Nairobi — Kenyan Islamic faithful have been encouraged to cultivate a culture of reading in the ongoing Islamic Book-fair on Islamic topics and other religions, family, and children at Jamia Mosque Complex in Nairobi.

The four-day Islamic Book-fair is the first of its kind to be held in Kenya and it ends on Saturday November 21, 2009.

The exhibition is organised by Al Quds Company (Egypt) and Jamia Mosque Committee from Kenya.

The wide range of books on Islamic and other topics in Arabic, English, and Kiswahili are sold at highly subsidised prices.

Abdalla Athman Mohammed, Head of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Jamia Mosque told CISA, "It is the first time we are holding this pilot project to instil in our Kenyan brothers' culture of reading."

"The feed back is beyond our expectations and we have received good remarks from students, businessmen and even politicians."

Mohammed said that the event will be held annually to encourage reading among Kenyans.

He called on Muslims and non-Muslims to buy literature and have libraries at home to encourage their families to read.