About the Journal

Manuscript Verification Journal

The Islamic University in Najaf has established research units and centers dedicated to fostering development and progress within the university. Recognising the importance of preserving Arab-Islamic heritage, particularly manuscripts that have suffered from neglect, theft, deliberate destruction, and looting, the university has taken significant steps to protect this invaluable cultural legacy. These efforts align with its broader mission to safeguard Islamic intellectual contributions and ensure their accessibility for future generations.

The Islamic University in Najaf decided to establish a dedicated department named the Manuscript Verification and Preservation Department. This department focuses on preserving Arab and Islamic manuscript heritage, working on its verification and publication. The initiative addresses the scarcity of specialized centers for manuscript verification and preservation in Iraqi universities and aims to advance verification practices within academic institutions. It seeks to prepare a group of researchers equipped with the skills necessary for verifying and publishing manuscripts.
This department consists of a group of academic members specialized in text verification and publication, under the leadership of Dr. Fatima Al-Salami. The department oversees a wide range of scientific activities aimed at preserving and serving Arab and Islamic heritage.

 One of the most important of these efforts is the publication of an annual peer-reviewed scientific journal titled (Journal of Manuscript Authentication), issued on the occasion of Arab Manuscript Day, which falls on April 4th each year, in collaboration with the Arab Manuscripts Institute at the Arab League University in Cairo.
The Journal of Manuscript Authentication is one of the first peer-reviewed academic scientific journals published by an Iraqi university. The first issue was released on April 4th, 2018, and it has been published annually to this day. It is worth noting that this journal has an international standard serial number (ISSN).

ISSN 1997-6208

ISSN 2664-4355
This journal is dedicated to the publication of manuscript authentication and small document studies, as well as research related to the science of manuscript authentication and its principles. It focuses on all matters concerning the verification, preservation, and publication of heritage by the journal’s publishing guidelines regarding the type of study and page length.
The journal also aims to publish research on rare manuscripts, particularly those that have not been previously published. It supports researchers in their efforts to locate or obtain photographic copies of such manuscripts for authentication by members of the authentication department. Once authenticated, the manuscripts are published in the journal, presented with scientific verification that has been reviewed and followed up by a committee of researchers and academic scholars specialized in the field of manuscript authentication.