Sharjah

A PICTORIAL SOUVENIR

Sharjah
A PICTORIAL SOUVENIR

Published by Motivate Publishing Dubai: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE Tel: (+971) 4 282 4060, fax: (+971) 4 282 0428 e-mail: books@motivate.ae www.booksarabia.com Office 508, Building No 8, Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAE Tel: (+971) 4 390 3550, fax: (+971) 4 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE Tel: (+971) 2 627 1666, fax: (+971) 2 627 1566 London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER e-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae Researched and written by Pippa Sanderson Directors: Senior Editor: Editor: Assistant Editor: Senior Designer: Book Publishing Manager: Motivate Publishing 2005
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of the copyright holder. Applications for the copyright holders written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publishers. In accordance with the International Copyright Act 1956 and the UAE Federal Copyright Law No 40 of 1992, any person acting in contravention of this will be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. ISBN: 1 86063 172 X British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Printed by Rashid Printers & Stationers LLC, Ajman, United Arab Emirates

Obaid Humaid Al Tayer and Ian Fairservice David Steele Pippa Sanderson Zelda Pinto Andrea Willmore Jeremy Brinton

Photographic credits
Gulf News: 77B Motivate Publishing: 55T, 61T&B, 72T Gawade, Vikram: 2 Gwanny, Fadi: 1, 12, 13B, 16T, 17T&B, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 Sanderson, Pippa: 8/9, 13T, 15T, 16B, 18/19, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 32, 32/33T, 33B, 36, 37, 42T, 43T&B, 56/57, 59T&B, 60, 62, 73, 74/75, 75T, 76B, 78, 79T&B Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority: 40/41, 80B Steele, David: Front cover, 4/5, 14, 15B, 25, 27T&B, 28/29, 34/35, 38/39, 41, 42B, 44/45, 48/49, 54, 55B, 58, 63T&B, 64/65, 68/69, 69, 70/71, 71, 72B, 75B, 76T, 77T, 80T

T: top; B: bottom; L: left; R: right

Cover: The Central Souk sits alongside Khaled Lagoon and provides a

traditionally Arabian shopping experience. Half-title page: The Unesco monument located on the Dhaid Road. Title page: The elegant Qanat al-Qasba is one of Sharjahs main attractions, providing energetic, wholesome family entertainment. This page: The desert has been a constant companion to the peoples of Arabia ever since they migrated to the area some 7,000 years ago.

Introduction

His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah

n a country where history is measured most often in terms of decades, every cultural asset becomes precious. Preserving the fragile traces of past heritage remains essential to cultivating a national identity and to maintaining localised distinctions. Civilisation is much more than simply buildings and basic infrastructure; it includes the rituals, beliefs and historical heritage that are inextricably linked to a place. Proudly, the Emirate of Sharjah has established itself as a curator of heritage for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Indeed, in 1998, Sharjah was named the Cultural Capital of the Arab World by Unesco; an honour richly deserved. Instead of simply maintaining the past as a dusty story to be told to school children, Sharjah has kept the spirit of its history alive by innovatively incorporating tradition both Islamic and pre-Islamic into every aspect of contemporary development. The result is a vibrant, modern emirate that simultaneously looks forward to a bright future as it looks back respectfully to its history. The deliberate efforts to preserve and conserve, restore and renovate historic old buildings has obviously been appreciated by a global organisation such as Unesco. This is a well-earned tribute to the humanitarian values that underlie the national ethos. There is a quiet pride in this achievement. Even as business grows, the protection and preservation of the past provides a sobering and balancing counterpart. The architecture of even modern constructions blends with the culture of the past; there is an old-world ambience that very few urban cities have maintained. Creative thinking made Sharjah a pioneer in the field of education in the Emirates. It began back in 1953 when the first properly organised school was established in the old city. This was just the beginning. With the foresight of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Sharjah has become one of the most important learning centres in the Middle East and one only has to visit the impressive University City to understand the vision that lies behind this achievement. Under the direction of His Highness, the third-largest emirate in the UAE has taken giant strides in creating a viable infrastructure for business,

education and cultural activities. Sharjah is now recognised as the cultural capital of the Arab World as well as the prime commercial hub of the region. The successful combination of the values of the past with the hi-tech advantages of modern and sophisticated systems has created a special ethos for Sharjah. The emirate is confident and convinced about achieving even higher goals under the guidance of its highly erudite Ruler, who is also a man of letters, an expert in agricultural matters and a man whose policies encompass a pragmatism and a practicality even as they espouse the best developments of the new world. The arts are also given a lot of prominence in Sharjahs scheme of things. Theatre, music, painting and sculpture are encouraged, as is literature. A multi-dimensional education system with a wide and varied network of schools and institutions has played a pivotal role too in the development of Sharjah. With some exceptionally good educational institutions housed at University City, Sharjah is becoming one of the most important centres of learning in the region. Sharjahs rich and varied cultural and commercial achievements have a strong and traditional depth to them. There is that gentle juxtaposition of the modern with the medieval and yet it does not jar. This accent on maintaining its roots while enjoying the fruits of technology is the life motif which truly and commendably distinguishes Sharjah.

