Category Archives: Books – Holy Quran, Koran / Translations, Commentaries / by Indian Muslims (wef. February 11th, 2025)

Sons stitch together Kerala tailor’s dream of ‘longest’ Quran copy

Eruva (near Kayamkulam), KERALA :

The dream of a tailor at Eruva near Kayamkulam was fulfilled by his four sons who created the 3.1-kilometre-long handwritten copy of the Quran in the world.

Noushad and his sons with the box in which the collar cloth rolls of handwritten Quran are fixed on a rotator | Express

Alappuzha :

The dream of a tailor at Eruva near Kayamkulam was fulfilled by his four sons who created the 3.1-kilometre-long handwritten copy of the Quran in the world. Kadharsha Moulavi, son of M K Noushad, said his father’s dream was to create the holy text on a cloth canvas as a handwritten copy.

The Quran teacher of Tharbiyya Madrasa at Palluruthy in Ernakulam said, “He had expressed his wish a few years ago, but the lack of time did not allow us to complete the task. In the Covid lockdown period, we decided to undertake it. We etched the text on the stiff collar rolls of 1.5-inch width stitched together. It took us around 111 hours to complete the writing. Ten green marker pens and 40 bottles of ink were used and  and the whole project cost us Rs 20,000.” 

Noushad himself had created records by stitching a huge shirt joining the flags of 54 nations and made the Indian Tricolour using buttons. When the then president, APJ Abdul Kalam, came to Kochi in 2003, Noushad was called there and felicitated by him.

His four sons are educated in the Quran and Arabic studies and all are teaching in different institutions. Muhammad Shafi, a teacher of KIT School, Kayamkulam, said the siblings started the work on June 8 and completed it by July 26.

“As many as 155 collar canvas rolls were used to create the long strip. One collar canvas is 20m long. The copy was written using marker pens in neat handwriting. The special box to fix the canvass roll was designed by our father. People can read from Volumes 1 to 30 without any difficulty. If the reader turns the rotator fixed in the box, the text starts unrolling for easy reading,” Shafi said. “As per our knowledge, such a long handwritten copy of the holy text does not exist in the world,” he added. 

Noushad said the national flag with buttons was a novel idea and he got several accolades for it. He had tried to get these recognised by the Guinness World Records but could not pursue it  then. “President Abdul Kalam felicitated me after hearing about the flag. I had stitched it using 20,454 buttons and presented it during the official Independence Day celebrations in Kayamkulam on August 15, 2003.

Another initiative was a shirt that was stitched together with the flags of 54 countries. Each flag was stitched in my shop and the shirt in the end had a height of 10 feet. It was released on the 54th Republic Day in 2003.

I had also created a floral arrangement using small pieces of clothes on the Thiruvonam day in 2004,” Noushad said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Biju E. Paul / Express News Service / September 26th, 2020

A retired official’s intensive research on Holy Quran

Coimbatore, TAMIL NADU :

Dr M Ameer Althaf
Dr M Ameer Althaf

Coimbatore:

Retired, but not tired of working for former NTC official Dr M Ameer Althaf, who took up intensive research on Holy Quran for well over three decade. And in his seven yearlong untiring effort, he has penned the book ‘Athaatchigal Thirukkuran Kalai Kalanjiam’ in a four part series, which is close to his heart. Undoubtedly, this is a magnum opus for the author.

Notably, Ameer Althaf had won the heart of Kovaiites for his different avatars in Thirukkuran Arakkattalai, Coimbatore District United Jamaath, AIMMS Muslim Women Community College. Adding another feather to his cap, he brought out the book ‘Pettagam’, a compilation of 300 long history of Coimbatore Muslims which was released at a gala function in 2014.

As to the adage ‘Hardwork pays rich dividends’, his research papers on Holy Quran were presented and published in global forum like Umma-al Qura University in Mecca, King Fahad University in Madina, University Malaya, Islamic Science University Malaysia besides universities in Istanbul, Jordan, Qatar, Mali.  His four decade central government service and three decade research on Holy Quran made him go places across the globe. Significantly, he became to be known as International Holy Quran researcher.

A function is being organised under the aegis of Dhaanish Ahmed Institute of Technology (DAIT) and Al Azhar Educational Trust on October 20 at Podanur Thendral mahal to release the book ‘Athaatchigal’ by former supreme court judge Fakir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifullah and former High Court judge K N Basha in the presence of leading luminaries Alhaj K Moosa, chairman, DAIT group, Alhaj UAK Jailani, managing trustee, Al Azhar Education Trust.

Sunnath Jamaath Federation general secretary Alhaj M A Inayathullah will preside while Ranipet Additional District and Sessions Judge A Mohamed Ziyavudeen will felicitate at the event.

