Koran—In Gold Thread

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31206, 2 November 1966, Page 23

Koran—In Gold Thread

<N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LAHORE (West Pakistan).

Pakistani craftsmen will soon begin the mammoth and delicate task of writing the Koran, the holy book of Islam—in gold thread.

The 140,000 words or so will be worked into specially selected satin by a team of 10 highly-skilled Muslim artisans. They will produce three copies, at a cost of about £30.000 each. One copy is to be kept in the new Pakistani capital of Islamabad. The others will go to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia.

The work is being carried out by the Jamaat-i-Tazeen-ul-Quran —which could be translated as “the body for beautifying the Holy Koran.” It must be completed by the end of next year’s Ramadan festival, the beginning of the year 1387 in the Muslim calendar, which dates from the flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Medina.

For that is the year in which Muslims will celebrate the 1400th anniversary of the revelation of the words of the Koran to the Prophet by the angel Gabriel. Alhaj Abdullah Zaheeruddin, chairman and chief parliamentary secretary of the Tazeen-ul-Quran body, said that the group will meet soon under the chairmanship of President Ayub Khan to make final plans for the pro-

ject. Work will begin on Pakistan’s next Independence Day—August 14. Mr Zaheeruddin will collect specimens of choice satin from more than 20 different Karachi manufacturers. Durability, he said, will be scientifically tested before a final choice is made.

The Tazeen - ul - Quran’s governing body will also meet soon, he said, to make selections from different samples of gold thread. Once all the materials are chosen, the team of artisans will begin work under the direction of Mr Malik Atta Muhammad. Mr Zaheeruddin said that plans were being made to collect donations for the project through banks. The copy destined for the city of Islamabad, which is still being built, will be housed in the proposed Grand Mosque, at the centre of the city. King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, during his state visit to Pakistan last March, offered to pay the whole cost of building the mosque.