Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library will house an Arabic book exhibit in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections area through the end of January.
Featuring beautiful examples of Middle Eastern calligraphy and gilt ornamentation, the books on exhibit were selected from an extensive collection of Arabic manuscripts donated to the library by Aziz Atiya, a former professor at the University of Utah.
Books on exhibit in four display cases include a Qur'an, the four gospels of the New Testament translated into Arabic, legal texts, a treatise on the prophet Mohammed, genealogical charts from Adam to Mohammed and his descendants, and collections of Islamic traditions.
"These books are an expression of the religious beliefs and culture of the Islamic people," says Russ Taylor, supervisor of reference services in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections.
This free exhibit complements "Empire of the Sultans," an exhibition of Ottoman art at the BYU Museum of Art and can be viewed in the foyer of Special Collections (Room 1130) on the library's first level.
"The Islamic culture has a great appreciation for beauty and it's certainly seen in the pieces in this exhibit," says Taylor. "The organization and tidiness of the books is also very impressive and indicative of their culture."
Writer: Craig Kartchner
