A 19th century Chinese Quran
Doha: On the occasion of Ramadan and in celebration of Arabic Manuscript Day to be held on April 4, Qatar National Library (QNL) will host several online events dedicated to the study of Quranic manuscripts.
The events promote cultural understanding and historical research on the region and position the library as the nation’s prime institution of reference for Arabic and Islamic heritage and civilisation.
On March 30, the QNL will host an online international seminar titled “Quranic Manuscript Traditions: Readings from the Qatar National Library Collection.”
The seminar will gather international experts who have studied the traditions of the production of Quran manuscripts over 14 centuries and over a sprawling geographical area and will also focus on Qurans from the periphery of Islam. The lecture will discuss Quranic manuscripts from the library’s rich collection in relation to important, relevant manuscripts from various other collections around the world.
The library’s monthly “Manuscript Studies Lecture Series” in collaboration with the Manuscript Centre at Sultan Mohammed al Fatih University in Istanbul, returns on April 11 with the lecture “Studying Quranic Manuscripts: A New Approach.”
The lecture, delivered by Mahmoud Zaki, Manuscript Specialist at the library, will introduce participants to new scientific approaches to studying Quranic manuscripts that include sciences and research disciplines such as the history of the Quranic text, Quranic studies, and the codicology of the Quranic manuscripts.
A Quran recitation session will be held on April 13, allowing participants to recite the Quran from manuscripts dating back from the first and second Hijri centuries. The session’s recitation will be moderated by Ahmed Khaled Shukri, Professor of Quranic Studies at Qatar University, who will be joined by Ahmed Shaker, Researcher in Quranic manuscripts, and Mahmoud Zaki, Manuscripts Specialist at the library.
Wassilena Sekulova, Head of Manuscripts and Archives at Qatar National Library said, “The Heritage Library provides a rich collection of valuable historical texts, manuscripts and rare items which can be accessed by researchers, historians and the general public. Our vast collection of Arab and Islamic heritage is important in promoting cultural understanding and historical research in the region, thereby continuing the library’s mission towards preserving and sharing Arab and Islamic heritage for future generations.”
The library currently houses around a thousand Quranic volumes, ranging from complete Quranic manuscripts to individual sets, divided into thirty parts. The oldest of them are Quranic fragments written on parchment dating back to the 7th and 8th century of the Gregorian calendar and manuscripts of the Quran attributed to reputed scribes and calligraphers, including Ahmed Karahisari, Umar al Aqta and Al Zubara Mushaf, which was written in Qatar.
QNL Manuscripts Specialist, Mahmoud Zaki said, “We look forward to sharing valuable insights about Quranic manuscripts based on our rich collection at the Heritage Library. Our events, which target academics, specialised researchers and the general public, aim to share knowledge and research on Quranic manuscript traditions of production, reading and analysis. They further aim to introduce interdisciplinary research approaches when studying these materials.”
