Ankara hosts manuscript Quran, calligraphy art fair

ANKARA

The Turkish capital Ankara hosted an opening exhibition on Thursday of a handwritten manuscript of the Islamic holy book, the Quran, and a calligraphy art fair featuring multiple masterpieces from Turkish and Iranian artists.

Organized in cooperation with Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate, or Diyanet, and Iran's Islamic Culture and Communication Organization (ICRO), the fair gathered calligraphers from the two countries who demonstrated their skills and works in Islamic calligraphy. The fair also exhibited digital applications and devices for reading the Quran.

Speaking at the opening ceremony that began with a recitation of the Quran at the Ahmet Hamdi Akseki mosque, Diyanet chief Ali Erbas said the Quran was the biggest miracle of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

"We see this miracle in every aspect of the Quran with its revelation, memorization, reading and writing," Erbas said.

Citing a well-known saying that the Quran was "revealed in Mecca [Saudi Arabia], recited in Egypt and written in Istanbul", he added that nowadays there are many "magnificent" reciters and calligraphers of the holy book all around the world.

"As the greatest masterpiece of our Lord, the human being was created with various artistic qualities and capabilities," he said.

Erbas also thanked the Iranian delegation, as well all Turkish and Iranian calligraphers and guests, inviting all to visit the week-long fair.

Also speaking at the ceremony, head of ICRO Abouzar Ebrahimi Torkaman thanked Erbas and guests for attending the fair, which would "provide unity".

Torkaman said calligraphers who transcribe the Quran should be "spiritually and physically clean".

"Blessed are the eyes that look on the verses of the Quran," he said.

Both religious authorities later cut the ribbon and toured the fair and masterpieces.