Though the art of paper-making had arrived in Baghdad in the 9th century via the Silk Road, the thinner and more consistent texture of Ibn al-Bawwab's manuscript indicates that the development of finer paper, worthy of transcribing God's word, was a factor in the move from parchment to paper.
Although paper-making had reached Baghdad in the 9th century via the Silk Road, the smoother and more uniform texture of Ibn al-Bawwab's manuscript suggests that the creation of finer paper suitable for writing sacred texts was a contributing factor to the shift from parchment to paper.