By Engku Nurul Aima Tengku Amri

A Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) lecturer is one of three scholars worldwide who have been selected for the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (DARAH) programme.

Assoc Prof Dr Riswadi Azmi has been appointed a Visiting Researcher under the foundation’s inaugural programme in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He is the first researcher from Southeast Asia to be selected for the programme. The other researchers are from Germany and the United Kingdom.

A lecturer at the Department of Nationhood and Civilisation, Centre for Fundamental and Continuing Education, Dr Riswadi specialises in manuscripts of the Malay world, particularly the Terengganu Royal Qur’an manuscripts.

Dr Riswadi’s research combines the study of manuscripts with work on royal correspondence and historical photographs. He has led research on Terengganu royal letters and photographic collections at the National Archives of Thailand documenting relations between the Malay sultanates and Siam.

He also played a key role in the nomination of the Terengganu Royal Qur’an manuscripts for National Heritage status and chaired the Scientific Committee pursuing their recognition under UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme.

Riswadi has produced more than 50 scholarly publications. His international academic service includes advisory and editorial appointments with journals in Brunei and Indonesia, as well as membership in academic associations in the United States, Australia, and Britain.

His appointment reflects international recognition of his contributions to Qur’anic manuscript studies and Southeast Asian Islamic heritage. It also provides UMT with opportunities to develop research partnerships in manuscript studies, Islamic art, and cultural heritage.

During his three-month stay, Riswadi will study 54 Qur’anic manuscripts in DARAH’s collection, with a focus on illumination, calligraphy, codicology, and textual features. He will also have access to rare materials that will support his research.

The study will compare the collection with Qur’an-copying traditions in Southeast Asia, particularly the Terengganu Royal Qur’an manuscripts. It will examine how the manuscripts were produced and illuminated and explore influences and connections between the traditions.

His participation in the DARAH programme brings UMT’s expertise in Southeast Asian manuscripts to a wider scholarly audience and creates opportunities for further collaboration in the study and preservation of Islamic heritage.