As illustration only are added here some examples of the finest manuscripts from East Africa. They are not connected with the list of authors on the left side of the page.

The Manuscripts of the Riyadha Mosque of Lamu, Kenya

It has about 150 manuscripts and was established by Ṣaliḥ b. ‘Alawi Jamal al-Layl, known in East Africa as Habib Saleh (1853-1936). He was a descendant of early migrants from Ḥaḍramawt, Yemen, who settled in Pate in the late sixteenth century. The Sufi content reflects its close connection with the Alawi. The library has Swahili and Arabic manuscripts. We give Arabic examples.

On top from a work on Astronomy. Calculation of prayer times etc. specific for the East African coast all the way to Mozambique. Also including Iran etc. Manuscript, 68 pages. Contains several drawings and illustrations of astronomical phenomena. Date of original: Unknown. This is a 19th century copy.

On Top from a Diwan al-‘Adani (The Collected Poetry of Abu Bakr al-‘Adani), copied by Salim b. Yusallim b. ‘Awaḍ Ba Ṣafar for Habib Saleh in 1927

An illuminated copy of the Quran

First page of Sharh Tarbiyyat al-atfal by Muhyi al-Dīn al-Qahtani (d. Zanzibar, 1869). Possibly in the author’s own hand.