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

First verse of the Koran in 6,000 different styles

May 25, 2018Books - Holy Quran, Koran / Translations, Commentaries / by Indian Muslims (wef. February 11th, 2025), UncategorizedHashim Akhtar Naqvi, Hashim Akhtar Naqvi - Architect, Hashim Akhtar Naqvi - Calligrapher, Hashim Akhtar Naqvi - Limca Book of Records, Hashim Akhtar Naqvi - Record - First Verse of Koran in 6000 stylesmpositiveone@gmail.com

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

May 23, 2016Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books - Holy Quran, Koran / Translations, Commentaries / by Indian Muslims (wef. February 11th, 2025), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Travel & Tourism, Videos, World OpinionGujarat, Juma Masjid, Mohammad Ghous, Vadodara, Vadodara Mosque, World's Largest Quran in Vadodara Mosquempositiveone@gmail.com

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

October 13, 2015Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books - Holy Quran, Koran / Translations, Commentaries / by Indian Muslims (wef. February 11th, 2025)mpositiveone@gmail.com

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.

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

August 14, 2015Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books - Holy Quran, Koran / Translations, Commentaries / by Indian Muslims (wef. February 11th, 2025), World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

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

August 12, 2015Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books - Holy Quran, Koran / Translations, Commentaries / by Indian Muslims (wef. February 11th, 2025), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Travel & Tourism, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

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

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