Surah 23:27

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 328 (c)
This manuscript is believed to originate from the same codex as the famous Birmingham Quran manuscript (Mingana 1572a), which was radiocarbon dated to between 568 and 645 AD. This makes it part of one of the oldest surviving Quranic manuscripts in the world and an early descendant of the Uthmanic codex.

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Ms. or. fol. 4313 (Scan 1)
This codex is one of the earliest surviving Quranic manuscripts, with combined radiocarbon dating of its parchment placing its production between 605 and 651 AD. The seven folios in Berlin were once part of a larger codex that is now split, with 33 additional folios currently held in the Egyptian National Library. The Berlin leaves were acquired in 1939 from the estate of Bernhard Moritz, the former director of the Khedivial Library.

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Ms. or. fol. 4313 (Scan 2)
This codex is one of the earliest surviving Quranic manuscripts, with combined radiocarbon dating of its parchment placing its production between 605 and 651 AD. The seven folios in Berlin were once part of a larger codex that is now split, with 33 additional folios currently held in the Egyptian National Library. The Berlin leaves were acquired in 1939 from the estate of Bernhard Moritz, the former director of the Khedivial Library.

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Ms. or. fol. 4313 (Scan 3)
This codex is one of the earliest surviving Quranic manuscripts, with combined radiocarbon dating of its parchment placing its production between 605 and 651 AD. The seven folios in Berlin were once part of a larger codex that is now split, with 33 additional folios currently held in the Egyptian National Library. The Berlin leaves were acquired in 1939 from the estate of Bernhard Moritz, the former director of the Khedivial Library.

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Ms. or. fol. 4313 (Scan 4)
This codex is one of the earliest surviving Quranic manuscripts, with combined radiocarbon dating of its parchment placing its production between 605 and 651 AD. The seven folios in Berlin were once part of a larger codex that is now split, with 33 additional folios currently held in the Egyptian National Library. The Berlin leaves were acquired in 1939 from the estate of Bernhard Moritz, the former director of the Khedivial Library.

Muṣḥaf of Najaf Ashraf (Codex 1 of Imām ʿAlī Library)
This codex contains a colophon attributing it to ʿAl ī ibn Abī Ṭālib and dating it to 40 AH (660 AD), though scholars believe this colophon was added later. It also features a waqf (endowment) deed written on the first page in 1775 AD.

Meknes, Private library of Sherif ʿAbdarraḥmān b. Zīdān, no call number (Scan 1)
This nearly complete early Kufic Quran was photographed by Otto Pretzl during a research trip to Morocco in 1934. While the main body belonged to the private library of Sherif ʿAbdarraḥmān b. Zīdān, fragments of this codex have since been dispersed to the Royal Library in Rabat, the Tareq Rajab Museum in Kuwait, and sold through auction houses like Christie's.

Meknes, Private library of Sherif ʿAbdarraḥmān b. Zīdān, no call number (Scan 2)
This nearly complete early Kufic Quran was photographed by Otto Pretzl during a research trip to Morocco in 1934. While the main body belonged to the private library of Sherif ʿAbdarraḥmān b. Zīdān, fragments of this codex have since been dispersed to the Royal Library in Rabat, the Tareq Rajab Museum in Kuwait, and sold through auction houses like Christie's.

Meknes, Private library of Sherif ʿAbdarraḥmān b. Zīdān, no call number (Scan 3)
This nearly complete early Kufic Quran was photographed by Otto Pretzl during a research trip to Morocco in 1934. While the main body belonged to the private library of Sherif ʿAbdarraḥmān b. Zīdān, fragments of this codex have since been dispersed to the Royal Library in Rabat, the Tareq Rajab Museum in Kuwait, and sold through auction houses like Christie's.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 324 (c)
Carbon dating of fragments from Arabe 324 (c) places its origin between 660-780 AD. The manuscript is part of a composite codex, where Arabe 324 (c) and Gotha Ms. orient. A 462 are original leaves, while other sections such as Arabe 324 (a) and (d) were added centuries later to replace damaged or missing pages.

Istanbul, Topkapı Palace Museum, Saray 50385 (Scan 1)
This codex is known primarily through photographs in the Gotthelf Bergsträßer archive, taken in the early 1930s. Although the original manuscript is no longer identifiable in the current museum catalogue, these rare photographs survived World War II and provide a crucial record of this early text.

