous passages, such as this anecdote, which takes place at the Ka‘ba in Mecca. One day, a pilgrim, deprived of good looks, approaches the holy structure to pray that God spare him from damnation. Another pilgrim interrupts him, sarcastically asking “Why bother to ask this, don’t you know [the saying] that ‘hellfire never singes a beautiful face’?” 3D technology helps us visualize how the painter envisioned the haram complex at Mecca.