Newsletter No.19

Newsletter No. 19

Winter 2020

Al-Furqān

Islamic Heritage Foundation

Glorious Past, Brighter Future

Newsletter

Issue No. 19

In this Issue: Visits and Participations Website Al-Furqān Digital Library Al-Furqān Library Recent Publications Book Fairs Ongoing Projects In Memoriam Al-Furqān and Its Centres

Winter 2020

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Newsletter No. 19

Winter 2020

Table of Contents

Al-Furqān

Islamic Heritage Foundation Message from the Chairman

Newsletter Issue No. 19, Winter 2020

Visits and Participations

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Website

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Publisher:

Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation

Al-Furqān Digital Library

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Al-Furqān Library

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Recent Publications

Board of Directors

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“The Earth and its Sciences in Islamic Manuscripts” (New Edition)

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“The Noble Qur’ān from Revelation to Compilation (2)”

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Chairman

“History of the Study Circles in the Two Holy Mosques”

H.E. Ahmed Zaki Yamani

“Multiplicity of Reference in the Light of the Objectives of Islamic Law”

Members Prof. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu Prof. Mohamed Salim El-Awa Mr. Sharaf Yamani

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Distributors of Al-Furqān’s Publications

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Book Fairs

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Ongoing Projects

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“Miftāḥ al-Sa‘ādah wa Miṣbāḥ al-Siyādah”

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“Kashf al-Żunūn”

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Managing Director

“Ottoman Scientific Heritage”

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Mr. Sali Shahsivari

“Al-Istidhkār”

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The book “Maḥāsin al-Sharī‘ah fī Furū‘ Fiqh al-Shāfi‘iyyah”

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“Nuzhat al-Mushtāq fī Tārīkh ʿUlamāʾ al-ʿIrāq”

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Address

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London, W8 4PL England – UK

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“Kitāb al-Ibānah wa al-Iʿlām bimā fī Al-Minhāj min al-Khalal wa al-Awhām”

22A Old Court Place

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“Catalogue of Manuscripts of Ayasofya Collection at Suleymaniye Library”

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In Memoriam

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Shaykh Mohammad Mukhtar al-Sallami

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Dr Mohammad Haytham al-Khayat

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Tel: +44 (0) 20 3130 1530 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7937 2540

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Dr Mohammad Kamal al-Din Imam

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Al-Furqān and Its Centres

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Email: info@al-furqan.com www.al-furqan.com

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Message From the Chairman It is a source of delight to reach you - cherished followers of AlFurqān Islamic Heritage Foundation - through this Newsletter, in order to present the Foundation’s activities and projects.

At this time, the entire world is living in an exceptional and unprecedented situation; the Corona virus pandemic ushered in a plethora of difficulties and complications, including closure of most scientific, cultural, and educational institutions, and provoking hitherto unanticipated, seismic shifts across many domains, globally.

Despite this calamity, and the hurdles in carrying on activities and events as normal, Al-Furqān Foundation continues to pursue its mission of preserving, protecting and serving the Muslim nation’s abundant heritage. Indeed, this heritage is one of the primary reasons for the Muslim civilisation’s rise and success in the sciences - revealed, rational, or empirical. It represents the Muslim nation’s collective memory, chronicled knowledge, and foundation of renaissance.

In order to achieve this noble goal, the Centre for the Study of Islamic Manuscripts at the Foundation continues its mission of searching for manuscripts across the globe; locating, documenting, cataloguing, critically editing, and publishing them. In addition to this, , the Centre works to fuel the enthusiasm of budding young researchers, encouraging them to acquire the means of understanding this heritage, and the tools of critical edition. The aim is to ensure robust foundations in the trajectory of serving this great heritage, and continuing our forefathers’ journey to brighter future horizons.

In this respect, over the past months, the Centre for the Study of Islamic Manuscripts reprinted the conference proceedings entitled “Earth and its Sciences in Islamic Manuscripts”, edited by Dr Ibrahim Chabbouh. The Centre also published the proceedings of its Ninth Conference “The Noble Qur’ān from Revelation to Compilation 2”, and, in the forthcoming months, aims to release: “Kashf al-ẓunūn ‘an asāmī al-kutub wa al-funūn”, by Kâtip Çelebi, critically edited by Professor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu and Professor Bashar Awwad Marouf (and his team) ; “Nuzhat al-mushtāq fī tārīkh ‘ulamā’ al-‘Irāq” by ‘Abd al-Ghaffūr al-Raḥbī al-Baghdādī, critically edited by Dr Mahdi al-Jumaili; “Kitāb al-ibānah wa al-i‘lām bi mā fī al-Minhāj min al-khalal wa al-awhām” by Ibn al-Baiyṭār, critically edited by Dr Ibrahim Ben Mrad; “Al-Istidhkār” by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, critically edited by Professor Bashar Awwad Marouf and his team of editors; and “Miftāḥ al-sa‘ādah wa miṣbāḥ al-siyādah” by Ṭāsh Kubrī Zādah, critically edited by Professor Ahmed Chouqui Binebine, Dr Muhammad Said Hinchi, and Dr Abdul Aali Lemdabbar. In the domain of cataloguing, the Centre will publish “Fihris makhṭūṭāt Āyaṣofyā bi al-maktabah al-Sulaymāniyyah”, prepared by a group of cataloguers, and edited by Prof. Dr. Ramazan Şeşen. Furthermore, under bibliographic studies, the Centre aims to publish the book, “Al-Turāth al-‘ilmī al-‘Uthmānī”—an encyclopaedic work prepared and supervised by Professor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu in Turkish, and translated by Professor Majda Makhlouf.

The Foundation continues to focus its attention on its pioneering, knowledgeable, cultural and civilisational project, The

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Encyclopaedia of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Al-Madīnah AlMunawwarah, which highlights the immense value of these two noble cities to Islamic civilisation, and their vital, crucial roles in diverse domains over the centuries.

Through the Centre for the Study of the Philosophy of Islamic Law, the Foundation exerts its utmost effort to achieve its mission of reviving and promoting objectives-based thought, and its application to reality, while stimulating quality research into objectives (maqāṣid); in addition, supporting novel studies in the jurisprudence of priorities (fiqh al-awlawiyyāt), the jurisprudence of Divine laws of life (fiqh al-sunan al-Ilāhiyyah), utilities and outcomes (almanāfi‘ wa al-ma’ālāt); furthermore, inviting scholars and Islamic organisations involved in issuing fatwas to highlight the connection between texts (nuṣūṣ), rulings (aḥkām), and objectives (maqāṣid), in their fatwas and researches. In this regard, the Centre published the book, “Ta‘addud al-marji‘iyyah fī ḍaw’ maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah al-Islāmiyyah”, authored

by Professor Noureddine Khadmi; while the book “Maḥāsin al-sharī‘ah fī furū‘ fiqh al-Shāfi‘iyyah” by alQaffāl Shāshī, renowned as al-Qaffāl al-Kabīr, critically edited by Professor Abdul Hamid Madkour, is due for release shortly.

Over the previous year, alongside these projects and publications, the Foundation has worked diligently to improve its infrastructure, in order to make its projects, studies, publications and activities visible to the largest possible number of interested persons, and in an easily accessible and engaging format, to ensure the greatest benefit. Hence, it reworked its Website—its window to the world, and platform for scholars, researchers, and students in the domain of Islamic civilisation and heritage. The New Website is more content-driven than ever before, and provides a more in-depth perspective into the Foundation and its work. In the previous months, the Foundation also continued to enrich its Digital Library, representing a growing repository of bibliographic information on Islamic written heritage, which is accessible to everyone on the Internet. Moreover, expanding the Reference Library in London, containing a collection of specialised and rare references and sources on Islamic written heritage, with the aim of supporting scientific research in the heritage domain, and making tools and references available, particularly to interested researchers and students in the areas of Islamic manuscript studies.

In conclusion, I am pleased to offer my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those who stood by us—gracious professors, students, researchers, and readers, who lent their support by tendering advice, guidance, and encouragement. To all we say, may Allāh reward you abundantly for your excellent engagement with these achievements, which we owe in every way to Allāh, the Almighty; to Him we are most grateful, and from Him, we draw support. Our thanks go also to our outstanding team of staff, , who have exerted great effort and spent valuable time, placing themselves at the service of this civilisational endeavour.

Allāh is the Benefactor of all success, and to Him belongs all praise, at every beginning and end…

Ahmed Zaki Yamani WWW.AL-FURQAN.COM

Newsletter No. 19

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Visits & Participations 11/02/2020 Visit of Mr Ahmed Yahic, on behalf of his father Dr Mustafa Jahic

The aim of the conference was to provide insight into the characteristics of this Islamic nation, revealing the features and facets of its identity, dusting off its intellectual and spiritual heritage, and shedding light on the scientific and civilisational legacy of scholars from Transoxiana (mā warā’ al-nahr). The conference discourse encompassed the recent landmark achievements, including the establishment of numerous scientific research centres, most prominently the Centre of Islamic Civilization, entrusted with research into the country’s scientific heritage, as well as promoting noble Islamic values and principles among the youth and the younger generation.

The conference also reflected on an analysis of the life and works of Imām Abū Manšūr al-Māturīdī, a study of the evolution of Maturidiyya teachings after his death, and the biographies of his disciples and their scientific legacy. The conference also examined the importance of the heritage of Imām Abū Manšūr al-Māturīdī and his disciples in resolving emergent matters experienced in this day and age.

International experts praised the practical measures taken by Uzbekistan in enhancing the activities of religious education bodies. This included founding the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, Mir-i-Arab Madrassa Higher Education Institution, the Sufi Teaching School within Bahaud-Dīn Naqshaband Centre in Bukhara, the Imām alBukhārī Hadith Science School at Imām al-Bukhārī Memorial Complex, the Ilm al-Kalam School at Imām al-Māturīdī Centre in Samarkand, the Islamic Fiqh School in Burhan al-Din al-Marghinani Science Centre in Ferghana, and the Ilm al-Aqaid School at Abū al-Mu‘īn al-Nasafī Centre in Qashqadaryo.

The Conference sessions involving discussion and activities resulted in a set of resolutions and recommendations, most importantly: • Establishing a memorial complex in Samarkand for

14/02/2020 Visit of Dr Adnan Al Sharif

3-5/3/2020 Participation of Al-Furqān Foundation at the International Conference on “Imām Abū Manšūr al-Māturīdī and the Teaching of Maturidiyya: The Past and the Present” The Republic of Uzbekistan Presidency and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs co-organised an international scientific conference titled: “Imām Abū Manšūr al-Māturīdī and the Teaching of Maturidiyya: The Past and the Present”. The conference was held over three days, 3-5 March 2020, in the city of Samarkand, the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The conference witnessed the participation of delegations representing many Islamic bodies and scientific universities, as well as scholars from Uzbekistan, and over 70 scholars and thinkers from the Grand al-Azhar. In addition, it was attended by scholars, religious leaders, and directors of scientific and research centres from over 20 countries, including Malaysia, Turkey, Pakistan, Algeria, Britain, Italy, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation participated in this conference, represented by its Head of Projects & Publications, Mr Mohamed Drioueche.

