Saudi Initiative Digitizes Rare Manuscripts, A Treasure for Arab Enthusiasts

A rare copy of the holy Quran dating back to the 13th century of the Islamic calendar is adorned with intricate decorations and gilded pages, totaling over 300 pages.

Other attention-grabbing manuscripts in the field of Islamic jurisprudence include a precious manuscript on the science of grammar by its author Muhammad Al-Rai, dating back to the year 1112 of the Islamic calendar, written in black ink, as well as another manuscript on the art of biography, narrating the life of one of the prominent figures in Islamic history, Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, written in the Naskh script almost two centuries ago.

Thousands of these rare manuscripts and unique preserved writings are now meticulously numbered and digitally accessible to researchers and enthusiasts seeking a closer examination of the valuable treasures of Arab and Islamic heritage.

A valuable wealth of thousands of manuscripts sheds light on the richness of the Arabic library and its abundance in various arts, as well as the contributions of Arab and Muslim scholars.

These are presented by the “Manuscript Access Initiative” launched by the Saudi Culture Ministry’s Libraries Authority through a specialized online platform that enables researchers and enthusiasts to browse through numerous numbered manuscripts across diverse classifications.

In Saudi Arabia, 27% of Arabic Manuscripts Are Found

Rare manuscripts have been preserved on the shelves of national libraries in Saudi Arabia, which possess a vast wealth of knowledge encompassing more than 27% of the total original Arabic and Islamic manuscripts in the Arab countries.

These manuscripts are now easily accessible, allowing for a thorough examination of their intricately adorned details, embellished with the ink and intellectual contributions of scholars who enriched the Arab and Islamic library with diverse arts and knowledge.

Saudi Arabia enjoys a leading position in preserving and safeguarding rare manuscripts, as well as in valuing the treasures of Arab and Islamic heritage that reflect the efforts of pioneers in knowledge, understanding, and culture, with all their diverse arts and colors.

The Kingdom is recognized as one of the proactive and pioneering countries in preserving historical records, driven by its geographical location and historical presence, dating back to pre-Islamic times and spanning the Islamic eras.

Over time, the Kingdom has served as a profound source for Arab and Islamic civilization, a home to various civilizations, a cradle for divine messages, and a bridge connecting cultures and messages.

Saudi Leadership in Preserving Scientific Heritage

Efforts in Saudi Arabia are distributed across its specialized scientific, intellectual, and cultural institutions, which engage in the collection, restoration, and preservation of manuscripts.

These institutions also equip laboratories with state-of-the-art technologies for restoration and maintenance.

One prominent example is the General Administration of Acquisitions and Rare Books at the King Fahad National Library, which is responsible for the restoration of manuscripts, as well as the preservation of documents and rare items.

Moreover, another center dedicated to the restoration of manuscripts, documents, photographs, and rare books at the King Abdulaziz Public Library supports the preservation of maps, magazines, newspapers, as well as currencies, coins, and other heritage and historical materials.

It ensures their protection against damage and deterioration while maintaining a diverse range of historical artifacts in the library.

In turn, the Restoration and Conservation Department at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies carries out the same mission, ever since its first experiments in the field of manuscript restoration in 1984, under the supervision of a group of experts from the UK.

In 2005, King Salman bin Abdulaziz inaugurated the new headquarters of the King Abdulaziz Foundation.

This facility supports its efforts in serving history, preserving heritage, documents, and ancient manuscripts, and caring for them. The center's work extends beyond the preservation of the foundation's collections to the safeguarding of heritage held by citizens, public, and private libraries.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia supports the establishment of independent manuscript departments in most of its libraries, encouraging the study and publication of manuscripts through the support of postgraduate programs at universities, issuing specialized catalogs for manuscripts, and digitally making them available to researchers worldwide.

Raging wildfires that continue to burn a path of destruction through Southern California claimed the Will Rogers ranch along with a number of other local landmarks in what is already the most damaging fire in Los Angeles history.

Some monuments remain unscathed, such as the famous Hollywood sign that looms above the city in the Santa Monica mountains, and the Getty Villa, a museum named for billionaire oilman J. Paul Getty that houses a collection of artifacts and antiquities.

However, the Will Rogers ranch, home to the one-time vaudeville performer who rose to fame as a syndicated newspaper columnist, "cowboy philosopher," radio personality and movie star, was gutted on Tuesday by the Palisades Fire.

State parks employees were able to remove some of the cultural and historical artifacts from the Rogers home, though the 31-room ranch house and stables are gone. All that remains are two chimneys.

It is unclear whether touchstones from Rogers' life, such as a light fixture made from a wagon wheel and a stuffed calf that a friend gave him so he could rope on rainy day, were recovered.

"When you were there, you could really feel the guy’s presence," said Ben Yagoda, author of "Will Rogers: A Biography," who became overcome with emotion while discussing the loss. "It was kept exactly how they had it. It’s just such a lovely location and it’s very, very peaceful."

Another casualty of the fire was the Topanga Ranch Motel once owned by publisher William Randolph Hearst.

In Altadena, the Eaton Fire claimed the Bunny Museum, the quirky home to more than 46,000 rabbit-themed objects that owners Candace Frazee and Steve Lubanski collected over four decades. The museum, which earned a Guinness world record for amassing the most bunny-related items, was leveled by fire on Wednesday, despite attempts by Lubanski to save it.

"The museum was the last building to burn around us as Steve so valiantly hosed the building down all night long, but when the building next door went down, it spread to the museum," the owners wrote on Instagram.

The Reel Inn, a seafood shack on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, was heavily damaged by the Palisades Fire. The restaurant known for its kitschy decor of faux sea creatures and twinkling lights was a local favorite, according to one review from Travel + Leisure.

"We are heartbroken and unsure what will be left," owners Teddy and Andy Leonard wrote on Instagram. "Hopefully, the state parks will let us rebuild when the dust settles."

The Queen Anne Victorian-style mansion Rand McNally co-founder Andrew McNally built in the late 1800s in Altadena was among the homes destroyed on Wednesday, according to video of the fire captured by ABC News.

"We aren't just losing homes -- we're losing history, culture, and pieces of our shared history," wrote Eric B. on the social media platform X.

Saudi Initiative Digitizes Rare Manuscripts, A Treasure for Arab Enthusiasts