Qur’anic verses of 'The Blue Qur’an' identified by UAE researchers

A team of researchers in Zayed National Museum have successfully identified text concealed beneath an intricate decorative layer of gold leaf on a page of the Blue Qur’an.

According to WAM, multispectral imaging techniques have helped the team uncover several verses from Surah al Nisa’ in the historical manuscript that is believed to date back to the second half of 9th–mid-10th century.

The Blue Quran, originally comprised 600 sheets, each made from sheepskin, is one of the world’s most well-known and recognizable Qur’an manuscripts.

It is also considered to be among the most important examples of Islamic calligraphy, as it uses distinctive vivid blue or indigo pages, silver decoration and gold Kufic calligraphy.

Since the 20th century, scholars have put forward North Africa, Iraq and Andalusia as potential production places.

According to Louvre Abu Dhabi website, the Islamic manuscript was probably produced in Kairouan, Tunisia.

The idea of coloring was borrowed from the Byzantine imperial codices. The dark blue symbolises the celestial universe and the gilded letters the divine light spread by the word of God. - Louvre Abu Dhabi

Today, only around 100 pages are to be found in private and museum collections around the world, five of which will be displayed at Abu Dhabi's Zayed National Museum, during its Through Our Connections gallery.

The new museum scheduled to be open in 2025 will be part of Abu Dhabi's long-awaited Saadiyat Cultural District, which will also include to Louvre Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat and Berklee Abu Dhabi. The district will also be home to the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi.