H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, affirmed that the Holy Quran Academy in Sharjah is not limited to being a museum that houses pictures and manuscripts, but rather a place that is rich in many activities and programmes that serve the Holy Quran and those interested and working in the Quranic field.

This came during the speech delivered by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Thursday morning, at the opening of the Holy Quran Academy in Sharjah, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.

H.H. the Ruler of Sharjah indicated that 323 male and female students, from 101 countries are enrolled in the global electronic maqra’ in the Academy, supervised by 18 reciters on all the isnads (references), 227 of whom memorised the Quran, and were rewarded. Among these students is one from the North Pole, which reflects the efficacy and wide spread of the Academy.

Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi called on community members to visit the Holy Quran Academy in Sharjah and familiarise themselves with the various stages of the evolution of the writing of the Noble Quran from the dawn of Islam to our current era, and to benefit from its activities and programmes, including the global electronic Maqari’a programme.

Upon arrival at the venue of the ceremony, H.H. unveiled the memorial plaque to mark the official opening of the Academy, before he toured the place to review the museums housing Quranic manuscripts and treasures collected from various countries of the world throughout the ages. The complex, the biggest Quran Academy in the world, is a home to 7 scientific and historical museums, and its inception comes in fulfillment of the vision of the Emirate of Sharjah in building man on the approach of the tolerant Islamic law and care for the Holy Quran and its sciences.

H.H. the Ruler of Sharjah commenced his tour by visiting the Museum of the History of Writing the Noble Quran from the beginning of the codification of the verses of the Noble Quran in the Prophet’s Era until the modern era, and highlights the nation’s concern for the Noble Quran and its celebration. The museum displays 60 manuscripts distributed over 15 sections, each of which chronicles a century of events, and it is equipped with the latest technologies to familiarise the visitors of the Academy with the history of writing, in addition to allocating a room that simulates the cave of Hira with a display screen and audio devices that tell the story of the beginning of the revelation of the Holy Quran to Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

He then proceeded to visit the Museum of rare Qurans, which contains 308 valuable copies of the Quran and archaeological manuscripts as well as the possessions of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, in addition to the official copies of the Quran issued by various countries of the world and their translations into various languages.

Then, He stopped at the Seven and Ten Readings Museum, which aims to familiarise the visitors of the Academy with the glorious sciences of the Quran and to provide an explanation of the Quranic readings and their origin, their prominent figures, methods of performance, and their differences.

Sheikh Sultan continued his tour by visiting the pillars of Islam museum, which sheds light on the prominent Quranic figures throughout history, their scientific achievements and invaluable publications. The 15-section museum houses 899 books and manuscripts divided according to time ages. It also highlights the most prominent establishments that cared for the holy Quran and the research efforts put in to serve the Quran in the modern age.

At the four-section Museum of the Recitation Mentors, the Ruler of Sharjah reviewed the biographies of elite and renowned male and female Quran readers.

At the Museum of the Kaaba clothing (Kiswa), His Highness inspected the Prophet Chamber’s curtains. The museum houses 18 kiswas the oldest of which dates back to 970H before he listened to an explanation about the beginnings of making the covering of the Holy Kaaba since pre-Islamic times.

The Museum of the Kiswa of the Kaaba and the Prophet’s Chamber also contain three large display screens, equipped with the latest and most advanced display technologies, that showcase a sequential history of the Kaaba’s covering and its development over the ages, in addition to the manufacture of the Kaaba’s covering and the tools, materials and machines used in its manufacture and weaving processes.

H.H.’s tour also included a visit to the Hall of the Universe and Man in the Noble Quran, which casts light on the scientific facts in the Noble Quran.

The Ruler of Sharjah, stopped at the Quranic Scientific Library, which is a specialised library that includes the major books of interpretation and readings and the related sciences of the Noble Quran and Sharia sciences, and it includes 50 thousand electronically indexed volumes that allow researchers to quickly access information.

He paused at the global Electronic Maqra’a section, where he inspected the place which has been established to be a distinguished Quranic learning beacon.

Sheikh Sultan has signed 10 certificates of Noble Quran memorisation in the ten readings via the global electronic maqari’ at the Academy.

The Holy Quran Academy in Sharjah sits on an area of 75,000 square metres in the shape of the Islamic 8-pointed star with 34 domes. The design reflects the great attention the Emirate of Sharjah attaches to Islamic style buildings that reflect the beauty of the Islamic architecture.

The opening ceremony was attended by Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, Chairman of Seaports and Customs Authority; Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Statistics and Community Development; Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention; several heads and directors of local departments and establishments as well as scientific and academic bodies, in addition to a number of the Academy’s officials and those of interest in the Quranic issues.