Istanbul, Topkapı Palace Museum, Saray 50385 (Scan 2)
This codex is known primarily through photographs in the Gotthelf Bergsträßer archive, taken in the early 1930s. Although the original manuscript is no longer identifiable in the current museum catalogue, these rare photographs survived World War II and provide a crucial record of this early text.

Saray Medina 1a (Karatay 3)
This almost complete codex is notable for being written by at least six different scribes in Kufic script. Originally documented in Gotthelf Bergsträßer's archives as 'Medina 1a', its folios were later repaired with paper edges, and a few missing pages were completed in Naskh script.

Topkapı Palace Museum, "Saray Medina 1b" (M. 3) (Scan 1)
This manuscript was documented by Gotthelf Bergsträßer as 'Saray Medina 1b', and its photographs became part of his famous archive in Munich. Notably, it still retains a dark olive-coloured leather binding with a traditional flap (miklep) and mandorla (şemse), as well as multi-colored geometric sura headings.

Topkapı Palace Museum, "Saray Medina 1b" (M. 3) (Scan 2)
This manuscript was documented by Gotthelf Bergsträßer as 'Saray Medina 1b', and its photographs became part of his famous archive in Munich. Notably, it still retains a dark olive-coloured leather binding with a traditional flap (miklep) and mandorla (şemse), as well as multi-colored geometric sura headings.

Cairo, Khedivial Library, Moritz 1905, table 31-36 (Scan 1)
The physical manuscript is currently lost and its origin is unknown; it survives today only through six photographs published in Bernhard Moritz's monumental 1905 album 'Arabic Palaeography'.

Cairo, Khedivial Library, Moritz 1905, table 31-36 (Scan 2)
The physical manuscript is currently lost and its origin is unknown; it survives today only through six photographs published in Bernhard Moritz's monumental 1905 album 'Arabic Palaeography'.

Moritz 1905, Tables 39-40
This codex fragment was documented in Bernhard Moritz's 1905 'Arabic Palaeography' album and was reportedly discovered in the ancient Egyptian city of Bahnasa (Oxyrynchos). Scholars suggest it may originally belong to the same large codex as other early Quranic fragments currently held in the Vatican, Paris, and the Khalili Collections.

Berlin, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Ms. or. oct. 1819
This manuscript features unique historical touches including faded notes from multiple hands, penciled-in Surah headings, and a small geometric drawing accompanied by blessings. Its original red-brown leather covers, decorated with a blind-tooled pattern of crossing hatched bands, were preserved by being bound directly into its newer binding. Additionally, the text displays colorful editorial marks, with missing letters like Alifs later added in red and green ink.

Leiden, Universiteitsbibliotheek Leiden, Or. 6814
Carbon dating of this manuscript's parchment by the Coranica project places its origin between the late 7th and mid-8th century AD, making it an important early witness to the Qur'anic text. It was purchased by Leiden University in 1938 from the antiquarian Erik von Scherling.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 5122
This nearly complete 8th-century Quranic manuscript is notable for its extensive preservation, containing text from the very beginning of the Quran to its final Surah. Curiously, folio 134 has been reported missing from the French National Library since approximately 2000, and no microfilm image of it survives.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 6140 (g)
This manuscript is part of the extensive collection of early Quranic fragments held at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Cataloged by François Déroche, its verses are not separated by individual marks; instead, it features rubricated alifs marking groups of five verses, and type 1.B.I circles marking groups of ten.

Rampur Raza Library No. 1
This manuscript is a highly prized copy traditionally ascribed to the penmanship of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Caliph. It features modern gold and colored borders on the paper margins.
![Cairo, Khedivial Library, "qāf 3" (Gotthelf Bergsträßer archives) [maṣāḥif 387], in kūfī type C script, showing Surah 23:27 from 8th Century AD found in Egypt, currently housed at Egyptian National Library and Archives, Cairo](https://mss.readyapologia.com/quran/codex_01335/244_manuscript-1335-page-42992-image-28701.jpg)
Cairo, Khedivial Library, "qāf 3" (Gotthelf Bergsträßer archives) [maṣāḥif 387]
This extensive 8th-century manuscript is well-known today through a collection of 471 photographs taken by Gotthelf Bergsträßer around 1930, preserving its contents in his archive.

