Ma‘ili manuscript from 1st century AH
This is an example of what is
thought to be one of the earliest styles of Quran copying. Dated to the
first Islamic century, this manuscript is written in the
"ma‘ili" or "slanting" script. This particular example has no
vowel markers but does include dots below and above letters to
distinguish them from from one another. Located in the Tareq Rajab
Museum in Kuwait.
Kufi Manuscripts from second century AH
These two manuscripts are written
in the Kufic script called "al-mishaq al-mujud" and are dated to the
second Islamic century. Both of these are on parchment. The writing is
in black ink with red used for short vowels. The fatha is indicated by
a superscript dot to the right of the letter, and two perpendicular
dots to incidate fatha tanwin. A dot under the letter indicates kasrah
with two dots for kasrah tanwin. The damma is indicated by one or two
dots to the left of the letter. Located in the King Faisal Center for
Research and Islamic Studies.
Kufi manuscripts on vellum from 3rd century AH
These two manuscripts exhibit the
Kufic script written on vellum. They are dated to the 3rd Islamic
century and thought to have been produced in North Africa. Note the
coloured dots in the first manuscript to distinguish the letters. The
second example shows an elaborate example of the marking between
surahs, here done in gold. Both are located in the Tareq Rajab Museum
in Kuwait.
Complete Kufi manuscript dated to 393 AH
This is regarded as the earliest
complete, dated Quran manuscript. It is written in the Kufic script and
dated to 393 AH which is approximately 1002 CE. Scholars have not
identified any other complete, dated Quran manuscripts written in the
Kufic script. Located in the Tareq Rajab Museum in Kuwait.
Yaquti manuscript dated 681 AH
This Quran manuscript is written
in the Yaquti script by the well-known calligrapher Yaqut al-Musta'simi
(d. 697 AH). The manuscript is from Baghdad and is dated to the end of
the seventh century AH. Located in the Tareq Rajab Museum in Kuwait.
Naskh manuscript dated to the 7th century AH
This manuscript is a complete
copy of the Quran writtenin the "al-Mustasimi" style on paper sized
32x7 cm. in black, red and gold ink. Each page is divided into three
sections, the sections separated from each other by a line of big-sized
letters. The vowels are in black ink and the recitation marks are in
red ink. The gold is used for divisions between verses. Located in the
Islamic University in Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mamluk manuscript from the seventh century AH
This Mamluk Quran is written in a
flowing Thuluth script. These first two pages, featuring the first
surah and the beginning of the second surah feature the verses
surrounded by a filling illumination and framed by gold. Located in the
National Library of Tunisia, Tunis.
Quran frontpiece from Mosul dated to 710 AH
Thuluth manuscript dated to 8th century AH
This manuscript was copied by
Shaykh Hamdullah al-Amasi (d. 1520 CE), the tutor of the Ottoman Sultan
Bayazid II. Shown is the first surah and the beginning of the second
surah with the rich decoration common in Ottoman manuscripts.
Naskh and Thuluth manuscript dated to the 8th century AH
This copy of the Quran is written
in black and consists of 405 pages with 11 lines on each page. The
first page has the verses surrounded by clouds, flowers, and other
plants. The surah headings are in block kufic script. Throughout the
verses are separated by circles decorated with gold, red, and blue.
Located at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Bihari manuscript dated to the 8th century AD
This copy of the Quran consists
of 246 pages sized 49.5x31 cm. with 15 lines to each page. Most of the
script is written in black except for the word "Allah" which is in red
ink throughout. Note also the exegetical comments in the margins taking
the form of abstract geometrical designs. The "bihari" script is said
to resemble a sword or a ship. Located in the King Faisal Center for
Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Naskh manuscript dated to 800 AH
The first pages of this
manuscript, dated to the last month of the year 800 AH and attribtued
to Shaykh Radha Muhammad. Note the rich illumination and decorative
verse separations. This manuscript is 42.5x31 cm. The consonants and
vowels are written in black ink while the recitation marks are in red
ink. Located in the Islamic University of Medina, Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia.
