A prayer book, Safavid Iran, 16th century and a printed collection of prayer printed in 1287 AH / 1870-71 AD (2)Book 1: A prayer book, Safavid Iran, 16th century: Arabic manuscript on paper, 7 lines to the page, the text written in black naskh divided into two sections alternating with three lines of gold or blue thuluth, ruled in blue and gold, f.1b with a gold and polychrome heading, containing a prayer for the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, the cartouche with the title of the prayer missing, in a floral lacquer binding with a leather spine, 25cm x 10cm.Book 2: A collection of prayers, printed in 1287 AH / 1870-71 AD: Arabic text on paper, including: Qur'an, surah Ya-Sin (36), surah al-Fath (48), surah al-Rahman (55), surah al-Waqi'ah (56), surah al-Mulk (67), surah Nuh (71), surah Muzzammil (73), surah al-Naba (78), surah al-Kahf (18) and other prayers, printed in 1287 AH / 1870-71 AD, 12.5cm x 8cm.Provenance: a note in the doublure states that this prayer book was gifted by Ahmed Shah to R () Alory (lieutenant in the 8th Bengal Cavalry) in 1880, when the lieutenant was going from Multan to Afghanistan. The 8th Bengal Cavalry fought in the Second Anglo-Afghan war (1878-80), which ended in 1880 with the battle of Kandahar.Provenance: From the Mohamed Makiya Collection