Mahmut Sami Özcan, 71, Preserves 57‑Year Qur'an‑Binding Tradition in Konya

Mahmut Sami Özcan, a 71‑year‑old craftsman in Konya, Turkey, has been a mücellit – a binder of the Qur’an – since 1969. He learned the trade as a child from his father, who repaired official documents and old Qur’ans. Today he works in a small workshop inside a business hall, where he now binds only Qur’ans, restoring copies that are too damaged to replace.

Özcan says the work teaches patience, describing the process of opening, repairing and re‑binding worn pages as a spiritual act. He adds, “Patience is a divine virtue,” and notes that customers from England, Germany and the Netherlands bring damaged Qur’ans to him. He repairs them at the same price as a new copy, emphasizing that the reverence for the holy book outweighs commercial concerns. The craft gives him personal peace and continues his family’s legacy.