Arabic Encyclopedia: Sharjah Ruler Signs First Edition Of Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopedia

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi has launched the first phase of the Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopedia of Science, Literature, Arts and Notable Figures. The project, planned over four years, is expected to exceed 500 volumes. The inaugural stage already produced 60 printed volumes in a single year, prepared by 700 scholars, with digital access promised for readers across the Arab world and beyond.

The encyclopedia is designed as a large reference for science, arts and literature, written in clear Arabic. It gathers specialised terminology from many disciplines and records biographies of influential figures in Arab-Islamic civilisation. Its content is organised into two main sections, one focused on knowledge fields and another dedicated to notable personalities and pioneers from different historical periods.

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The first completed segment addresses linguistic and literary sciences and their arts. This part offers structured entries on Arabic grammar, morphology, rhetoric, prosody, phonetics, lexicography, linguistics, semiotics, discourse analysis, and literature with criticism. Each field includes hundreds of articles, making this phase a substantial resource for students, researchers, and Arabic language specialists across the region.

In the linguistic section of the Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopedia, ten disciplines are covered with detailed entries. Their distribution is shown below for clarity and reference.

The Sharia sciences and related arts also form a major part of the first phase. Fourteen disciplines are included, ranging from Qur’anic sciences and Hadith to Islamic jurisprudence, logic and ethics. Entries document both theoretical principles and applied aspects, reflecting the breadth of Islamic scholarship over many centuries.

Sheikh Dr. Sultan stated that this encyclopedia follows an earlier major effort, the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language. That project involved 300 scholars, while the new encyclopedia has drawn together 700 experts. These include analysts, verifiers, reviewers and contributors who, in the words of Sheikh Dr. Sultan, work collectively "like a beehive" to complete the volumes.

The Ruler of Sharjah noted that knowledge about Arabic sciences had long been scattered across the east and west of the Arab world. He said that sincere effort and continuous work had helped gather this material in a short time. Sheikh Dr. Sultan committed to supporting the project until its fourth year, when the encyclopedia is planned to surpass 500 volumes.

Sheikh Dr. Sultan explained that the 60 volumes completed so far were produced within one year. The team expects work to move faster in the coming period, with a target of 200 volumes during the next year alone. Printing and publishing involve another 700 professionals, reflecting the scale of editing, design, production and distribution required for such an encyclopedic work.

Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopedia phases, biographies and future volumes

The second phase of the Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopedia will shift towards core humanities disciplines and both theoretical and applied sciences. It will also include entries on leading Qur’an exegetes, linguists, Hadith scholars, rhetoricians and poets. These biographies will cover figures from the Islamic and Umayyad eras, the Abbasid era, regional dynasties and the United Arab Emirates.

The third phase will concentrate on scholars of Islamic jurisprudence from the main schools: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i, Hanbali, Zahiri and other traditions. It will add detailed profiles of experts in Usul al-Fiqh, Maqasid al-Sharia and the Sharia judiciary. Further sections will highlight writers, literati, ascetics, Qur’an reciters, philosophers and historians whose works shaped Islamic intellectual life.

The fourth and final phase will move into specialised and digital disciplines linked to applied sciences. It will be expanded with biographies of the Companions, the Followers, caliphs, kings and leaders. Additional entries will profile physicians, pharmacists, biographers, scholars of Sirah and Maghazi, orators and leading figures of modern Arabic poetry, bringing historical and contemporary personalities together.

During the event, Sheikh Dr. Sultan addressed those concerned about the future of the Arabic language in an era of digital communication. He spoke to people who feel that development, modern networks and social media are controlled by Western content. He said that ongoing Arabic-language projects seek to correct this perception and allow Arabs to hold leading positions in knowledge production.

Sheikh Dr. Sultan reaffirmed a personal commitment to mobilise all available capabilities in service of Arabic. This includes sustained support for scholars, editors and technical teams working on the encyclopedia and related projects. He stressed that the work is demanding and long-term, but offers cultural and scientific value for the Arab world, including knowledge communities in the Gulf region.

At the ceremony, Sheikh Dr. Sultan pressed a tablet device to signal the official launch of the Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopedia of Science, Literature, Arts and Notable Figures. Attendees watched a film explaining the structure of the project, its two main sections, and the content of the first phase. The film underlined how the encyclopedia aims to present sciences, arts and biographies in accurate and eloquent Arabic.

The launch coincided with World Arabic Language Day, highlighting the cultural message of the project. Sheikh Dr. Sultan expressed happiness that the first phase could appear on this international occasion. He hoped that everyone involved would continue gathering each year to celebrate new volumes, taking pride in their collective contribution and finding personal fulfilment in this shared scholarly endeavour.

With inputs from WAM