Director General of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation Professor Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti (third right) with others during the launch of the book yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: The cultural events accompanying the Katara Arabian Horse Festival 2026 witnessed yesterday the presence of Director General of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation
Professor Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, who sponsored the launch of the book “Horses, Horsemanship, and Veterinary Medicine” by Abu Abdullah Muhammad Bani Yaqub, the nephew of Hizam Al-Khatli, the stable master of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu’tasim Billah.
This book is considered one of the most important heritage books specialising in the science of horses. The book was published in a critical edition by Dr. Mohammed Khaled Al-Rahawi, Professor at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, and Dr. Omar Bin Ma’na Al-Ajli, a member of the Union of Arab Historians, as part of Katara’s ongoing efforts to revive and disseminate the treasures of Arabic and Islamic manuscripts.
For his part, Professor Dr. Khaled bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, Director General of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation, affirmed during the launch of the book “Horses, Horsemanship, and Veterinary Medicine” that this publication is a fundamental reference in the field of Arabian horses in the modern era, given its significant scientific and historical value.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Culture has a special interest in researching and publishing valuable heritage books that have remained unpublished and confined to manuscripts for many years, emphasising that bringing such works to light contributes to reviving authentic intellectual treasures and returning them to the sphere of scientific and cultural discourse.
Professor Al-Sulaiti expressed his appreciation to Katara Publishing House and the scientific team responsible for editing this book, praising their efforts in completing this specialised work. He also expressed his delight at the announcement of a new manuscript currently being edited, hoping it will be ready for launch in conjunction with the Katara International Arabian Horse Festival 2027.
For his part, Dr. Omar bin Ma’na Al-Ajli stated that this scholarly work is among the earliest edited books dealing with equine science and veterinary medicine in the Abbasid era, as its composition dates back to the year 251 AH, during the reign of Caliph Al-Mu’tasim Billah. He explained that the book represents an early scientific document in the fields of veterinary medicine and pharmacy, containing more than 480 descriptions of equine ailments and diseases and their treatments. This makes it a comprehensive scientific encyclopedia that predates many later works and contributed to forming a fundamental reference for prominent scholars such as Al-Razi, Ibn Al-Mundhir Al-Baytar, and others.
Al-Ajli emphasised that the publication of this manuscript reaffirms the richness of Islamic civilization in its sciences and scholars, and demonstrates that much of modern medical and veterinary knowledge was known and rooted in Islamic heritage centuries ago. He concluded by praising the pioneering role of the Katara Foundation and Dar Katara Publishing House in bringing these scientific treasures to light, thus making a significant contribution to connecting the sciences of Islamic civilization with their contemporary context.