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ences. The conference delegates also visited the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, and met its directors and students, then visited the mosque and mausoleum of the erudite scholar, Qaffāl al-Shāshī (God’s Mercy upon him).

Imām al-Māturīdī, following national architectural traditions, sited in the square of his mausoleum, in recognition of his efforts in the Islamic disciplines, and presenting him as a role model for future generations.

• Authoring and publishing books elucidating Imām al-Māturīdī’s works, alongside a series of booklets and academic studies dedicated to his life, works, and moral legacy, in recognition of this scholar’s role in developing spiritual values.

• Preparing illuminating commentaries and glosses on his books, “al-Tawḥīd”, “Ta’wīlāt Ahl al-Sunnah”, and “Tabṣirat al-’Adillah”, with the aim of introducing the public to the approach and thoughts of Maturidiyya teachings vis-à-vis issues pertaining to intellect, thought, and knowledge.

Mr Mohamed Drioueche proposed to the delegates that, for the purpose of supporting research into Maturidiyya heritage, it was key to survey, gather, and conserve the works by Imām Māturīdī and Maturidiyya scholars held in world libraries. Moreover, to establish a reference library of Maturidiyya heritage texts, with the necessary search facilities, and a database containing catalogues and other bibliographic works related to Maturidiyya heritage. In addition, to ensure easy access to scholars, researchers, and students concerned with this heritage and civilisation. He stressed the importance of cataloguing Uzbek heritage, in general, and critically editing the valuable scientific manuscript works of Abū Manšūr Māturīdī, Abū al-Mu‘īn al-Nasafī, and other representatives of the Maturidiyya school of thought.

After the conference ended, the participating delegations visited Imām Māturīdī Memorial Complex, comprising a mosque and cemetery, in the village of “Maturid”. This was followed by a visit to the tomb in Bukhara of Imām al-Bukhārī (God’s Mercy upon him), compiler of the book, al-Jāmi‘ al-Ṣaḥīḥ, popularly known as “Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī”, and a meeting with those in charge of Imām al-Bukhārī higher Islamic Institute for Prophetic tradition and sci-

15/12/2020 Participation of the Managing Director of AlFurqān, Mr Sali Shahsivari, at the 4th International Digital Conference "The cultural legacy of Uzbekistan as the basis of the new Renaissance" which was held online on 15th December.

Mr Shahsivari delivered the opening ceremony greetings speech, on behalf of the Foundation.

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Website New Features include: 1. New Content Structure We have made some changes to the general data layout and hierarchy of information, for a better user experience and for a better portrayal of the Foundation’s work across the three different centres. This new structure has been reflected on the website main menu for easier navigation.

Introducing our New Website New Website launch (10th February 2020) Earlier this year, we were very excited to announce the launch of our newly designed website. It is important for us to make information easily accessible for our customers and readership.

Our goal with this new website is to provide our visitors an easier way to learn about Al-Furqān’s activities, events and publications, and to browse information based on their own choice.

2. Separate landing pages and structures for each Centre Each of the Foundation's 3 Centres has a dedicated homepage section that encompasses all information, activities and publications related to the Centre.

3. Quick access to Publications in the different categories The new website is more content driven, and gives better insight on who we are and what we do.

It is also a gateway to the Foundation’s Digital Library, a continuously growing repository of bibliographic information on Islamic written heritage.

There are a range of new features across the different sections of the website, which will be introduced in this article.

Visitors can now browse our website on any device, as the website is responsive to the various screen sizes of mobile phones, tablets, laptops and computers.

The homepage features a quick access area to our publications, which displays the most recent titles in each category.

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d) Multi-Currency & More Payment Methods

4. Better insight on Publications (Enhanced E-commerce System)

Customers can check-out in their preferred currency, between GBP, EUR or USD, and using either PayPal or World Pay as a payment method. e) Streamlined Ordering Process We keep customers fully informed on their order status - as it moves through the fulfilment process - through a series of email communications. f) Recommendations on Relevant Publication Personalised recommendations are generated and sent via email to customers, based on their purchases on our website.

Similar and relevant titles are also suggested on most of the publications’ pages.

The Publications area has a range of new features, as following: a) Consolidated information We have brought together all information that is related to a publication in one view, where the customer can see: Table of Content, Look Inside, Watch Related Video, See Related Images, Read Selected Articles from this title, or View Related or Similar Books. b) Preview "Look Inside" Feature We have integrated Nielsen’s Book2Look widgets for many of our publications. The widget allows the visitor/customer to view the first pages of the publication as a flipbook, including the Table of Content and book Introduction.

g) Offers and Coupons Promotions and discount code fields are being introduced on our checkout pages. Codes are delivered via email, and in our sales campaigns.

c) Catalogue Production Up-to-date publications’ catalogues are available for download in PDF format. Customers can generate catalogues for the different categories of our publications, such as: • Al-Furqān Publications Catalogue • Manuscript Centre Publications • Mawsoa Centre Publications • Maqāṣid Centre Publications • Other Publications

h) Customer Reviews & Endorsements We have added a Customer Review section to our Publications’ area, to get more insight from our readership, and have their feedback on our publications. Customers can also leave quick reviews, using the one-tap star ratings.

In addition to Customer Reviews, there is a separate tab where we are including received Endorsements and Reviews on our publications.

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age, with a special focus on studies of Manuscripts, studies related to the Two Holy Cities (Makkah and Madinah), studies on the Objectives of the Philosophy of Islamic Law, other studies on Islamic Heritage, as well as providing different articles on selected International Days.

The relevant Publication to each article is usually featured on the articles’ pages, if readers would like to learn more about the title.

Furthermore, readers can leave their feedback and comments via the Reviews and Star System at the bottom of the article page, as well as share it via the different share buttons at the top of the page.

5. Link to Digital Library Portal The Digital Library portal has moved to a sub-domain.

However, it is accessible on the new website through a new designed search area.

Customers browsing publications on the Digital Portal will be redirected to the new website, to process any purchases or sales transactions.

8. Media Links Video coverage and gallery of past events are uploaded on the corresponding events pages on our website, as well as on our YouTube channel.

Our latest events’ videos are featured on the homepage, for quick access.

6. Reference Library Al-Furqān’s Library is a reference library, which contains an in-depth collection of material on the Islamic written heritage.

We have included more details on our collection, reading room policies, and a new ‘Ask a Librarian’ form, in order to direct readers’ queries instantly to our Library team.

9. Mailing List & Social Media Links The website footer area now has a quick subscription form, so visitors can sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest announcements and updates on our activities. Links to our different social media sites are also accessible from this area.

7. Selected Articles This New Website will be aimed at being more content driven, by providing various articles on the Islamic written herit-

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Al-Furqān’s Digital Library Al-Furqān’s role in raising awareness and supporting research to explore the Islamic written heritage is unsurpassed in modern times.

In response to digital advancements, Al-Furqān established an online Digital Library back in 2013, when it celebrated its 25th Anniversary under the motto “25 Years Serving the Islamic Written Heritage”.

‘Al-Furqān’s Digital Library’ presents a wealth of content from unique references and primary sources. This content, once only available in printed format, is now fully digitised and accessible in a user-friendly and interactive manner.

This digitisation work is part of the Foundation’s continuous mission in enabling research within the field of Islamic written heritage. The Foundation is fulfilling this mission by making this wealth of knowledge easily retrievable and freely accessible to the researchers across the world.

This online platform is available in both Arabic and the English language.

The ‘Al-Furqān Digital Library’ contains five main databanks, namely: 1. ‘World Collections’: bibliographic information about manuscripts and manuscript collections worldwide.

2. ‘Manuscripts’: a continuously growing repository of works in the field of Islamic written heritage.

3. ‘Maqāšid’: a comprehensive bibliography within the field of the objectives of Islamic law.

4. ‘Our Library’: the online catalogue of the references and specialised collections that can be consulted in house.

5. ‘Our Publications’: an overview about the Foundation’s publications.

The size of each databank / collection is displayed - in numbers - under the respective name on the navigation bar; and these numbers are updated regularly and whenever new items are added to the particular databank / collection.

This online platform is equipped with four basic navigation areas, which can be found consistently in every databank / collection page, i.e.: a) ‘Basic Search’ area: a general search window, equipped with helpful filters, in order to limit the search, while carrying a general search. The user can search for an item by: Title, Subject, Author and Library, as well as by choosing a certain databank / collection within the digital library repository. b) ’Databanks / Collections’ navigation bar: this allows the users to search within each databank / collection.

c) ‘Refine’ tab: to help narrow down the search, using various parameters, such as type, language and size of a certain collection. These parameters differ in each databank / collection, reflecting the respective content. d) ‘Browse by’ tab: to help users explore further content on a particular databank / collection, through certain parameters, such as place, time, name, topic, etc.

These parameters differ in each databank / collection, reflecting the respective content. e) ‘Results’ page: by default, this page lists results in alphabetical order.

The Digital Library is designed in a way that enables the users to navigate through the information intuitively and by cross-searching between the abovementioned databanks / collections, which are interlinked through the various access points of ’Date’, ’Place’, ‘Name’ and ‘Topic’.

Therefore, while users can search each databank / collection separately within its own page, they can also review the results of all collections grouped in one place, i.e. in the “Everything” page. This page provides a quick overview of the results in all five databanks / collections. By using the ‘Refine’ filters, users are able to navigate and narrow or widen the results by selecting from a number of options related to the type of resources, the collection, and the country. Also, they can ’Browse’ the digital content in the same page by exploring the ’Subject’ and ’Names’ of contributors (such as authors and compilers).

The results listed on the “Everything” page further indicate the collection it is held in.

Users can abandon the search performed at any stage, as they can clear all selections made in the different filters of each page simultaneously, by clicking on the ’Start over’ button.

Users can also create their own account in our Digital Library, where all actions performed can be saved for future reference, such as conducted searches, search results, or items marked as favourite.

Furthermore, account holders can choose to be updated with future events organised by the Foundation, such as

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public events and courses, as well as receive notifications about the latest publications and offers.

A detailed ‘Guide to Use Digital Library’ can be found at the top of the online Digital Library page.

A unique outcome of the Survey was the identification of all the various catalogues. Just over 5,500 catalogues of Islamic manuscripts were surveyed, including the listing of almost 700 union catalogues, and almost 1,000 unpublished catalogues.

All this information and much more is ready to be explored on the Al-Furqān Digital Library, under the ‘World Collections’ databank.

