[islamirama]

[FONT=&quot]Kaaba key sets new Islamic art auction record[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Apr 10, 2008[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]By Mike Collett-White[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]LONDON[/FONT][FONT=&quot] (Reuters) - [/FONT][FONT=&quot]A 12 century key to the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest site in Islam, sold for 9.2 million pounds[/FONT][FONT=&quot] late on Wednesday, setting a new record for an Islamic work of art at auction.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The Abbasid period key, [/FONT][FONT=&quot]made of iron and measuring 37 cm long[/FONT][FONT=&quot], sold at Sotheby's in London for more than 18 times its pre-sale estimate and was bought anonymously. It is the only known example to remain in private hands.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The key, one of the ultimate symbols of religious power, is engraved with the words: "This is what was made for the Holy House of God during the time of our lord the Imam son of Imam al-Muqtadi Abu Ja'far al-Mustansir Abu'l-Abbas 573."[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]It was the highlight of the auctioneer's Islamic sale, which realised 21.5 million pounds, in excess of the pre-sale high estimate of 13.1 million pounds and a new record for an Islamic art auction.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]"Remarkably, the sale realised more than the Islamic department's annual total in 2007, demonstrating beyond doubt the burgeoning and international demand for Islamic Art," said Edward Gibbs, head of Sotheby's Islamic art department.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The previous record for a work of Islamic art sold at auction is believed to be a bronze fountainhead in the form of a hind dating from mid-10th century Spain. It sold at Christie's in 1997 for 3.6 million pounds.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]RARE DAGGER BEATS ESTIMATES[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]At a separate London auction held at Bonhams on Thursday, a rare dagger that once belonged to 17th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan sold for 1.7 million pounds, four times the estimate.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The work, inscribed with the emperor's name, title and date and place of its manufacture, is one of two daggers known to have been personally owned by the man who built the Taj Mahal. It was sold at Bonhams's Indian and Islamic sale.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On Tuesday, Christie's held its London Islamic auction which fetched 11.8 million pounds, including a leaf from a mid-seventh century copy of the Koran sold for 2.5 million pounds versus a pre-sale estimate of 100-150,000 pounds.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]It was a new world auction record for an Islamic manuscript, the company said.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In addition to the example sold at Sotheby's this week, [/FONT][FONT=&quot]there are 58 recorded Kaaba keys, all held in museums[/FONT][FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Most, 54, are in the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, two are in the Nuhad Es-Said Collection, one is in the Louvre in Paris and one is in the Islamic Art Museum in Cairo.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Sotheby's called the Kaaba key "arguably one of the most important symbols of Islam". According to the auctioneer, the tradition of dedicating the key to each caliph appears to have originated with the Abbasid caliphs in Baghdad.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The Kaaba is the ancient cubic shrine which all Muslims face when they perform their daily prayers, and is located at the centre of the Grand Mosque in Mecca.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot](Editing by Paul Casciato)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKL1075655620080410?sp=true[/FONT]​

 

[sudais1]

I'll be sure to buy it from this unnamed character in a few years when I make a bit of money :lol:

Yet I don't see the need for such a key especially as it would have been more rewarding for him to help the Muslims against the crusaders and feed the poor Muslims, As SAW said, the killing of a Muslim is more dear to Allah than the destruction of the Kaaba itself, so wear do the key stand?

 

[islamirama]

You're assuming the buyer is a Muslim (that he should help the Muslims in need). There are many millionaire/billionaires who have hobbies of collecting rare items.

 

[Sahabiyaat]

if i had that much money, i would buy it if it was the only one, but seeing as there are 58 of um! its not so rare lol and so why spend so much money

 

[Olive]

Hmm... I saw this a while back but anyway...

If the guy was a Muslim, surely his duty would be to use his money in a better way, no?

 

[Abu Ilyas]

Islam prohibits wasting money, with which Allah has entrusted people. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Allah has prohibited three things: gossip, much questioning, and wasting money.”[Bukhari&Muslim]

 

[aadil77]

The key, one of the ultimate symbols of religious power, is engraved with the words: "This is what was made for the Holy House of God during the time of our lord the Imam son of Imam al-Muqtadi Abu Ja'far al-Mustansir Abu'l-Abbas 573."

I don't get this bit^, who was that imam? and why do they refer to him as 'our lord'?