Qur'an Volume 1

The Holy Qur'an – Volume One
Al-Zubarah, Qatar – 1806 CE / 1221 AH

This manuscript represents the first volume of the Qur'an, attributed to the historic town of Al-Zubarah. It contains half of the Holy Qur'an, spanning from Surat Al-Fatiha to Surat Al-Isra (The Night Journey). The manuscript is distinguished by its refined calligraphy and decorative artistry, reflecting the high level of craftsmanship in the Arabian Peninsula during the early 19th century.

Binding:
The leather cover is adorned with geometric and vegetal motifs of Indian influence, created using stamping and heating techniques commonly employed in traditional leather decoration. The leather, which had suffered significant deterioration, was recently restored through meticulous conservation work.

Illumination:
The two opening pages feature intricate geometric designs composed of repeating squares in shades of green, orange, and red, creating a vivid and balanced visual composition that merges Arabic aesthetic sensibilities with South Asian artistic elements.

Script and Layout:
The Qur'anic text is written in a clear Naskh script, bearing stylistic influences from both Ottoman and Indian calligraphy, particularly in the elongation of certain letters and the structure of the lines. Each folio contains 14 lines of text, written using black and red ink to distinguish between textual elements.

Scribe:
The manuscript was copied by Sheikh Ahmad bin Rashid bin Jum'ah bin Khamis bin Hilal Al-Marrekhi, a scholar of the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence, and a native of Al-Zubarah. His name appears at the end of the second volume of the manuscript, dated 16 Sha'ban 1221 AH, corresponding to 29 October 1806 CE.