Museum Exhibits Biruni’s Manuscripts From Islamic Golden Age

Date: 03 September 2025 - 21:49

News ID: ۱۴۳۱۶۵

TEHRAN -- To mark the anniversary of the renowned polymath Abu Rayhan Biruni, the National Library and Museum of Malek in Tehran has showcased a collection of his rare and invaluable manuscripts.
Among the highlighted works are Āthār al-Bāqiya (“The Remaining Signs”), At-Tafhīm (“Instruction”), and Al-Yawm wa al-Nahār (“Day and Night”), manuscripts meticulously copied over centuries and now preserved digitally for researchers worldwide.
Biruni (973–1048 CE), one of the foremost scholars of the Islamic Golden Age, made pioneering contributions across astronomy, mathematics, anthropology, and natural sciences.
The Malek Library, recognized as one of Iran’s six premier repositories of handwritten manuscripts, holds a rich trove of his works, primarily focused on Islamic astronomy, written in both Persian and Arabic between the 13th and 19th centuries AH (7th to 13th centuries CE). These manuscripts were generously endowed by Haj Hussein Agha Malek, the institution’s founder and patron.
Among the treasures is Tasṭīḥ al-Akr (or Tashīl al-Tasṭīḥ al-Asturlāb), a treatise on the astrolabe—an ancient astronomical instrument—authored in Arabic and penned in 656 AH (1258 CE) by the calligrapher Muhammad ibn Abi Tayeb Khadim Goya (Jorabdi). This manuscript, crafted on high-quality Doulatabadi paper and bound in black leather, exemplifies the scholarly precision and artistic finesse of its era.
Another notable manuscript, Istī‘āb al-Wujūh al-Mumkina fī Ṣan‘at al-Asturlāb, dating from the 10th century AH, is inscribed in clear naskh script on silk-textured paper and bound in striking red leather, underscoring the significance attributed to astronomical instrumentation in medieval Islamic science.
The Āthār al-Bāqiya ‘an al-Qurūn al-Khāliya (“The Remaining Signs of Past Centuries”), a comprehensive compendium by Biruni, survives in an 11th-century AH naskh manuscript on silk-textured paper. An important Persian translation of this work, rendered by Ali Qoli Mirza Etemad al-Saltaneh in the 13th century AH, is also preserved, featuring distinctive blue leather binding and annotations marking the ownership history.
Other esteemed works include Al-Yawm wa al-Nahār wa al-Layl (“Day, Night, and the Night”), a treatise on timekeeping and jurisprudence, beautifully transcribed in elegant chalipa-style nastaliq calligraphy in 1087 AH. The collection further holds two versions of At-Tafhīm li-Awā’il Ṣinā‘at at-Tanjīm (“Instruction on the Principles of Astrology”), penned in Arabic and Persian with naskh and shikasta nastaliq scripts from the 11th and 13th centuries AH.
The Malek Museum has digitized these manuscripts, providing digital and physical access to scholars both in Iran and abroad. This effort aligns with the institution’s ongoing commitment to advancing the study of Islamic sciences through scientific conferences and exhibitions centered on luminaries like Biruni.
Visitors to the museum’s “Science in Islamic Iran” hall can explore Biruni’s interdisciplinary legacy, gaining insights into his groundbreaking work in astronomy, mathematics, anthropology, and beyond.
Established in 1937 and endowed to the holy shrine of Imam Reza, the Malek Library and Museum is located in Tehran’s historical core—at Imam Khomeini Street, near Si Tir and Yarjani Streets—and continues to be a vital hub for preserving and promoting Iran’s rich cultural and scientific heritage.