The Qurʾānic Codices and Fragments Ascribed to Imām ʿAlī and Other Shīʿa Imāms

Abstract

For nearly a thousand years, certain copies of the Qurʾān have been ascribed to such prominent Islamic figures as Imām ʿAlī and other Shīʿa Imāms. Although no evidence of ascription is found from the first three centuries, nearly two hundred copies of such manuscripts and fragments are found today around the world, especially in Shiite areas. After a historical overview of the phenomenon and classification of the various types of ascribed codices, this article provides evidence for the rejection of these ascriptions and that establishes the colophons as forgeries. The last part of the article includes a table of about two hundred Qurʾānic manuscripts ascribed to Shīʿa Imāms preserved in libraries and museums all over the world.