Moulavi Alhaj M A Abdur Rahim, president, Coimbatore-Nilgiris-Tirupur district Jamathul Ulema Sabai, Moulavi Alhaj M A Mohammed Imdhadi, president, Coimbatore city Jamathul Ulema Sabai, social activist Aloor Shanavas, Coimbatore district United Jamaath president Alhaj A R Basheer Ahamed, Tamil Nadu Haj organisors association president Alhaj A Mohamed Rafeek, Iqra Educational Trust president Alhaj H E Iqbal Sait, Project Manager in Kuwait Haji M A Azad will address the audience at the book release event. Himayathul Muslimeen Sunnath Jamaath, Podanur secretary Haji KTS Riyas Kapoor will propose the vote of thanks. Other dignitaries who will speak at the event include Holy Quran translator Prof Mohamed Khan baqavi, TN state Jamathul Ulema deputy general secretary Moulavi Alhaj  K M Ilyas Riyaji, Chennai Anna Salai Makkah Masjid chief imam Moulana M Mohammed Mansoor Kasimi, Madras University HoD Arabic,  Persian and Urdu Dr A Zakir Hussain Baqavi and senior network consultant, Abudhabi Dr Mohamed Ibrahim.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Positive Story> Religion / by M. Rafi Ahmed / October 10th, 2019

First verse of the Koran in 6,000 different styles

Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH :

New Delhi :

His inclination towards calligraphy was realised way back in school, when he frequently labelled the notebooks of his classmates with their names written in beautiful artistic forms.

However, for 60-year old Hashim Akhtar Naqvi, an architect by profession and calligrapher by interest, the inclination became a life-long devotion when he took upon the task of writing the first verse of the Holy Koran in as many stylised forms as possible.

At last count, the Lucknow based artist had already written the verse in over 6000 styles. His innovative faculties are still as enthusiastic as they were when he started the work, ensuring that he can smoothly go on to add more to his stock.

Recognised by the Limca book of records for his unique venture, the collection of the artist was recently displayed in the capital at the Indira Gandhi national centre for arts, as part of the programme, Aqeedat ke Rang, an exhibition of expressions of devotion in Islam.

When I started blending the verse into artistic designs, I felt I would hardly be able to proceed beyond 8 or 10 forms. But the ideas kept coming and the verse kept repeating itself through my fingers until there was a collection of over 6000 styles, and the venture has not yet ended says Naqvi.

The Arabic verse, Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim, translated as, In the Name of Allah, most beneficient, most merciful, which is recited by Muslims before performing any major or minor task is also represented by the number 786.

Blending his architectural vision to his innate artistic capacity, Naqvi who has been experimenting with the script of the verse for over 20 years, has produced some genuinely original work of calligraphy.

What makes it even more interesting is the fact that his calligraphic pursuits derive very little influence from the existing Arabic calligraphic forms but is largely innovative and in some cases adopts from the scripts of regional Indian languages. I have tried to include the influence of the script of a number of

Indian languages. including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Gujarati, Malayalam and Kannada, he says.

PTI

source: http://www.financialexpress.com / Financial Express / Home> Archive> Fe300 / New Delhi – April 09th, 2008

The Quint: Vadodara Mosque Claims to House World’s Largest Quran

 

Published on May 23, 2016

The Juma Masjid in Vadodara houses a unique 250-year-old Quran. At six and a half feet long, and four and a half feet wide, members of the mosque trust claim it to be world’s largest Quran.

Handwritten by Mohammad Ghous nearly 250 years ago, two volumes of the Holy Quran were restored at the Jama Masjid in Vadodara in May

source: http://www.youtube.com

Old Quranic Exhibition at Chow Mohalla Palace

Prince Azmath Jah inaugurated the 600 year old manuscripts of Quran at Chow Mohalla Palace, Khilwath yesterday. The exhibits include 2.5 cm to 9 ft. books written in various styles of Arabic Calligraphy from Iran, Iraq, North India, Kashmir etc. Speaking on this occasion, Prince Azmath Jah applauded the efforts of the persons who organized this exhibition.

Prince Azmath Jah inaugurated the 600 year old manuscripts of Quran at Chow Mohalla Palace, Khilwath yesterday. The exhibits include 2.5 cm to 9 ft. books written in various styles of Arabic Calligraphy from Iran, Iraq, North India, Kashmir etc.

Speaking on this occasion, Prince Azmath Jah applauded the efforts of the persons who organized this exhibition.

Present on this occasion were, Princess Asra Jah, Princess Shehkaar, Prince Azam Jah, Mr. Asif Pasha, former Law Minister, Lt. General Zaki, Begum Bilquees Lateef, Mohammed Abdul Basith, former DGP, Mr. Meer Kamaluddin Ali Khan, Secretary, Mukkram Jah Trust for Education and Learning, Mr. Iqbal Ali Khan, Mr. Faiz Khan, Mr. G.Kishan Rao and Ms. Anuradha Naik.

Speaking on this occasion, Prince Azmath Jah told that he is very much pleased to see this exhibition which has added to the beauty of Chow Mohalla Palace. Ms. Anuradha Naik played a key role in organizing this exhibition.

