The Fabulous Creature Buraq

The Buraq is shown with the serene, youthful face of a human woman, while its body is intricately constructed from the overlapping forms of diverse creatures including an elephant, a fish, a bird, and a feline. These animals are subtly integrated into the creature's hybrid silhouette, which is set against a dark, decorative background of floral patterns.

The Buraq is the mount upon which the Prophet Muhammad ascended to the heavens during the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj), a central motif in Islamic mysticism and visionary literature concerning the soul's ascent to the Divine.