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A former Iraqi goldsmith has finished what is believed to be the world’s largest handwritten Quran in Istanbul, producing a manuscript with pages measuring 4 meters by 1.5 meters and crafted entirely by hand over six years.
Ali Zaman, born in 1971 in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, left jewelry-making in 2013 to devote himself to calligraphy. He moved with his family to Istanbul’s Fatih district in 2017 and worked alone each day in a small room at the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque complex, stopping only for meals and prayers.
He funded the entire project himself and paused briefly in 2023 due to health challenges before completing the work.
The manuscript was written with traditional reed pens in the thuluth script—an Arabic script style within Islamic calligraphy. Each page, when opened, spans three meters.
Zaman avoided modern tools and said the aim was to create something that very few would even attempt, noting, “It is a joy to create something that few people can do or would even attempt. Every letter reflects the soul and effort put into this work.”
Zaman has received multiple international awards, including first prizes in thuluth and naskh calligraphy in Syria, Malaysia, Iraq, and Türkiye.
He holds an authorization in calligraphy—an ijazah (formal certification)—from prominent masters and, in 2017, received a “Distinction” award at Türkiye’s International Hilye-i Serif Competition from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
His son, Rekar Zaman, said the family relocated to Türkiye because the country places a high value on calligraphy and Islamic art.
He added that sourcing suitable materials during the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult, yet the family persevered.
The completed Quran surpasses the previous largest known manuscript, which measured 2.28 meters (7.48 feet) by 1.55 meters (5.08 feet).
The family plans to preserve the work carefully and hopes it will remain in Türkiye, reflecting the country’s historic tradition of calligraphy.
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