BERNAMA – Visitors exploring the thousands of manuscripts, historic copies of Al-Quran, and 1,000-year-old ancient artefacts at the Muzium al-Quran Melayu Raya in Narathiwat, southern Thailand, are instantly transported to a bygone era of Malay history.
The most captivating exhibit is a handwritten copy of Al-Quran belonging to a renowned Nusantara scholar Tok Kenali, whose real name was Muhammad Yusof Ahmad. This Al-Quran was completed in 1286 Hijrah.
Another major highlight is an Al-Quran, written in 1134 Hijrah, adorned with lettering written in gold ink at the start of each chapter, which has earned the reputation of being the most beautiful Al-Quran in the Islamic world.
Also on display is an Al-Quran from the Mughal Empire in India, with its cover made from animal hide and its pages from tree bark, as well as an Al-Quran from Yemen, which is over 1,000 years old, written on goat skin, according to the museum curator and headmaster of Al-Ahmadiah Al-Islamiah Madrasah Ustaz Muhammad Lutfi Ahmad Samae.
He said the museum, which opened in 2010, is divided into five exhibition rooms: Quran Manuscripts, Conferences, Malay Manuscripts, Ancient Malay Technology and Greatness of Malay Knowledge.
“The aim of collecting (and exhibiting) these precious treasures, such as the holy books and ancient documents, is to preserve their historical value and knowledge so that they can be appreciated by future generations,” said Muhammad Lutfi recently.
He added the museum also serves as an educational centre for students and researchers who can gain more knowledge about Islamic culture and art through the study of the manuscripts, sourced from various parts of the world.
According to Muhammad Lutfi, the museum houses 79 handwritten copies of Al-Quran, ranging between 150 to 1,100 years old, that have been fully restored, with nearly 200 more waiting to be restored.
Their restoration costs are fully covered by the Turkish government, along with contributions from various organisations both locally and internationally.
The museum is not just a collection centre for old copies of Al-Quran but also a repository of Malay manuscripts in various fields such as life sciences, physical sciences, medicine, mathematics and astronomy, which were obtained from around Thailand and are still in good condition.
“As part of the conservation effort, a total of 39,000 ancient manuscripts have been successfully documented in digital form, thanks to our collaboration with several universities in Malaysia,” he added.
Visitors to the museum can also view various ancient weapons, including the keris (dagger), rifles, swords and spears, as well as tools used in the past in the Malay Archipelago such as carts, palanquins, sugarcane presses, pottery and oil lamps.
“We also feature (the works of) Islamic scholars and philosophers from the Malay Archipelago and the Arab world,” said Muhammad Lutfi, adding the museum will be relocated to a new, purpose-built facility not far from the original site in November, making it the largest Islamic heritage museum in Southeast Asia. Muhammad Lutfi said he also hoped to collaborate with various institutions in Malaysia with expertise in manuscript restoration, including the National Archives, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and the National Library.
“All these materials are part of the Malay heritage, so they need to be preserved and protected because they can serve as reference sources related to the Malay world,” he said.
