Presided over by His Excellency Sayed Isa Al-Khirsan, Custodian of the Holy Alawi Shrine, and with the participation of academics, specialists, professors, and seminary students, the Alawi Treasury and Museum—affiliated with the Shrine’s Department of Intellectual and Cultural Affairs—officially launched the encyclopedia titled “Catalogue of the Manuscripts of the Kashif al-Ghita Public Library.” This significant scholarly work is regarded as one of the most prominent academic initiatives aimed at preserving the rich heritage of Najaf.
The unveiling took place during a scientific symposium titled ‘The Treasures of Najaf: An Enduring Legacy of Knowledge…The Kashif al-Ghita Public Library as a Model, which was organized under the auspices of the Holy Alawi Shrine.
Speaking to the Shrine’s News Center, Ammar Masha Allah, the official in charge of the Alawi Treasury, stated,
“This project involved the compilation and archival organization of a collection of jurisprudential and methodological manuscripts, with some documents dating back 500 to 700 years. He further noted, These scientific treasures have been cataloged for the first time, presented in a four-volume encyclopedia comprising approximately 900 distinct titles.”
Mr. Ahmed al-Hili, a manuscript indexer and speaker at the symposium, elaborated on the library’s significance.
“The Kashif al-Ghita Public Library is one of the oldest libraries in the holy city of Najaf,” he explained. “It houses rare and invaluable manuscripts in the fields of jurisprudence and legal theory, representing a vital asset for Islamic studies.” He added, “The cataloging project was completed over five years of continuous and meticulous work and was published with the direct support of the Holy Alawi Shrine. This endeavor is part of the Shrine’s broader efforts to revive and preserve the Islamic heritage.”
This initiative is part of a series of strategic projects undertaken by the Holy Alawi Shrine to safeguard the esteemed scholarly treasuries of Najaf. These treasuries stand as a testament to the city’s deep-rooted legacy and its enduring status as a pioneering center of knowledge and learning in the Islamic world.
