Kazan Mus’haf Gifted to Participants of Russia-Muslim World Forum

IQNA – On the sidelines of the Russia-Islamic World Forum, the first handwritten Quran in modern Russian history, known as Kazan Mus’haf, was presented to guests as a gift.

In an event that combined religious, cultural and diplomatic dimensions, the city of Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, witnessed the presentation of the first handwritten Quran in modern Russian history as a gift to guests of the “Russia-Islamic World: Kazan Forum 2026”, the Muslimsaroundtheworld website reported.

The move reflects Russia’s growing cultural presence and strengthening its partnerships with the Islamic world. The Kazan Mus’haf project takes on special significance after four full years spent on its completion, reviving Tatar Islamic calligraphy traditions that had been dormant since 1917 as part of Kazan’s efforts to cement its position as the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2026.

The initiative was launched during a dialogue session titled “Emirates-Russia Dialogue: Culture, Tolerance and Peaceful Coexistence.” Participants included Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan; Sheikh Salem Al Qasimi, Minister of Culture of the United Arab Emirates; and Sheikh Kamil Samigulin, Grand Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan, along with academic and religious figures from Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

The event is of particular importance as it reflects the growing cultural and humanitarian partnership between Russia and the Islamic world and highlights Kazan’s growing role as the Capital of Islamic Culture in 2026 and a center for interfaith and intercultural dialogue and civilizational cooperation.

At the end of the session, Sheikh Kamil Samigulin announced the presentation of the “Kazan Manuscript Quran” as a commemorative gift to all participants in honor of their visit to Kazan. He stressed that the project represents the revival of the Tatar Islamic calligraphy heritage, which declined after the events of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

It is worth noting that this Quran is the first of its kind in modern Russian history. The work was written by Tatar calligrapher Arthur Pisarenko and transcribed under the supervision of Sheikh Mamun Al-Rawi, head of the Quran Preparation Committee of Dubai and an expert in the ten readings of the Holy Quran. The project took three years to complete, followed by a full year of scientific review and verification.

The organizers explained that the handwritten Quran was prepared in accordance with modern international standards, relying on 19 historical Quranic manuscripts dating back to the early Islamic centuries and 11 scientific references on Quranic calligraphy. The work exceeds the standards used in many modern Qurans. The project also benefited from the works of prominent Tatar scholars, including Shahabuddin Al-Marjani and Musa Begiyev.

The pages of this Quran bear symbolic signs of Tatar identity. They are designed in the colors of the flag of the Republic of Tatarstan, while the verses with prostration are marked with the symbol of the historical Soyumbek Tower in Kazan. The project was implemented as part of the program “Kazan, the Capital of Islamic Culture 2026”.

The participants emphasized that this experience is an important step in the revival of local Islamic calligraphy and connecting new generations with the Quranic heritage and authentic Islamic culture in Tatarstan and Russia as a whole.

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