Istanbul, Topkapı Palace Museum, "Saray 50386" (Karatay 42)
This near-complete Kufic Quran is bound in brown leather over wood with arabesque interlacing and iron rings. It bears the foundation seal of Sultan Osman III, and its first three leaves as well as sura headings are illuminated.

Topkapı Palace Museum, Saray 50395 (Scan 1)
This nearly complete codex is an exceptional document, as complete codices in Kūfī D script style are extremely rare. The manuscript features illuminated pages for the first three and last six folios, as well as at surah beginnings.

Topkapı Palace Museum, Saray 50395 (Scan 2)
This nearly complete codex is an exceptional document, as complete codices in Kūfī D script style are extremely rare. The manuscript features illuminated pages for the first three and last six folios, as well as at surah beginnings.

Topkapı Palace Museum, Saray 50395 (Scan 3)
This nearly complete codex is an exceptional document, as complete codices in Kūfī D script style are extremely rare. The manuscript features illuminated pages for the first three and last six folios, as well as at surah beginnings.

Arabe 399
This manuscript features a forged colophon claiming it was copied in 798 AD by order of Caliph Harun al-Rashid. An old legend also suggested it was a diplomatic gift sent to Charlemagne, though scholars have proven both the attribution and the legend to be false.

Codex Petermann I 38
This manuscript, comprising 213 parchment folios, contains the entire second half of the Quran starting from Surah Maryam (19). It was documented by Wilhelm Ahlwardt in his 1887 catalogue of Arabic manuscripts at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin and is notable for its robust Early Kufic script (D.Vb) with characteristic letterforms, such as the initial and medial 'kāf' often resembling 'dāl'.

Copenhagen, Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Cod. Arab. 36
This manuscript was part of the first palaeographical study of Arabic script in the West, written by Jakob Georg Christian Adler in 1780. Acquired by Friedrich Buchwald in the 17th century, the fragment features a carpet-like tooled design binding with gilded frames and Danish state emblems on the spine.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 325 (k) (Scan 1)
This fragment originally belonged to the same manuscript as the fragment cataloged as no. 58 by François Déroche. It is notably decorated with an intricate full-page illumination on folio 105v, featuring a gilded and interlaced geometric border. The manuscript also employs partial oblique diacritics and red vocalization dots, with verses separated by gilded Kufic letters and medallions.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 325 (k) (Scan 2)
This fragment originally belonged to the same manuscript as the fragment cataloged as no. 58 by François Déroche. It is notably decorated with an intricate full-page illumination on folio 105v, featuring a gilded and interlaced geometric border. The manuscript also employs partial oblique diacritics and red vocalization dots, with verses separated by gilded Kufic letters and medallions.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 349 (f)
This manuscript is written in the Kufic B.II script, a style characteristic of early Abbasid Qurans. It features rare oblique strokes for diacritical marks and red dots for vocalization, reflecting the early development of Arabic orthography.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 5179 (a)
This manuscript features elaborate golden illuminations, including a golden Kufic 'hāʾ' to mark every five verses and ornate medallions for every ten verses. The surah headers are beautifully decorated with golden titles, verse counts, and foliate vignettes.

Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Arabe 6002 (b)
This 10-folio parchment manuscript from the Schefer collection features absent diacritics but uses red dots for vocalization. Verses are unseparated, though groups of ten are marked by red circles, and Surah titles with their verse counts appear in red ink.

Tübingen, Universitätsbibliothek Tübingen, Ma VI 170 (Scan 1)
This small parchment fragment is written in a delicate, dense Kufic script with slightly rounded, unclosed word forms. It features red dot vowels and red surah headings, but lacks diacritical dots.

Tübingen, Universitätsbibliothek Tübingen, Ma VI 170 (Scan 2)
This small parchment fragment is written in a delicate, dense Kufic script with slightly rounded, unclosed word forms. It features red dot vowels and red surah headings, but lacks diacritical dots.

Cambridge University Library MS Add.1138 (Scan 1)
This fragment was acquired by Edward H. Palmer during a research trip to the Sinai Peninsula and was subsequently acquired by the University of Cambridge in 1878.

