Abdallah El‑Khatib

Qatar University, College of Sharia and Islamic Studies, Doha, Qatar

E‑mail: aelkhatib@qu.edu.qa

Qur’anic Verses Count Analysis in Some Oldest MSS Fragments from Western Libraries

Abstract. The article presents an analysis of the ayat count in MSS Marcel 5 and other related MSS. Additionally, it provides a brief history of the Marcel collection in the National Library of Russia, which includes valuable Qur’anic parchments dating back to an early period in Islamic history. The manuscript has undergone ¹⁴C dating and its palaeographical and codicological features confirm the early date. The article reaffirms its direct relationship with several manuscripts, including MSS Paris, BnF Arabe 335, Leiden Or. 14.545 a, Doha, Museum of Islamic Art, MS 276, and others in libraries across the USA, such as the Oriental Institute in Chicago. There is evidence that the manuscript travelled from al‑Fustat in Egypt to Paris before finally settling in St. Petersburg, Russia, Leiden, Doha, the UK, and the USA. An analysis was conducted to determine the origin of the ayat count, but its exact origin proved difficult to ascertain for several reasons.

Keywords: Qur’anic manuscripts, Paris BnF Arabe 335, St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia, Leiden Or. 14.545 a, Marcel 5, Museum of Islamic Art, MS 276, ayat count division

Acknowledgements. I would like to thank Prof. Efim Rezvan (St. Petersburg Kunstkamera Museum) and Dr. Olga Vasilyeva (National Library of Russia) for their help during my visit to St. Petersburg and the National Library of Russia.

DOI: 10.31250/1238-5018-2023-29-2-3-12

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