Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey
1842-1844
Kaire, Inscription d'un Mihrab

Daguerreotype
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Estampes et de la Photographie
The inscription is an older version of 'Bismillah Hirrahman Nirrahim' - 'In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful'. It is the opening line of Koranic verses and used as a polite way to enter a place.
(Thanks to K Azril Ismail for his assistance, 3 January 2017)
 
LL/66825