House of Wisdom, ‘Majarra’ to unlock 70,000 resources

In a key moment attended by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), House of Wisdom (HoW) in Sharjah has formed a strategic partnership with 'Majarra,' a premier platform for reliable and valuable Arabic content.

This collaboration is set to deepen the ties between the two organisations and broaden access to essential knowledge resources for the entire community.

The agreement was signed during the 43rd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2024, where Marwa Al Aqroubi, HoW Executive Director, and Ammar Heikal, CEO of Majarra, formalised the partnership in the presence of Abdel Salam Heikal, Chairman of Majarra’s Board of Directors.

Under this collaboration, HoW members will gain exclusive access to over 70,000 knowledge resources from five renowned global platforms, including Harvard Business Review, MIT Technology Review, Popular Science, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and ‘Nafsiti’.

Marwa Al Aqroubi said, "This partnership with Majarra perfectly aligns with our mission at House of Wisdom to offer our members access to valuable knowledge and to foster a vibrant reading culture within the community. It also opens doors to high-quality Arabic content, supporting our vision of building a sustainable knowledge ecosystem in Sharjah."

The subscription unlocks a wealth of textual, audio, and visual content spanning a variety of fields, including management and business, technology and AI, personal development, and mental health. It also offers exclusive Arabic-language digital content. This invaluable resource not only enriches knowledge but also keeps readers informed about the latest global ideas and innovations, all presented in clear, accessible Arabic.

Ammar Heikal expressed his pleasure with the partnership with House of Wisdom and reiterated his support for its mission to spread knowledge. He highlighted that this collaboration aligns with Majarra’s commitment to working with like-minded institutions to expand access to trusted and reliable Arabic content. Heikal emphasised that the partnership would support users in their personal and professional growth, enhance their skills, and better equip them for the future.

House of Wisdom is a modern futuristic library, blending cultural life and social interaction in Sharjah. It houses over half a million books and titles, both print and digital, across various fields of knowledge and in multiple languages.

According to an earlier report, in Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 43rd edition, House of Wisdom (HoW) has created a special tribute to Morocco’s Al-Qarawiyyin University, the oldest continually operating higher learning institution in the world, founded in 859 AD by Fatima al- Fihriya in Fez.

Honouring Morocco as SIBF 2024 Guest of Honour, the HoW booth takes visitors on a journey through Al-Qarawiyyin’s legacy, bringing centuries of scholarship and cultural influence on life.

The HoW’s booth at SIBF 2024 is divided into three distinct sections, each exploring a different aspect of Al-Qarawiyyin’s heritage, offering an immersive experience for all ages.

THE AL-QARAWIYYIN LIBRARY: The journey begins in the Al-Qarawiyyin Library — a section devoted to one of the Arab world’s oldest libraries, famed for its collection of rare manuscripts. Here, visitors can view digital replicas of treasured manuscripts that trace back hundreds of years. Among them is a 3rd-century AH Holy Quran, meticulously written in large Kufic script on deer parchment, an ancient Andalusian translation of the Bible into Arabic, and a manuscript of Kitab al-Siyar by Abu Ishaq al-Fazari, dating to the same period. A highlight is a copy of Ibn Khaldun’s Kitāb Al-Ibar wa-dīwān Al-mubtada Wa-ăl-abar, which UNESCO recognises as part of world heritage, alongside Aristotle’s Book of Ethics, and Abu Ishaq’s Book of Expeditions.

DIGITAL DISPLAYS ON THE UNIVERSITY’S HERITAGE: In the second section, visitors find digital displays that explore Al-Qarawiyyin’s transformation from a mosque to a university in the 9th century AD, offering a deep dive into the lives of its most influential scholars, including Ibn Khaldun, Averroes, Ibn Hazm, and Al-Idrisi. Visitors can learn about the university’s historic water clock, symbolising its innovative spirit and architectural heritage.

VR EXPLORATION: The third section provides a virtual reality experience created in collaboration with the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Saudi Arabia. Through VR headsets, visitors can explore Al-Qarawiyyin’s distinctive Islamic architecture, including its iconic green domes.