The Birmingham Manuscript: One of the World's Oldest Qur'an Fragments
The University of Birmingham Qur'an manuscript dates to AD 568–645 with 95.4% accuracy — among the earliest written textual evidence of the Islamic holy book in existence, held in the Mingana Collection.
The Qur’an manuscript held at the University of Birmingham has been found to be among the earliest written textual evidence of the Islamic holy book known to survive, placing it within touching distance of the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. For Muslims, it is a striking material confirmation of what faith already affirms: that the Qur’an has been preserved exactly as it was revealed.
Radiocarbon dating
The radiocarbon analysis of the parchment, on which the text is written, dated the leaves to the period between AD 568 and 645 with 95.4% accuracy, placing it close to the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This means the parchment could date back to within a few years of the very beginning of Islam, making it one of the most significant surviving fragments of early Qur’anic writing in the world.
What the manuscript contains
The manuscript, part of the University’s Mingana Collection of Middle Eastern manuscripts, consists of two parchment leaves and contains parts of Sūrahs 18 to 20, written in an early form of Arabic script known as Hijazi.
The result suggests that the parchment is from the same codex as a manuscript held in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris, meaning these two institutions together may hold leaves from a single very ancient Qur’an.
How it came to Birmingham
The Mingana Collection was acquired by Quaker philanthropist Edward Cadbury to raise the status of Birmingham as an intellectual centre for religious studies and attract prominent theological scholars.
The discovery of this significant historical document in Birmingham — described as “the most culturally diverse city in the UK” — provides an exciting contribution to the understanding of the earliest written copies of the Qur’an.
Islamic manuscripts in Western collections
Dr Yasir Qadhi has noted that the acquisition of Islamic documents and manuscripts by non-Muslim lands and libraries can largely be attributed to colonialism and the power of money. At the same time, he acknowledges a silver lining: these manuscripts are being preserved in the best manner possible, even if they are held by those who do not believe in them.
This preservation, however it came about, is no accident. As Allah ﷻ states in the Qur’an:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
“Truly, We have sent down this Remembrance, and We shall, for sure, preserve it.” — Sūrah Al-Ḥijr (15:9)
Why it matters
The significance of this discovery is profound: the Birmingham Manuscript supports the belief that the Qur’an has undergone little or no alteration since it was first written down. For Muslims, preservation of the Qur’an is a settled article of faith. But independent material evidence — parchment, ink, radiocarbon dates — adds another layer of historical confirmation that what we recite today corresponds remarkably closely to what was being committed to writing within a generation of revelation.
The Birmingham fragment is one of the most striking examples we have.
View the manuscript
You can view copies of the manuscript pages below. The document includes high-resolution scans of both parchment leaves.
