The General Supervisor of the Library, Mr. Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Muammar, inaugurated an exhibition featuring 42 rare, gilded, and ornately decorated Quran manuscripts. The event took place at the Library's branch located in Al Murabba neighborhood within the King Abdulaziz Historical Center.

The exhibition boasts a selection of rare Quran manuscripts, each showcasing the rich tradition of Islamic art in calligraphy, ornamentation, and coloration. This includes drawing inspiration from Quranic verses complemented by a diversity of Arabic calligraphy styles, as well as showcasing manuscripts from various historical periods.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. Ibn Muammar extended his profound thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister, for their support, praying for God to protect the Kingdom and make it a land of prosperity, dignity, development, and progress, as well as safeguarding all Arab and Muslim nations.

Mr. Ibn Muammar elucidated that the specialty exhibition includes a distinguished collection from the library's possessions, with its program falling in line with the cultural strategy of the Kingdom envisioned in Saudi Vision 2030. The library has been invested for 40 years in documenting the civilizational, cultural, and scientific heritage through rare books, photographs, Islamic coins, manuscripts, and documents, further adding to the value of its specialized exhibitions that reflect Saudi Arabia's dedication to Arab-Islamic culture.

He highlighted the Kingdom's efforts in printing the Holy Quran, a process that received attention throughout the history of the Saudi state. With the printing facilities in Medina, the Quran has been translated into multiple languages, ensuring it is accessible to Muslims worldwide, and representing Islam in its proper light. He praised the role of the King Abdulaziz Public Library, which hosted prominent exhibitions like the Hajj exhibition at the British Museum and the Institute of the Arab World in Paris, and produced the widely distributed documentary film "The Hajj" since 2007. The library has also presented numerous exhibitions, including those focusing on Arabic calligraphy, poetry, and Islamic coins through the ages.

"We Muslims take pride in our Islamic civilization, its sciences, culture, humanism, and the achievements of Muslim scholars," said Mr. Ibn Muammar. The greatest achievement, he noted, is the preservation of the Quran throughout every phase of human history, attributing it to the diligent recording and compilation in the early days of Islam. He emphasized that Islamic art's distinctive flair is prevalent in the architecture, ornamentation, and calligraphy of each period, resulting in contributions that have transformed script into incredibly grand artworks.

Concluding his speech, Mr. Ibn Muammar expressed admiration for the arts of gilding and decoration of the holy manuscripts, marking them as an essential art form of Islamic culture that embodies the essence and unity of the Islamic world. He also reiterated the importance of the Library's role in preserving the national, Arab, and Islamic heritage, boasting thousands of manuscripts and rare items, including over 350 unique Qurans written in various calligraphic scripts across Islamic history.