Kerala student scripts Guinness world record for longest handwritten Quran

Muhammad Jaseem M. displaying the longest handwritten Quran he prepared in calligraphic style.

A Kerala student has won the world record for the longest Quranic calligraphy. Muhammad Jaseem M., a second-year student of Jamia Nooriya Arabic College at Pattikkad near Perithalmanna, did the country proud by entering the Guinness World Record for making the longest handwritten Quran.

Jaseem, who hails from Cherumukku near Tirurangadi, broke the record held by Egyptian scholar Mohammed Gabriel by scripting 1,106-m long Quran in calligraphic style. It took nearly two years for him to break the Egyptian’s record of 700 m.

It was the COVID-19 lockdown that prompted Jaseem to set his eyes on this unique feat. He had displayed his calligraphic prowess and persistence at a Quran exhibition organised by the Noorul Ulama Students Association of Jamia Nooriya Arabic College at Kozhikode in December last year.

The officials who examined Jaseem’s feat included young Muslim community leader Syed Munawwarali Shihab Thangal and All Guinness Records Holders (AGRH) State president Sattar Adoor. Mr. Thangal and Mr. Adoor handed over the Guinness certificate to Jaseem at a function held at Malappuram Press Club on Monday. AGRH secretary Sunil Joseph and another Guinness record holder Saleem Padavanna too were present.

‘Proud moment’

According to AGRH officials, Jaseem became the 75^th Guinness record winner from Kerala. “It’s a proud moment for us all,” said Munawwarali.

The 1,106-m long Quran he prepared weighs 118.3 kg, and has 325,384 Arabic letters, 77,437 Arabic words, 114 chapters and 6,348 verses. Each Juz (section) is done in about 65-75 pages, and each page contains 9-10 lines. Each page is 75 cm in height and 34 cm in width.

Jaseem displayed a penchant for calligraphy from childhood. He said he was influenced by his elder brother Ayoob’s paintings. It was his teacher Swalahuddin Faizy, who initiated him into Arabic calligraphy when he pursued religious studies at a Dars (mosque-based study) at Tirur. Arabic calligraphy or the artistic practice of handwriting Arabic script in a visually appealing manner, is widely recognised as an Islamic art. It uses the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet, written in cursive, from right to left.

Originally intended to make writing clear and legible, it gradually became an Islamic art. The fluidity of Arabic script offers innumerable possibilities for the artist.

AGRH secretary Sunil Joseph lent him technical assistance to achieve the Guinness record.