His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the 44th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) under the theme “Between You and the Book.” The event, held at Expo Centre Sharjah from November 5–16, welcomes more than 2,500 publishers from 118 countries, reaffirming Sharjah’s global leadership in the cultural and publishing sectors.
During the opening ceremony, His Highness announced the completion of the first phase of the Comprehensive Arab Encyclopedia, a monumental cultural and scientific project undertaken under the supervision of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Sharjah. The first phase, comprising 44 volumes, covers linguistic and Islamic sciences, including grammar, rhetoric, phonetics, Qur’anic studies, jurisprudence, and Islamic economics.
Sheikh Sultan explained that the encyclopedia aims to present a unified reference of Arab and Islamic knowledge, encompassing biographies of scholars, philosophers, poets, and rulers across centuries. Future phases will address humanities, arts, and major historical figures, with completion scheduled by 2028.
His Highness emphasized that the encyclopedia seeks “to connect the present generation with its intellectual and cultural heritage,” offering scholars and readers an authentic, comprehensive source of Arab knowledge.
Follow the latest news on Google News
