Online Databases of Manuscripts in Arabic Script

NB 1 – Many libraries in Europe and North America continue to add cataloging records of manuscripts in Arabic script to OCLC/WorldCat, but these records are classified as “books” or “archival materials” since OCLC/WorldCat does not offer the separate classification category of “manuscripts.”  In addition, OCLC/WorldCat records are stripped of their call numbers.
NB 2 – There is no single bank catalog of collections of manuscripts in Arabic script in all Muslim societies.
NB 3 – There is no single bank catalog of all digitized catalogs of manuscripts in Arabic script.
NB 4 – Double-check AMIR (see Resource Websites) for updates, since new digital surrogates of manuscripts in Arabic script are continually posted on the internet, though often without codicological description and identifying metadata.

Fihrist: Islamic Manuscript Catalogue Online, British union catalog for manuscripts in Arabic script.  The project originated with the Oxford and Cambridge Islamic Manuscript Catalogue Online (OCIMCO), 2009-2011, and is available at: http://www.fihrist.org.uk/home

Al-Furqan Digital Library Portal, Al-Furqān Islamic Heritage Foundation, London.  The portal allows for cross-searching between various collections, one of which is the digitized contents of The World Survey of Islamic Manuscripts (gen. ed. Geoffrey Roper, 4 vols., 1991-1994); available at: http://www.al-furqan.com/world_library/

ITIM: The International Treasury of Islamic Manuscripts, a free online manuscript catalogue hosting service in Arabic and English.  The project is coordinated by The Islamic Manuscript Association (TIMA) and offers partner institutions secure and sustainable storage of the digital surrogates of cataloged manuscripts in Arabic script; available at: http://www.manuscript-treasury.net/

Shaykh Āqā  Buzurg Tihrānī: Bānk-i iṭṭilāʿāt-i nusakh-i khaṭī, Iranian database of digitized manuscripts in Arabic script; available at: http://www.aghabozorg.ir/ 

 

Dagmar A. Riedel

Last updated, 9 February 2016

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