Visiting the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a 'must do' on any visit to Oman. This walking tour takes you through the mosque and its grounds, giving insights into its design and the artists who created this superlative building. Tony Walsh, the author, has written extensively about Oman and operated a tour company in Oman from 1995. The guide is written for a layperson who is interested in understanding the background of this remarkable building. C o n t e n t s Chapter 1 ISLAM Page 1 Chapter 2 MOSQUES Page 5 Chapter 3 HISTORY OF THE SULTAN QABOOS GRAND MOSQUE Page 11 Chapter 4 VISITING THE SULTAN QABOOS GRAND MOSQUE Page 13 Chapter 5 THE GARDENS Page 19 Chapter 6 SOUTH COURTYARD Page 23 Chapter 7 THE MEN'S MUSALLA (Prayer Room) Page 29 Chapter 8 CENTRAL COURTYARD Page 41 Chapter 9 RIWAQS Page 43 Chapter 10 WOMEN'S PRAYER ROOM Page 52

Discover this beguiling destination with the most incisive and entertaining guidebook on the market. Whether you plan to watch turtles lay their eggs at Ras Al Jinz,shop for bargains at the labyrinthine Muttrah Souk or hike the Hajar mountains, The Rough Guide to Oman will show you the ideal places to sleep, eat, drink, shop and visit along the way. - Independent, trusted reviews written with Rough Guides' trademark blend of humour, honesty and insight, to help you get the most out of your visit, with options to suit every budget. - Full-colour maps throughout - navigate the historic quarter of Old Muscat or plot your route along the Rustaq Loop without needing to get online - Stunning images - a rich collection of inspiring colour photography. - Things not to miss - Rough Guides' rundown of Oman's best sights and experiences. - Itineraries - carefully planned routes to help you organize your trip. Detailed regional coverage - whether off the beaten track or in more mainstream tourist destinations, this travel guide has in-depth practical advice for every step of the way. Areas covered include: Muscat; the Hajar mountains; Nizwa; Al Hamra; Al Batinah; Seeb; Barka; the Rustaq Loop; the Musandam peninsula; Khasab; Sharqiya; Sur; Saiq Plateau; Dhofar. Attractions include: Sultan Qaboos Mosque; Jebel Shams; Jabrin Fort; Khor ash Sham; Jebel Harim; Ras al Jinz; Wahiba Sands; souks; wadis. - Basics - essential pre-departure practical information including getting there, local transport, accommodation, food and drink, health, the media, festivals, outdoor activities, culture and etiquette, and more. Background information - a Contexts chapter devoted to history, wildlife and recommended books, with a useful language section and glossary. Make the Most of Your Time on Earth with The Rough Guide to Oman About Rough Guides : Escape the everyday with Rough Guides. We are a leading travel publisher known for our "tell it like it is" attitude, up-to-date content and great writing. Since 1982, we've published books covering more than 120 destinations around the globe, with an ever-growing series of ebooks, a range of beautiful, inspirational reference titles, and an award-winning website. We pride ourselves on our accurate, honest and informed travel guides.

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Oman is a country located in the Middle East, on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a small country, with a population of around 5 million people. Oman has a rich history and culture, with evidence of human settlement dating back to 10,000 BC. Its strategic location made Oman an important center for trade and commerce in the ancient world, with its ports serving as crucial stopovers for traders traveling between Asia, Africa and Europe. Today, Oman is a modern and prosperous country, with a thriving economy based largely on oil production, tourism and commerce. It is known for its stunning landscapes, including rugged mountains, golden deserts, and picturesque coastlines, as well as its diverse and hospitable people. Despite its modernization and progress, Oman remains deeply rooted in its traditions and history, making it a unique and fascinating destination for travelers and scholars alike.

