Muhammad Jaseem M.

Muhammad Jaseem M. (born 2000), popularly known as Jaseemgraphy, is an Indian calligrapher and student from Kerala, known for creating the longest handwritten Qur'an ever recorded. On 18 December 2022, he achieved a Guinness World Record by producing a handwritten Qur'an scroll measuring 1,106 metres (3,628 ft). His work, completed in traditional Arabic calligraphy, surpassed the previous record of 700 metres held by Egyptian calligrapher Mohammed Gabriel.

Early life and education

Jaseem was born in Cherumukku near Tirurangadi in Malappuram district, Kerala. He showed an inclination towards art from a young age and participated in painting competitions during his school years. His elder brother Ayoob, an amateur painter, and several schoolteachers encouraged his early interest in drawing and lettering.

He studied at SSMHS Thayyalingal, where a teacher named Mohammed introduced him to Arabic lettering on the blackboard. This exposure led him to explore Arabic calligraphy more deeply. In 2014, he attended an Arabic calligraphy workshop in Kannur, which helped refine his technique.

After completing his schooling, he joined Jami'a Nooriyya Arabic College, Pattikkad, where he continued his religious and calligraphy studies.

Longest handwritten Qur'an

Jaseem began writing the Qur'an by hand in 2020, following several months of practice to standardise the script and layout. The project required sustained concentration and adherence to traditional calligraphic rules. He worked extensively during the COVID-19 lockdown, spending up to eight hours a day on the manuscript, and even longer during Ramadan.

The completed handwritten Qur'an contains:

• 1,106 metres (3,628 ft) of handwritten text
• 1,996 pages
• 325,384 Arabic letters
• 77,437 Arabic words
• 114 chapters
• 6,348 verses

Each page measures 75 cm in height and 34 cm in width, with an average of 9–10 lines per page. The manuscript weighs over 118 kg. Jaseem used approximately 180 pens to complete the work and spent around ₹1.75 lakh on materials.

The verification of Jaseem's work was carried out by a team that included community leader Syed Munawwarali Shihab Thangal and All Guinness Records Holders (AGRH) State President Sattar Adoor. Thangal and Adoor later presented the Guinness World Record certificate to Jaseem at a function held at the Malappuram Press Club. AGRH secretary Sunil Joseph and fellow Guinness record holder Saleem Padavanna were also present at the event.

Recognition

The Guinness World Record was officially confirmed on 18 December 2022 at an exhibition held in Kozhikode, organised by the Noorul Ulama Students Association of Jami'a Nooriyya Arabic College. The certificate was presented to Jaseem at the Malappuram Press Club in the presence of Muslim Youth League State President Panakkad Sayyid Munavvarali Shihab Thangal, MLA P. Abdul Hameed, AGRH president Sattar Adoor, and several scholars.

With this achievement, Jaseem became the 75th person from Kerala to secure a Guinness World Record.

His handwritten Qur'an has since been exhibited at events across Kerala. In 2023, Jaseem travelled to Oman, where the manuscript was showcased and he met officials from the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.

See also

• Arabic calligraphy
• Quran manuscripts
• Guinness World Records