, Jan. 31 -- Iraqi calligrapher Ali Zaman has completed an extraordinary handwritten copy of the Holy Quran after six years of tireless work, marking the end of a deeply personal artistic journey.

Standing beside his creation at a mosque in Istanbul, the 54-year-old artist said finishing the manuscript filled him with pride and gratitude. "Whenever I think about this Quran, I feel very happy. God gave me the life and strength to complete it, and that makes me proud," he told The Associated Press.

The manuscript is monumental in size and scope. It is made up of 302 double-sided scrolls, each about four metres (13 feet) long and 1.5 metres wide. The sheets, similar to thick parchment, were specially produced using traditional materials su...