Qurans from around the world on display in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

A total of 114 Quran manuscripts from 44 different countries, each reflecting the aesthetic sensibilities of the period in which it was produced, are on display in Istanbul.

Opened at the Taksim Mosque Cultural and Arts Center, the exhibition titled “Golden Letters: 114 Mushaf, One Word” introduces visitors to a conceptual world shaped around Quranic verses through manuscripts written in different eras of Islamic history.

Abdullah Dide Şentürk, the exhibition’s general coordinator, told state-run Anadolu Agency that the works on display come from the collection of the “mynameislam” platform, where he serves as a volunteer.

Şentürk said the platform organizes events for orphaned and underprivileged children abroad and produces Palestine-themed products whose proceeds are donated to Gaza. “We gathered the Quran manuscripts during our travels to different countries. Once we complemented the collection with particularly special works, this idea emerged. There are 114 surahs in the Quran, so we wanted to have 114 manuscripts and relate them to 114 concepts,” he said.

Emphasizing that each manuscript in the exhibition is unique, Şentürk noted that the theme is built around 114 manuscripts, 114 concepts and 114 surahs. “Each mushaf is associated with a specific surah and a key concept linked to it. We identified the most important concept that the surah conveys and placed it alongside the manuscript,” he explained.

Şentürk said the project initially aimed to showcase Islamic arts such as illumination, calligraphy and marbling, but later expanded in scope. He added that concepts mentioned in the Quran, such as truth, wisdom and abundance, were discussed in extensive meetings with scholars before being finalized.

“In the near future, we plan to open a permanent exhibition under the name Quran Museum in Sultanahmet,” Şentürk said. “It will focus on the concept of guidance for foreign visitors and will explore 33 concepts through 33 surahs, addressing questions of faith, particularly those of converts to Islam.”

According to Şentürk, the project began with studies on 99 concepts addressing contemporary issues faced by families and young people, before expanding the number of manuscripts to 114, in line with the number of surahs in the Quran.

The oldest work in the exhibition is a Latin Quran manuscript written in Hamburg in 1698. The collection also includes a mushaf by Iraqi calligrapher Ibn al-Bawwab, handwritten manuscripts from Chad, Egypt and Sudan and facsimile editions of prestigious works featuring the calligraphy of Sheikh Hamdullah, Ahmed Karahisari and Şekerzade Seyyid Mehmed.

Other highlights include wooden boards known as “loh,” used by children in Africa to memorize the Quran, a three-piece Egyptian work inlaid with turquoise and other stones featuring the chapters Al-Falaq, An-Nas and Al-Ikhlas, as well as miniature handwritten Qurans, often written on leather.

Proceeds for Gaza

Şentürk said visitors can both tour the exhibition and take part in discussion programs centered on the concepts presented. While the manuscripts themselves are not for sale, some calligraphy panels are being sold to raise funds for Gaza.

The exhibition also features a selection of Palestine-themed products prepared by the “mynameislam” platform, chosen from nearly 400 different items distributed to institutions and organizations in countries ranging from the United States and Canada to Switzerland and Germany.

The exhibition follows a visual narrative extending from the simple line arrangements of early Quranic manuscripts to the refined proportions and rhythms of classical calligraphic schools. Rare works include the Latin-printed Quran published in Hamburg under the title “Al Corani” in 1698, shedding light on the Quran’s early print history in the West, and a roughly 140-year-old leather-bound handwritten Quran from Chad.

A mushaf attributed to Caliph Uthman, regarded as one of the most precious relics in Islamic history, can also be seen.

The exhibition will close on Jan. 17, when a one-act dark comedy play titled “Evlen Zaman İçinde” will be staged.