TEHRAN -- A new calligraphy for Sura Baqarah (The Cow), the longest sura (chapter) of the Holy Quran, inscribed by master of calligraphy Mohammad Salahshur, was introduced in a ceremony here at the Iranian Artists Forum on Monday.

The sura has been inscribed in the nastaliq style of calligraphy and the entire sura weighs about 100kg, the Persian service of IRNA reported on Tuesday.

“Calligraphy of the entire Quran containing 605 pages has also been completed and there are only a few modifications left,” Salahshur said, adding that he hopes the rest of the suras will also be introduced during the month of Ramadan.

“The rest of the suras weigh about 120kg and it is over 1 meter in width. Of course I should mention that it only contains the holy verses and not a Persian translation,” he added.

Salahshur also mentioned that he has completed the project using his own personal funds, adding that one of his students Ardavan Etemadi has collaborated with him in producing the illumination and miniatures for the Holy Book.

“I must admit that I am not able to keep the entire Quran in my house and have proposed that organizations and cultural foundations preserve this treasure and help provide the facilities to display the calligraphic work in a permanent exhibition,” Salahshur stated.

He said that his next project would be the inscription of the poetry of Hafez based on special topics like spring, nature, God and love in nastaliq style.

Salahshur was born in 1932 in Tehran and took lessons from master calligraphers Hossein Mirkhani, Hassan Zarrinkhat, and Ali-Akbar Kaveh.

He has transcribed the texts of schoolbooks for many years and has also transcribed Quranic schoolbooks, selections from Imam Ali’s (AS) Nahj-ul-Balaghah, as well as the lyrics of Hafez, Khayyam, Sadi, and Baba Taher.

 

The calligrapher has designed and transcribed several tableaus in both Persian and Arabic bearing the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (S), and created over 100 calligraphy works to commemorate the 800th birth anniversary of Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi..