Najaf Mus’haf; An Achievement to Answer Anti-Shia Doubts

IQNA – For many years, the whole of Iraq, especially Najaf, relied on copies of the Quran printed outside its borders for distribution in mosques and various circles.

 

But in recent years, instead of copies from Beirut and Medina, the Najaf Mus’haf project, founded by the Astan (custodianship) of the holy shrine of Hazrat Abbas (AS), emerged as the first Mus’haf that had a completely Iraqi identity from seed to fruition.

According to a report published by Al-Kafeel, for decades, biased media outlets have been trying to sow seeds of doubt about the beliefs of the followers of Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) regarding the Holy Quran by distorting the facts. Perhaps the most common lie is that the Shia Muslims have their own Quran that is different from the Quran in the hands of other Muslims; a desperate attempt to isolate the followers of the school of Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) from the original source of Islam.

In such circumstances, in the holy city of Najaf and the vicinity of the shrine of the Commander of the Faithful (AS), the response to these slanders was not only through speeches, but also through a historical event, namely the unveiling of the Najaf Mus’haf on April 29, 2026. What is the reality of this achievement? Will this achievement silence the skeptics and doubters?

In a meeting with a delegation of reciters of the Karbala holy shrines on May 5, 2026, Sayyid Ahmad al-Safi, the custodian of the holy shrine of Hazrat Abbas (AS) emphasized that the Najaf Mus’haf is a practical response to some of the doubts raised against the followers of Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) regarding the Holy Quran.

The idea of ​​printing the Najaf Mus’haf and its various stages was raised in 2009, and the work was done over the past years and was completed in the holy month of Ramadan 1447 AH. The Najaf Mus’haf was unveiled on the anniversary of the birth of Imam Reza (AS) this year, he noted.

He added that this Iraqi Mus’haf which bears the name of Najaf Ashraf, is important because it answers some of the doubts raised against the followers of Ahl-ul-Bayt(AS) regarding the Holy Quran.

A Quran with an Iraqi identity

The Najaf Mus’haf has emerged as the first Quran that has a completely Iraqi identity from seed to fruition.

This is not just a new version; Rather, it is a document of artistic independence because it was produced entirely by the hands and minds of Iraqi Shias, in calligraphy, design, and printing, to prove to the world that Iraq, as a country of knowledge, is capable of producing a Mus’haf through the original Ottoman calligraphy, which is used by all Muslims in the East and the West for worship, and this version of the Word of Revelation with an Iraqi identity is a response to the lies and slander against Shias.

The Astan of Hazrat Abbas (AS) paid close attention to the details of this major project, the most important of which was the selection of the calligrapher, Abdul Hussein al-Rikabi, for this work. This Iraqi calligrapher has been described as “the heir to the great calligraphers of Baghdad”. He was able to embody the spirit of the Baghdad school of calligraphy in the Naskh script over the years of painstaking work. Al-Rikabi wrote the letters with a skill that combined high legibility and artistic beauty, restoring the credibility of the script in the digital age. This artistic effort is the most eloquent response to those who claim that Shias have been isolated from serving the text of the Quran. Every letter in this Quran is a testament to loyalty to the verses of God Almighty.

Careful review and the care of religious authority

The Najaf Mus’haf underwent a rigorous technical and scientific review process that lasted for years. Committees of Quran memorizers and reciters and seminary scholars reviewed each letter and distinguishing mark to ensure its complete conformity with the Ottoman script.

This process culminated in the historical blessing and appreciation of Grand Ayatollah Seyed Ali al-Sistani, the Shia authority in Iraq, who described it as a blessed copy, preserved from any additions or defects. This blessing was not just praise; rather, it was a guarantee and a legal document that refuted all the lies related to the existence of an “alternative Quran” and emphasized that the Najaf Mus’haf is the Quran of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Quran of all Muslims from the east to the west of the world and from the north to the south.

Integration of technology and holiness

To complete this project, the Astan did not focus solely on the beauty of calligraphy, but also took advantage of the latest printing technologies at Dar al-Kafeel Center for printing, publishing and distribution, in order to produce a Mus’haf with universal characteristics. From special matte paper to eco-friendly vegetable inks and luxurious thermal illumination, this fusion of technology and holiness has made the Quran the “symbol of the century”, a gift from Karbala and Najaf to the whole world, heralding the beginning of a new era in which there is no room for doubt about the devotion of the followers of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) school to the Holy Quran.

The Mus’haf Najaf is the same Holy Quran that all Muslims recite, revealed through the trustworthy angel Gabriel. It was written by the hands of Iraqis under the umbrella of the Astan of Hazrat Abbas (AS) holy shrine, in order to silence the tongues of doubt and prove with this achievement that Shias, like their Muslim brothers in the Arab and non-Arab world, are the guardians of the text of the Quran and its servants, and that attempts to accuse and distort it are nothing more than a mirage that the thirsty person mistakes for water, and when he reaches this Mus’haf, he finds a truth that shines like the radiant sun.

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