Blue Quran Exhibit In Makkah Highlights Rare 9th-Century Manuscript

The Holy Quran Museum in the Hira Cultural District in Makkah is presenting a rare page from the "Al-Muṣḥaf Al-Azraq" or Blue Quran, bearing verses of Surah Al-Baqarah from the end of verse 37 through the start of verse 42, drawing attention to Islamic Quranic heritage.

The display is part of a programme at the Holy Quran Museum that explains how Quranic manuscripts developed over time, and shows visitors different artistic stages of transcription. The initiative also seeks to deepen cultural understanding for visitors coming to the Hira Cultural District from Saudi Arabia and other countries.

The Holy Quran Museum highlights the history of the Quran and its preservation since revelation, using rare manuscripts, historic copies and interactive displays. The museum uses modern technologies to explain the Quran’s journey, while its location in the Hira Cultural District connects visitors with an area linked to early Islamic history.

The Blue Quran, described as one of the rarest and most luxurious mushafs in Islamic civilisation, is a central focus of this exhibition. Its pages were written in pure gold ink, on a deep blue surface, in early Kufic script. This artistic approach reflects early Muslims’ respect for the Quran and concern for refined calligraphy.

Experts date the Blue Quran manuscript to the 3rd century AH, corresponding to the 9th century CE. Researchers consider it to hold major historical and academic importance, as it documents early stages in the development of Arabic calligraphy and manuscript illumination during the first centuries of the Islamic period.

Remaining folios of the Blue Quran are extremely scarce and now appear in only a small number of museums and private collections worldwide. By presenting one of these surviving pages, the Holy Quran Museum adds to visitor experience and emphasises the continuing attention of Muslims to the Holy Quran across centuries, SPA reported at 22:43 local time, 19:43 GMT, reference 0092.

With inputs from SPA