The cultural scene in Sharjah is highly varied as the emirate has a historic role in the service of culture and science, and has become a vast repository of scientific knowledge, a beacon of civilisation and a destination for intellectuals and scholars.

The Islamic Forum Library is one of these beacons of culture, which houses around 72,000 titles across Islamic literature.

The library has various sections that include all categories of books, notably on Islamic sciences, and it also provides the highest level of library services, to facilitate the work of scholars and students, said Majid Bu Shleeby, Secretary-General of the Islamic Forum.

The books housed in the library are carefully selected according to specific standards, he continued, adding that since its establishment, the Islamic Forum is keen to promote the culture of reading, with the aim of improving the intellectual capacity of local community members.

He elaborated on the library's collection which includes texts covering the disciplines of Islamic sciences, including on Quranic science, Sunna science, the Arabic language and Islamic history, as well as other modern topics such as the Islamic finance, social sciences, and philosophy among others.

Bu Shleeby explained that the library’s yearly catalogue also includes relevant university theses and academic research studies published by various universities.

He further noted that many academic researchers had visited the library to complete their university theses and studies, as it features a system of borrowing and digital catalogue searches.

Bu Shleeby stressed that Sharjah has always occupied a prominent cultural and intellectual position and has achieved many civilised and cultural successes.