Al-Furqan: an introduction

The al-Furqan Foundation aims to document and preserve the Islamic written heritage. It pursues this aim principally though its work in surveying, imaging, cataloguing, editing and publishing Islamic manuscripts.

Islamic manuscripts extant in the world are estimated to number three million, covering subjects as diverse as the Quran, Prophetic traditions (Hadith), jurisprudence (fiqh), logic, history and philosophy, as well as mathematics, the various sciences, poetry and literature, and art and craft.

 Nowadays these manuscripts are not the exclusive preserve of Arab and Muslim countries, or even countries with large Muslim minorities. Islamic manuscript and found extensively in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia and Japan. There hardly ac country in the world that does not possess some manuscripts produced under the aegis of Muslim civilisation.

This large and important resource is, tragically, in great danger of being damaged or lost for ever. Political conflict, social upheaval and the merely natural causes – whenever and wherever there is a lack of resources essential for its its maintenance and preservation, this heritage is in danger.

Al-Furqan Foundation is committed to mobilising every available expertise to preserve this heritage and to restore these manuscripts and their content to cultural mainstream.

Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation is a charity registered in the United Kingdom, number: 2329628

Al-Furqan activities

·     Promoting, initiating and sponsoring research in the field of Islamic manuscripts

·     Surveying Islamic manuscript collections.

·     Cataloguing previously uncatalogued Islamic manuscripts.

·     Preserving Islamic manuscript collections.

·    Publishing new critical editions of Islamic manuscripts of particular significance.

·   Training personnel qualified to work in the fields of cataloguing and preservation.

·     Establishing a reference library with the main research tools necessary for the study of Islamic manuscripts.

Holding conferences, symposia, and lectures to stimulate research and discussions on topic related to written cultural of Islam.   

Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation was established in London in 1988 by the Yamani Cultural and Charitable Foundation. Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani is the founder of both of these foundations.