2025 - Safeguarding the Endangered Islamic Manuscripts of Bugis Heritage, by Riyadi Aris

This project works with 10 manuscripts from Pompanua, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. They are diverse in terms of their content, script, and origins, revealing a rich scholarly network connecting the Hejaz to the archipelago. These manuscripts were collected by notable figures such as Abdul Muqaddim, Zainal Abidin, and H. Ahmad Ibrahim Surur in Pompanua. They cover diverse topics such as Islamic jurisprudence, the distribution of inheritance, marriage procedures, and the pillars of faith, written in various scripts, including Arabic, Jawi, and Serang. The selected manuscripts are essential not only for understanding Islamic scholarship but also for documenting the historical connectivity between Mecca and the region.

The conservation project involves restoring 10 manuscripts over 12 months, divided into four stages. The first stage (months 1-2) focuses on documenting the manuscripts’ condition, including a detailed survey to assess damage from iron ink corrosion and other factors. The second phase (months 3-8) includes the restoration process, where advanced techniques such as calcium phytate chelation are used to stabilise iron ink corrosion, and Japanese paper and wheat starch-based adhesives repair damaged pages. The third phase (months 9-10) involves post-restoration documentation and quality control to ensure the success of the restoration. The final phase (Months 11-12) includes training local conservators and conducting seminars to raise public awareness about manuscript conservation.

Aris Riyadi is Senior Conservator at the National Library of Indonesia.

Photo credits: Opening pages of the Qur’an copied by Syaikh Zainal Abidin in 1870. Collection Ilham Yasin, Makassar; Q.1870. Photograph courtesy of Husnul Fahimah Ilyas.

Detail of the beginning of Juz’ 4 (Q. 3:93), with marginal ornament, in the Qur’an copied by Syaikh Zainal Abidin in 1870. Collection Ilham Yasin, Makassar; Q.1870. Photograph courtesy of Husnul Fahimah Ilyas.