Folio from the "Blue" Qur'an

If God is light, one might consider the gilded words on this Qur’an page as rays of light for those who read and recite his revelations. The “Blue” Qur’an, so named after the rich, indigo-dyed parchment used for its folios, is arguably one of the most extraordinary luxury manuscripts ever created. The angular gold Kufic script was executed using the technique of chrysography, in which ground gold suspended in solution is carefully applied. The unusual color scheme may have been inspired by Byzantine manuscripts; it also may bear some relation to the decoration of the mihrab (prayer niche) at the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain. The page shown here includes Arabic text from the chapter called “The Women” (Surat al-Nisā’, 4:56–59); these verses refer to the rewards of Paradise awaiting believers in the hereafter.