| The “Codex Mashhad,” also known as “Muṣḥaf-i Mashhad-i Raḍavī,” is a significant early Qur’ānic manuscript written in ḥijāzī script, originating from the Hejaz region of Arabia in the first Islamic century (7th century AD). Comprising two manuscripts (18 and 4116) housed at the Āstān-i Quds Library in Mashhad, Iran, the codex contains 252 folios, preserving over 95% of the Qur’ānic text. Through paleographic analysis, orthographic examination, and radiocarbon dating, its antiquity has been established, making it a critical primary source for studying the Qur’ān’s early textual history. While adhering to the ʿUthmānic standard, the codex uniquely retains Ibn Masʿūd’s sūra order, offering insight into alternative early Qur’ānic structures. Its vertical layout, verse separation, and minimalistic formatting, including pause markers and blank spaces between sūras, distinguish it from other ḥijāzī manuscripts. Endowed to the Shrine of Imām al-Riḍā (a) in the late 5th century AH by ʿAlī ibn Abī l-Qāsim al-Muqrī al-Sarawī, the codex also includes a deed of endowment in Eastern Kufic and early Ṭabarī Persian, enhancing its historical and cultural significance. |
