Brunei Darussalam is set to host the International Conference on Islamic Manuscripts 2025 from June 21 to 24 at the Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, in collaboration with Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), and Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College (KUPU SB), it was announced during a press conference.
Themed “Islamic Manuscripts: A Bridge Between the Past and the Future”, the conference is part of the Brunei Mid-Year Conference and Exhibition 2025 (BRUNEI-MYCE 2025).
The event will feature keynote speakers and renowned invited presenters from various countries, including academics and experts in the field of Islamic manuscript studies.
Among them are Professor of Malay Literature at UBD Professor Ampuan Dr Haji Brahim bin Ampuan Haji Tengah; Head of the Southeast Asia Section at the British Library Dato’ Dr Annabel Teh Gallop; Manuscript Researcher at Yayasan Karyawan Malaysia Dr Noriah @ Jariah binti Mohamed; and Lecturer at the Faculty of Archaeology, Fayoum University, Cairo Dr Madian Hamed Abdel-Hadi.
Participation is open to academics, researchers, and individuals from within Brunei and abroad who are interested in presenting at the conference.
The conference aims to raise awareness of the importance of Islamic manuscripts as a bridge connecting the intellectual and cultural heritage of the past with the future of the Muslim community. It also seeks to deepen understanding of Islamic manuscripts as relevant sources for shaping the lives of individuals and communities today and in the future.
Other key objectives include – highlighting the values and teachings within Islamic manuscripts to address contemporary issues facing the Muslim world; Encouraging greater interest among younger generations in Islamic manuscript research; Promoting innovation in education approaches based on Islamic manuscripts to nurture knowledgeable, ethical, and resilient generations.
Islamic manuscripts play a vital role in preserving valuable information related to the intellectual, spiritual, and cultural heritage of the Muslim world. These texts cover a wide range of knowledge, including jurisprudence, guidance, education, history, literature, politics, international relations, medicine, science, and technology.
The Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah currently houses over 1,000 Islamic manuscripts, including handwritten copies of the Quran and manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, and Malay produced by Islamic scholars across diverse fields.
Further details can be obtained from the conference’s Public Relations Unit at Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.
