As part of the celebrations for Arab Manuscript Day, observed by cultural centers, institutions, and libraries across the Arab world, the Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage in Dubai organized a virtual seminar titled “The Lost Manuscript Heritage” on Monday, April 14, 2025.
The seminar aimed to raise awareness about the importance of the lost Arab cultural heritage and to encourage researchers and institutions to continue their efforts in locating and uncovering missing manuscripts.
The event featured contributions from Dr. Abdul Hakim Al Anis, Scientific Advisor at the Holy Quran Academy in Sharjah and Mr. Fahad Al-Maamari, Chairman of the Emirates Library Association and a writer and researcher in Arabic literature and heritage; and was moderated by media professional Sheikha Al-Mutairi.
The seminar commenced with a lecture by Dr. Al Anis, who addressed the subject of Lost Heritage: Manuscripts of Quranic Interpretation and Sciences as a Model. He discussed the breadth of the topic, the degrees, causes, types, and manifestations of loss, as well as the sources and periods in which manuscripts were lost. He illustrated his points with examples from early and later works, and highlighted the scholarly benefits related to the life journeys of these manuscripts, stressing the importance of further research in this field.
Following this, Mr. Fahad Al-Maamari delivered a presentation on The Lost Manuscript Heritage of Andalusia. He focused on manuscripts in the field of biographical literature, an area that Andalusians greatly valued, covering biographies of caliphs, ministers, poets, philosophers, women, and revolutionaries. He shed light on several important works that have been lost over time and suggested that many may still be hidden on the shelves of libraries in Europe and the Arab world, awaiting rediscovery.
The seminar witnessed significant engagement from the specialized Arab heritage audience, with numerous questions posed to the speakers, who provided comprehensive and insightful responses.
