A unique and exquisite Qur’an will be published for use by the people, said presidential advisor and head of the board of trustees at Iran’s National Library and Archives Organization, Seyed Reza Salehi-Amiri on Tuesday.
The national library comprises 38,000 manuscripts as old as 1400 years, among which is the precious 570 pages Qur’an written in 4kg of gold dating back to 1807 AD. The manuscript is decorated with magnificent Tazhib (illumination) work, marking it as an astounding piece of art, MNA reported.
Amiri called the manuscripts part of the country’s intangible heritage. The Tazhib artwork which was the result of collaboration of 35 artists was bestowed by Fath-Ali Shah (Qajar king who reigned form 1797-1834) to one of his descendants before his death. It finally made its way to the national library in 2008.
This unique Qur’an is globally famous. A former oil minister of Saudi Arabia, Zaki Yamani, had proposed a huge amount of money to buy the masterpiece. The Qur’an is to be published by a private publisher in a simple and exquisite form for the public.The national library will ensure there is no harm to the original work.
