Sharjah: Dr. Firdavs Abdulkhalikov, Director of the Centre of Islamic Civilisation in Uzbekistan, has presented a significant cultural and religious gift to the Holy Qur'an Academy in Sharjah - a copy of the ancient Katta Langar manuscript, one of the oldest known Qur'anic texts.
According to Emirates News Agency, Dr. Abdulkhalikov, along with his delegation, was warmly received by Dr. Abdullah Khalaf Al Hosani, the Secretary-General of the Academy. During the visit, Dr. Al Hosani provided an insightful overview of the Academy's initiatives, which include Qur'anic research, the Sharjah Global Digital Qur'an Recitation Platform, and a variety of museums, conferences, and symposia centered on Qur'anic readings and interpretations.
The manuscript, named after the Langar Ota Mosque in Uzbekistan's Qashqadaryo region, is believed to date back to the late 8th century CE, a period that coincides with the foundational development of Arabic grammar. Dr. Abdulkhalikov lauded the Academy's global educational impact and expressed a strong desire to foster collaborative efforts between his Centre and the Academy to further advance Islamic scholarship.
The Katta Langar manuscript is an exquisite example of early Islamic art and literature, written on vellum made from polished calfskin and measuring 52.5 ‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬¦¡¬ 34.0 cm per page. It is transcribed in the Hijazi Kufic script, the oldest form of Arabic calligraphy. Presently, eighty-one of its folios are preserved at the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts in Saint Petersburg, Russia, highlighting its historical and scholarly significance.