The following navigational tools are available to help discover the collections, and spark off research: a) ‘Refine’ tab: the user can restrict the search by limiting it to five parameters: ‘Type of institution’, ‘Size of collection’, ‘Date of establishment’, ‘Language’ and ‘Subject’. Regarding the parameter of ‘Subject’, it is worth mentioning that it is unavailable on the published version of the survey. Due to this, we prioritised the inclusion of ‘Subjects’ as part of the ‘World Collection’. b) ‘World Map’: a display area of the world map, to help represent visually the geographical location of the libraries surveyed. These locations are highlighted on the map. The user is able to zoom in the map, in order to inspect the region and the spread of the libraries in any particular area. c) ‘Browse by’ tab: to help users choose from a number of options to narrow down their search. Users can explore the libraries by ‘Country’, ‘City’ or ‘Library’. d) ‘Results’ page: by default, this page lists all the libraries identified in the survey alphabetically. It also displays the search results in the same order.

To help study the results more easily, the list displays the Library name, the City and Country it is located in, the ‘Type’ of the library (institutional or private), and the total number of Catalogues held.

Exploring the databanks / collections included in the Al-Furqān Digital Library 1. ‘World Collections’ databank / collection The ‘World Collections’ databank / collection holds the digitised outcome of the survey on the collections of Islamic manuscripts in the world, completed and published by the Al-Furqān Foundation in 1994, under the title “The World Survey of Islamic Manuscripts”.. This Survey is available in both the English and Arabic language.

This flagship project (the only one of this type to date) started in 1989, focusing on identifying and recording undocumented Islamic manuscript collections in the world, with the aim to support and instigate research into the field of Islamic manuscripts. A number of known scholars and experts contributed to this encyclopaedic work.

The Survey identified collections in 106 countries. It is a compilation of detailed independent studies, highlighting just over a million and a half Islamic manuscripts from just over 2,500 collections. These collections, in more than 40 languages, belong to public and private libraries in almost 1,300 cities. It gathered extensive information about these libraries, including details about their establishment and the status of their collections, unveiling in the process rare manuscripts.

For example, the collection of manuscripts at the Institute of Oriental Culture (University of Tokyo) - that was acquired in 1987 - included several new and unique Islamic manuscripts.

The noteworthy discoveries were two copies of Risāla fī anwāʿ al-mashrūʿāt, a comprehensive work on the terminology of jurisprudence, by Luṭf Allāh al-Kaydānī (died 1349 AD /750 AH). These were significant findings, as they had not even been mentioned in the most renowned classical period references, such as Brockelmann’s famous work Geschichte der Arabischen Litteratur (GAL), Sezgin’s Geschichte Des Arabischens Schriftums (GAS), and Kaḥḥala’s Muʿjam al-muʾallifīn.‎ A large number of the identified libraries have listed and included detailed descriptions about the manuscripts held in their collection, in a form of a document or publication.

This publication is known as a ‘catalogue’; with most of them published and available for purchase. Another form of a published catalogue is one that was compiled by a group of libraries, known as ‘library consortium’. These libraries partnered to combine their collections into one unified published catalogue, known as a ‘union catalogue’.

Some libraries held collections that were not catalogued or documented. Others made an attempt to describe their collections in simplified lists and general documentations. These were usually not published and are known as ‘unpublished catalogues’.

Once the users specify the Library they wish to explore, they will be taken to the final destination, where details about that particular Library are revealed in three sections: The first section contains: a) ‘Library Description’ page: this includes the contact details (postal address and telephone number), date of establishment, the status of the library (private or public), the size of the collection (total number of Islamic manuscripts), a summary description of the collection, and the total number of published and unpublished catalogues. A link to the library is also available.

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2. ‘Manuscripts’ databank / collection The ‘Manuscripts’ databank / collection presents a large amount of bibliographical records of Islamic manuscripts.

The Foundation concentrated its efforts - at first - in digitising the manuscript collections that were catalogued and published by itself (over 83,000 records, from just over 80 libraries, in 18 countries) After completing the digitisation of these collections, the Foundation established cooperation bridges with different institutions and libraries around the world, which resulted in hosting their respective manuscript collection bibliographic data within the Foundation’s Digital Library.

All this, with the aim of creating an ultimate gateway to the Islamic written heritage, making it easier for scholars and researchers in this field to reach the required bibliographic data in real time and by ‘one click’.

The Al-Furqān Digital Library currently holds around 165,000 manuscript records; and, it is a continuously and rapidly growing platform.

The following navigational tools are available within the ‘Manuscript’ databank / collection, in order to help discover the collections and delve into the multitude of their content: a) ‘Refine’ tab: the user can filter the search by using five parameters, namely: the ‘Autograph’ copies, ‘Type’, ‘Language’, ‘Script’, ‘Specialised’ information (‘Waqf’, ‘Samāʿs’, ‘Ijāza’ and ‘Tamalluk’) and by ‘Decoration’ (Illumination, Maps, Images & Drawings’ and ‘Illustrations’). The total count of each option in this area is provided between square brackets. These adjust automatically when the user selects a collection from the ‘Browse by’. This option provides the user with a preview of the characteristics of the collection browsed. b) ‘Browse by’ tab: helps the user to explore the worldwide collection of manuscripts, through browsing the ‘Library’ of certain collections by ‘Name’ of author or the copyist, the ‘Topic’ covered by the manuscripts, and by when the manuscript was written, i.e. ‘Date Compiled’. c) ‘Results’ page: by default, this page lists all the manuscripts located within a selected library / collection, organised by titles in alphabetic order. To help study the results more easily, the list displays the ‘Title (s)’ of manuscripts within that particular collection, the ‘Author(s)’, the Compiled’, ‘Date the ‘Library’ where this manuscript is housed, and the key

b) ‘Library Catalogue Collection’ page: this page provides the listing of the catalogue collections of the library, both published and unpublished. Many of these resources are available in the Foundation’s Library (under Special Collections), which can be consulted in house. Information about how to access the physical copy of the item listed, can be accessed by following the link to ‘Our Library’. c) ‘Info & Ref’ page: this page provides the listing of the union catalogues of the collection, and the bibliographies used to support the information provided about the library explored. Many of these resources are also available in the Foundation’s Library (under Special Collections), and can be accessed by following the link to ‘Our Library’.

The second section contains the option to go back to the main page of that particular collection, where the following options are provided: a) ‘Your Feedback about this Library’: the user can use this tool to leave their impression about the library searched. The aim is to allow for an open platform for researchers to express their user experience when physically or virtually using the library. b) ‘Purchase World Survey’: the user is offered the option to acquire a copy of the printed World Survey of Islamic Manuscripts. The user can also find out more details about the published Survey, including the full content listing of each of the four volumes. This information is available for both editions, Arabic and English, respectively.

The third section contains a ‘Did you know’, where the user can find the full listing of all types of catalogues and their counts regarding the country to which the viewed library belongs. The user is also able to go through the suggested libraries and interchangeably view them on the ‘World Map’ page.

The Foundation is resolute in its continuous efforts in raising awareness about the Islamic manuscripts libraries and collections scattered around the world. Therefore, the Foundation aims to enrich the ‘World Collections’ databank by updating, and identifying new libraries and collections of Islamic manuscripts.

For users who wish to delve deeper into their research and consult the content of the catalogues, they can visit the second databank / collection, under the name ‘Manuscripts’, which houses the digital content of many of these catalogues.

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3. ‘Maqāṣid’ databank / collection This databank / collection includes the digitised content of the “Bibliography for Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah”, an encyclopaedic project undertaken and published by Al-Furqān. This comprehensive reference manual and historical documentation of what has been written in the field of Maqāṣid (objectives of Islamic law), identifies and gathers the cumulative research produced over the course of history in this field since the 3rd century of the Islamic calendar, up to date.

The “Bibliography for Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah” is a unique collection. It includes around 2000 references (manuscripts, university theses, conference proceedings and contemporary studies), in all the madhabs (juridical schools of law) and the Islamic schools of thought.

Users are able to explore this collection by using the following tools: a) ‘Refine’ tab: the user can filter the search by specifying the ‘Type’ of resources, as well as the ‘Madh'hab’. The total count of each option in this area is provided between square brackets.

These adjust automatically when a new search is carried out. b) ‘Browse by’ tab: helps the user to filter the search of this collection by ‘Topic’, ‘Names’, ‘Date’ and ‘Madh'hab’. c) ‘Results’ page: by default, this page lists all works by titles, arranged alphabetically.

information of the ‘Classmark’, which is the identification of the physical copy.

The user can review the manuscript’s details by selecting a title from the results table. Once the selection is made, the user is transferred to the ‘Manuscript Details’ page.

This page provides information (when available) in the following layout: a) ‘Manuscript Details’ page: this page provides the cataloguing details of the manuscript/s explored. This includes bibliographical and physical description (page numbers, size of the written surface, number of lines in a page etc.). This page also provides the beginning (Incipit) and ending text (Explicit) of the manuscript/s. Extensive notes about the manuscript and its condition is also available. More specialised information is also included when available, such as details about ‘Waqf’, ‘Samā’s’, ‘Ijāza’ and ‘Tamalluk’. b) ‘Read Catalogue Introduction’ page: when the introduction of the catalogue which contains the original details of the manuscript is available, it is included in this page. This provides further context support to the researcher, in case he/she wants to know more information about the published copy of the catalogue. c) ‘Library Details’ page: when the information about the library holding a particular collection is available, this page displays details about that library.

This page also interlinks with the ‘World Collections’ databank.

It directs the user interchangeably to the ‘Library Details’ page, for more information about the library holdings.

Selecting an item from the ‘Results’ page, brings the item details page, which contains the following sections: a) ‘Item’ page: this page provides details of the particular item/s selected. The title of the page adjusts automatically; based on the type of the item / resource that is inspected (Books, Thesis, or Articles). b) ‘Summary’ page: the user is provided with an extensive summary (1000 words on average), detailing the content of the publication and its importance.

The page also includes a ‘Did you know’ section, where the user can find the full listing of all types of catalogues and their counts regarding the country to which the viewed library belongs. The user is also able to go through the suggested libraries and interchangeably view them on the ‘World Map’ page.

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4. ‘Our Library’ databank / collection The ‘Al-Furqān Digital Library’ also includes the online catalogue of the holdings of the Al-Furqān’s physical Library. It is an electronic bibliographic database which describes the Library items, and the way of accessing them.

The Library Collection represents a cornerstone reference collection on major research areas, including Islamic manuscripts. The major subjects covered are: Qur’anic studies, Hadīth, Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic theology, philosophy, science, medicine, history, geography, art and architecture, and literature; all of them written in the major Islamic languages, including Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Swahili, Gujarati, as well as European languages and Russian.

The Library collection also includes multilingual dictionaries, Arabic biographical dictionaries and encyclopaedias, covering the classical period to the present time.

