The Library of the Nabawi Prophet's Mosque: A Treasure Trove of Knowledge

TIMESINDONESIA, MADINAH – One of the locations that should not be missed by Hajj pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet's Mosque or the Nabawi is the library. This library provides an opportunity for individuals to acquire religious knowledge and enrich their understanding.

The library in Nabawi is situated on the second floor and can be accessed by taking the escalator from Gate 10 of the mosque. As visitors enter the library, they are greeted by shelves upon shelves of neatly arranged books made of wood. In the midst of these shelves, there are long tables and chairs for visitors who wish to read the books.

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On the tables, there are computers that facilitate visitors in searching for and accessing digital books. Despite the presence of visitors from various countries, the library remains peaceful. Visitors can be seen engrossed in reading their chosen books.

Established in 1352 H (around 1933 AD), the library houses a collection of approximately 180,000 classic and modern books in various languages, including rare books. The majority of the library's collection is in Arabic.

"In this library, there are books authored by Imam Maliki that are centuries old," said Abdul Bari, the Nabawi library's caretaker.

Each bookshelf is equipped with classification guides for the available books, such as Islamic History, Tafsir, Hadith collections by well-known scholars like Bukhari, Muslim, Daud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasai, and Ibn Majah. The library not only offers religious books but also provides books on general knowledge, including ones on health, literature, and science.

One interesting feature is the designated area for foreign language books, including Indonesian books. In this area, Indonesian books are placed alongside other foreign language books, such as English, Spanish, Filipino, German, and Turkish.

Some of the Indonesian books found in the library include Riyadhus Shalihin Volume l by Imam Abu Zakariya bin Sharif An-Nawawi, "Keagungan Al-Qur'an Al-Karim" by Sheikh Mahmud bin Ahmad bin Salih Al-Dosari, "The Happiest Woman in the World" by Aidh Al-Qarni, "Halal and Haram in Islam" by Muhammad bin Salih Al-Uthaymeen, and more. 

" I came here alot.  I find loads of book to support my study. It has various collection of books from any range,"  Ong Hui Shiuan (26) a student of Madinah Islamic University while visiting the Prophet's Mosque or Nabawi. (*)

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