Arabic manuscript marginalia reveal hidden details of Islamic history

Researchers from the University of Sharjah analyzed millions of Arabic manuscripts to study samāʿāt, which are marginal notes serving as certificates of audition.

These notes prove that a text was read aloud before a group of scholars and students to verify its authenticity. The study, published in the Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, shows that these notes provide a record of how books were taught, authenticated, and moved across the Islamic world over many centuries.

The study team examined 47 manuscripts dating from the sixth to the 15th century. These documents originated from major centers like Baghdad, Fustat, Damascus, Aleppo, and Isfahan. The researchers found that many manuscripts accumulated dozens or even hundreds of these notes over successive generations. These records can reveal the names of individuals who do not appear in any other historical documents and help reconstruct the contents of lost works.

The researchers also noted that the samāʿāt show a high level of social inclusion in medieval education. The notes include records of women, traders, and craftspeople alongside wealthy jurists. Furthermore, the certificates suggest that scholars traveled freely across different political groups in cities like Jerusalem and Isfahan. While the notes are valuable, the authors noted that many manuscripts remain uncataloged or have fading text, making it difficult to build complete databases of this historical information.