To date, the Library has collected over 11,000 titles in more than 16,000 volumes, on various subjects. Moreover, the Library’s collections include almost 1,800 printed Islamic manuscript catalogues in around 2,500 volumes, from over 70 countries.

The library’s holdings are arranged and organised according to the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) for ease of use, while its collection of catalogues of Islamic manuscripts is classified by country.

Users are able to explore this collection by using the following tools: a) ‘Refine’ tab: the user can filter his search through this bibliographic databank by setting limitations to references ‘Featured’ in the ‘World Collections‘ databank, by ‘Type’ of resources and types of ‘Catalogues’, by ‘Language’, and by ‘Country’. b) ‘Browse by’ tab: helps the user explore the Library holdings by ‘Names’ of contributors and authors, ‘Subject’ of the collection, the ‘Library Catalogues’, and ‘Country’.

This feature is very popular among our users, especially when they aim to travel from different countries in order to consult Our Library collections. c) ‘Results’ page: by default, this page lists all items by ‘Title’, in alphabetical order.

Cataloguing record. It is an international standard used to communicate and exchange information between databases online. The aim for this is to enable communication with other online databases, to help users know about the collection held in the respective library.

The user can review more information about a reference by either selecting an item from the ‘Results’ page listing, or from the ‘Browse by’ page. Details about the item and how to access are provided in the following display.

When the items browsed are part of the Library’s ‘Catalogue Collection’, the page interlinks with the ‘World Collections’ databank. The two new sections provided help pave the way for further research; the first is the ‘Library Description’ page, where details about the Library of certain collections are provided, and the second is the ‘Did you know’ section, where the users can view the full listing of all types of catalogues and their counts in one place, for the country where the explored library is located.

a) ‘Item’ page: this page provides details of the particular item/s selected from the Library holdings. The title of the page adjusts automatically; based on the type of the item / resource that is inspected (Books, Journals or Articles). b) ‘MARC’ page: this page is a more technical representation of the Library holdings record, knows as a ‘MARC’ record, which is a Machine-Readable

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facility also allows the user to browse by ‘Topic’, ‘Name’ and ‘Date’ of publication. This is followed by the full listing of the titles alphabetically. The listing also includes the ‘Title’ of the publication, the ‘Name’ of the author / contributor, the ‘Date’ of compilation, and the ‘Price’ of the publication.

Once a selection of a publication is made, the user is transferred to a landing page, where detailed information about that particular publication is provided. This includes the cover of the publication, the related bibliographical details, and a summary about that publication.

It is possible to view ‘Similar books’ by the same author, within the same topic, and in the same language from within the bibliographical details area.

5. ‘Our Publications’ databank / collection ‘Our Publications’ collection is a bibliographic database of the Foundation’s own publications. These works are the outcome of prominent research projects and events carried out by the three centres of the Foundation, i.e. the ‘Manuscripts Centre’, the ‘Mawsoa Centre’ and the ‘Maqāṣid Centre’.

This collection was added to the ‘Al-Furqān Digital Library’ to enrich the user research experience. The collection is continuously updated, and currently contains over 200 works in over 400 volumes. These cover both introductory and advanced topics discussed and presented by distinguished scholars in the field of Islamic written heritage.

It also includes many popular and heavily cited publications, as well as award winning works, such as the critical edition of al-Isfizāri’s book which deals with the field of mechanics, known as “the sciences of weights and mechanical devices” (‘Ilmay al-al-Athqāl wal-Ḥiyal). Other popular items include works by the late famous scholar Annemarie Schimmel, such as The Secrets of Creative Love (1998) and Islam and the Wonders of Creation (2003); and many other highly demanded references, including the unique Encyclopaedia of Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Al-Madīnah Al-Munawwarah.

Users are able to explore the range of publications by using the following tools: a) ‘All Publications’ tab: which helps the user browse different books within the following categories: ‘Conferences’, ‘Course Proceedings’, ‘Edited Texts’, ‘Studies’, ‘Lectures’ and many others listed under the three centres. The count for each type and within each category is also available. b) ‘Refine’ tab: helps the user to filter through this collection, by specifying the ‘Centre’ and the ‘Category’. The total count within each of these remits is provided. This count adjusts automatically with each search and browse action. c) ‘Results’ page: at the start of the page, the user is provided with the option to browse all publications. The browse

When the publication selected is a catalogue of Islamic manuscripts, there is an additional page that displays the ‘Library Description’. This page is interlinked with the ‘World Collections’, and provides information about the library that holds that collection.

The page also includes a ‘Shared Knowledge’ section, in which the user can be informed about the ‘Foundation’s work in this area’. This helps the user with narrowing their research further, and guides them towards more relevant available resources. A sample of these works is displayed in the ‘Similar books’ page within this section.

The ‘Shared Knowledge’ is available in every publication details page, except for when the publication is a catalogue of Islamic manuscripts. In this case, this section is replaced with the ‘Did you know’ section. The user can interchangeably return to the ‘World Collections’ for the full listing of all types of catalogues available in the surveyed country where the collection is held.

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Al-FurqĀn Library Introduction

Since then, the Library holdings have steadily grown, and are now displayed in rolling stack shelves, as well as in the Reading Room and Library at the Kensington premises, which have been the home of Al-Furqān’s Headquarters since 2009.

Al-Furqān’s Main Library in London celebrated its 30th birthday this year, having been established in July 1990, and officially inaugurated on 30 November 1991.

The rolling stacks provide easy open access to the library material, which can be consulted in the spacious Reading Room.

Al-Furqān’s London Library is a reference library which contains an in-depth collection of material on the Islamic written heritage. The main aim of the Library is to support academic research in the field of the Islamic written heritage, as well as to provide tools and reference works for academics and students interested, in particular, in the fields of Islamic manuscript studies.

Library Collections 1. Catalogue Collection Islamic civilisation has produced a vast number of written works, and this is reflected in the Library’s collection. There are believed to be three million Islamic manuscripts in existence worldwide, which have come down to us throughout the fourteen centuries of Islamic history.

To this end, the Library has so far collected over 11,000 titles, in more than 16,000 volumes, on a number of subjects.

The Library holds material in all the major Islamic languages, including Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Swahili and Gujarati, as well as many European languages, including Russian.

It is the Library’s aim to provide access to this rich heritage, by providing a place from which to access all printed catalogues of Islamic manuscripts from libraries around the world.

History

To this end, the Library’s collections include almost 1,800 Islamic manuscript catalogues in around 2,500 volumes, from over seventy countries.

Al-Furqān’s Library in London started from small beginnings. With the establishment of Al-Furqān, initially in Wimbledon - London, the Library was set up in July 1990.

2. Special Collections Apart from the Catalogue Collection, the Library holds further special collections, as following:

Its holdings quickly grew from scratch, under the expert leadership of Dr Aliya Haji; and by the time of its inauguration – in November 1991 – there was a sizeable library, displayed on open shelves on two floors, with a collection of catalogues of manuscripts, reference works on codicology, palaeography, as well as special dictionaries and encyclopaedias, a journals collection, and a main collection featuring primary and secondary sources on the major Islamic classical works.

The Reading Room houses a number of the special collections; these include: - a Reference Collection, with encyclopaedias, dictionaries and other reference works, arranged by subject, such as: religion, history, literature, languages and sciences; - a Collection of Qurʾān copies and translations in various languages, as well as facsimile copies of Qurʾān manuscripts;

In the early days, a Card Catalogue was used to record all new acquisitions, but soon, this was replaced by a custom-made Database, which could record data in European as well as Arabic script – a big achievement at the time.

- a Collection on Islamic Art and Architecture; and - Atlases.

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Library Catalogue

The main body of the Library material is displayed in rolling stack shelves, these contain:

The Library’s Online Catalogue can be accessed via the Al-Furqān website at:

- the Catalogue Collection;

https://digitallibrary.al-furqan.com/world_library

- Reference Works on Codicology and Palaeography of Islamic manuscripts;

Library Services

- an Article Collection, with articles related to manuscript studies and collections of Islamic manuscripts;

The Library is open to visitors on application, and by prior arrangement by telephone or email.

- the Sezgin Collection, containing the complete collection of the series published by the Institute for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University (Institut für Geschichte der Arabisch - Islamischen Wissenschaften - an der Johann Wolfgang Goethe - Universität), edited by Fuat Sezgin; and

The Library’s opening hours are 10.00 to 17.00, Monday to Friday, except on UK Bank Holidays and Eid al-Fiŧr and Eid al-Ađ’ħa.

Enquiries to the Library can be made via the AlFurqān website at: https://al-furqan.com/reference-library/londonlibrary/

- the Maqāṣid Collection, with works in the field of the philosophy of Islamic law.

(Go to ‘Library Services’ and select ‘A sk a L i brar ian’)

3. Main Collection The Main Collection is arranged by Library of Congress Subjects, and follows on from the special collections in the rolling stack shelves.

The main areas covered are: philosophy, religion, history, geography, law, language and literature and sciences.

Within these categories, the emphasis is on Islamic works, including bibliographies, philosophy, history, biographies, Quranic studies, tafsir, hadith, fiqh and sufism.

4. Journals Collection The Journals Collection is the last collection displayed in the rolling stack shelves. It is divided into two sections: European language journals, and journals in: Arabic, Persian and Urdu; as well as a number of specialist journals.

Furthermore, the Library holds a Microfilm and Microfiche Collection, manuscript digital images, and a Collection of Al-Furqān Publications, which can be consulted in the Library.

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Recent Publications “The Earth and it's Sciences in Islamic Manuscripts” (New Edition)

“The Noble Qur’ān from Revelation to Compilation (2)”

This book contains a number of papers presented during the fifth conference of the Centre for the Study of Islamic Manuscripts - Al-Furqān Foundation.

The conference papers addressed the domain of mathematical sciences in relation to planet Earth, with six papers in the field of geographical heritage, accurately illustrating Earth’s representation. The papers highlight the efforts of Muslim scholars in this domain, which were treated with fairness and given due credit by orientalists; moreover, showcasing the rare gems that were published, which stand as eloquent testimony to the powers of exploration and analysis in the description of Earth and all it holds.

Furthermore, the conference papers highlight the science of botany, which developed at the hands of Muslim scholars, after they had assimilated Greek heritage, and authored on it, along linguistic, horticultural, or medicinal lines of inquiry. Through their efforts, it evolved even further, to become a fully-fledged science in its own right, focused on purely scientific descriptions of flora, without engaging in agricultural benefits or advantages.

While Islamic chemistry recorded no progress over more than half a century, the conference did not neglect this field. Similarly, geology, with Islamic manuscript heritage containing an extensive list of important works executed in this domain, delved into properties, benefits, colours, strength, and crystal structure, as well as markets and prices.

