Hyderabad: The mystery surrounding the Quran seized by the Bangalore police recently from a person who was trying to hawk it as an antique piece is unravelled. The holy book is a printed copy and not written by Mughal emperor Aurangazeb. The writing does not confirm to the `Nasqh' calligraphy style of the Mughal period, according to G.S. Khwaja, an expert committee member who examined the scripture.

On a tip off, the police nabbed a person last month, as he was trying to sell the Quran, which was believed to be written in the hand of Aurangazeb himself.

The Archaeological Survey of India, which is called in to determine its antiquity, has found the holy book to be a printed copy decorated with the help of sketch pen.

The cover page is studded with colourful American diamonds to give it a touch of antiquity, said G.S. Khwaja, assistant superintendent, Arabic & Persian Epigraphy, ASI, Nagpur.

He told The Hindu that the confiscated copy of the Quran was compared with the one penned by Aurangazeb and the writing style was found to be totally different. "One look and we know it is not an antique piece," said Dr. Khwaja, a professional calligrapher well versed in Arabic, Persian and Urdu. G.T. Shindey, director, Antiquity, Nagaraju of Mythic Society, and Suryakant Kamat, were the other members of the expert committee who examined the Quran.

Great demand

The committee noted many incongruities in the style of calligraphy prevalent during 17th century and the lettering used in the seized Quran. No signature of Aurangazeb is found in it.

Moreover, it has numbers on each page, a system not in vogue in ancient times. The inner page of the book contains 99 names of Allah written in a crude style. "It is probably printed on a relief type printing or treadle machine," Dr. Khwaja remarked.

He said those trying to palm off the Quran as an antique piece might have a bigger plan. Once a certificate of non-antiquity is given, the holy book might find its way out of the country.

The unscrupulous elements might insert some original pages of an ancient Quran and sell it for a fortune. There is a great demand for such works in Italy and at Sotheby's in London, it is said.

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