The “Codex Mashhad,” also known as “Muṣḥaf-i Mashhad-i Raḍavī,” is a significant early Qur’ānic manuscript written in ḥijāzī script, originating from the Hejaz region of Arabia in the first Islamic century (7th century AD). Comprising two manuscripts (18 and 4116) housed at the Āstān-i Quds Library in Mashhad, Iran, the codex contains 252 folios, preserving over 95% of the Qur’ānic text. Through paleographic analysis, orthographic examination, and radiocarbon dating, its antiquity has been established, making it a critical primary source for studying the Qur’ān’s early textual history. While adhering to the ʿUthmānic standard, the codex uniquely retains Ibn Masʿūd’s sūra order, offering insight into alternative early Qur’ānic structures. Its vertical layout, verse separation, and minimalistic formatting, including pause markers and blank spaces between sūras, distinguish it from other ḥijāzī manuscripts. Endowed to the Shrine of Imām al-Riḍā (a) in the late 5th century AH by ʿAlī ibn Abī l-Qāsim al-Muqrī al-Sarawī, the codex also includes a deed of endowment in Eastern Kufic and early Ṭabarī Persian, enhancing its historical and cultural significance.

The publication of the photocopied version of the Kunya codex of Mathnavi by Molana lalal-al Din Mohammad Balkhi, preserved at the museum of Kunya (667 AH) copied by Mohammad Ibn Abdollah-e Kunavi, under the supervision of Hesam al_Dine-e Chalabi and Sultan Valad has provided new opportunities of study for the experts on Mathnavi. This codex became available to Nicholson after he had submitted chapters three and four for publication. However, he made use of this codex as the main criterion in the recension of the verses number 2835 of chapter three up to the end of chapter six. The double standard followed by Nicholson has significant implications for the experts involved in recensions. The present article is the result of an attempt to study: a) Nicholsons view on the value and validity of the Kunya codex, and his errors of editing, which every editor involved in recension is liable to, in chapters one, two and the first half of chapter thfee of Mathnavi, which most probably were due to the lack of access to a reliable codex, and b) his refusal in utilizing the codex of Kunya in editing the secede half of chapter three up to the end of chapter six. Throughout the present study, the criterion for the comparison between the edition by Nicholson and the codex of Kunya, has been the recension prepared by Dr. Mohammad Ali Estalami.

The McLennan library of McGill University houses glorious and precious sources of the brilliant Islamic and Persian culture. It contains the (peculiar) unique parts of the noble Quran. One of the oldest parts of the Quran which has been kept in the library is some verses of the holy chapter of al-Zumar. This part with kufic script (al-Khatt al-Kufi) has been written on the parchment of the skin. It has been used the red points to show the vowel marks and diacritics and cannot clearly pronounce on the point of the similar letters or the marks of divisions of the verses. One of the notable marks of this manuscript is the points around Waw (واو). These points have been utilized with respect to the next letter diacritic. The existence of two points between and before of «الف» of this part is considerable.

Background  The importance of the international food regulatory system to global health, is often overlooked. There are calls to reform this system to promote healthy and sustainable food systems centred on the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), the United Nation’s (UN’s) standard-setting body. Yet this presents a significant political challenge, given Codex has historically prioritized food safety risks over wider harms to public health, and is dominated by powerful food exporting nations and industry groups with a primary interest in trade expansion. To better understand this challenge, we examine who participates and contests Codex standards, using the development of the new Guidelines on Front-of-pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) as a case study. Methods  The study involved: (i) collecting Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) documents (2016-2023); (ii) identification, categorization, and enumeration of actors involved in the development of the Guidelines; and (iii) guided by a constructivist framework, analysis of how actors framed and contested key provisions of the Guidelines.  Results  Country representation was skewed towards high-income (47.9%). Member state delegations were dominated by non-health ministries (59.8%) and industry actors (16.1%). Industry actors comprised the large majority of observers (84.2%) and civil society actors representing public health interests the least (12.2%). Commercial actors used frames supporting positive FOPNL messages (eg, low in salt) opposing negative ones (eg, “high-in” sugar warnings) and called for product exemptions (eg, sports foods and baby foods). Public health actors used frames supporting simplified FOPNL to reduce consumer confusion, that hold up public health goals, and prevent inappropriate marketing. Conclusion  Participation in the Guidelines development process suggests stronger preferences for trade facilitation and commerce over public health. Ambitions to reform the international food regulatory system may require an examination of who participates and how to address this asymmetrical representation of interests. These results suggest the need to greatly strengthen public health representation at Codex.

