JEDDAH: The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) organized an event on Wednesday to mark World Arabic Language Day.
The event included a display of Arabic and Islamic calligraphy paintings, in addition to a panel discussion and poetry competition in Arabic among IDB staff. “The Arabic language is a language of 2 billion people around the world who are members of the Islamic Ummah,” said IDB President Dr. Bandar Hajjar.
“It is the official language of the IDB, even though the bank also deals in English and French.”
He said the bank has provided about $300 million in support of literacy and education projects in Africa. The IDB allocates grants to teach the Arabic language, he added.
The event included a scientific symposium on the reality and future of the Arabic language in education, international organizations and scientific academies.
The symposium stressed the importance of using artificial intelligence in designing programs to promote and learn the Arabic language to boost its presence in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.
The poetry competition was won by Nigerian contestant Saeed Al-Rifai from the bank’s head office. Mauritanian Izz Al-Din Ahmed from its regional office won second place.
Islamic Development Bank marks World Arabic Language Day
https://arab.news/gwet6
Islamic Development Bank marks World Arabic Language Day
- IDB has provided about $300 million in support of literacy and education projects in Africa
Makkah museum displays world’s largest Qur’an
MAKKAH: The Holy Qur’an Museum at the Hira Cultural District in Makkah is showcasing a monumental handwritten copy of the Holy Qur’an, recognized as the largest Qur’an of its kind in the world.
The manuscript measures 312 cm by 220 cm and comprises 700 pages, earning the museum recognition from Guinness World Records for displaying the world’s largest Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The manuscript is a magnified reproduction of a historic Qur’an dating back to the 16th century, the SPA stated.
The original copy measures 45 cm by 30 cm, with the chapters written primarily in Thuluth script, while Surah Al-Fatiha was penned in Naskh, reflecting the refined artistic choices and calligraphic diversity of the era.
The Qur’an is a unique example of Arabic calligraphy, gilding and bookbinding, showcasing Islamic art through intricate decorations, sun-shaped motifs on the opening folio, and elaborately designed frontispiece and title pages that reflect a high level of artistic mastery.
The manuscript was endowed as a waqf in 1883. Its original version is currently preserved at the King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries, serving as a lasting testament to Muslims’ enduring reverence for the Qur’an and the richness of Islamic arts across the centuries.