This book presents the proceedings of the 9th Conference in the domain of manuscripts organised by the Centre for the Study of Islamic Manuscripts, Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation.

(By Various Contributors) Edited by Ibrahim Chabbouh

(By Various Contributors)

The academic papers presented at the conference revolved around the following topics: writing the Noble Qurʾān in the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him; the truth of ʿUthmān’s (may Allah be pleased with him) action in abrogating Qur’ān copies; Qurʾān manuscripts and their role in confirming uncommon narrations relating to orthography, pointing and diacritics; history of compilation of the Noble Qurʾān in a comparative codicological study of early Qur’ān copies; and a methodological criticism of the theory of Syriac and Aramaic texts in the Noble Qur’ān.

Furthermore, the delegates discussed the topic of orientalists and the Qur’ān canonical readings with reference to Theodor Nöldeke’s book, ‘The History of the Qurʾān’, and examined the issue of the discoveries of Qurʾān parchments in Sanaa Grand Mosque.

In addition, two papers scrutinised both the ‘Corpus Coranicum’ and ‘Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān’ projects, identifying problematic issues of objectivity and bias in their presentation.

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“History of the Study Circles in the Two Holy Mosques”

“Multiplicity of Reference in the Light of the Objectives of Islamic Law”

This book traces the origins of knowledge study circles (ḥalaqāt) in the Two Holy Mosques, in Makkah and Madinah, from the Prophetic times and those of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, through the Umayyad, Abbasid, Mameluke and Ottoman eras, to the present day. It explains in detail the types and development of elementary education establishments, called kuttāb, and formal schools (madrasah) neighbouring both holy mosques, as well as how lessons specific to study circles originated in both locations. The book then addresses the institution of hostel (ribāṭ) and its role in promoting knowledge throughout the Islamic eras, whether providing the amenities of shelter, food, and medical services to scholars, jurists and students of knowledge hailing from the Muslim lands, or contributing to the activity of the educational movement; indeed, scholars who were settled in these hostels (plural: ribāṭat) would hold study circles on the disciplines of canonical readings (qirā’āt), jurisprudence (fiqh), legal theory (uṣūl al-fiqh), sciences of the Prophetic traditions (‘ulūm al-ḥadīth), Arabic language, and sciences of reason (al-‘ulūm al-‘aqliyyah).

The book also addresses both the scientific board (al-hay’ah al-‘ilmiyyah) and general teaching systems in al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, as well as the most renowned courtyards (sing. ḥaṣwah) and arcades (sing. riwāq), where study circles were convened. The book concludes with biographies (tarājim) of scholars of the two holy mosques.

This book focuses on the relationship with frames of ideological, political, and legal reference, and holds considerable weight in terms of its importance vis-à-vis:

By Noureddine Khadmi

By Abbas Saleh Tashkandi

1. The application of objectives within the flow of social and political life, and in the legal, constitutional, and international reference frames.

2. The maqāṣid-based approach, in that the author avoids the traditional style of the discipline of the Islamic law objectives, in terms of presenting definitions, terminology, examples, and typical classifications, etc. Rather, the author infuses the entire study, it's facets, contents, contexts, and results, with the spirit and core of the discipline of the objectives.

3. The linking of objectives to sciences, domains, and systems, including: constitutional science and law, spheres of national life and international relations, systems of state, and constitutional, political, and international institutions.

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Distributors of Al-Furqān’s Publications Purchase Online at: The Foundation’s website: www.al-furqan.com At: www.amazon.co.uk

Wahba Library 14, El-Gomhoreya st.

Cairo - Egypt Tel: + 202 23682155 E-mail: publisher_sultan@yahoo.com

(find “Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation”)

Purchase in Store at: Saudi Arabia: Al-Furqān Jeddah Office 69, Mohy el-deen Nazer street Al-Hamra District, Jeddah Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Tel: + 966 (0) 26670522 E-mail: info@al-furqan.com

United Kingdom: Al-Furqān Headquarters 22A Old Court Place London, W8 4PL United Kingdom Tel: + 44 (0) 20 3130 1530 Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7937 2540 E-mail: info@al-furqan.com Egypt: Al-Furqān Cairo Office 20 Ibrahim Nagy St., Zaker Hussain Road Nasr City 11528 Cairo - Egypt Tel: + 202 24721609 Fax: + 202 24721609 E-mail: cairo.office@al-furqan.com

Morocco: Librairie Dar Al Amane Rue Al Mamouniya, Rabat, Morocco Tel: + 212 5377-23276 E-mail: libdarelamane@yahoo.fr

Dār al-Salām Publisher 40, Corner at Ahmed About El-Ola/Nour ElDeen Bahgat streets Nasr City - Egypt Tel: + 202 22873246 Fax: + 202 22741750 E-mail: info@dar-alsalam.com

Lebanon: Dar Ibn Hazm Beirut, Lebanon Tel: + 961 1300227 www.daribnhazm.com

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Book Fairs Al-Furqān’s participation in book fairs

Cairo International Book Fair

As with previous years, Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation continued its tradition of participating in international book fairs.

During this year (2020), Al-Furqān Foundation took part in three international book fairs, as following: 1.

Cairo (Egypt) International Book Fair: from 22nd January until 4th February 2020.

2. C a s a b l a n c a (Morocco) International Book Fair: from 6th until 16th February 2020.

3. Sharjah (UAE) International Book th Fair: from 4 until 14th 2020.

November

At all these fairs, the Foundation has showcased its various publications within its three fields of interest, i.e. the manuscripts field, the field of maqāṣid, and the field of studies on Makkah and Madinah.

Its publications consist of around 200 titles, in more than 350 volumes, including catalogues of collections of Islamic manuscripts in leading libraries, manuscript studies, bibliographic works, studies on maqāṣid, as well as proceedings of Al-Furqān’s academic conferences, symposia, training courses and lectures.

Sharjah International Book Fair

Casablanca International Book Fair

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Ongoing Projects “Miftāḥ al-Sa‘ādah wa Miṣbāḥ al-Siyādah” by Ṭāsh Kubrī Zādah Critically edited by Professor Ahmed Chouqui Binebine, Dr Muhammad Said Hinchi, and Dr Abdul Aali Lamdabbar

thors’ biographies and works, while mentioning each book’s importance and rank within its discipline.

Despite this stature and importance, the book did not receive the warranted care and attention from researchers and critical editors. The majority of printed copies in circulation are commercial, and are not critically edited in a way that involved examination of the book’s manuscript copies, in terms of proximity to archetype, authenticity, accuracy, age, and completeness.

The book, “Miftāḥ al-Sa‘ādah wa Miṣbāḥ al-Siyādah”,

by Aḥmad b. Muṣṭafā b. Khalīl, renowned as Ṭāsh Kubrī Zādah (d. 968AH), is considered among the most important bibliographic works in Arab manuscript heritage. Its author presented different subjects across disciplines and types of authorship, detailing each discipline, dwelling on topic, purpose, aim, principles, and methodology, and citing some of the books authored on it. He also introduced the most prominent scholars, excelling in authorship in each domain. The author organised the book’s content very well, starting with four introductions, and then dividing it into two major parts (sing. ṭaraf), each further subdivided into sections, or dawḥāt.

This prompted Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation to undertake another critical edition of this book, applying a robust scientific approach, to restore the status of this valuable source among Arab heritage sources, and raise it to its deserved position.

The Foundation asked Professor Ahmed Chouqui Binebine, Director of the Bibliothèque Royale (alKhizānah al-Ḥasaniyyah) in Rabat, and Dr Muhammad Said Hinchi and Dr Abdul Aali Lamdabbar, cataloguers and editors at the Bibliothèque Royale, to perform the critical edition of this book.

This critical edition will be based on twenty-four manuscript copies of the book gathered from different manuscript holdings globally. These will be subjected to close examination, with surviving witnesses classified, and grouped into a stemma or family tree of manuscripts. Moreover, collating the manuscripts, recording variant readings, and highlighting the huge amount of changes, insertions, and interpolation in the printed versions of the book. In addition, organising, documenting and commenting on the text, as well as introducing the books presented within, and the proper names of persons, geography, nations, tribes, sects, and others. At the same time, tracing and commenting on the author’s errors relating to names, dates of demise, and book titles.

He dedicated the first introduction to demonstrating the merit of knowledge, learning, and teaching, and clarified the conditions and functions of the learner in the second. In the third introduction, he mentioned the functions of the teacher, and in the fourth, he explained the connection between the path of rational consideration (naẓar), and that of purification (taṣfiyah).

The first part of the book focused on guidance on how to attain the path of rational consideration, where he mentioned the origin and branches of each science, and elucidated the titles of authored books, and names of authors. He devoted the second part to sciences related to purification, which is the outcome of applying knowledge, by which eternal bliss, and everlasting honour are secured.

After releasing the “Fihrist” by al-Nadīm, Al-Furqān Foundation’s principal aim in publishing “Miftāḥ alSa‘ādah” is to make available another major bibliographic reference from the heritage library on the history of Arab sciences. This would greatly benefit scholars and researchers in the domain of Islamic heritage generally, and Arab heritage, in particular.

Therefore, the book is a comprehensive bibliography of Arab sciences in their diverse authorship, comprising original texts, explication (sharḥ), abridgement (mukhtaṣar), abridgment of the abridgement (mukhtaṣar al-mukhtaṣar), and encyclopaedias of au21

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would facilitate understanding of the text, and ensure its soundness. In addition, there was a large amount of interpolation, affecting every single page of these two editions.

“Kashf al-Żunūn”

by Kâtip Çelebi Critically edited by Professor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu and Professor Bashar Awwad Marouf (and his team)

Therefore, the Centre for the Study of Islamic Manuscripts, part of Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation concluded that it was imperative to publish a critical edition of this highly important text,especially, in view of the numerous errors in both previous editions, as well as mistakes by the author himself in titles of books, names of authors, dates of demise, and crediting many books to the wrong authors; bearing in mind that the author did not have the opportunity to revise the copy that he wrote, which later became the only source for this important text.

The book, “Kashf al-Żunūn ‘an Asāmī al-Kutub wa alFunūn”, by its author, Muṣṭafā b. ‘Abd Allāh al-Qasṭanṭīnī al‘Uthmānī, renowned as Kâtip Çelebi and as Ḥājī Khalīfah (1017-1067AH), is considered the largest bibliographical and encyclopaedic lexicon in the author’s era. The author spent over twenty years gathering the material for this work, and writing the draft (al-musawwadah), before beginning work on the fair copy (al-mubayaḍah). However, he died while working on the entries of the letter ‘dāl’, leaving behind the unfinished fair copy, and all the drafts.

The edition that Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation hopes will appear soon, has seen significant and praiseworthy effort exerted in adopting the author’s fair copy, and those drafts, adding commentary, and correcting thousands of mistakes, as well as disambiguating those parts requiring it. This edition, with the aid of Allāh, will be the first scientific critical edition of this key text.

