Ancient Manuscript of Holy Qur'an Unveiled in Mashhad

Date: 14 May 2019 - 21:53

News ID: ۶۵۹۷۶

TEHRAN (IFP) -- Iran has unveiled an old manuscript of the holy Qur’an, which is attributed to Imam Ali, the first Shia Imam, and considered one of the oldest and most complete manuscripts of the holy book.
The manuscript was unveiled in a ceremony in the Museum of Qur’an Imam Reza Shrine (eighth Shia Imam) in the northeastern city of Mashhad on the first day of the holy Islamic month of Ramadan.
This is one of the most ancient and significant manuscripts of Qur’an in the world, which was endowed by Shah Abbas the Great (the 5th Safavid King of Iran) in 1601 to Imam Reza Shrine. The endowment has been registered at the back of the first cover of the manuscript by then leading Shia clergy Sheikh Baha’eddin Mohammad.
A comparison between this version and other manuscripts reveals its unique nature. It is a highly valuable manuscript with various splendid features in terms of its orthography and the arrangement of verses. The manuscript begins with Al Fatihah and ends with An-Nas surah.
Each page of the Kufic script has 16 lines. It dates back to the early years of Islam. Experts estimate that the manuscript has been put together in Iraq’s southern city of Basra.