It was our first visit to the UAE and we decided that instead of spending most of our time in Dubai, we would spend it in the nearby emirate, Sharjah. At first we were not expecting to do much here but within a couple of days we realised that Sharjah is actually a nice place to relax and catch a break whilst also being able to visit various attractions. In Sharjah you’ll find museums, mosques, great food, tourist attractions, parks and last but not least an amazing beach. The best part, Sharjah is not as crowded as Dubai and the prices are generally a lot less in comparison to Dubai. That was one of the main reasons why we chose Sharjah over Dubai. Dubai was only a short distance away so we could always pop down to visit.
Anyway, a museum that we came across and found quite interesting is the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. This museum was a great find for us as we’re both really interested in the history of the Islamic Civilisation.
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation is a fairly new and contemporarily designed museum. The museum that stands today opened after having artifacts redisplayed on 6th June 2008. Before this, the first Sharjah Islamic Museum opened it’s doors to the public in the Heritage area in 1996.
The museum has over five thousand historical artifacts belonging to the Islamic Civilisation. Not only does the museum hold artifacts, it also aims to educate visitors with information available on various aspects of Islamic faith and how the religion influcences science, culture and art. The museum emphasises a key message of Islam which is finding beauty, aesthetics and spirtuality in religion.
The museum has seven spacious galleries and display areas which can all be entered via a uniquely constructed heritage corridor. The galleries feature certain areas such as Islamic faith, science and technology, Islamic Art, Islamic coins display and an exhibition gallery. If you’re interested in art or Islamic art, you’re in luck as there are four Islamic art galleries!
Amidst all the artifacts, art, coins and display areas, we found two things that stood out;
- Facsimile of the Holy Qur’an attributed to the third caliph Uthman ibn Affan RA and datable to 23 – 35 AH 644 – 656 AD. The original on which this facsimile is based is held at the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey. It was originally presented to the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II in 1226 AH/1811 AD by the Ottoman governor of Egypt Mehmet Ali Pasha. The original is written in Kufic script on parchment.
- Manuscript of the 2nd part (juz) of Sahih al-Bukhari, the most famous and authentic collection of prophetic traditions (Hadith). The text is written in black Naskh script with section headings in red with blue and green detailing. The date and provenance is unfortunately unknown.
Watch the video below for a virtual tour of the museum:
Facilities At The Museum:
Toilets
Baby Changing
Cafe
Prayer Area
Gift Shop
Parking
Disabled Access
Wifi
Free Audio Guides
Address: Corniche St, Sharjah, UAE
Entrance Fees: 10 AED (13+), 5 AED (2-12), Free (Under 2)
Opening Hours: 8AM – 8PM (Sat – Thurs), 4PM – 8PM (Fri)
Muslims Go Travel 