About Publisher

Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation is a non-profit organization, registered in England and Wales (registration number 2329628).

The foundation was established in London in 1988 by the “Yamani Cultural and Charitable Foundation.” Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani (may God have mercy on him) was the founder and patron of both institutions.

The “Yamani Cultural and Charitable Endowment” sponsors the projects, activities, and work of the Foundation.

Al-Furqan’s Vision

To be a pioneering institution in preserving and studying the Islamic manuscript heritage.

Al-Furqan’s Mission

To survey, catalogue, study, and publish the Islamic manuscript heritage and to encourage research in its related sciences.

Al-Furqan’s Objectives

1. Supporting and encouraging research in the field of Islamic heritage.

2. Contributing to the preservation and maintenance of Islamic manuscripts.

3. Raising awareness about the richness, role, and importance of Islamic heritage.

Main Activities

To achieve its aims, the Foundation engages in the following:

• Editing and publishing significant Islamic manuscripts.

• Publishing bibliographic and encyclopedic studies and references on Islamic heritage.

• Organizing training courses on various aspects of Islamic heritage.

• Holding workshops, conferences, and academic lectures to stimulate discourse and research in Islamic manuscript heritage.

• Establishing a reference library equipped with essential research tools for Islamic heritage studies.

• Creating a comprehensive database to allow scholars and researchers worldwide to access the treasures of Islamic heritage.

Al-Furqan’s Motto

Rooted in the past, enlightened for the future

Al-Furqan Foundation’s Centers

Originally, Al-Furqan Foundation was established with the goal of documenting and preserving Islamic manuscript heritage by surveying, digitizing, cataloging, editing, and publishing manuscripts. Over time, its scope expanded, becoming a parent institution encompassing three centers:

1. Centre for the Study of Islamic Manuscripts

The founding council included distinguished academics and experts in Islamic manuscript heritage, including fields like history, science, codicology, and Islamic studies. They convened in London in December 1991.

The Manuscripts Centre aims to document and preserve Islamic manuscript heritage by surveying, digitizing, cataloguing, editing, and publishing manuscripts.

2. Makkah and Madinah Encyclopaedia Centre

The first advisory board meeting took place in Jeddah on November 4, 1994, chaired by Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani.

The encyclopaedia project was launched after several intensive meetings with scholars and academic boards in Istanbul, Madinah, and various locations in and outside Saudi Arabia, spanning four years.

The Encyclopaedia Centre seeks to document the religious, cultural, political, social, and economic role of the Two Holy Cities throughout history.

3. Maqasid Centre for the Study of Islamic Law

The founding council included a distinguished group of scholars and academics in various Islamic studies fields. They convened in London in March 2005.

The Centre’s mission is to revive the science of Maqasid (higher objectives of Islamic law) to develop ijtihad, renew Islamic jurisprudence and its principles, and broaden knowledge horizons for scholars and students of Islamic studies worldwide.

About the Founder: Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani

Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani was born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on June 30, 1930. He lived an influential life, driving political, economic, social, and cultural change in his era.

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, both respected scholars in Islamic law, he aspired to become a teacher. However, he ended up studying law at Cairo University, graduating with a law degree in 1951.

He began working at the Ministry of Finance in Makkah while teaching Islamic jurisprudence. Soon after, he was sent to study comparative law for non-American lawyers at NYU School of Law, where he earned a master’s in 1955. He later earned a second master’s from Harvard Law School in 1956.

Returning to Saudi Arabia, he joined the Zakat and Tax Department at the Ministry of Finance. That same year, he founded the first law firm in Jeddah, which soon expanded to Riyadh and Bahrain.

In 1960, he was appointed Minister of State and became a cabinet member. In 1962, he was appointed Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources—a post he held until 1986.

He played a major role in modernizing Saudi legal systems and diplomatically representing the kingdom on global platforms. He helped establish the College of Petroleum and Minerals (now King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals) in 1963.

Yamani was also behind the Saudiization of Aramco, shifting its ownership from foreign companies to the Saudi government. In 1973, the government acquired 25% of Aramco, increased it to 60% in 1974, and eventually took full control in 1980.

In 1990, he founded the Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES), a nonprofit specializing in oil market analysis, forecasting, and geopolitical energy studies.

Early in his career, he wrote articles for Saudi newspapers, drawing wide attention. His later works covered energy, geopolitics, Islamic law, and history. Passionate about manuscript heritage, he founded Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation in 1988.

He served as Chairman of Al-Furqan for over three decades, overseeing its three centers.

His published works include:

• The House of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid in Makkah: A Historical Study of the Site and Architecture (Arabic & English)

• Islam and Women, translated into multiple languages
  He also authored dozens of articles in Arabic and English.

Sheikh Yamani received honorary doctorates from multiple universities and many awards and decorations.

He loved music and poetry, founding a poetry award in Egypt under the name of the late Mohammed Hassan Faqih. He wrote songs, though none were published.

He had a refined taste in perfumes, personally crafting blends and gifting them to loved ones.

Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani passed away in London on Monday, February 22, 2021, at the age of 90. He was buried in the Jannat al-Mu’alla cemetery in Makkah, next to his family.

May God have mercy on him.