From the Quran Scripture to the House of Wisdom Library... Sharjah, the World Capital of Books

2023 Sharjah International Book Fair Opens on Day 1
Government Organization Dedicated to Books, 'Doseocheong,' Promotes Publishing Industry
Islamic Scripture 'Quran' Advances Book Technology
High-Tech Library 'House of Wisdom' Expands

Every year, the largest international book fair in the Middle East is held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Since its first event in 1982, this year marks the 42nd edition. Approximately 81 countries and 2,000 companies participate annually, and the number of visitors during the roughly two-week period reaches 2.5 million. Among the seven emirates of the UAE, Sharjah, known as the ‘Cultural Capital City,’ is fostering publishing as a core industry. In 1998, it was designated by UNESCO as 'The Cultural Capital of the Arab World,' and in 2019, it was named UNESCO’s ‘World Book Capital.’

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization
Photo by Seo Mideum

Sharjah’s cultural strength is evident in its museums. The government’s dedicated department, the Museums Authority, operates various museums. Among them, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization offers a comprehensive view of the history achieved by Islamic civilization. The exhibitions cover Arab history, art, medicine, astronomy, architecture, mathematics, chemistry, and more. In particular, the spread of the Quran, the Islamic holy scripture, allows visitors to explore the development of books.

The Quran is being transcribed by hand.
Photo by Seo Mideum

The Quran is a sacred scripture revered by the majority in the UAE, where Islam is the state religion. The content, which contains Allah’s teachings and codes of conduct, was transmitted by handwritten manuscripts before the invention of printing technology. Maintaining precise width and angles was strictly required.

Various Qur'an covers with different patterns that show the history of changes
Photo by Seomideum

The Quran influenced the development of bookbinding technology. Book covers, which were originally wrapped with wooden boards, expanded to use palm leaf fibers. The cover patterns gradually transformed into geometric designs, featuring floral motifs and interlocking lattice shapes.

A container for storing the Quran
Photo by Seo Mideum

The Quran was carefully protected. Initially wrapped in cloth such as garments, it was later mainly stored in cases made of wood, pearls, silver coins, or brass. Among the emirates of the UAE, Sharjah, which strictly adheres to Islamic law, handled the Quran with even greater care.

The attitude toward handling the Quran is also reflected in the library called the ‘House of Wisdom.’ The House of Wisdom was established in 2019 to commemorate Sharjah’s designation as UNESCO’s ‘World Book Capital.’ The building was designed by the architectural firm Foster and Partners, which also designed airports in London, Hong Kong, and Beijing. During the day, the glass facade incorporates the surrounding environment into the library interior, while at night, lighting creates a splendid atmosphere.

Since the region has strong sunlight and scarce shade, the architecture maximizes shade production. The building is 30 meters tall, creating 15 meters of shade. Perhaps because of the shade, various birds flock to the metal exterior of the library, and their chirping harmonizes beautifully with the building’s aesthetics. The library holds about 300,000 volumes, of which 200,000 are stored digitally. Rare books include 12,000 volumes, some over 200 years old.

Exterior view of Jihye's House
[Photo by Jihye's House Homepage]

A distinctive feature of the House of Wisdom library is that it provides spaces where children and women can read freely. A separate children’s area increases their freedom, and a women-only section is also provided to ensure convenience.

Espresso book machine
Photo by Seomideum

It is also a state-of-the-art library. An ‘Espresso Book Machine’ is available, which can produce a book in about five minutes?the time it takes to make a cup of espresso. Books with resolved copyright issues can be published, and sales are possible through the library’s publishing network.

The sculpture 'Durumari (The Scroll)'
Photo by Seomideum

In the garden outside the House of Wisdom, a sculpture called ‘The Scroll’ by British artist Gary Jude is installed. The sculpture depicts an ancient scroll spiraling upward into the sky, symbolizing wisdom soaring to the heavens.

Marwa Al Aqroubi, director of the House of Wisdom library, explained, “The House of Wisdom is a cutting-edge library designed with functions and age-specific characteristics in mind. It aims to provide a special space beyond home, school, and workplace,” adding, “Since the establishment of the House of Wisdom, libraries with similar concepts have gradually spread.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.