The 32nd edition of Doha International Book Fair currently being held at Doha Exhibition & Convention Center (DECC) features a collection of a rare Holy Qu’ran versions at the artistic level, in terms of calligraphy, writing and historical value.

One of most outstanding series of the Holy Qu’ran is made by the Syrian artist Mohammad Mahir Hadri written on the black velvet cloth in a style of covering threads of the Holy Kaaba.

In statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Syrian calligrapher and embroider Mohammad Mahir Hadri said he has innovated a new style in writing using thread and sewing machine, a new method which is globally unknown in writing the Holy Qu’ran, adding that he had entirely completed the Holy Qur’an to be written by thread and sewing machine for the first time in the world. He pointed out that the overall weight of the Holy Qur’an is 200 kg with the dimension of a roughly one meter high and half a meter wide per page, and took 12 years to be accomplished, he said, with each volume containing two and half parts, while the page itself includes 15 paragraphs.

He added that the Holy Qu’ran is like the predominant copies that were written through Ottoman calligraphy, emphasizing that the value of the Holy Qu’ran prompted him to participate in many international book fairs, as its value is amounted to QR100,000, noting his interest in utilizing embroidery to decorate the frames of the Quran’s pages through counting on many decorative schools, indicating that each volume depended on an artistic decorative school and dominated by Levantine school, then Turkish, Moroccan, and others, outlining that the copy of the Holy Qu’ran was edited and revised by official authorities.

In similar statements to QNA, Sheikh Muhammad Al Yaqoubi from Dar al-Ihsan for publishing and distribution in Iran said the publishing house showcases a set of rare Holy Qur’an versions with a history of more than 500 years at Doha International Book Fair.

Source: Qatar News Agency