Manuscripts of Qur’an

QUR’AN OF MEHMED-PASHA SOKOLOVIC

One of the manuscripts that represents the true national treasure of Bosnia and Herzegovina are the parts of Qur’an of the prominent Ottoman’s vizier Mehmed- pasha Sokolovic.

Although they date from the 16th century, those Qur’anic parts are revealed only at the beginning of the 20th century in the village Sokolovici, in Eastern Bosnia. Later, they were taken to Gazi Husrev-bei library in Sarajevo. In regard to the quality of calligraphy and ornamentics, this manuscript belongs to the master-piece of the Islamic art. On the experience of the Ottoman’s calligraphy and ornamentics, Qur’an of Mehmed-pasha Sokolovic was made and 22 parts of Qur’an have been kept until present.

Mehmed-pasha Sokolovic was one of most significant Ottoman’s viziers and dominant political personality of the 16th century in the Islamic world. It is known with certainty that he was Bosnian and as a boy he came to Istanbul and with his personal capabilties he raised himself to the high social positions. Like most of distinguished persons of that time, he left behind him various material inheritances, built for the welfare of the community and praising of its religious and civilizational identity. His most recognized inheritance is the mosque in Istanbul, which still caries the name of this benefactor, and it is ranked in the master-pieces of the Ottoman’s architecture, even more as Mimar Sinan was the architect.

Apart from this mosque and many other parts of inheritance, such as the bridge in Visegrad in Bosnia and Herzegovina under the protection of UNESCO, Mehmed-pasha Sokolovic made an order to make Qur’an whose mentioned parts are in Gazi Husrev-bei library in Sarajevo. From the village Sokolovici in Eastern Bosnia, the native place of the grand vizier, those parts were taken to Sarajevo library only in 1902. Many would say that those parts of Qur’an represent most famous Islamic manuscript in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The rest of the article you can read in the magazine.