Yemeni Manuscripts in the Science of Qur›anic Readings: The Manuscripts of Imam ‹Uthman Al-Nashiri (D. 848 AH) as a Model

Abstract

This study contributes to the preservation and service of the manuscript heritage in Qur’anic readings, highlighting the efforts of Yemeni scholars in documenting this discipline. It focuses on a prominent figure of the Yemeni school in Qur’anic readings, Imam ʿUthmān ibn ʿUmar al-Nāshirī (d. 848 AH), through the examination and analysis of his manuscripts. The study aims to highlight al-Nāshirī’s scholarly status and the significance of his manuscripts, their role in preserving and recording the science of Qur’anic readings, and analyze his methodology in teaching and writing. It also classifies his manuscripts, traces efforts to edit them, and proposes mechanisms for reviving this manuscript legacy. The study further explores the scientific, social, and political contexts that shaped his scholarly experience. It uses the descriptive-analytical method to present and analyze the manuscripts, the historical method to trace the development of the Yemeni school, and the inductive method to extract al-Nāshirī’s methodological features. It also employs quantitative and documentary approaches in classifying his printed, manuscript, and lost works. The study concludes that al-Nāshirī’s manuscripts serve as a bridge between the Yemeni school and other schools of Qur’anic readings. They reveal a scholarly personality characterized by encyclopedic knowledge and precision in authorship and editing. However, portions of his legacy remain lost, necessitating institutional and academic support for their discovery, authentication, and publication as part of the broader efforts to revive Islamic manuscript heritage.