The author methodically presented the names of books and disciplines, where he would mention and define the discipline, based mostly on Ṭāsh Kubrī Zādah’s “Miftāḥ al-Sa‘ādah”, with corrections. This is followed by book titles arranged in alphabetical order, along with author names, if known to him, and then explanations, abridgements, and glosses related to each book. He would perhaps point out the book’s topic, or reproduce its beginning; especially those works that he had perused.

“Ottoman Scientific Heritage” Prepared and supervised in Turkish by Professor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu Translated into Arabic by Dr Majda Makhlouf

This book acquired great importance among researchers, students, and critical editors, who referred to it frequently, and depended upon it in their research, studies, and critical editions.

This book is a key historical reference, indispensable source, and significant novel contribution. It is no exaggeration to say that this is a gem among Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation’s prized publications, as it covers an important period in the history of Islamic heritage, hitherto neglected by most historians of the sciences.

As a result of this work’s great significance, the Europeans concerned themselves with its critical edition, publication, and translation into Latin-until recently the language of knowledge in Europe. The German orientalist, Flügel, critically edited the first two volumes during 1835-1838CE in Leipzig, then the third to seventh volumes with indices were published in London.

Subsequently, two Turkish scholars republished the book, based on the European edition, collating this against the author’s holograph, both fair copy and drafts.

The book presents the finest of Ottoman scientific heritage, revealing achievements in science and civilisation, and contributions to the cumulative human heritage, secured under the patronage of the Ottoman State throughout its six centuries of history. This huge study covered around five thousand scholars, twenty thousand works, and twenty-five thousand manuscript copies.

However, it is quite sad that both publications failed to meet the requirements of the scientific approach to manuscript critical edition. The previous editors freely amended the original text, with insertions and deletions, and changes to many of the sentences, under the impression that this

The book comprises two volumes. The first volume presents an extensive analysis and study of Ottoman scientific heritage, comprising history, concept, origin, and coverage, as well as the translation movement, and teaching of rational sciences. It also addresses the modernity and 22

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modernisation phase, and the early appearance of new scientific institutions, as a result of connecting with Europe, especially, and with the West, in general. The second volume comprising two parts, meticulously presents the full scientific works of 370 of the most eminent scholars, selected from across the Ottoman geography, as well as 92 important texts from among 7,145 anonymous works.

arranged it by Imām Mālik’s teachers, and each one’s reported traditions. In contrast, “al-Istidhkār” is concerned with the craft of Islamic jurisprudential, and is a milestone work on comparative Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). Topic by topic, the author explained “al-Muwaṭṭa’ ”, commenting on those traditions with an unbroken chain of authority (sanad), and identifying the missing Companion (ṣaḥābī) between a Successor (tabi‘ī) and the Prophet, peace be upon him, for mursal traditions. Furthermore, he explained the sayings of the Companions and Successors, and Mālik’s own fatwas and opinions on which his school of jurisprudence (madhhab) is established, as well as his choice of fatwas issued by his predecessors in Madinah.

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr also rigorously presented the disputation over meanings between jurists in the frontier Muslim territories (al-amṣār). Hence, “al-Istidhkār” is regarded as a seminal work in the area of comparative jurisprudence.

Given the great importance of this large reference work, Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation resolved to undertake its translation from Turkish to Arabic. The aim is to provide access and facilitate benefit to a broader audience, as well as satisfy a growing and pressing need.

While the book fills a huge gap in the bibliographic field, it is also a compendium of numerous sciences, knowledge domains, and disciplines; for example, works on mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, battle techniques and weapons, medicine, pharmacy, veterinary science, geography, cartography, geology, agricultural science, forestry engineering, architecture, and music, authored in Arabic, Turkish, Persian, and some European languages, during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Yet, a singularly poor edition by the veterinary doctor, Abd al-Mu‘ti Qal‘aji, was printed in Damascus and Beirut.

This was rife with metathesis, interpolation, and lacunae, but was reprinted several times in this sorry state. None of these prints met the conditions of the scientific approach to critical edition, in gathering and collating extant manuscript copies, documenting variant readings, and exercising sound judgement in deducing the author’s intent. In addition, the editor must record these variant readings on the critical edition’s margins for the benefit of interested readers, even those judged to be less credible. It is also essential to reference Prophetic traditions to sources, and comment on their authenticity or weakness, illustrating reports’ obvious and hidden flaws, and highlighting jurists’ approaches to evidenced argumentation (istidlāl) in citing these traditions. Also, referring the statements of Companions, Followers, and later scholars to original sources, and generally documenting jurists’ opinions by referring to their books and authored works, or those of their companions. Furthermore, paying due attention to the opinions cited by the author, especially those of the four main schools of jurisprudence, indicating their sources, and demonstrating the authenticity of quotations by comparing these to source works to prove veracity or otherwise. In addition, performing verification that satisfies readers as to the texts’ and their readings’ correctness and soundness, as well as that of the author’s transmission.

The release of this book represents a new breakthrough and substantial achievement, as well as a valuable and key turning point, paving the way for novel and important studies relating to the history of Muslim science. It is also a landmark shining light on the continued progress in Muslim science during the Ottoman period.

“Al-Istidhkār”

by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr Critically edited by Professor Bashar Awwad Marouf and his team of editors “Al-Istidhkār al-Jāmi‘ li Madhāhib Fuqahā’ al-Amṣār wa ‘Ulamā’ al-Aqṭār” is considered one of the most prominent books dedicated to elucidating “al-Muwaṭṭa’ ” by the Grand Imām of Madinah, Mālik b. Anas. Indeed, “al-Istidhkār” is the second of two distinguished works in this domain—the other is its companion, “al-Tamhīd”— both authored by Imām Abū ‘Umar Yūsuf b. ‘Abd Allāh b.

Muḥammad b. ‘Abd al-Barr al-Namrī (368-463AH), sage of al-Andalus, tradition memoriser (ḥāfiz), and erudite critic. Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation was delighted to have published “al-Tamhīd” in seventeen volumes, with the first print selling out within a few months.

All these issues prompted Al-Furqān Foundation to conclude that it was necessary to service this important book that had not received the attention it deserved among other works. It assigned the erudite Professor Bashar Awwad Marouf and his team of competent criti-

In the first instance, “al-Tamhīd” is concerned with the craft of Prophetic tradition (ḥadīth), where the author 23

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cal editors, to undertake this work of editing the book following accepted methodologies of critical edition. AlFurqān Foundation gathered extant manuscript copies of the book from libraries and holdings across the globe, and made available all the resources required for a fine critical edition based on in-depth and extensive experience.

The book is expected to be released in the forthcoming months, with Allāh’s permission.

The book “Maḥāsin al-Sharī‘ah fī Furū‘ Fiqh al-Shāfi‘iyyah”

by Abū Bakr al-Qaffāl al-Shāshī, renowned as al-Qaffāl al-Kabīr Critically edited by Professor Abdul Hamid Madkour

Maḥāsin al-Sharī‘ah is considered one of the first books that addressed Islamic law objectives (maqāṣid), and is a pioneering work in this domain. It is notable for including deep, objectives-based insights and perspectives, and magnificent hidden gems. Indeed, it explains the truths of Islam, and elucidates the exceptional qualities of Islamic law in the juristic questions and rulings. It examines the rational causes (‘ilal) and fine detail of juristic questions, and matters related to Islamic law’s excellent qualities, public interests (maṣāliḥ), and care for mankind. It then highlights the objectives of the Divine Legislator, and the wisdom for which Allāh established these, and their rulings in this form, and the extent to which they are close and attuned to sound minds.

Al-Qaffāl al-Shāshī emphasises in the book that Islamic law gathered the very best of everything, containing etiquettes and commended qualities never before gathered in any other legislation; in the words of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah: “The essence and foundation of Islamic law is wisdoms and securing the interests of mankind in this life and the hereafter; hence, it is all justice, all mercy, and all benefits”.

In the forthcoming months—Allāh willing, the Centre for the Study of the Objectives of Islamic Law at AlFurqān Islamic Heritage Foundation will publish the book, “Maḥāsin al-Sharī‘ah fī Furū‘ Fiqh al-Shāfi‘iyyah”, authored

by Abū Bakr al-Qaffāl al-Shāshī, renowned as al-Qaffāl alKabīr, critically edited by Professor Abdul Hamid Madkour.

The work, Maḥāsin al-Sharī‘ah, is considered an added keystone in the maqāṣid library, especially since its author, al-Qaffāl al-Shāshī, is among the pioneers and leading theorists of objectives-based thought, Imām of his era—in Transoxiana, jurist (faqīh), traditionalist (muḥaddith), exegesis scholar (mufassir), legal theorist (uṣūlī), and Arabic language scholar (lughawī).

Moreover, the book’s critical editor is Professor Abdul Hamid Madkour, the erudite scholar in Islamic law objectives and Islamic scholastic theology (‘ilm al-kalām), and expert in the critical edition of Islamic heritage.

The book, Maḥāsin al-Sharī‘ah, is divided into codices, books, and chapters, with over 120 chapters on Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). The first codex addressed rituals of worship (al-‘ibādāt), the second discussed marriage and divorce, and related rulings, as well as rulings on freemen, male slaves, and free and women slaves, the third was on expenditures and maintenance (al-nafaqāt), inheritance (al-farā’id), sales transactions (al-buyū‘), wills (al-waṣāyā), manumission (al-‘itq), and the fourth on offences (al-jināyāt), punishments (al-ḥudūd), legal cases (al-qaḍāyā), and testimony (al-shahādāt).

“Nuzhat al-Mushtāq fī Tārīkh ʿUlamāʾ alʿIrāq” by Moħammed bin ʿAbdu-l-Ghafūr alRaħbī al-Bağdādī Critically edited by Dr Mahdi al-Jumayli

Al-Qaffāl al-Shāshī describes his aim in authoring this book as an attempt to endear Islamic law to sound minds: “indeed, Islamic law embodies commended meanings accepted by sound minds and pure innate natures, encapsulated in the noble, benevolent policies; thus, it elucidates secrets and meanings”, i.e. why Allāh mandated rulings (aḥkām) for us, and what is the wisdom in this.

“Kitāb al-Ibānah wa al-Iʿlām bimā fī Al-Minhāj min al-Khalal wa al-Awhām” by Ibn al-Bayṭār Critically edited by Dr Ibrahim Ben Mrad

The book, Maḥāsin al-Sharī‘ah, dives into the depths, and attempts to highlight the hidden gems, aims, objectives, and wisdoms of Islamic law rulings, distinguished by perfection, completeness, procuring benefits, repelling harms, and protecting religion, life, intellect, honour, and wealth, which brought the virtues of honourable morals.

