“A Birmingham Qur’an” – Brummies were invited to create a new manuscript

Brummies have been invited to create a brand new manuscript of the Koran as part of a special project. Muslims and non-Muslims alike will have the chance to copy and transcribe some of the 6,000 verses on special calligraphy paper as part of a project exploring Birmingham’s connection with the Islamic holy book.

The project is fitting as the city is home to the famous Birmingham Qur’an manuscript, one of the oldest known manuscripts of the book. These surviving fragments are held at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.

The project is created by the Museum of Islamic Arts and Heritage Foundation (MIAH) and Culture Forward. The workshops will take place at the MIAH Foundation Islamic Art Gallery in Balsall Heath as part of an exhibition on the history of the Qur’an and the art of calligraphy.

Read more: UKHSA issues ‘stay at home’ advice in relation to Covid FLiRT variant

Join our Brummie Muslims WhatsApp group here

Locals of all faiths can purchase tickets to learn about the many different types of Arabic calligraphy featured in Quran manuscripts over the centuries. Visitors can also transcribe verses from the Qur’an on hand-finished multi-coloured traditional calligraphy paper from Pakistan, all of which will form the new Birmingham Qur’an manuscript.

The written word won’t be the only Brummie touch, as some of the inks and pigments will be sourced from Winterbourne House & Gardens and Birmingham Botanic Gardens. After transcription, the book will be hand bound and stitched using traditional techniques and local materials.

Dr Neelam Hussain, Director of the MIAH Foundation and Curator of Middle Eastern Manuscripts at Cadbury Research Library, said: “It will be a Koran of the city of Birmingham and the people of Birmingham.

“The tradition of copying the Qur’an has existed since its revelation. There were manuscripts of the Qur’an in China and Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, in the 7th-20th century, so we keep the handwritten tradition alive.

“It’s Birmingham in the 21st century now, so we’re asking everyone, from Muslims to non-Muslims, to get involved and continue this tradition by emulating the rest of Birmingham.”

Professor Sara Jones, Acting Academic Director of Culture Forward, said: “Culture Forward aims to increase engagement with our rare and precious cultural collections such as the Birmingham Qur’an.

“This project is a big part of our Quran in the City program and gives the people of Birmingham an opportunity to create something unique for the city to treasure.”

The project started during Ramadan and ends on June 1. The MIAH Islamic Art Gallery runs regular workshops every Saturday between 12pm and 2pm in Balsall Heath for all over 11s.

The exhibition is open Thursday and Friday 12:00-18:00 and Saturday 14:00-18:00, everyone is welcome to contribute to the transcription of the Quran during the opening hours of the exhibition. Buy tickets here.

Read more stories about Birmingham’s Muslim community here

Sign up to the Brummie Muslims newsletter here