Saudi Arabian library unveils rare 1,000-year-old Quran

 

1,000-year-old Quranic manuscript unveiled by Saudi library 

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Public Library has unveiled a rare, 1,000-year-old Quran manuscript titled “Gharib Al Quran”, authored by the early Islamic scholar Abu Ubaidah Mamar Ibn Al Muthanna.

Dating back to the fourth century AH, the manuscript comprises 23 folios measuring 17 by 22 cm. It is penned in elegant Andalusian script, with the names of surahs inscribed in Kufic script. This work remains unpublished and represents a significant contribution to Quranic studies.

 

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The library’s collection spans centuries of rare manuscripts on Quranic interpretation and linguistics. Notable works include texts by Abu Ishaq Al Zajjaj and Ibn Qutaybah Al Dinawari, as well as portions of Tafsir al-Tabari copied in the sixth century AH. In total, the archive houses over 185 rare manuscripts on Quranic exegesis, alongside hundreds of texts on recitation, grammar, and interpretation.

The King Abdulaziz Public Library aims to showcase its rare collections—including manuscripts, documents, photographs, coins, and artifacts—while fostering academic research and facilitating access for scholars to study these invaluable works.

Source: Gulf News