The OIC affiliated Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture “IRCICA” is celebrating 14 centuries since the revelation of the Holy Qur’an. The event is being held in Istanbul under the auspices of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The celebration this year implements the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) at its thirty-seventh session, held last May in Tajikistan.

Eighty ministers and officials from forty countries are in attendance, including the Director-General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization “ISESCO”, Ministers of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs in the OIC Member States, officials of OIC affiliated institutions, and scientific, academic and cultural personalities throughout the Muslim world.

The event is scheduled to concur with the 27th night of Ramadan, the night most commonly believed to be the “Night of Decree” (Laylah al-Qadr) when the Qur’an was sent down to the lowest heaven and began to be revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for the rest of his life.

IRCICA director Dr. Halit Erin said that the center was seeking during the ceremony to show a copy of the Qur’an attributed to Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, located in Sana’a, said to be written in his handwriting.

Related cultural activities will continue throughout 2010-2011.

IRCICA started its activities in 1980 as the first subsidiary organ of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) concerned with culture. The headquarters of IRCICA are located in the three buildings in the historical Yildiz Palace in Besiktas, Istanbul. These buildings were allocated to the Centre by the Government of the Republic of Turkey.

Sources:

“Ihtifaal fi Turkiya bi-Muroor 14 Qarnan min Nuzool al-Qur’an” IslamToday – Arabic September 5, 2010

“KUR’ÂN-I KERÎM’İN NUZÛLÜNÜN BİN DÖRT YÜZÜNCÜ YILININ ULUSLARARASI KUTLAMA PROGRAMI” IRCICA News September 5, 2010