Thuluth manuscript dated to 950 AH
The first surah and beginning of
the second surah from this copy of the Quran written in black and red
ink is on 26x16 cm. paper. The names of all the surahs are written
inside of red rectangles. Located in the Central Library, Umm al-Qura
University in Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Andalusian manuscript from 4th century AH
This folio is from an Andalusian
copy of the Quran consisting of only eight pieces of paper. The text is
copied in black while the short vowels are indicated in blue and red.
Green is used for the long "a" vowel of the maddah. Located in the King
Fahad National Library, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Bihari manuscript dated to the 11th century AH
Written in a larger size Bihari
script with black ink, this manuscript is 32.5x20 cm. with 13 lines on
each page and a total of 898 pages. It is written on Indian paper made
of jute. Red ink is used to write the word "Allah" each time it
appears. The manuscript is missing the beginning of the Quran until
verse 156 of surah al-Nisa. Located in the King Fahad National
Library.
Maghrabi manuscript dated to the 11-12th centuries AH
Written in black and red ink on
22x17 cm. paper. Each page has 15 lines. It is void of decoration
except for geometrial forms drawn inside circles and squares. The names
of the surahs are simply written directly before the verses, as in the
example below. Located in the Central Library of the Umm al-Qura
University in Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Naskh manuscript with Taliq in margins, dated to 1123 AH
This manuscript consists of 532
pages with 12 lines on each page. It was copied by Muhammad Salah b.
Tukl al-Shahdi. The Arabic text is in black ink with interlinear
Persian translation in red ink. Commentary is written in Persian, in
the Taliq script, with black ink in the margins with the Quranic
citations in red ink. Located in the King Faisal Center for Research
and Islamic Studies, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Below is the first page of the
same manuscript showing the first surah of the Quran. Commentary is
written in the margins and on the facing page in Persian framed by
flowered illumination.
Naskh daqiq manuscript dated to the 12th century AH
This manuscript is copied in
"fine" Naskh or "Naskh daqiq" script. Each page has 41 lines of text.
Framing each page are golden designs, and some pages also include
drawing of plants and flowers in blue, black, yellow, and red. This
copy is bound in cardboard covered with leather and dark brown wax.
Located in the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Diwani Jali manuscript from the Ottoman period
This is section five of the Quran
in the Diwani-Jali script common in the Ottoman period. Note the thick
writing style in which the blank spaces between the letters are filled
with stylized vowels and recitation marks. Located in the Tareq Rajab
Museum in Kuwait.
Andalusian manuscript from the 6th century AH
This copy of the Quran is on
paper, sized 29x25 cm. It is written in a brown and red Andalusian
script. Note the careful attention to recitation marks, vowelling,
verse divisions, and surah divisions. Located in the King Abdulaziz
Public Library in Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Sini or "Chinese" manuscript dated to the 12th century AH
Section nine from this Arabic
manuscript written in the "Chinese" style script. This manuscript has
49 folios and is dated to 11th century AH China. Located in the Tareq
Rajab Museum in Kuwait.
Thuluth manuscript dated to the 13th century AH
This Quran manuscript is written
in a fine thuluth script on semi-transparent paper sized 17.2x24.1 cm.
Note that the page is not illustrated with illuminations. Located in
the King Abdulaziz Public Library in Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Maghrabi manuscript dated to the 13th century AH
This is the first surah from this
13th century AH manuscript written in the Maghrabi script. Note that
all the verses are transcribed in the space of the oval seeming to
represent an eye-ball. The copy is on paper sized 11.7x11 cm. Located
in the Mosque Library of the Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Medina,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Quran roll written in Nastaliq script dated to the 12th
century AH
This "rolled" Quran is 350 cm. in
length and 7 cm. wide, written in black ink inside a frame of varied
decorative geometrical forms. Some of these forms resemble bottles,
lamps, or abstract circular forms. The roll was tabulated with yellow
tabs marked with black ink. Located in the King Faisal Center for
Research and Islamic Studies, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Quran shirt from Mughal empire
This "Quran shirt" also called a
"Quran jama" is from Mughal India, approximately the 10th century AH.
Such shirts were worn under armor and were though to protect the wearer
from harm. Located in the Tareq Rajab Museum in Kuwait.
