Rehal (book rest)

A rehal[a] (Urdu: رحل, Hindi: रिहल, Bengali: রেহাল, Arabic: رَحْل)[1] or rahle Turkish: rahle) or tawla (Arabic: طاولة), is an X-shaped, foldable book rest or lectern used to hold religious scriptures for reverent display, as well as during reading or recitation.

[2] Used historically for many generations in South Asian and Arab countries, it is used both to hold and ensure respect for holy books (such as the Qur'an in Islam, the Ramayana in Hinduism, the Japji Sahib in Sikhism, and the Bible in Christianity) by keeping them elevated off the floor.

[1] For centuries folding lecterns have served throughout the Islamic world as supports for large Qur’an books used during recitations.

They were among the most valuable furnishings of every mosque and were decorated using a variety of techniques, including calligraphy and abstract floral arabesque motifs.

Secondary literature maintains that the form of these lecterns had been derived from folding chairs such as those that had already been used in ancient Egypt.