""This is a highly original work, a signal contribution not only to the emerging field of Ibadi studies, but also to students and scholars of Islamic, African, and Middle Eastern studies. ... Wortmann demonstrates familiarity with a wide range of scholarship and considers multiple factors in her analysis, including history, language, ethnicity, nationalism, education, social structure, the function of charitable associations, and economics." - Valerie Hoffman, author of The Essentials of Ibadi Islam. "This is a major contribution to understanding contemporary Ibadi society in Tanzania and how it remains shaped by cross-regional networks of belonging. It also goes deep into its daily ways of operation and the role of Ibadi women in shaping Ibadi presence in Tanzania. The chapter on Ibadi women in particular is a welcome addition to the literature on Muslim communities in East Africa." - Amal Ghazal, author of Islamic Reform and Arab Nationalism: Expanding the Crescent from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, 1880s-1930s.

Bradt's is the most up-to-date and informative guide to Oman, the Arabian peninsula's most welcoming destination, fully revised and updated by an author who has been living in Oman and Arabia since 1986. Oman is finally reaping the economic benefit of its location between Europe, Africa and Asia with substantial investment in major shipping ports and significant expansion of the national airline with new routes to Western Europe and East Asia. Despite being at the crossroads of great trade routes and empires, Oman has remained an independent country through much of its long history, and today tourism and travel are a major focus for Oman's government. This new edition covers the recent substantial investment in new airport facilities and upmarket accommodation and also features the historic UNESCO towns of Samharam and Al Balid. If you want to live like a local, the guide also tells you how to slow cook the traditional spiced meat shuwa and how to be a perfect guest if invited into an Omani home. Oman is not merely a desert. While it has the classic sand seas - Wihibah Sands - home to the nomadic Bedouin and their camels, this sultanate also boasts lush monsoon-soaked valleys near Salalah, mountain villages surrounded by green terraced fields of fruit trees and rose bushes, and the reef-fringed Ad Dimaniyyat Islands. With such a varied wilderness there is huge scope for adventure. Oman is increasingly perceived as a high-end cultural destination. The new Opera House has opened, directly supported by the Sultan, with top-notch international performers like Placido Domingo. The guide includes advice on property buying, since Omani law changed to allow expatriates to buy, explaining the rules and regulations. There is also a detailed overview of language schools teaching Arabic, not found in other guides. With advice on cultural etiquette, basic Arabic phrases and political history - as well as full practical information on where to stay and eat, and what to see and do - this fully updated edition remains the essential guide for travellers looking to discover the real Oman.

This book takes readers on a fascinating journey to discover the story of land and ancient life evolution in Oman since at least 800 million years ago. Oman is well known for its marvelous geology. What tectonics affected this part of the world and what organisms lived there? How did the climate and life develop? Did life forms become more complex and varied or become extinct and disappear forever? The book thoroughly reconstructs this land and ancient life evolution and offers readers an understanding on how land, climate and life have proceeded and developed in Oman through the millions of years.

Oman is not merely a desert. While it has the classic sand seas - Wahiba Sands - home to the nomadic Bedouin and their camels, this sultanate also boasts lush monsoon-soaked valleys near Salalah, mountain villages surrounded by green terraced fields of fruit trees and rose bushes, and the reef-fringed Daymaniyat Islands. With such a varied wilderness there is huge scope for adventure.Tourism has developed over the last few years and there is an increased emphasis on high-end visitors, with new luxury spas in hotels like The Chedi, The Wave, and the Four Seasons in Muscat, and the new Marriott in Salalah. Large international cruise ships now call for a night or two at Muttrah/Muscat harbour and at Salalah in the south. Eco-awareness is on the rise, with many bigger hotels using waste water for garden irrigation and eco-luxe tents are growing in popularity for desert and mountain adventure tours. The first boutique hotels are opening for small-scale tourism to the uninhabited historic villages, particularly in the mountains, where the high altitude gives cooler climates and greener landscapes with village terracing for agriculture.Oman is increasingly perceived as a high-end cultural destination. The new Opera House has opened, directly supported by the Sultan, with top-notch international performers like Placido Domingo. New sections in this edition include advice on property buying, since Omani law changed to allow expatriates to buy, explaining the rules and regulations. There is also a detailed overview of language schools teaching Arabic, not found in other guides.With advice on cultural etiquette, basic Arabic phrases and political history - as well as full practical information on where to stay and eat, and what to see and do - this fully updated edition remains the essential guide for travellers looking to discover the real Oman.