–Siasat News

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / February 08th, 2014

Mughal Era Quran Recovered in Mysuru

The antique Quran seized at K R Nagar town | EPS
The antique Quran seized at K R Nagar town | EPS

Mysuru  :

An antique Quran dating back to the Mughal era has been seized by the police from a 10-member gang at K R Nagar town in the district. The gang claimed to have got the book from Hyderabad and was planning to sell it for Rs 5 crore, the police said.

The district police came to know about the gang a week ago when they came across a video which had details of the book. The video was made to find potential buyers. After showing the book to historian and former vice-chancellor of Goa Univeristy and Mangalore University, Prof Sheikh Ali, who confirmed its authenticity, the police followed up the case. On Monday night, the police received a tip-off about the gang’s whereabouts in K R Nagar town.

The police officers approached four members of the gang on the pretext of buying the book and arrested them. The remaining six members were arrested in Mysuru city.

The arrested are Nagaraju S (39) and A Muralikrishna (30) of Raichur district, Kanakappa (40) of Gadag district, Kallappa (40) of Kalburgi, Sanath (27), Ravindra (33) and Raghu (30) of Udupi district, Vijayendra (30) and Prasad (43) of Shivamogga district and Bhaskar (31) of Bengaluru rural district. Kallappa is an SDA in the Food and Civil Supplies Department. Prof Ali said going by the date mentioned on the last page of the 604-page book based on lunar calendar, the book belongs to the 17th century and is 398 years old. The pages are gold-coated and the calligraphy is in Arabic.

The pages have decorative borders, he added. He said the ink used in the book is not an ordinary one but a chemically treated one and hence the writings are still intact.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by ENS / August 12th, 2015

Quran dating back to Akbar’s period recovered by Dist. Cops

Ten-member gang trying to sell it for Rs.5 crore arrested

AkbarQuranMPOs12aug2015

Mysuru :

In a meticulously planned and precisely executed operation, sleuths attached to the District Police, seized a 410 year-old Quran, written during Mughal ruler Akbar’s period in the district and also arrested a gang of 10 members who were allegedly trying to sell it for Rs.5crore.

Police have also seized a Ford Ikon car (MH02 AK-4967) from the gang

The nabbed have been identified as S. Nagaraju of Sindhanur, A. Muralikrishna of Sasalamai Camp, Kanakappa Kambli of Yerebeleri village in Gadag district, Kallappa Kambali o Kalaburgi and Sanath of Kollur in Udupi taluk, Ravindra, Vijayendra of Hosanagar in Shivamogga district, Prasad of Heggodu in Sagar taluk, Bhaskar of Sindhanur and Raghu of Karwar.

Addressing a press conference at his office in city yesterday, SP Abhinav Khare said that Police, who came across a video on the antique Quran that the gang was sharing with prospective buyers formed a team to trap the gang.

The Police team, posing as prospective buyers approached five members of the gang near the Railway Station in Hosa Agrahara in K.R.Nagar taluk in the district and nabbed them before nabbing the remaining members in Mysuru city, he said and added that the accused had confessed to have got the antique from some persons in Hyderabad promising to share the proceeds of the sale with them.

Additional SP Kala Krishnaswamy, Rural Dy.SP Vikram Amte led K.R.Nagar Inspector H.N.Siddaiah, DCIB Inspector Gopalakrishna, Saligrama SI Poonacha in the nabbing and seizing operations.

Meanwhile, noted historian and former Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore and Goa Universities Prof. B. Sheikh Ali, who was present at the press conference described the calligraphy as a 604-page book, each separated by a butter paper for better preservation as a piece of Exquisite Art adding that writing in the Quran is legible.

Continuing, Prof. Sheikh Ali said ‘It was written in 1959 of the Hijri calendar, which works out to 1605 A.D. This was around the period when Mughal rule was at its peak in India and the time when Akbar was succeeded by Jahangir.”

He further said that though there is no other information on the last page other than the year in which it is written, there is a sentence that says that the calligraphy is dedicated to the saints.

Interestingly, SP Khare removed his footwear while holding the Quran to pose for photograph before the Quran was carefully placed in a carved wooden stand and covered with a cloth.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Wednesday – August 12th, 2015

Dy CM to keep Braille Quran in Makkah Masjid as gift of Ramadan to blinds

Hyderabad :

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Mohammed Mahmood Ali has decided to keep Braille Quran in Makkah Masjid for blind Muslims as a gift of Ramadan. Mohammed Mukarram and Imtyaz of Hyderabad brought Braille Quran from Kuwait and presented it to deputy chief minister so that it is kept in any centrally located masjid of the city.

Mr. Mahmood Ali has decided to keep it in the historical Makkah Masjid to provide the opportunity to the blinds to recite it. TRS Malakpet in charge Mohammed Azam Ali Khurram, who is the son of deputy chief minister, will hand over the Quran to Imam of Makkah Masjid after Zohr prayers on Monday.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat News / Home> Hyderabad / Monday – June 30th, 2014