Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Public Library has revealed a rare 1,000-year-old manuscript titled “Gharib Al Quran”, authored by the early scholar Abu Ubaidah Mamar Ibn Al Muthanna.
The manuscript, which dates to the fourth century, consists of 23 folios measuring 17 by 22 cm. It is written in clear Andalusian script, while the names of the surahs are inscribed in Kufic script.
According to the library, the manuscript remains an unpublished work in the field of Quranic sciences.
The library’s collection includes a diverse range of rare manuscripts on Quranic interpretation and linguistics spanning several centuries.
Notable works in the archive include those by Abu Ishaq Al Zajjaj and Ibn Qutaybah Al Dinawari, as well as parts of Tafsir al Tabari copied in the sixth century.
The archive currently holds more than 185 rare manuscripts on Quranic exegesis, in addition to hundreds of texts covering recitation, grammar, and interpretation.
The institution stated that it aims to showcase its rare manuscripts, documents, photographs, coins, and artefacts.
Furthermore, the library seeks to support academic research by making these rare manuscripts more accessible to scholars.
