1,000-Year-Old Rare Quran Manuscript Unveiled in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh: The King Abdulaziz Public Library has unveiled a rare 1,000-year-old Quran manuscript titled Gharib al-Quran. The manuscript was authored by the early Islamic scholar Abu Ubaidah Mammar ibn al-Muthanna.
Dating back to the 4th century AH, the manuscript consists of 23 pages measuring 17 by 22 centimeters. It is written in clear Andalusian script, with the names of the Surahs inscribed in Kufic script. According to the library, this manuscript represents an unpublished work on Quranic sciences.
The library’s collection includes rare manuscripts spanning centuries on Quranic exegesis and linguistics, featuring works by Abu Ishaq al-Zajjaj and Ibn Qutaybah al-Dinawari, as well as parts of the Tafsir al-Tabari copied in the 6th century AH.
The archives house over 185 rare manuscripts on Quranic exegesis, alongside hundreds of texts on recitation, grammar, and interpretation.
