Golden Quran on display at Auckland Central Library

Rasa - A centuries-old "golden Quran" will go on display at Central City Library in May after a new translation of associated Arabic manuscripts has been revealed by this year’s Researcher in Residence.

News ID: 2418

Date: 29 April 2015 - 13:23

RNA - Dr Zain Ali, head of Islamic studies at the University of Auckland and the Auckland Library Trust 2014/15 Researcher in Residence at Sir George Special Collections, translated a number of Arabic manuscripts as part of his research.

Dr Ali and his students will present these translations for the first time at a free public talk on 28 May.

The golden Quran - which contains pages illuminated in gold - was one of the items donated to Auckland City Library early in the 20th century by accountant and bibliophile Henry Shaw before his death in 1928.

Shaw gave the library 16 medieval and early Renaissance manuscripts, which, combined with the medieval manuscripts in Sir George Grey's gift to the library, makes the collection the largest of its kind in New Zealand.

The golden Quran and associated manuscripts will be displayed in the Special Collections reading room on Level 2 of Central City Library for two weeks after Dr Ali’s seminar.

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