Once upon a time, books were people's daily companion. Now technology has taken that place. Yet many people still delve into books in search of knowledge. Traveled to cities of knowledge. The Middle East has prioritized books and libraries since ancient times. That is why the world's largest libraries can be seen in the Middle East.
Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, was once the center of learning in the medieval Islamic world. The House of Wisdom (Baitul Hikmah) is a historical library. Where there were more than 400,000 books until they were destroyed by the Mongols in 1258.
Going back a little further, the Library of Alexandria in Egypt, from the 3rd century BC, gradually lost millions of books due to a series of fires and wars. The necessity of acquiring knowledge and knowledge has been present since the early days of Islam. In Islamic tradition, the first word of the holy book Al-Qur'an was 'read'. Gabriel (A.S.) brought the revelation to the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). He said to the Prophet, "Recite in the name of your Lord." Since then, in the history of Muslims, books and reading have become a part of life. A huge library has been created. London-based media Middle East Eye has made a report on the world's 5 largest libraries in the Middle East.
1. Library of Alexandria
This library of Alexandria is also called the royal library. One of the largest and most important libraries of the ancient world. It is located in Alexandria, Egypt. The library was established as a major learning center under the patronage of Egypt's Ptolemaic dynasty in the 3rd century BC. The library was functional until the Roman invasion of Egypt in 30 BC. Apart from the collection of books, this library also had lecture rooms, meeting rooms and gardens. The library was actually part of a larger research institution called the Museum. Many eminent philosophers of the ancient world studied here.
This library was burnt down. As a result, many scrolls and books were destroyed forever. The burning of the ancient library of Alexandria therefore symbolizes the destruction of cultural knowledge. After the main library was destroyed, researchers used a smaller library in a temple called the Serapeum on the other side of the city of Alexandria. According to Socrates of Constantinople, the Coptic Pope Theophilus also destroyed this temple in 391 AD.
It is not possible to estimate the exact number of books of any era in this library. Books were collected in the form of papyrus. Since 300 BC, however, codices have also been used. The Library of Alexandria collection was never kept on parchment paper. This is probably due to the flourishing of the papyrus trade in the Egyptian region. But this library became an indirect cause of the use of parchment. Papyrus could not be exported as the library needed a lot of papyrus. Instead, parchment exports began.
Almost all ancient texts refer to the Library of Alexandria as one of the largest and most important libraries in the ancient world. But the account of this library remains a mixture of history and legend. The main purpose of this library was to display the wealth of ancient Egypt. Research was a secondary objective. However, the books stored in the library were used by the ruler of Egypt. Then the redecoration begins here. This library gradually became known to everyone again. It houses approximately eight million books. Its shelf space is 32 meters high. With a main reading room sitting under a glass-paneled roof, walls inscribed with 120 script letters, the library is as much a tourist attraction as it is a haven for books. In 2010, it received a donation of five million books from the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, the national library of France, making Alexandria the sixth largest francophone library in the world.
2. Al-Karawein Library, Morocco
Just as Egypt was working to revive its literary history, Morocco focused more on the preservation of texts. This is why Morocco is famous for being home to the world's oldest library.
Al-Qarawin Library was founded by a woman in 859 AD. Fatima Al-Fihria, a Tunisian heiress, is the daughter of a wealthy immigrant. He donated all his money to establish a university. He also built a large library there. Throughout history, both the university and its libraries have played an important role in the exchange of culture and knowledge between Muslims and Europeans. Finally, in 2016, when architect Aziza Chaunou Al-Karawein renovated the library again, more than 4,000 old books were uncovered. Notable among these artifacts was the 9th-century Kufic script of the Qur'an, written on camel skin.
3. Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library, Dubai
One of the most remarkable libraries in the world is the Muhammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library in Dubai. This library was inaugurated in June 2022.
The largest library in the Middle East is located in Al Jeddaf, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The library is named after the ruler of Dubai, Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The ruler of Dubai, Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Sheikh, himself took the initiative to build the library. It was opened on June 16 this year. The structure cost 1 billion dirhams to build on 54,000 square meters of land. The 7-storied library, standing on a hill, uses state-of-the-art technology. There are several robots. With the help of robots, it is possible to easily collect books from the self with the help of data collection.
The collection consists of ten main libraries: General Library, Young Adult Library, Children's Library, Information Centre, Map and Atlas Library, Media and Arts Library, Business Library, Emirates Library, Periodicals Library and a Special Collections Library.
In addition to physical collections, libraries also provide access to a variety of eBooks and other digital media. Audio book libraries are a wonderful resource for everyone and are especially useful for those who are visually impaired or have reading difficulties.
While the library has a capacity of 5 million books, it currently contains more than 1.5 million printed and digital books in Arabic and foreign languages, numerous research papers, about 73,000 music scores, 75,000 videos, about 13,000 articles, and an archive spanning 325 years. Over 5,000 historical print and digital journals, nearly 35,000 print and digital newspapers from around the world, and nearly 500 rare collections. Free of charge registration is required from MBRL's website prior to the visit and public transport facilities are also available for travel.
4. Qatar National Library
Qatar National Library is known to the world as the first public library in the Persian Gulf region. A marvel of modern architecture, the Qatar National Library is located in Doha's Education City. Designed by world renowned architect Rem Koolhaas.
It was first inaugurated in 2012. It was later renovated as the National Library in 2015 and expanded in scope. The National Library of Qatar was not officially inaugurated until 2018. Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani declared the library as a national library whenever it reached one million books.
5. King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture Library
Located in the eastern city of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (ETHRA) houses an amazing collection of world cultures. There are also entertainment centers, cultural centers, museums, libraries.
The word Ethra is Arabic, meaning 'enrichment'. This cultural center started in 2018 is being enriched day by day by the Saudi government. It is constantly being decorated in various ways. Its library has more than two and a half lakh books in Arabic, English and other languages.
According to Ethra's website, the library has 50 percent Arabic books and 40 percent English. The center organizes various events including Islamic history, art and theatre.
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