ABU DHABI: A copy of the Qur’an, believed to be the world’s smallest complete Qur’an, is on display at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, forming part of the “Letters of Light” exhibition that will run until January 2024.
The exhibition explores the historical context in which holy books emerged, the way they have been passed down over the years, the scholarly and mystical practices associated with them and their essential role in universal intellectual and artistic history.
Souvigny Bible, France late 12th century, parchment. (Moulins, Samuel Paty Multimedia Library)
“The material speaks for itself, the pages of the blue Qur’an, the inscription, the calligraphy as beautiful as this indigo dye … (it) is simply sensational,” Dr. Souraya Noujaim, director of the Department of Islamic Arts at the Louvre Museum in Paris, told Arab News en Français.
“It is an unmissable opportunity to embark on a journey of profound reflection, exploring the intricate interplay between creativity and spirituality. It is a celebration of diversity and tolerance and a testament to the harmonious coexistence of faith. It is an exhibition that embodies the commitment of the UAE, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi to forge meaningful connections,” Manuel Rabate, director of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, said in a statement released ahead of the inauguration.
Torah Scroll : Syria, 16th century, Hide. (BNF)
Visitors will be able to discover manuscripts of the Torah, the Bible and the Qur’an, as well as artifacts from the collection of the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, the Louvre in Paris and the collection of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
For Laurence Engel, president of the BNF, the exhibition is “an occasion to admire the strength of these religions, and the beauty of their material productions … to explain and understand, and tell our common history.”
Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Buhari : Afrique du Nord, 1727, Papier. (BNF)
Laurent Hericher, chief curator and head of the Oriental Manuscripts Department at the BNF, told Arab News: “The goal was to present the subject by telling a story. It is the story of the book, it is the story of humanity, it is the story of people, it is the story of thought. The pedagogical and chronological dimension seemed important.
“I wanted visitors to leave this exhibition with reference points,” he added.
Muhammad Jaffarl the Smallest complete Holy Quran (Naskh script) : Persia, 18 century. (Manama, Beit Al Quran)
“Letters of Light” is an invitation to travel, to discover, to reflect, and to mediate, an experiences that is compounded toward the end of the exhibition with the inclusion of “The Unseen” — a sonographic experience by Saudi artist Muhannad Shono.
