THE QURANS OF EMPEROR AURANGZEB
MAXIMUM CALLIGRAPHED DURING HIS REIGN

Thousands exist to this day all over the world

The world is full of Qurans, and the most beautiful ones belong to various reigns. Quran writing in earnest started with the sons of Emperor Shah Jahan. Both Prince Dara Shikoh and Emperor Aurangzeb were fond of writing Qurans. Work of both exist to this day, but whereas Dara Shikoh left his record on the Quran, Aurangzeb in his humility would not write his name on the Qurans he wrote. He gifted some of them, at least two for the Khana Kaaba, and the same should be there to this day in the Tosh Khana there, but the holders of that place, are not involved in any earnest way in the history of this kind.

Obviously before Aurangzeb stared writing, he also collected Qurans. A beautiful copy written by Haroon bin Bayazid in 1613 was purchased by Aurangzeb for Rs 9000, which was a phenomenal sum for that time. It was later purchased by Tipu Sultan.

Many Qurans are attributed to Emperor Aurangzeb but remain unverified to this day. In any case his children, grandchildren and so on and so forth, were all fond of reading, reciting and writing the Holy Quran. Many copies exist which were written by Mughal Kings themselves. Our archives have some too. Including a Multiple Suras one written by Shah Alam II, who was later blinded by opponents. With Sultans so near the Quran, who could defeat them? They were finished by their own intrigues at their own hands.