Please help with translation

[mahratt]

Dear forum members. My colleague has a Yataghan. Can anyone help with translation of text?

[Robert]

Hello Mahratt, Please download your photos directly to your post. If you are not sure of how to do this you will find a detailed description here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13631

Best,
Robert

[mahratt]

Any opinions?

[Oliver Pinchot]

The pics aren't large enough, but even still the calligraphy is pretty poor.
It's hard to make anything out of it.

[mahratt]

The pics aren't large enough, but even still the calligraphy is pretty poor.
It's hard to make anything out of it.

Is that better?

[Oliver Pinchot]

It appears to read, There is no hero like 'Ali and no sword like Zul Faqar.
It is poorly written, probably by an illiterate craftsman who copied this very typical inscription from something else. This is rather typical, as the very appearance of Arabic characters on a blade was considered a benediction. Form and orthography were more a concern for calligraphers, who worked primarily for literate patrons. Nice twistcore evident there.