The Birmingham Qur’an manuscript is one of the earliest surviving fragments of the Qur’an.
Remarkably, it is among the few early Qur’anic manuscripts globally to have undergone radiocarbon dating. Housed within the Mingana Collection, comprising 3000 Middle Eastern manuscripts, it is meticulously preserved by the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.
Culture Forward aims to increase engagement with our rare and precious cultural assets through a series of events and activities throughout 2024 co-created and delivered by our partners. These events will cater to diverse audiences both within and beyond the University of Birmingham campus and will take the form of theatrical productions, exhibitions, workshops, lectures and more.
Whether you are interested in theology and religion, history or art, there’s something for everyone. Further information will be shared on our website, so please keep an eye out.
Culture Forward launched this project through Nomad: A Tent for Reflection during the Birmingham Festival 2023 which asked the public to share reflections on faith and how they relate to it. The Culture Forward team also reached out to the local community during the Eid in Kings Heath event to hear a range of perspectives on how people would like to engage with the Mingana Collection and Birmingham Qur’an in the future. The meaningful conversations resulting from these two events have informed the shape of the project and the list of events.
Nomad: A Tent for Reflection; Credit: Pete Lopeman
Culture Forward Academic Director, Ewan Fernie, at the University of Birmingham stall during ‘Eid in Kings Heath’