Khaoula Trad Honoured at Fujairah for Research on Timbuktu Manuscripts

4 November 2025

At the FICCO 25 conference, CSMC researcher Khaoula Trad was credited by Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the Crown Prince of al-Fujairah, for her presentation on visual expression in the Timbuktu collection.

At the Second Fujairah International Conference for Calligraphy and Ornamentation (FICCO 25), held in al-Fujairah from 18–19 October 2025, Khaoula Trad represented the CSMC with a paper highlighting the unique visual traditions of West African manuscripts. Her presentation, titled ‘Visual Expression in the Timbuktu Collection: Insights into West African Manuscript Culture’, highlighted the region’s rich artistic and cultural heritage within the broader field of Islamic art.

In her talk, Khaoula explored the visual art of manuscripts from the Timbuktu collection, emphasising how regional and cultural factors have shaped their distinctive aesthetics. She discussed the influential role of the Maliki school of law in West Africa, examining how its doctrinal preferences fostered a more restrained and non-figurative approach to manuscript decoration. By analysing Qur’anic manuscripts and devotional works — especially copies of Dalā’il al-Khayrāt — from the Timbuktu collection, she illuminated contrasts in bindings, illuminations, decorative motifs, and colour palettes between West African practices and those found elsewhere in the Islamic world.

Her engagement in the conference was also marked by a special honour: she was received by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the Crown Prince of al-Fujairah, in recognition of her scholarly contribution to the event.

Following the conference, Khaoula participated in the intensive Art Week (20–25 October 2025), a gathering of artists, calligraphers, manuscript specialists, and artisans from across the globe. This immersive programme offered hands-on workshops that bridged traditional craftsmanship and contemporary artistic innovation in the manuscript arts.