“Catalogue of Manuscripts of Ayasofya Collection at Suleymaniye Library” Prepared by a group of cataloguers; edited by Dr Ramazan Şeşen.

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In Memoriam Shaykh Mohammad Mukhtar al-Sallami The passing away of the erudite Shaykh Mohammad Mukhtar al-Sallami, on Monday 19 August 2019, was a great loss - to the Muslim nation in general, and Tunisia in particular - of an eminent scholar, endowed with patience, vision, and foresight; one who dedicated all his life to serving Islam and Muslims.

The late Shaykh Mohammad Mukhtar al-Sallami was born in Sfax, in 1925. He memorised the Noble Qur’ān in primary school, then gained the qualification certificate from Ez-Zitouna University, followed by award of scholar certification (al-‘ālimiyyah) from the Uṣūl al-Dīn (Islamic legal theory) Faculty at the same university. After graduation, he was employed as a teacher at Ez-Zitouna University, subsequently joining the Higher Institute for Uṣūl al-Dīn as a teacher of Qur’ānic studies, jurisprudence (fiqh), and legislative principles. In addition, he worked as Chief Inspector for Secondary Education.

1. Madkhal ilā maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah 2. Naẓariyyat al-maqāṣid ‘inda al-Imām al-Shāṭibī 3. Naẓariyyat al-taqrīb wa al-taghlīb wa taṭbīqātuhā fī al-‘ulūm al-Islāmiyyah

The deceased was a member of the Founding Board for the Centre for the Study of the Philosophy of Islamic Law at Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation. He was also member of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy in Jeddah, and was considered one of its most influential persons. He was appointed President of the International Shariah Board for Zakat. He also held the position of Mufti of the Republic for 14 years, between 1984 and 1998, during which time he headed the Higher Islamic Council, between 1989 and 1993.

4. Huqūq al-insān miḥwar maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah, wa alijtihād wa al-tajdīd 5. Al-Ta‘līm al-Zaytūnī wa wasā’il iṣlāḥih 6. Al-Usrah wa al-mujtama‘ We ask Allāh, Most Exalted, to accept the deceased in His Manifest Mercy and Pardon, and grant him generous reward and abode in the Gardens of Paradise.

During his life journey, the erudite scholar AlSallami received several prizes and medals, including Grand Cordon of the Order of the Tunisian Republic, Prize of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, and Prize of the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences.

Shaykh Mohammad Mukhtar al-Sallami authored many works, exceeding twenty books, among these: 25

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Dr Mohammad Haytham al-Khayyat Professor Mohammad Haytham al-Khayyat, esteemed scholar, brilliant physician, prodigious linguist, grand jurist, exegesis scholar, thinker, and one of the Muslim nation’s sincere scholars, passed away in Cairo, on Saturday evening, 5 September 2020, at the age of 83.

The erudite Mohammad Haytham al-Khayyat, was born in the Damascus neighbourhood of al-Muhajirin in 1937. He studied the Islamic sciences at the hands of the Syrian capital’s scholars. Moreover, he gained his doctoral degree in Medicine from Damascus University in 1959, and was a top student. Subsequently, he gained a higher education qualification certificate in Biochemical Sciences from Brussels University, Belgium in 1969.

try, botany, Arabic language, and Islamic ethics, in Arabic, French, and English. His most prominent books in Arabic are:

The late Dr Mohammad Haytham al-Khayyat was a member of the Advisory Board at the Centre for the Study of the Philosophy of Islamic Law at Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, and member of its Board of Experts. He served as a Trustee on the Boards of the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, and the Arab Center for Medical Literature. He was a member of the Arabic Language Academies of Damascus, Baghdad, Amman, and Cairo. Furthermore, he was a member of over twenty scientific associations across the world, including the New York Academy for Sciences, the Indian Scientific Academy, and others.

1. Al-Ma‘idah bayt al-dā’ wa al-ḥimyah hiya aldawā’ 2. Al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah wa qaḍāyā al-‘aṣr 3. Fī sabīl al-‘Arabiyyah 4. Fiqh al-ṭabīb… Nadawāt ḥiwāriah – tafā‘uliyyah 5. Al-Ṣiḥah ḥaqqan min ḥuqūq al-insān fī al-Islām, Ma‘ālim al-‘ibādāt 6. Al-Mu‘jam al-ṭibī al-muwaḥḥad Hundreds of his articles in the different domains were published in Arabic, French, English, German, and Italian.

Dr Mohammad Haytham al-Khayyat occupied the post of senior adviser to the Director of the World Health Organisation Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, where previously, he served as its Deputy Director. He was Rapporteur for the “Unified Medical Dictionary (al-Mu‘jam al-ṭibbī al-muwaḥḥad)” project, and one of the eminent personalities involved in Arabicising medical terms. He also worked as Chief Editor of the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, and participated in writing the curricula and textbooks in medicine for Damascus and Aleppo universities.

May Allāh, the Exalted, bestow His Infinite Mercy on the late Mohammad Haytham alKhayyat, and grant him pardon and abode in the Gardens of Paradise.

Dr Mohammad Haytham al-Khayyat authored over twenty books in medicine, health, chemis26

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Dr Mohammad Kamal al-Din Imam Dr Mohammad Kamal al-Din Imam—esteemed scholar, jurist, legal theorist, and Professor of Islamic Law at the Faculty of Law, Alexandria University, died on Thursday evening, 8 October 2020, at the age of 74.

With his passing, the Muslim nation lost one of the most eminent Islamic law scholars in present times.

Dr Mohammad Kamal al-Din Imam was born in 1946 in the city of Esna. He obtained the degree of Bachelor in Law in 1969, followed by the Higher Studies Diploma in Islamic Law in 1973, from Alexandria University. He then obtained the Higher Studies Diploma in General Public Law in 1976, from Ain Shams University, followed by a Doctorate in Law, , from Alexandria University in 1982.

3. Muqaddimah li dirāsat al-fiqh al-Islāmī 4. Uṣūl al-fiqh al- Islāmī 5. Al-Naẓrah al-Islāmiyyah li al-i‘lām: Muḥāwalah manhajiyyah

The late Dr Mohammad Kamal al-Din Imam held the position of Head of the Islamic Law (Sharī‘ah) Department at the Faculty of Law, Alexandria University, then Head of the Islamic Law Department at Minya University. He was employed as Associate Professor at Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. He worked at Egyptian Radio, reaching the position of chief presenter, and Executive Manager at alQur’ān al-Karīm Radio. He served as Chief Editor at “al-Muslim al-Mu‘āṣir” magazine over the span of twenty years, and he was also a member of the National Legislative Reform Committee. He participated in numerous local, regional, and international conferences.

6. Aḥkām al-usrah fī al-Islām 7. Tanẓīr al-quwwah: Dirāsah fī fiqh al-‘ilāqāt aldawliyyah 8. Al-Insān wa al-dawlah: Dirāsah fī fiqh tanẓīm al-siyāsah 9. Al-Dalīl al-irshādī ilā maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah alIslāmiyyah We ask Allāh, the Almighty to accept the late Mohammad Kamal al-Din Imam in His Manifest Mercy, and grant him pardon and abode in the Gardens of Paradise.

Dr Mohammad Kamal al-Din Imam was a member of the Advisory Board at the Centre for the Study of the Philosophy of Islamic Law at AlFurqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, and member of its Board of Experts.

The late Dr Mohammad Kamal al-Din Imam enriched the Islamic library and Islamic thought with numerous reference works on jurisprudence (fiqh), and key recognised compendia, including: 1. Al-Waṣāyā wa al-awqāf: Maqāṣid wa qawā‘id 2. Uṣūl al-ḥisbah fī al-Islām: Dirāsah ta’ṣīliyyah muqarinah 27

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Al-Furqān and It's Centres Al-Furqān’s Structure

Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation is a not for profit Foundation registered in England and Wales (Company No. 2329628). It was established in London, in 1988, by the Yamani Cultural and Charitable Foundation; HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani is the founder of both of these foundations.

The Board of Directors The Board of Directors is the highest body within Al-Furqān.

It consists of the Chairman and three other directors. It’s responsibilities include overseeing management, appropriate use of funding, implementing the organisation’s goals, and shaping the organisation’s vision and mission.

Al-Furqān’s Vision

The Executive Management The Executive Management is the highest level of organisational management, executing the Foundation’s dayto-day responsibilities. It holds specific executive powers conferred with and by authority of the Board of Directors.

To be a leading Foundation in preserving and studying the Islamic written heritage.

Al-Furqān’s Mission To survey, preserve, study and publish the Islamic written heritage, as well as assist and promote the research in its fields.

Al-Furqān’s Offices Al-Furqān’s headquarters is in London. It also has two other offices, one in Jeddah - Saudi Arabia, and another in Cairo - Egypt.

Al-Furqān’s Aims and Objectives

• To initiate, promote and support research in the field

Al-Furqān’s Centres

of Islamic heritage.

• To assist in the preservation and restoration of the

Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation was established initially with the aim to document and preserve the Islamic written heritage, principally through its work in surveying, imaging, cataloguing, editing, studying and publishing Islamic manuscripts. But, with time, its scope of activity has expanded, and it has become a Foundation consisting of 3 centres under one umbrella, i.e.:

Islamic written heritage.

• To raise awareness on the richness of the Islamic heritage, its role and importance.

To achieve its aims and objectives, the Foundation pursues the following activities: o

Editing and publishing Islamic manuscripts of particular significance.

1. The Centre for the Study of Islamic Manuscripts (Manuscript Centre)

o

Publishing studies, bibliographical and encyclopaedic works in the field of Islamic heritage.

The Manuscript Centre’s Mission

o

Organising training courses on various aspects of Islamic heritage.

o

Holding academic seminars, conferences and lectures in order to stimulate discussions and action in the field of Islamic heritage.

o

The Manuscript Centre’s mission is to document and preserve the Islamic written heritage through surveying, imaging, cataloguing, editing and publishing Islamic manuscripts, which constitute a significant part of the Islamic heritage.

The Manuscript Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board

Establishing a reference library with the main research tools necessary for the study of the Islamic heritage.

The Founding / Advisory Board of the Manuscript Centre was a body of outstanding academics and scholars in the field of Islamic written heritage, such as: history, history of science, codicology, paleography and Islamic history. They gathered in London, in December 1991, with the aim to:

o Developing an online platform to enable the schol-

ars, researchers and students of the Islamic civilisation and heritage all over the world easier access to the hidden treasures of the Islamic heritage.

✓ Establish an overall strategy and guidelines. ✓ Define the Manuscript Centre’s fields of activities.

Al-Furqān’s Motto

The Manuscript Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board consisted of the following members: - HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Sheikh Abdel Aziz al-Rifaʿi

“Glorious Past, Brighter Future”

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Winter 2020 o Establishing a reference library with the main research tools necessary for the study of Islamic manuscripts.

