ISTANBUL: Istanbul Municipality has bought nine ancient copies of the Holy Quran and Maulana Rumi's Masnavi at an auction held in London. The municipality of Istanbul participated in the auction in London and bought these ancient manuscripts. The Istanbul Municipality has refused to provide information on the price of copies of the Quran.
The Istanbul Municipality also purchased a portrait of Sultan Suleiman I, the longest-ruling Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. Sultan Suleiman ruled Turkey from 1520 to 1566 as the caliph of the Ottoman Empire.
Istanbul Mayor Akram Imamoglu announced the purchase of copies of the Holy Quran at auction on his social media account. Istanbul Municipality Mayor Akram Imamoglu said he bought a 700-year-old copy of the Quran Pak. This version contains five surahs of the Holy Quran. They also bought another 1100 year old version in which Surah Al-Maidah of the Holy Quran is written in beautiful calligraphy. Another 1,200-year-old version of the Qur'an has been purchased with beautiful calligraphy of Surah Al-Zukhruf.
In addition, the Istanbul Municipality has purchased Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi's "Masnavi". Maulana Rumi's eldest son Bahauddin Mohammadi's son's book "Ibtida Namah" was also put up for auction and has been bought.