Presently, there is no comprehensive Middle Eastern manuscript catalogue that meets modern research requirements. Reliable descriptive data on manuscripts, and their locations worldwide, is neither consistent nor systematically available. Previous generations fulfilled cataloguing requirements of their eras, but newer resources, state-of-the-art technological advances, and more sophisticated communications breakthroughs make former methodologies archaic and a challenge to use. Some catalogues were collected a long time ago, and do not accommodate all copies of existing manuscripts, or even describe the location and reference numbers of works. Other catalogues are limited in scope, focusing on specific time periods or subjects. Al-Req Al-Manshour builds on these existing efforts - collating and organizing otherwise scattered and incomplete information - and applies modern and advanced cataloguing techniques in the process.

The process of compiling multiple existing catalogs in a comprehensive database revealed non-standard naming conventions in relation to authors, manuscript files, etc. In pre-existing databases, this had a negative impact on the accuracy of search engines and on the quality of search results. Past efforts adhered to conventions of their times and available facilities with respect to the author’s name or the title of the manuscript, and this led to certain complications

Example of Author Naming Conventions, IBN HAJAR: Different Cataloguers wrote this author’s name using many variations: “Ibn Hajar,” “Ibn Hajar Alasaglani,” “Ahmed Bin Ali Alasaglani,” “Ahmed Bin Ali Bin Alasaglani,” Shahabuddin Ahmed bin Ali,” “El Fadl Ahmed Ben Ali,” “Hafiz Ibn Hajar,” “Shaykh-Al-Islam Ibn Hajar.” As a result of these name variations, it is difficult to attain full and complete results when properly searching pre-existing manuscript databases. For example, searches using existing catalogues for “Ahmed Bin Ali Alasaglani” would typically exclude results for “Ibn Hajar,” or for “Ahmed bin Ali bin Hajar,” etc., although these alternative names could yield important research information.

Example of Manuscript Title Naming Conventions, THE BOOK OF SAHIH BUKHARI: Cataloguers wrote the title of Bukhari’s work in several formats including: “Sahih Bukhari,” “Al-Sahih Al-Jame,” “Al-Jame Al-Mosnad Al-Sahih,” etc. As a result of these different titles, a search of existing catalogues under just one title would not yield full and complete results regarding Bukhari’s manuscripts as they appear under other titles.

Al-Req Al-Manshour aims to overcome existing challenges using modern information technology, leveraging the advantages of widespread computer use, easy access to the Internet and the greater availability of digitized manuscripts. The Project also aims to provide a comprehensive and refined cataloging system, that capitalizes on previous efforts and resources, even as it advances research methodologies to facilitate easy access to an inclusive and encyclopedic Manuscript Service Provider.