Rare 400-year-old Quranic Scripts, Copies Preserved in Islamabad
This rare collection owned by family of Mrs Sadia Javaid includes historic copies of very small, smaller than pocket size manuscripts of the Holy Quran which have great value and worth. A manuscript of the Holy Quran is in diamond cut, another is in rectangle shape while another two are rolling hand written Qurans with work of gold and precious stones.
All the four are claimed to be more than 200 years old. Then there is an Isfahani Quran which is said to be of Mughal period. This pocket size Holy Quran is kept in a silver box and is claimed to be almost 400 years old. Gold work is very much visible on it.
A small beautiful Holy Quran 3x5 inches in size has liberal golden inlay work and decorative designs made from ink of precious stones like ruby, cinnabar, lapis lazuli and garnets. It has flowerily bordered in the fine form with artistically laid design. Another old manuscript of the Holy Quran in the size 5x3 inches written by one Buland Khattak is claimed to be 200 years old and is also written with precious ink.
Another unique ancient Quranic manuscript is 3-1/2x2 inches and has rare calligraphic style in black ink with liberal golden inlay work. Same is claimed to be written more than six hundred years back probably during the period of Sultanates of Dehli in 13th century. It also contains golden inlay work and is written with ink of precious stones. It also has flowerily bordered in the fine form with artistically laid design.
In a bid to save damages, each one of its pages has been preserved by pasting butter paper on it. It does carry some stamps with golden ink and some of such seals are cutoff by the restorer.
Last page of the same also carries some writing in Persian. Another Quranic manuscript having size 7x4 inches carrying liberal golden inlay work is believed to be 250 years old. It also has Persian translation in red ink.
In addition to these Quranic manuscripts, Mrs Sadia family also has many historic manuscripts of centuries old books written in Arabic and Persian. The collection in possession of this family is really unique and rare and undoubtedly deserves to be part of some international level museum.
Source: The News, Pakistan
