This binding is made out of a pasteboard (thin firm board made of paper pulp) fixed onto leather. The pasteboard is coated with a layer of colourless lacquer before being decorated and then given several coats of transparent lacquer. This binding is beautifully decorated with the outer borders containing gold inscriptions from the 'hadith' (traditions of the Prophet Muhammad) written in elegant 'naskh' script. It contains the signature of Ahmad al-Nayrizi, an 18th century Iranian calligrapher known for his skill in writing in this script.