Localising Islamic knowledge: acquisition and copying of the Riyadha Mosque manuscript collection in Lamu, Kenya (Chapter 5)

A significant portion of the world's documentary heritage, often hidden in vulnerable and inaccessible archives, holds untapped potential for reinterpreting historical phenomena. The Riyadha Mosque manuscript collection in Lamu, Kenya, exemplifies this, preserving Islamic knowledge that remains underexplored due to its fragility and limited accessibility. To address this gap, the Endangered Archives Programme at the British Library marked its tenth anniversary by documenting and publishing such neglected collections online, ensuring their preservation for future research. This effort highlights the critical role of digital archiving in safeguarding endangered knowledge before it is lost, offering new avenues for historical reinterpretation.

Bang, A. K. (2015). 5. Localising Islamic knowledge: acquisition and copying of the Riyadha Mosque manuscript collection in Lamu, Kenya. From Dust to Digital, 135–172. https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0052.05