One of the most famous manuscripts of the Qur'an attributed to the handwriting of Imam Ali (as) is the complete Kufi Qur'an No. 1 in the library of the shrine of Imam Ali (as) in Najaf Ashraf. The definite attribution of this version to the handwriting of Imam is not acceptable, but this version can be considered one of the most valuable Kufic manuscripts of the second century AH. This article, for the first time, examines the various aspects of it which includes its features, calligraphy, gilding, drawing and spelling, readings, number of verses and other characteristics of the Qur'anic manuscripts. In this version, which I call the "Muṣḥaf of Najaf", like most Kufi versions of the second and third centuries AH, visual features predominate in the writing of the Qur'an: Most of the disagreements on Quranic words of the early Muṣḥafs of the cities are written according to the Muṣḥaf of Basra; The verse counting system (Add al-Ay) is completely consistent with the visual system; and the difference between the readings recorded in the manuscript is mainly close to the readings of the readers of Basra (Abu ‘Amr and Ya'qūb) and sometimes of Kufa (Hamza and Kasāi).

Investigation of the functions of the name of Rustam in Shahnameh, based on semiotic systems Nowadays, semiotics, as a science that examines the signs in a text, has a special importance in the study of texts, especially literary texts and is considered an effective approach to entering some of the hidden layers of texts. Since semiotics examines signs in the form of a structure, in the study of literary texts, semiotic approach, faced with various systems that are examined with different angles. This research, by selecting two approaches, mythology and semiotics, tries to re-read Rostam's character in Shahnameh and to achieve this, examines the existence of this hero in the form of a sign structure. The root of the name of Rustam, his relationship with other characters in Shahnameh, the color of his flag and his marquee, his warfare, his horse, his war instruments, and etc. are among the most important cases that are placed in the structure of Rostam signs. the purpose of this research is to explain that What is related to the character of Rustam in Shahnameh, is in the form of a structure of signs, Which is through the study of the relationships between the Syntagmatic and Paradigmatic of this text, it is possible to understand the coincidence of functions of Rustam with everything that is related to him.

Background: Honey is one of the most valuable foods that used in human societies to treat many diseases due to its healing properties for centuries. The lack of an objective way to distinguish natural honey from counterfeit honey has strengthened the field of profiteering in this area and has led to the supply of counterfeit honey instead of natural honey. So honey quality must be controlled analytically with the aim of guaranteeing the reality and preserving the consumer from commercial speculation. Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate 24 samples of 9 commercial brands of honey in Tehran’ s markets with number 1 to 9 (1-AB, 2-TF, 3-DP, 4-JK, 5-SN, 6-SK, 7-IM, 8-MD, and 9-MH). A number of physical, chemical, and biological parameters of the samples were evaluated. Methods: Carbohydrate composition was determined by GC/Mass to evaluate the contents of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde (HMF) was quantified by HPLC-UV and other physicochemical quality parameters including moisture, pH, proline content; and diastase activity were also evaluated according to the Codex Alimentarius. Results: Only 2 brands met all major international specifications. Although all the parameters of the other brands were conformed, the diastase activity was not in a specific range. Conclusion: The diastasis activity is considered as the most important factor to evaluate honey quality based on the results of this study.

Background: International food standards set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), have become more prominent in international trade politics, since being referenced by various World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. We examine how this impacts implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Methods: Using trade in commercial milk formulas (CMFs) as a case study, we collected detailed data on interventions across various WTO bodies between 1995 and 2019. We used language from these interventions to guide data collection on member state and observer positions during the CAC review of the Codex Standard for Follow-up Formula (CSFUF), and during CAC discussions on the relevance of WHO policies and guidelines. Results: Exporting member states made 245 interventions regarding CMFs at the WTO, many citing deviations from standards set by the CAC. These did not occur in formal disputes, but in WTO Committee and Accession processes, toward many countries. In Thailand, complaints are linked to weakened regulation. Exporters also sought to narrow the CSFUF at the CAC in a way that is at odds with recommendations in the International Code. Tensions are growing more broadly within the CAC regarding relevance of WHO recommendations. Countries coordinated during WTO committee processes to advocate for reapportioning core WHO funding to the CAC and in order to further influence standard-setting. Conclusion: The commercial interests of the baby food industry are magnifying inconsistencies between health guidelines set by the WHO, standard-setting at the CAC, and functions of the WTO. This poses serious concerns for countries’ abilities to regulate in the interests of public health, in this case to protect breastfeeding and its benefits for the health of infants, children and mothers.