Hall of Documents and Manuscripts
Documents and Manuscripts are a major source of reference for the chronicling of history. This Hall has a large number of rare and valuable manuscripts of the Holy Qur'an, the Arabic literature and grammar, Hadith (sayings of the Prophet), religious studies, history, medicine, astronomy and mathematics. The oldest date back to the 13th and 14th centuries A.D.
Other documents include wills and deeds in which "Mohammediya Basriya", an old Bahraini currency is mentioned.
The Holy Qur'an is regarded as the foremost Arabic manuscript which spurred the quest for knowledge, writing and translation. At first, parchment was used for writing, but later paper was used on such a large scale that Baghdad alone boasted 1000 paper mills. Bookbinding developed into an art using fine leather and intricate decorative designs.
The Hall also includes important documents from the reigns of Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al-Khalifa, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa. More recent documents record the steady development and progress of Bahrain during the rule of H.H. the Amir, Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa.
