A rehal is built as a folding X-frame, usually carved from a single length of wood split and hinged so it opens into a stand and collapses flat for storage, a simple joinery solution to a specific problem, giving a reader a stable surface at a comfortable angle without setting the Quran directly on the floor or their lap.
Craftsmanship and regional styles
Plain versions are turned on a lathe from a single wood, while elaborate Ottoman, Persian and South Asian examples are inlaid with mother of pearl, ivory or fine marquetry, produced by furniture workshops rather than religious specialists, since the rehal itself is not considered sacred, only what rests on it. Some larger rehals are carved from a solid block rather than hinged, a heavier form generally kept in a mosque rather than a private home.
Who uses it, and its ordinary status
Any reader, young students in a madrasa, an elderly worshipper, or a household keeping a Quran for daily use, may use a rehal, and there is no restriction on ownership or manufacture. Because the object itself carries no textual sanctity, a damaged rehal is repaired or discarded as ordinary furniture, its entire purpose being to protect the dignity of the book it holds rather than to hold any of its own.