Golden Ink Exhibition in UAE Reveals Islamic Civilization Through Ancient Art Science and Calligraphy

Upside Down Map, Blue Qur’an: UAE Exhibition Reveals Islamic Heritage Through Ancient Art and Science Centuries of science, faith, and artistry converge at the ‘Golden Ink: A Journey through Arabic and Islamic Manuscripts’ exhibition in Abu Dhabi, offering an intimate glimpse into how handwritten knowledge shaped past civilizations and continues to inspire the modern age. This landmark exhibition, a collaborative effort between the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and McGill University in Canada, runs at Qasr Al Watan for six months, concluding in April 2026. In January 2027, the exhibition will then travel to Montreal. ‘Golden Ink’ highlights over a millennium of Islamic scholarship through rare and delicate manuscripts sourced from prestigious institutions including Abu Dhabi Libraries, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, from the private collection of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed, and notably, the Islamic Studies Library at McGill University — marking the first time McGill’s treasured manuscripts have ever been loaned outside Canada. From Faith to Fine Art The exhibition opens with the ‘Journey of Arabic Calligraphy’, charting its growth from basic communication to high art. A highlight is the angular beauty of an 8th-century Kufic fragment written in dark ink on animal-skin parchment. “At that time, they started to beautify writing to preserve the Qur’an. What began as a necessity became an art form.” — Doaa Nounou, Curator of Manuscripts, Abu Dhabi Libraries One of the exhibition’s crown jewels is a luminous gold-leaf folio from the 9th-century Blue Qur’an, written on indigo-dyed vellum, believed to originate in Andalusia. Due to its fragility, it will be on display for just one month. The work symbolizes an early Islamic synthesis of devotion and beauty. Women Who Wrote History Often overlooked, the role of women in manuscript culture is revitalized through figures like Asmaa Al Qahiriya, a scribe who, while traveling on Hajj from Cairo to Jeddah, inscribed a religious text with her child in hand. “It shows that women were not just receiving knowledge; they were producing and transmitting it.” — Doaa Nounou Nearby, visitors encounter the legacy of Shahda al-Baghdadiya, the 12th-century calligrapher honored as ‘Fakhr al-Nisa’ (Pride of Women), who trained many leading scribes of the Abbasid era. A Bridge Between Worlds As visitors progress, themed zones reflect the evolution of Arabic writing — from early Nabataean forms to exquisitely illuminated scientific and literary manuscripts. One section particularly emphasizes marginalia — notes scribbled in the margins over generations. “Manuscripts were not just books. They were living dialogues. You can find five or six different pens, different languages, in the same manuscript. Sometimes even sticky notes — centuries before sticky notes were invented.” — Doaa Nounou This ethos of shared knowledge is reinforced by the exhibition’s global scope. “Most of our manuscripts came from private donors. We do lend them to museums in Montreal or Toronto, but never before outside Canada. So, this is a very special moment; a very far border crossed.” — Dr. Guylaine Beaudry, Trenholme Dean of Libraries, McGill University “We came up with the themes and looked for the manuscripts that illustrated them best. I chose what I found to be the most beautiful manuscripts that could speak visually to visitors.” — Anaïs Salamon, Head of Islamic Studies Library, McGill University Illuminating Knowledge In ‘Illuminating Knowledge’, the exhibition showcases breathtaking Islamic scientific manuscripts, where empirical research converges with art. For example, viewers encounter pharmacological texts decorated with floral designs and astronomical treatises embellished with planetary charts and gold leaf. Among the most distinctive works is a map oriented “upside down”, where the Kaaba in Mecca is placed at the top, reflecting a worldview centered on faith above all else. Another unique item shows Andalusian Muslims using aljamiado — writing Spanish in Arabic script — to discreetly preserve language and belief after the fall of Granada. “They could no longer use Arabic openly. So, they wrote Spanish using Arabic script, to keep their faith and language alive in secret.” — Doaa Nounou Design Inspired by Manuscripts Even the exhibition’s physical space is shaped by manuscript aesthetics. Wall designs echo the floral elegance of the ‘Diwan Hafez al-Shirazi’ from McGill, and display panels draw from Mughal miniature motifs. “It’s not about beautiful books only. It’s about showing how deeply rooted this legacy is — in art, in science, and in the way people understood beauty and knowledge.” — Doaa Nounou When the exhibition travels to Montreal in 2027, Canadian audiences will have the opportunity to witness these magnificent relics for themselves. “It’s one of the messages we want to bring to our community — to say: look at these beauties. This is where part of our science comes from.” — Dr. Guylaine Beaudry ‘Golden Ink’ not only bridges continents but also reasserts the enduring role of the Arabic and Islamic manuscript tradition in igniting human thought, creativity, and shared cultural heritage. Team V.DIR-EM-UAE