Makkah’s Grand Mosque library showcases rare manuscripts

The libraries and cultural affairs department of the General Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques is showcasing seven rare manuscripts in the women’s section of the Grand Mosque’s library in Makkah.

The rare manuscripts on display in the gallery include Qur’anic scripts written during the reign of Caliph Uthman bin Affan, paintings that feature Qur’anic verses by calligrapher Mohammed Ibrahim, and a rare copy of “Musnad Al-Muwatta,” the first legal work to incorporate hadith and fiqh.

Umaima bint Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of women’s activities at the department, said that the gallery aims to serve as a platform for people — from researchers to pilgrims — to broaden their historical and cultural knowledge.

The gallery also contains a mural documenting the stages of development the library went through, copies of the Holy Qur’an, and old newspapers and photographs of Makkah’s Grand Mosque, Al-Sudais added.

The gallery receives visitors from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday to Thursday.

Museums in Makkah house rare antiquities that are more than 1,400 years old, highlighting the rich history of the place.

Experts consider these museums a portal of knowledge from which visitors get their information as they integrate and constitute an important tributary of the culture and history of Makkah with elements from different eras and periods of time.

These museums also tell stories about the Kingdom serving the Two Holy Mosques.