The words above are taken from the Holy Qur'an, the authentic guide to the Muslim's way of life of Al Islam. These words were revealed over fourteen hundred and twenty years ago in the cave of Hirah in Makkah and are still relevant and powerful today. Initially directed to Prophet Muhammad, the verses of this surah also imply that succeeding generations of Muslim (including us) must read, write and in essence seek knowledge to learn. Islam is a way of life that encourages its followers to always strive for improvement and Allah tells Muslims that the best way to improve is through the acquisition of knowledge and information.

As Muslims living in the information age we require information:

• to know more about our Deen, Islam, so that we that we could become better Muslims
• about the status of Muslims around the world
• to access Islamic material for research and scholarship

Over centuries one institution that has facilitated the growth of knowledge is that of the library. Throughout the centuries that Islam was spread, libraries complemented the existing oral tradition as means of acquiring knowledge. In Spain, under the Moors, large libraries housed important Islamic material. Libraries play an important role in the development of society. Today we need institutions that are dedicated to preserving the Islamic heritage of peoples in different parts of the world.

An Islamic library or information centre is one which focuses on building a collection of materials in varying media produced by Muslims and non-Muslims, pertaining to Islam (history, law, economics, society, biography etc.) and Muslims.

The Library and The Information Centre

In general, a medium or large library is comprised of several divisions all of which function together to ensure that the needs of users and clients are met. Some of the main areas of such libraries include collection development, acquisitions, cataloguing, reference services, and circulation or loans. In many cases a special library is managed by one or a few persons.

This website is designed to assist librarians, information professionals and anyone interested in setting up a small, and special library, especially an Islamic library. Some of the information on this site is based on research and resources collected from the Inforum of the University of Toronto and the Internet.

People are interested in setting up special libraries but are unsure where they should start. Therefore, this web site provides some general information on setting up a special library as well as information related specifically to publishers of Islamic material and Islamic collections in libraries around the world.

Resources provided by this Site

Below are links to resources that will provide you with useful information when planning for a library or information centre:

• Organising an Islamic Library: Getting to know the Basics.Some information about library classification and cataloguing to help you get organised.



• List of Islamic libraries. Here is a short guide to libraries and information centres with Islamic collections around the world.



• Publishers of Islamic books
. Here are links to some publishers of current Islamic literature and reference material that any Islamic library will require.


• Library Furnishings and Automation Systems
. Here are several links to equipment and supplies needed to outfit a library.


• Print and Online Resources
. These books and articles are added resources to help you in planning a special library. Also included are books that deal with Islamic collections in various libraries around the world and associated problems in dealing with Islamic material.


• Library Catalogues
. Here are a links to several library catalogues around the world. These may help you to locate material.


• Starting Off
. Here are some hints and recommendations when starting a small library. This page is quite brief at the moment, but I will be adding to it in the near future, insha' Allah.


• Articles.
Articles of interest to librarians, teachers and those working to improve literacy among our Ummah. First article included in this section is titled "Problems in Reading".