One of the oldest surviving Quran manuscripts to be shown in Dubai
One of the oldest surviving Islamic manuscripts is to be displayed in Dubai as part of an interactive digital exhibition and nationwide tour.
The Birmingham Quran is considered an international treasure and attracted more than 25,000 people when it was displayed at Sharjah International Book Fair and at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi.
The exhibition will open at Dubai Design District from April 19 to May 3, and will include the manuscript in digital form and a detailed replica.
It is being hosted by the University of Birmingham. “The Birmingham Quran manuscript is of huge significance to Muslim heritage and the academic study of Islam,” said the university’s vice chancellor, Prof Sir David Eastwood.
“We are immensely proud to host such a treasure.
“Following the success of this interactive digital exhibition in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, where it was visited by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and thousands of people, we are honoured to bring the exhibition to Dubai, he added.
“Together with the development of our campus in Dubai, this exhibition symbolises the university’s deep commitment to working with partners in UAE to enhance academic opportunities and cultural understanding.”
The exhibition will feature a programme of related educational activities for young people, including exhibition tours and activity sheets.
Free calligraphy workshops, designed and delivered by Dubai artists Gallery Arabesque, will be open for local schools.
Visitors can discover the story behind the treasured manuscript thanks to an innovative and free online course developed by the team looking after the manuscript, at the University’s Cadbury Research Library.