‘Oldest’ Koran fragments discovered at Birmingham University
The oldest fragments of the Qur’an ever discovered have been found in the Mingana Collection at the Birmingham University Library. Those fragments (2 folii) written in Hijazi script on parchment have been carbon-dated around 568-645 A.D. and are remarkably clear and well-preserved. Their datation means that they could be contemporary to the Prophet Muhammad (who died in 632) and the copyist could well have heard the Prophet Muhammad preaching. Birmingham