Dr Abdel Hadi al-Tazi Dr Anton Heinen Dr Charles de Fouchéour Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu Dr Enes Karic Dr George Atiyeh Sheikh Hamad al-Jaser Dr Iraj Afshar Dr Jan Just Witkam Dr Juan Vernet Sheikh Mahmoud Shakir Dr Nasiruddin al-Asad Dr Orhan Bilgin Dr Salahuddin al-Munajjid Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr Dr Yusuf Ibish Dr William Montgomery Watt

o Developing an online platform/database for online catalogues and other bibliographical works, in order to provide to the scholars, researchers, and students of the Islamic civilisation and heritage, all over the world, easier access to the hidden treasures of the Islamic written heritage.

The Manuscript Centre’s Board of Experts The Board of Experts is a body of outstanding academics and scholars in the field of the Islamic written heritage, such as: history, history of science, codicology, paleography and Islamic history.

The Board of Experts is a decision-making body, with a role to:

✓ Review the activities of the Manuscript Centre, and

provide the appropriate directions. ✓ Elaborate on, and discuss themes for projects to be adopted by the Centre. ✓ Inspect projects and scholarly works submitted to the Centre, and issuing decisions as to its acceptance, request for modifications, or rejection.

The Manuscript Centre’s Board of Experts members are: -

The Founding Board of the Manuscript Centre

The Manuscript Centre’s Aims and Objectives The Manuscript Centre’s main aims and objectives are: • To initiate, promote and support research into the field of Islamic manuscripts.

• To assist in the preservation and restoration of Islamic manuscripts.

• To raise awareness on the richness and the importance of the Islamic written heritage.

HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman Dr Abdullah Yusuf al-Ghonaim Dr Ahmed Shawqi Binebine Dr Bashar Awwad Marouf Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu Dr Ibrahim Chabbouh Dr Mohammed Adnan al-Bakheet

2. The Centre for the Encyclopaedia of Makkah and Madinah (Mawsoa Centre) The Mawsoa Centre’s Mission The Mawsoa Centre’s main goal is to acknowledge Makkah and Madinah’s scientific and cultural roles as well as their significance throughout history.

To achieve its aims and objectives, the Centre pursues the following activities: o Identifying and surveying the existing collections of Islamic manuscripts.

The Mawsoa Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board The Mawsoa Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board was a body of outstanding academics and scholars in the field of encyclopaedic studies. They gathered in London, in November 1994, with the aim to:

o Assisting in cataloguing previously uncatalogued collections of Islamic manuscripts.

o Editing and publishing Islamic manuscripts of particular significance.

✓ Establish an overall strategy and guidelines. ✓ Define the Mawsoa Centre’s fields of activities.

o Organising training courses on various aspects of Islamic written heritage, such as codicology, cataloguing and editing.

The Mawsoa Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board consisted of the following members:

o Organising conferences, symposia and lectures to stimulate research and discussions on topics related to the field of manuscripts.

- HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abdu-l-Malik bin Duhaysh

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Winter 2020 The Mawsoa Centre’s Academic Board members are:

Dr Abdu-l-Wahab abu Sulaiman Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu Dr Jan Just Witkam Dr Kazim al-Musawi al-Bojnourdi (Islamic Encyclopaedia – Iran) Dr Nasir al-Din al-Asad Dr Robert McHenry (Encyclopaedia Britannica – UK) Dr Tayyar Altikulaç (Islamic Encyclopaedia – Turkey) Dr Yusuf Ibish

- HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abbas Saleh Tashkandy - Dr Abdu-l-Lateef bin Abdullah bin Duhaysh - Dr Abdu-l-Wahab abu Sulaiman - Dr Abdullah Saleh Ahmed Shawoosh - Dr Abdu-l-Rrahman Sulaiman al-Mazeni - Dr Adnan Mohammed al-Shareef - Dr Asim Hamdan Ali - Dr Ghazi bin Obaid Madani - Dr Mi’raj Nawab Mirza - Dr Mohammed Abdu-l-Karim bin Obaid - Dr Omar Hasan Falatah - Dr Yusuf Ahmed Hawalah Dr Abbas Saleh Tashkandy is the Secretary General of the Mawsoa Centre, as well as the Chief Editor of the Encyclopaedia of Makkah and Madinah.

3. The Centre for the Study of the Philosophy of Islamic Law (Maqāṣid Centre)

The Founding Board of the Mawsoa Centre

The Mawsoa Centre’s Aims and Objectives

The Maqāṣid Centre’s Mission

The Mawsoa Centre’s main aims and objectives are:

The Maqāṣid Centre’s mission is to revitalise the knowledge of maqāṣid, in order to develop the process of ijtihād and the renewal of Islamic fiq’h, its fundamental theory (uṣūl), and Islamic thought in general. The Centre also aims to broaden the horizons of knowledge for students of Islamic studies everywhere.

• To promote research into and specialised study of the two holy cities, Makkah and Madinah.

• To acknowledge Makkah’s and Madinah’s scientific and cultural roles as well as their historical significance.

• To compile a comprehensive Encyclopaedia about these two holy cities.

The Maqāṣid Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board The Founding / Advisory Board of the Maqāṣid Centre was a body of outstanding academics and scholars in different fields of Islamic studies. They gathered in London, in March 2005, with the aim to:

To achieve its aims and objectives, the Centre pursues the following activities: o Compiling a comprehensive Encyclopaedia about these two holy cities.

✓ Establish an overall strategy and guidelines. ✓ Define the Centre’s fields of activities.

o Publishing books, studies and theses on Makkah and Madinah. o Publishing critical editions of historical references related to Makkah and Madinah.

The Maqāṣid Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board consisted of the following members:

o Holding lectures and other public activities to stimulate research and discussions on topics related to Makkah and Madinah.

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o Compiling and publishing a multi-lingual bibliography of published works, references, theses and articles on Makkah and Madinah. o Establishing an Information Centre, holding a collection of texts, references, photographs, documents, maps, theses, travellers’ accounts, journals, microfilms and audio-visual material on Makkah and Madinah.

The Encyclopaedia project is implemented under the supervision of the Academic Board, a number of specialised committees, and the executive management.

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HE Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani, Chairman Dr Abdul Adheem al-Deeb Dr Abdul Rahman al-Kelani Dr Ahmad Yusuf Sulaiman Dr Hasan Jaber Dr Ibrahim al-Bayoumi Ghanem Dr Jamaluddin Atiyyah Dr Jasser Audah Dr Mahmoud Bilal Mahran Dr Muhammad Attahir al-Misawi WWW.AL-FURQAN.COM

Newsletter No. 19

Winter 2020 • Refuting attempts to misuse the idea of maqāṣid in order to “deconstruct” the Islamic principles and fundamentals.

• Promoting and publishing biographies of scholars who have contributed to the study of maqāṣid.

• Co-operating with Islamic universities and Islamic studies departments in order to include the maqāṣid in their curricula or syllabi.

• Incorporating maqāṣid theories in the methodology and philosophy of various social sciences and humanities.

• Establishing a comprehensive maqāṣid encyclopaedia.

The Founding / Advisory Board of the Maqāṣid Centre was a body of outstanding academics and scholars in different fields of Islamic studies. They gathered in London, in March 2005, with the aim to:

✓ Establish an overall strategy and guidelines. ✓ Define the Centre’s fields of activities.

The Maqāṣid Centre’s Founding / Advisory Board consisted of the following members: - HE Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani, Chairman - Dr Abdul Adheem al-Deeb - Dr Abdul Rahman al-Kelani - Dr Ahmad Yusuf Sulaiman - Dr Hasan Jaber - Dr Ibrahim al-Bayoumi Ghanem - Dr Jamaluddin Atiyyah - Dr Jasser Audah - Dr Mahmoud Bilal Mahran - Dr Muhammad Attahir al-Misawi - Dr Muhammad Haytham al-Khayat - Dr Muhammad Kamaleddin Emam - Dr Muhammad Salim al-Awa - Dr Noureddin al-Khadimi - Dr Saifuddin Abd al-Fattah - Dr Wahbah al-Zuhaily - Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi

To achieve its aims and objectives, the Centre pursues the following activities: o Publishing new critical editions of maqāṣid books of particular significance. o Publishing bibliographical references in the field of maqāṣid. o Publishing studies on the objectives (maqāṣid) of Islamic law. o Organising training courses on understanding the maqāṣid. o Holding conferences, symposia, seminars and lectures to stimulate research and discussions on topics related to the field of maqāṣid. o Establishing a reference library with the main research tools necessary for the study of maqāṣid (philosophy of Islamic jurisprudence). o Encouraging Islamic studies departments and programmes outside traditional Islamic institutes, to conduct research that shows the universality of Islamic law in all cultural contexts. o Encouraging versatile students and young researchers to study the philosophy of Islamic law, the maqāṣid.

The Maqāṣid Centre’s Board of Experts The Board of Experts of the Maqāṣid Centre includes a distinguished group of scholars and researchers in different fields of Islamic studies.

The Board of Experts is a decision-making body, with a role to: Review

the activities of the Maqāṣid Centre and provide the appropriate directions Elaborate

on, and discuss themes for projects to be adopted by the Centre. Inspect

projects and scholarly works submitted to the Centre, and issuing decisions as to its acceptance, request for modifications, or rejection.

The Founding Board of the Maqāṣid Centre

The Maqāṣid Centre’s Aims and Objectives The Maqāṣid Centre’s main aims and objectives are:

The Maqāṣid Centre’s Board of Experts members are:

• Encouraging studies and research which contribute to the Islamic philosophy of law, inside and outside the academic world.

• Giving special consideration to new research in the theories of priorities, utility, consequences and universal principles of Islamic law.

• Reinforcing the link between the study of maqāṣid and the study of the basic rules of the Islamic law.

• Calling upon scholars to elaborate on the correlation between contemporary ijtihād and maqāṣid, so as to facilitate understanding the wisdom and the objectives of Islamic rulings.

• Calling upon scholars and Islamic institutes of fatwa to illustrate the link between the Islamic texts, fatwā and maqāṣid.

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HE Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Chairman Dr Abdu-l-Wahab abu Sulaiman Dr Ahmad al-Raissouni Dr Hasan Jaber Dr Ibrahim al-Bayoumi Ghanem Dr Issam al-Basheer Dr Mohammed Salim al-Awa Dr Noureddin al-Khadimi Dr Saif al-Din Abdu-l-Fattah WWW.AL-FURQAN.COM

Newsletter No. 19

Winter 2020

Al-Furqān

Islamic Heritage Foundation Glorious Past, Brighter Future

The entrance of Al-Furqān headquarters - London Address: 22A Old Court Place London, W8 4PL England – UK

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3130 1530 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7937 2540

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Email: info@al-furqan.com Website: www.al-furqan.com WWW.AL-FURQAN.COM