Of oval shape, the jade surface carved with 4 lines of extremely elegant nasta’liq, the final line dated. 4 cm. height, 5.5 cm. wide. Arabic text is a supplication to Ali, the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, who was the fourth Caliph and first imam. Because of his courage and valor, ‘Ali was known to Sunni and Shia Muslims by the epithet ‘The Lion of God’. The prayer, known as Nad-e ‘Ali, was typically used by Shia Muslims to seek ‘Ali’s help and support in times of stress and sorrow.