Rare Kufic Mushaf Highlights Early Quranic Transcription At Makkah Museum

The Museum of the Holy Quran in Makkah’s Hira Cultural District is presenting a rare Kufic mushaf, allowing visitors to view an early example of Quranic transcription. The display highlights both its religious importance and its value to the study of Islamic calligraphy.

Specialists consider this Qurans codex an important witness to early Quranic manuscripts. It reflects how the Holy Quran was written, preserved, and read during the first centuries of Islam, when methods of copying and ornamentation were still developing.

The Kufic mushaf is believed to date to the 2nd or 3rd century AH, matching the 8th–9th century CE. It is written on parchment, one of the earliest materials used for Quranic manuscripts, and follows the angular Kufic script associated with that period.

The manuscript follows a horizontal page layout, a format often found in early Quranic manuscripts. This design reflects the technical practices of the time and shows how scribes arranged Quranic text, balancing clarity of reading with aesthetic and material limitations.

The text begins from verse 50 of Surah Al-Imran and continues until the end of Surah Abasa. This structure shows that partial Qurans circulated widely in early Islam, and were used for teaching, memorisation, and scholarly reading in different regions.

The Kufic mushaf is preserved by the King Fahd National Library and is temporarily exhibited in the Hira Cultural District. Through this cooperation, the Museum of the Holy Quran supports efforts to document Quranic preservation and to present rare manuscripts to a broad public.

The museum’s presentation explains the evolution of Arabic and Islamic calligraphy and highlights how Muslims have safeguarded the Holy Quran across centuries. The exhibit also strengthens the educational role of Hira Cultural District and underlines Makkah’s enduring position as a centre of Quranic heritage and study.

With inputs from SPA