UIN Ar-Raniry Students Study 1,934 Manuscripts to Strengthen Philology Research

Banda Aceh (ANTARA) - Students from the History and Islamic Culture (SKI) programme at the Faculty of Adab and Humaniora, UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh, have studied 1,934 manuscripts at the Aceh Museum to strengthen their academic competencies in philology and the preservation of ancient Aceh manuscripts.

UIN Ar-Raniry lecturer Hermansyah in Banda Aceh on Tuesday stated that the Aceh Museum is one of the largest centres for storing manuscripts in Aceh, holding many ancient texts with high historical and academic value.

He explained that of the 1,934 manuscripts stored there, not all have been documented in detail based on their content and themes. This situation poses a challenge for researchers seeking to trace manuscripts on specific topics, such as traditional medicine, cuisine, customary law, or Islamic thought.

According to him, the field practicum is designed to train students in conducting initial inventories, physical identification of manuscripts, and descriptive studies as a foundation for philological research.

“Such field-based approaches are important so that students not only understand theory but also possess practical skills in caring for, documenting, and studying manuscripts directly,” he said.

His side hopes that through this practicum, a new generation of young philologists will emerge who are capable of caring for, documenting, and studying Aceh’s intellectual heritage as part of efforts to preserve local history and culture amid the passage of time.

Head of the Collection and Educational Guidance Section at the Aceh Museum, Nurhasanah, mentioned that the museum currently holds 1,934 bundles of manuscripts that can be utilised as research data sources and for advancing knowledge.

“All manuscripts stored at the Aceh Museum can be used for academic studies, research, and the development of scientific knowledge,” she said.