Dr. Abdullah bin Omar BaFail, President of Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), launched the activities of the (Arabic Manuscripts Day), organized by the Institute of Manuscripts and Revival of Islamic Heritage over a period of two days. It was attended by Dr. Thamer bin Hemdan Al-Harby, the University’s Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research; Dr. Adnan Al-Harethy, the Dean of the Institute of Manuscripts and Revival of Islamic Heritage; and Dr. Mohamed Al-Laheiby, the Dean of the Deanship of Library Affairs. The event took place at the King Abdullah University Library in the University City in Al-Abediya.

The UQU President viewed a number of different original and digital manuscripts and listened to a detailed explanation by Dr. Adnan Al-Harethy about these manuscripts; their temporal and spatial age; how to take care of them; and archiving and indexing them to facilitate the matter for the researchers.

After that, a scientific lecture started under the title of  "Shedding Light on Early Hijazi Script”  through the early Quranic manuscripts and the archaeological evidence, followed by a training session given under the theme of "From Codicology to Critical Edition". The activities took place at the hall of the Deanship of Library Affairs in the Al-Abediya Campus and were transmitted via the closed-circuit television at King Abdulla University Library in Al-Zahir campus.

Dr. Adnan Al-Harethy, the Dean of the Institute of Manuscripts and Revival of Islamic Heritage, lauded the auspices of the UQU President for the activities of the Arabic Manuscripts Day that highlights that role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in giving due care to the Arabic manuscript heritage and introducing it to the younger generations.

He explained that the participation in the activities of the Arabic Manuscripts Day comes within the objectives of the institute which are represented in collecting the copies and originals of the Islamic heritage from inside and outside the Kingdom; archiving and indexing the manuscripts; disseminating Islamic heritage in all fields of knowledge; providing specialized scientific  consultations in the field of manuscripts; supporting and encouraging researchers from the graduate students and faculty members in the universities to work in the manuscripts verification field; organizing training courses in the field of Islamic heritage verification and study; and conducting specialized research and studies in the field of sterilization and renovation of paper manuscripts. 

Moreover, Dr. BaFail made an inspection tour through the King Abdullah University Library, in which he checked the different facilities of the library and the manuscripts’ sterilization and renovation lab.

He also praised the consideration and interest given by the wise leadership to the educational process, which contributed to offering an attractive educational environment for the students and the research process of the postgraduate programs. He lauded the support and directives of Dr. Ahmed bin Mohamed Al-Issa, Minister of Education, for the programs and activities of the university.