Cambridge University Library MS Add.1138 (Scan 2)
This fragment was acquired by Edward H. Palmer during a research trip to the Sinai Peninsula and was subsequently acquired by the University of Cambridge in 1878.

Cambridge University Library MS Add.1138 (Scan 3)
This fragment was acquired by Edward H. Palmer during a research trip to the Sinai Peninsula and was subsequently acquired by the University of Cambridge in 1878.

Cambridge MS Add.1137
This Abbasid-era Qur'an fragment, which currently consists of 47 folios out of an original 100, was acquired by Edward H. Palmer and E.E. Tyrwhitt Drake during an 1878 research trip to the Sinai Peninsula.

Cambridge, Cambridge University Library, MS Add.1140
This manuscript fragment was acquired by the University of Cambridge in 1878 from the English orientalist and explorer Edward H. Palmer and E.E. Tyrwhitt Drake, following a research trip to the Sinai Peninsula.

Diez A oct 172
This codex is largely complete, containing the entire Quran, though the first folio and a few other leaves were supplied by a later hand. Written on parchment, the manuscript represents an important transitional stage in the evolution of the Arabic script toward the Maghrebi style. While generally well-preserved, some of the early and late folios exhibit water damage and have been repaired.

BNF Arabe 6430
This 10th-century Quranic manuscript is notable for being written on Oriental paper rather than parchment. It features complete diacritics and vocalization, with distinctive colorful verse markers including yellow Kufic 'hāʾ' letters to signal groups of five verses.

Cambridge University Library, MS Add.1139 (Scan 1)
This fragment is part of a collection of early Qur'an manuscripts acquired by Edward H. Palmer during a research trip to the Sinai Peninsula. It was subsequently acquired by the University of Cambridge in 1878 from Palmer and E.E. Tyrwhitt Drake.

Cambridge University Library, MS Add.1139 (Scan 2)
This fragment is part of a collection of early Qur'an manuscripts acquired by Edward H. Palmer during a research trip to the Sinai Peninsula. It was subsequently acquired by the University of Cambridge in 1878 from Palmer and E.E. Tyrwhitt Drake.

Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University Library, 6724
Part of the Minassian Collection at Brown University, this leaf is written in New Style I script on paper, demonstrating the transition to paper as a writing material for Qurans in the Islamic world.

Brown University Library, 6160 (Scan 1)
This paper folio is written in 'New Style I' script (also known as Eastern Kufic) and forms part of a larger, dispersed Quranic manuscript within the Kirkor Minassian Collection at Brown University.

Brown University Library, 6160 (Scan 2)
This paper folio is written in 'New Style I' script (also known as Eastern Kufic) and forms part of a larger, dispersed Quranic manuscript within the Kirkor Minassian Collection at Brown University.

Brown University Library, 6160 (Scan 3)
This paper folio is written in 'New Style I' script (also known as Eastern Kufic) and forms part of a larger, dispersed Quranic manuscript within the Kirkor Minassian Collection at Brown University.

Dublin, Chester Beatty Library, Is 1431
This complete Quran was produced in Baghdad by the renowned calligrapher ʿAlī b. Hilāl, also known as Ibn al-Bawwāb, around 1000-1001 AD. He is a significant figure in Islamic art, closely associated with the adoption of the round Naskh script to transcribe the Quran.

Doha, Qatar National Library, HC.MS.00715
This codex is closely related to two other Andalusian manuscripts held in Istanbul, which were written in Cordoba (1143-1144 AD) and Valencia (1182-1183 AD), suggesting a similar provenance. It features distinctive Maġribī micrography for the main text and angular chrysography for the Surah headings.

Harvard Art Museums 1919.160 (Scan 1)
This 14th-century Mamluk period manuscript is notable for its exquisite use of calligraphy in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. It was bequeathed to the museum by Hervey E. Wetzel in 1919.

Harvard Art Museums 1919.160 (Scan 2)
This 14th-century Mamluk period manuscript is notable for its exquisite use of calligraphy in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. It was bequeathed to the museum by Hervey E. Wetzel in 1919.

Harvard Art Museums 1919.160 (Scan 3)
This 14th-century Mamluk period manuscript is notable for its exquisite use of calligraphy in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. It was bequeathed to the museum by Hervey E. Wetzel in 1919.