Sultan bin Mohammad bin Sultan Al Qasimi

Inspired by tradition

harjah, meaning rising sun, dates back more than 6,000 years and appears as early as the second-century AD in a map drawn by the Greek geographer Ptolemy, which indicates the settlement of Sarcoa where Sharjah can now be found. In 1490 AD, Sharjah was mentioned in written records penned by the famous Arab navigator, Ahmad ibn Majid, as he navigated the Gulfs waters. Life before the discovery of oil was hard and finely balanced, with livings made through maritime trade, farming, goat-herding, hunting, pearl-diving and fishing. Modern Sharjah is built on foundations rich in history and Islamic traditions: Arabian heritage is still recognised with pride and ancient customs are still practised in everyday life. Most notably, many nationals still wear traditional dress, adapted to religious beliefs and high temperatures. The men wear a kandoura (an ankle-length, loose-fitting white shirt-dress) and gutra (a cotton headcloth) held in place by an igal (woollen headrope), while women wear an abaya (a long-sleeved, full-length black dress). The hair is covered with a shayla (scarf) and the face may also be covered by a gishwa (thin veil). Some women usually the older generation wear a burqa (a stiff material face mask which covers the eyebrows, nose and mouth) instead of a veil. Since the discovery of oil, Sharjah has blossomed from a small huddle of palm-frond arish (barasti) houses hugging the creeks, to a modern city that extends all the way to the UAEs East Coast. Modern development took off in the early 1970s, when oil revenues were ploughed back into the infrastructure, resulting in the rapid expansion of the town and emirate as a whole. Although very much a 21st-century city, the tenets of Islam have been preserved throughout. In the city named as the Cultural Capital of the Arab World by Unesco in 1998 (an obelisk on the road to Dhaid honours this achievement), more than 20 museums and heritage areas provide the perfect platform to showcase the arts, crafts, traditions and importance of Islam in the lifestyles of the people in this most fascinating of cities. One such museum is the majlis of Ibrahim Mohammed Al Midfa, home to the UAEs only round windtower.

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Another is the Sharjah Husn, the Rulers home built in 1820. It was almost completely demolished in the 1970s when the emirates tide of modernity threatened to engulf it, but was saved at the 11th hour by the Ruler, HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, who restored it to its former glory. King Abdul Aziz Street, in the centre of the city and some 1.5 kilometres away from the Husn, was once the runway for the first airport in the Gulf region, built by the British in 1932 as a staging post en route to India and Australia. It remained in use until 1977 when expansion forced its relocation inland. Fortunately, the control tower and hangars have been preserved as the Al Mahatah Museum, which now attracts visitors with aviation displays and inventions from a bygone era. Al Rolla Square is home to one of Sharjahs many sculptures, a fascinating piece of art representing a 200year-old rolla tree that once stood there. Providing shade and a focal point for people to meet, the old tree, unfortunately, fell foul to urban development. The goods on offer at Sharjahs many souks may have expanded from spices and silks to include electronic goods and ready-made garments, but the hubbub of eager buyers and sellers remains the same, whatever the decade; whatever the century. The Central Souk (or Blue Souk) adjacent to Khaled Lagoon is probably the most visited, but the Suq al-Arsah, the Horticulture Souk and the Fish Souk should not be missed. As much a part of Arab heritage as souks are camels and on any journey into the interior youll see them wandering alongside and sometimes on the road. Once the most cherished possession of the nomadic Bedu tribes, camels remain highly prized animals today. Traditional festivals are also strictly observed, the principal religious event being Ramadan, the Holy Month in which Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Quran. With its timing fixed by the moon, the event, which moves forward 11 days each year, is a period of fasting from dawn to dusk, when Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum. Non-Muslims are expected to observe these rules in public as a mark of respect.

Iftar at sunset heralds the end of the days fasting and its not unusual to find cars pulled over to the side of the road, their drivers tucking into a traditional iftar snack of dates and water. Eid al-Fitr, the feast marking the end of Ramadan, lasts for three or four days and is a time for people to get together and exchange gifts. Sharjahs University City, a vast out-of-town sixcampus development near the airport, was founded in 1997 and consists of the American University of Sharjah (AUS), Sharjah Mens University, Sharjah Womens University, the Higher Colleges of Technology for Men, the Higher Colleges of Technology for Women and Sharjah Police Academy. It should be visited for its architecture alone, which is heavily influenced by the traditions of Arabia.

Previous spread: Sharjah Husn, rebuilt by the Ruler, HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi in the 1970s. He used traditional methods, but included modern necessities such as air-conditioning where necessary. The numerous forts dotted round the Emirates fly the countrys national red, white, green and black flag, or the flag of the particular emirate as seen here.

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Left: The roofs of limestone and coral houses were produced from local flora mangrove, or chandel, poles for the beams and tightly bound arish for roof coverings. Many examples using these fascinating skills still survive today, reminders of a harsher past without modern luxuries, such as airconditioning and electricity. Little alcoves acted as architectural decoration and served as an ideal spot for placing oil lanterns.
Below: As Sharjah prospered, the town developed from a scattering of palm-frond arish huts to more substantial homes made from local limestone and coral, which were often decorated with intricate designs.

Far left: The old village of Al-Khan, parts of which have been restored, is an authentic example of a traditional Gulf coastal town. The watchtowers provided an excellent vantage point from which to protect the small village from attacks from the sea.

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