Naseem Akhtar, the housewife who sewed a Quran

Gujrat: Naseem Akhtar, belonging to a small town in Gujrat, spent 32 years of her life making a hand embroidered Quran which she claims is the only hand embroidered Quran in the world.

While speaking to ARY News, Naseem said she is the only woman to have completed a Quran which is hand sewn twice which makes it the only hand sewn Quran in the world of its kind. She further added that she made it all alone with absolutely no help from anybody, “I completed this Quran in 32 years, having started in my youth and finishing in old age. I researched and found out that this is the first hand sewn Quran by a woman in the world. No other person was involved in it. This is my independent hard work and dedication.”

Naseem decided that she wants to sew a Quran at a very young age but due to some unforeseen circumstances couldn’t start it until she was married. She started making the Quran in 1987 and was able to complete it in the year 2018. She says, “I had this interest even before my marriage but I couldn’t make it due to some reasons. In 1987 I decided to do it. Firstly, I got this cloth delivered from Faislabad; 12 piles. The width of which was 45 inches and length was 900 inches. I then shrinked and cut it. It took me a lot of time to cut and make it. Then I arranged it in order.”

Not being a very easy job, Naseem told ARY News that it took her an entire day to sew one or sometimes, 2 lines per day as she has to be super cautious of not making any mistakes. “I copied it from another Quran. Sometime I could make only 2 lines, sometimes 3. It wasn’t that easy to make it because I also had to read the word to make sure there is no mistake.”

Naseem now wants her Quran to represent her country worldwide, “I want this Quran to be taken by Pakistan to be submitted in the Guinness Book of World Records.There is no Quran which is hand embroidered. It is my wish that I get this represented in Madina Sharif on behalf of my Pakistan.”