KARACHI: The walls of the main hall of the National Museum proudly exhibit framed pieces of art in which the Quran verses are woven with threads onto small narrow pencil-like pieces of wood.

It’s the world’s first weaved copy of the Holy Quran created by a retired inspector of police and former SHO, Khan Shahnawaz Malhi.

He learned the art of weaving while observing prisoners developing crafts in jail.

“They used to take a pencil and twirl several strands around it while weaving their names on it. The skill looked very interesting to me so I also wanted to develop it,” Malhi tells Dawn.

“Before this, no one has woven the Quran. Yes, there have been stitched, embroidered, carved, etched, sandblasted and superimposed copies of the Holy Book, however, this is the first time for anyone to have woven one,” he beams with pride.

“I am quite talented myself artistically. I draw and paint as well, if I say so myself,” he smiles while pointing upwards to a framed calligraphic work written ‘Allah’ on a frame hanging above the main entrance of the National Museum. “I made this in 2002 and gifted it to the museum. A bigger version of the same is hanging at the Jinnah Terminal of the Karachi Airport for over 20 years now,” he adds.

The exhibition is under way at National Museum

“It is not easy to weave the threads. It takes much hard work, time and patience. It takes up finances, too. I was able to weave the entire verses of the Quran in some 10 years. The material that I used also cost around Rs3,000,000,” he said, adding that just one pencil made from shisham or Indian rosewood which resists termites cost Rs50.

“I get the pencils made at a fancy market in Liaquatabad. A carpenter there prepares the wood, cuts it in eight-inch long pencils which are smoothened, polished and coated with lacquer,” he added.

He also gives a live demonstration of weaving words. “I’ll write one word, the greatest of all ‘Allah’ before you,” he says before getting busy with 18 long threads and a pencil. “To finish a complete line on a pencil takes me about one hour. And my limit is about six to seven pencils in a day,” he says. “One page of the Quran takes me three days to complete,” he informs while working through the threads careful not to get them tangled. “That’s how it takes me 10 years. In between, I have also fallen sick. I also had to undergo a cataract surgery,” he added.

It is a unique and amazing method. “If I make a mistake, it cannot be undone. I then need to cancel that pencil and set it aside and keep it safe,” he added.

Malhi tries to fit in a complete verse in one frame made of medium density fibreboard. “I don’t work Siparah-wise,” he explained.

There are several versions of the Ayat ul Kursi, which are not very big in size like the Surah al Fatiha frames. But there are also bigger frames such the one of Surah Al-Anfal, Surah Ibrahim, Surah Hud, Surah al Hijr that also weighs over 80kgs to 100kgs each.

Then the title of an each Surah inside a frame is also a piece of art in itself, a piece of calligraphy, against the background of the universe represented by celestial bodies done in spray paint by him.

The threads he uses for weaving may be of different colours, whatever he thinks would look good in the entire composition. Some frames have eight to 10 pencils, others have 50, 70, 100 or even 500 or more according to the length of a Surah. And each pencil is held on the panel with a pair of plastic holder clips.

His various works of art are highly sought after by people who are ready to pay handsome amounts for his artistic works. They hail from all over the world.

But once he had to part with a piece, he recreates another similar piece to ensure that he had the complete Quran in his possession.

“This is my work, my contribution, my passion. I wish someone could keep the entire holy Quran, my painstaking labour of love, in a gallery, in a museum to preserve it,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2022