Islamic civilisation regards libraries as centres of knowledge,\nresearch, and innovation that have led to numerous major world\ndiscoveries. Some libraries even held collections of hundreds of\nthousands of books \u2013 a staggering number for their time. Here are four\nIslamic libraries with extraordinary collections:<\/p>\n
The Bait al-Hikmah library in Baghdad was one of the largest centres\nof knowledge in Islamic history. It evolved from a royal library into a\nnational library and a hub for research and academia.<\/p>\n
Bait al-Hikmah served as a centre for translating foreign works,\nscientific research, academic discussions, and even housed an\nobservatory and laboratories. Due to its role, it is often referred to\nas an early version of a university and research institution.<\/p>\n
Its collections came from major civilisations such as Greek, Persian,\nArab, and Syrian. Many Greek philosophical works were translated into\nArabic, making it a global hub for knowledge transfer.<\/p>\n
Estimated to have held between 400,000 and 500,000 books across\ndisciplines like medicine, mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy,\nprominent figures such as Al-Kindi and Al-Khwarizmi worked there.<\/p>\n
However, its glory ended tragically during the Mongol conquest of\nBaghdad in 1258, when many collections were destroyed and thrown into\nthe Tigris River.<\/p>\n
In the Western Islamic world, specifically in Cordoba (Spain), a\nmagnificent library was built by Al-Hakam II in the 10th century.<\/p>\n
Initially a private royal collection, it later expanded into a major\nnational library. With modern management systems and a large staff, its\ncollection grew rapidly.<\/p>\n
It held approximately 400,000 volumes, making it one of the largest\nlibraries in the world at the time.<\/p>\n
Notably, its development was influenced by Bait al-Hikmah in Baghdad,\nwith both symbolising an \u2018intellectual rivalry\u2019 between the Eastern and\nWestern Islamic worlds.<\/p>\n
As a centre of knowledge, Baghdad had around 35 major libraries\nbesides Bait al-Hikmah. Some had fantastical collections, such as\nAl-Waqidi\u2019s library, reportedly requiring 120 camels to transport its\nbooks, and Al-Baiqani\u2019s, needing 63 baskets and two suitcases.<\/p>\n
Among these, Ibnu Kamil\u2019s library stood out with approximately 10,000\nbooks. It was likely a private collection, but its size was remarkable\nfor its time.<\/p>\n
This highlights that the tradition of literacy and knowledge\ndevelopment flourished not only at the state level but also among\nindividuals.<\/p>\n
Unlike classical libraries that have vanished, the Masjid Nabawi\nLibrary in Madinah still exists today.<\/p>\n
It houses over 172,548 books, with hundreds of cabinets and dozens of\nknowledge categories. Its collections include:<\/p>\n
Rare Qur\u2019an manuscripts<\/p><\/li>\n
Historical documents<\/p><\/li>\n
Books in over 22 languages<\/p><\/li>\n
Digital collections of hundreds of thousands of titles<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The library accommodates hundreds of visitors per hour and welcomes\nover 700,000 people annually.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/4-monumental-libraries-of-islamic-history-their-collections-astound-1779883289", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }