Manuscripts in Najd

Manuscripts in Najd were scientific mediums used in the region during the era of the First and Second Saudi States. They served as a key component of the thriving intellectual movement at the time, prompting scholars, readers, and copyists in Najd to actively preserve and circulate knowledge through manuscripts, ensuring their continued benefit.

The Importance of Manuscripts in Najd

During the First and Second Saudi States, the people of Najd recognized the significance and value of manuscripts. This led to a structured use of manuscripts, including documenting societal events, recording new developments, and preserving scholarly works. The value of manuscripts was so high that paper "Qirtas" became a highly prized gift exchanged among students of knowledge. Some scholars and students of knowledge would seize the opportunity of Hajj seasons and trade expeditions to purchase paper, often imported from the Hejaz or the eastern Arabian Peninsula. The rulers of the state also played a role in facilitating access to paper, purchasing it and distributing it to students of knowledge.

Types of Manuscripts in Najd

The manuscripts written and copied by the people of Najd covered various scientific fields, including:

- Jurisprudence, Hadith, Tafsir, and Tawheed: These were the most prevalent types of manuscripts in Najd. Notable authors included Ahmad Bin Yahya Bin Atwah, Ahmad al-Manqour, and Muhammad Bin Abdulwahab.

- Historical Science: The people of Najd placed great value on historical writing, adopting an annalistic method with precise chronological order. Their works extended beyond Najd, covering neighboring regions such as al-Ahsa, Hejaz, Iraq, and Egypt.

- Biographical Science: The people of Najd were interested in biographical and genealogical documentation. Notable authors included Muhammad Bin Abdullah Bin Humaid and Ibrahim Bin Issa.

- Astronomy: Astronomy was an essential science in Najd, used to determine prayer times, lunar months, and navigation in deserts. Notable authors included Othman Bin Bishr and Saleh Bin Othman al-Qadhi.

- Medicine: The people of Najd took an interest in medical science, copying many manuscripts for treating illnesses and epidemics that periodically spread.

- Mathematics: Though limited, the knowledge of arithmetic in Najd focused on basic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division). Some individuals mastered it for practical applications in trade and commerce. A notable author in this field was Abdulaziz Bin Muhammad Bin Turki.

- Linguistics: Arabic language studies received special attention from Najdi scholars. Prominent authors included Othman Bin Qaed and Saleh al-Sayegh, who wrote commentaries on major Arabic grammar books like Qatr Al-Nada wa Ball Al-Sada (A Drop of Dew and the Echo's Quenching) and Al-Ajurrumiyya.

Methods of Manuscript Circulation in Najd

Scholars and students of knowledge in Najd employed several methods to exchange manuscripts, including:

- Copying: The process of manually rewriting manuscripts, either voluntarily, for payment, or as a requirement set by a scholar, who is often the one directing the copying of major works in jurisprudence, Hadith, Tafsir, and some fundamental academic texts. Some scholarly families ensured the availability of manuscripts by dedicating a group of copyists to reproduce books for students.

- Commissioned Copying: A practice where a scholar, an imam, or a merchant ordered professional scribes to copy manuscripts for a fee. Some Najdi manuscripts contained documentation of this process, with references to the commission and the name of the scribe.

- Buying and Selling: While Najd lacked dedicated book markets, manuscripts were traded during commercial trips to neighboring regions. Books from deceased scholars were often sold, and students of knowledge were keen to acquire them, particularly if they belonged to renowned scholars.

- Gifting: Scholars in Najd frequently gifted manuscripts, especially to scholars outside Najd.

- Inheritance: Some scholars bequeathed their manuscripts to their scholarly children or those who valued them. However, some inherited manuscripts were later purchased by students and transferred outside Najd.

Al-Waraqah in Najd

The term waraqah (book copying) was known among scholars and students of knowledge in Najd during the eras of the First and Second Saudi States. It referred to the copying of books and manuscripts, and a person engaged in this profession was called a warraq (scribe or copyist). This work was commonly undertaken by interested students of knowledge, scholars, or individuals with fine handwriting. A well-off scholar might also employ a group of scribes to copy the materials needed for himself and his students.

Among the known scribes in Najd were Abdulrahman Bin Mohammed Al-Suhaimi, from whom handwritten Qur’ans dating to 1750 have been found; Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al Mubarak, who died in 1820, and copied more than one Qur’an; the historian Mohammed Bin Abdullah Bin Yusuf, who was known for copying books and documents; Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Abdulwahhab; and Hamad Bin Mohammed Bin Nasser Laaboun, who died in 1844.