Ramzan marks the revelation of Koran and families go into a huddle reading it through the night. The Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute in Public Gardens is now hosting an exhibition of copies of some rare Korans.
One of them has been created in Hyderabad with Persian and Urdu translation and explanatory passages on the side. Another Koran is a miniature version which could be worn as an amulet. “This is among the 5,000 Koran amulets commissioned by Hasan Nizami, a legatee of Nizamuddin Aulia of Delhi. It is a priceless object as very few are in circulation,” informs S.M. Ahmed Ali of the institute.
Then there is a Koran which is a gift of Reza Shah Pehlavi, first Shah of the House of Pahlavi of the Imperial State of Iran, when his wife visited the city in 1960. It has the Persian translation along with the Arabic original.
A few facsimile copies show how different writing styles have evolved. A 7th century Koran in Kufic script is without the diacritical marks. “This is one of the earliest copies and unique. It will be difficult to read as we are used to seeing the sound markers,” adds Mr. Ahmed.
