The Epigraphical Program of Mamluk Minbars: Religious and Quranic Inscriptions Emphasizing Minbars as a Site for Preaching

Abstract

Abstract This study explores the epigraphical program of Mamluk preaching pulpits (minbar, pl. manabir), focusing on Quranic and other religious inscriptions. Quranic verses are the most frequently employed inscription, while other religious texts are occasionally cited. These inscriptions emphasize the benefits of endowing mosques, the significance of minbar placement within the mosque, and practices of Muslim devotion comprising the Friday prayer. This article proposes that inscriptions are specifically chosen to signify the minbar as a place for preaching, both for the Friday noon (ḫuṭba) as well as popular preaching (mawʿiẓa). This is particularly evident in the late Mamluk minbars of Cairo, which bear inscriptions of two prominent components of the ḫuṭba. Furthermore, a unique inscriptional reference to using a minbar for mawʿiẓa is also presented.