Reproduced from www.usna.edu
The Sana'a manuscripts
Highlights : The Kufi
Masq script
Script : Kufi Masq
Dimension : 16 x 33 cm
Copying date : 1st/2nd centuries
Surah name : Surat al-Isra
Verses number : From 20 to 22 and part of 23
The script is Kufi Masq without letter pointing but contains
diacritics. It is clear that the copyist put in place of the tanwin two
dotes under the letter.He used a ten verses indicator formed of a
simple geometrical unit surrounded by simple floral/foliar ornaments.
He also wrote the number of the verses in a simple ornamented frame on
the side of the page.
Highlights : Vowel signs
Script : Eastern Kufi
Dimension : 15 x 13 cm
Copying date : 6th century
Surah name : Surat al Maida
Verses number : part of 60 to 61 and part of 62
This fragment is an example which shows
the high level reached by Arabic script. There is harmony among the
script, the verse divisions, the ten verses indicators and other
figures in a way that the whole fragment became a single integrated
masterpiece. The copyist wrote he number of verses on the right side of
the fragment inside a floral ornamented figure.
Highlights
: Integrated ornaments
Script : Kufi Masahif
Dimension : 32 x 24 cm
Copying date : 2nd / 3rd centuries
Surah name : Surat al-Nas
Verses number : part of 3 to the end of the surah
A fragment of an end of the Quran. Itillustrates the harmonious interconnection between the geometrical and
floral/foliar ornamentation which was extremely well done. The green,deep blue and golden colors were used.
Highlights
: Surah division with geometric ornaments
Script : Kufi Masahif
Dimension : 22 x 31 cm
Copying date : 2nd / 3rd centuries
Surat name : Surat al-Maeda. Surat al-Anam
Verses number : part of 117 (Surat al Maeda) to part
of 1 of surat al-Anam.
The surah divisions are impressive in this fragment. The basic
unit in these figures are the rectangle, the circle and the
floral/foliar ornaments. There is also a figure that seems to be a ten
verse indicator after verse 118.
Highlights : The Italic
kufi script
Script : Italic Kufi
Dimension : 50 x 36 cm
Copying date : 1st / 2nd centuries
Surah name : Surat al Kahf
Verses number : Part of 17 to 27 and part of 28
The script leans a little to the right.
There is a ten verses indicator in
the fragment and another figure that resembles it after verse number
(20). The
letter points are in the form of short strokes in the location of the
letters.
Highlights
: Ten verse indicator - circular figure
Script : Kufi Masahif
Dimension : 16 x 36 cm
Copying date : 1st / 2nd century
Surah name : Surat al Mumtahina
Verses number : Part of 4 to 8 and part of 9
There is some elongation in some letters,
and the copyist has written the
Hamza of the letter Alif as a green circle either above it, below it or
on its
right side.
Highlights : Ten verse
indicator - circular figure
Script : Kufi Masahif
Dimension : 14x21 CM
Copying date : 2nd / 3rd Centuries
Surah name : Surat al Baqara
Verses number : part of 80 to part of 81
This fragment is written in normal Kufi
script that is well known for the
writing of Quran in the first three centuries of the Higrah. There are
no verses
divisions but there is a gilded ten verses indicator.
Highlights
: Five verse division - Ornamented letter Ha
Script : Kufi Masahif
Dimension : 27 x 37 CM
Copying date : 2nd / 3rd Centuries
Surah name : Surat al Mursalat
Verses number : 5 to 26 and part of 27
These fragments show high artistic skills
represented in the Surah
divisions, due to the integration of the foliar/floral units forming
them. This
is also clear in the frames surrounding the verses and the gilded ten
verses
indicators. No letter points exist in these fragments.
Highlights
: Letter pointings - short strokes
Script : Kufi Masahif
Dimension : 39 x 36 CM
Copying date : 2nd Century
Surah name : Surat al Tawba, surat Yunus
Verses number : part of 129 from surat al Tawba to 3
and part of 4 from surat Yunus
Letter pointing in the form of short
strokes are used in this manuscript.
Surah divisions are ornamented with colored foliar/floral ornaments and
surrounded by a colored frame.
