'Great Nuniya' by Ahmad ibn Majid in Memory of the World Programme
This is the second Omani manuscript to be included in this international program.
Al-Nuniyah Al-Kubra is one of the most important Omani manuscripts in the field of navigation and marine sciences. It records valuable information about ship movements and international shipping routes.
Its most significant feature is its scientific contribution to humanity, particularly its deviation from the work of earlier geographers. Scientists who preceded Ahmed bin Majid had divided the land into only seven regions, confining these regions to the northern hemisphere.
The Al-Nuniyah Al-Kubra manuscript added seven more regions in the south. The manuscript is a human legacy, offering realistic depictions of the societies the author and his navigational crew encountered during their journeys.
It also provides detailed descriptions of the marine environment, its creatures, including creatures such as whales, snakes, and coral reefs, as well as the methods used for docking ships.
The Omani navigator Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Majid ibn Muhammad al-Sa'di was born on the coast of Oman in 1421 and died in 1500.
He made Ras al-Hadd the base for his maritime activities. He developed the magnetic needle (the compass) and left a scientific legacy represented by more than 40 works, including the Nuniyyah al-Kubra. A copy of the original manuscript of manuscript is held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.
In 2021, UNESCO included the Omani navigator Ahmad ibn Majid in UNESCO's program for the fiftieth and centenary commemorations of historical events and influential figures in the world.
The Memory of the World Programme was established by UNESCO in 1992 and aims to preserve and protect documentary heritage from deterioration and loss resulting from social unrest, instability, looting, illicit trade, and other factors, or from natural factors such as heat and humidity that may affect this heritage over time.
Documentary heritage includes stones, manuscripts, libraries, museums, national archives, audio and video discs, films, and photographs. In 2017, the Sultanate of Oman succeeded in including the first manuscript in the programme, which is the manuscript 'The Mine of Secrets in Oceanography' by the sailor Nasser bin Ali al Khadouri.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
4 days ago
- Observer
Oman to produce medical diagnostic machines locally
A strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Dr Mohammad Mahmoodi, CEO of Carbon Technologies, and Dr Frank Vitzthum, Board Member and CTO of R-Biopharm, Germany, in the presence of Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim al Mahrouqiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, on Tuesday. Under the MoU, advanced diagnostic manufacturing will be localised in Oman, supporting technology transfer and enhancing the country's health innovation ecosystem. The partnership will enable integration of state-of-the-art assay technologies into its local production lines, supporting both national and regional healthcare priorities. 'It is a milestone MoU in Oman's journey towards eliminating tuberculosis and other diseases from the country, and both communicable diseases and NCDs,' said Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim al Mahrouqiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. 'I'm optimistic and this will pave the way for various scientific advancements in the country, especially when it is located near SQU and within the Innovation Park Muscat. We have begun, and we look forward to having an international consortium to eradicate both communicable and non-communicable diseases. We look forward to collaborating with regional, national and international partners so that we can cooperate with the leading players,' she added. Speaking to the Observer, Dr Mohammad Mahmoudi, Chief Executive Officer of Carbon Technologies, said that this collaboration is a testament to Oman's growing capacity in innovation-driven industries and its strategic openness to global partnerships. 'Together with R-Biopharm, we aim to elevate diagnostic standards, nurture Omani talent and contribute to national healthcare resilience,' Dr Mohammad added. Aligned with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, the MoU supports national goals in biotechnology, scientific research and industrial innovation. Speaking on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Eng Said bin Nasser al Salmi, Board Member of Carbon Technologies, said that the MoU would open up more opportunities to leverage Carbon Technologies as a leading Omani company and expand local R&D capabilities to serve both domestic and international markets in the healthcare industry and position Oman among the leading innovation hubs in such sectors. Dr Dirk Dressler, Head of Business Development at R-Biopharm AG, said, 'We are honoured to partner with Oman's Carbon Technologies. This collaboration reflects our confidence in Oman's capabilities and our shared commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible diagnostics across the region."
Observer
6 days ago
- Observer
Fourth edition of research skills forum kicks off
MUSCAT: The fourth edition of the Research Skills Forum kicked off on Sunday at the Arab Open University in Muscat. The forum is organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in cooperation with the Arab Open University in Muscat. The forum, which runs until August 21, is being attended by students from universities and colleges in the Sultanate of Oman. The forum seeks to enable Omani students to develop their research skills in different spheres of knowledge. It includes workshops and interactive sessions on the applied aspects of 'Mixed Methods Research', including the designing of studies, managing research stages, collecting and analysing data and publishing scholarly findings. — ONA
Muscat Daily
6 days ago
- Muscat Daily
Perseid meteor shower to light up Oman's night sky on Tuesday
Muscat – The skies of the Sultanate of Oman are witnessing the Perseid meteor shower, which can be seen with the naked eye in various governorates, especially in dark locations away from lights. The shower will continue until August 24, and will reach its peak on Tuesday evening until the early hours of Wednesday. It is one of the most attractive astronomical phenomena for astronomical observation and photography enthusiasts around the world. Commenting on this phenomenon, Amjad bin Ja'ad al Rawahy, a member of the Omani Society for Astronomy and Space, said: Meteor showers occur when the Earth, in its orbit around the sun, passes close to the path of a comet, passing through a horde of meteoroid particles left behind in space by that comet. He added in a statement to the Oman News Agency: 'As for the Perseid shower, its source is the famous comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun approximately once every 133 years. Its nucleus is about 26 kilometers in diameter. When the Earth passes close to its remnants, dust particles and small pieces—some no larger than a grain of sand—enter the atmosphere at a tremendous speed of up to 72 kilometers per second. They collide with air molecules and burn, generating bright streaks of light across the sky. ' Al-Rawahi explained that the meteors produced by this phenomenon can be faint or extremely bright, explaining that the very bright meteors are known as 'fireballs,' and they are one of the most prominent features that distinguish the Perseids from other meteor showers. Studies indicate that the number of fireballs produced by this shower exceeds that of any other meteor shower. He explained that the Perseid meteor shower begins annually around July 17 and continues until August 24, reaching its peak on the night of August 12 through the morning of August 13. Under ideal conditions, between 80 and 100 meteors can be seen per hour. However, under normal conditions within cities or with the moon present, the number seen may be much lower. Al-Rawahy pointed out that the success of the observation process depends on two main factors: the height of the radiant point – which is the apparent region from which meteors originate and is located in the Perseus constellation in the northeastern part of the sky – and the extent of the sky's darkness and lack of light pollution. He explained that the Perseids' peak this year coincides with a waning gibbous moon phase with an illumination rate of approximately 84%, which may obscure many of the fainter meteors. He noted that bright meteors, or those appearing far from the moon, will remain visible to the eye. Regarding the best time to view the Perseids, Al Rawahy said: 'The best time is from after midnight until just before dawn, when the radiant point has risen high in the sky and moved away from the horizon, which increases the chances of seeing a greater number of meteors, especially in open and elevated locations as far away as possible from artificial lights and obstacles such as trees and buildings, while allowing the eyes to adapt to the darkness for at least 20 minutes before observing.' He stressed that this period also witnesses the appearance of some prominent celestial bodies that can be observed with meteors, such as the giant planet Jupiter and the planet Saturn with its distinctive rings, in addition to the bright star Capella and some beautiful star clusters in the summer sky, giving astrophotographers the opportunity to capture dazzling scenes. Al-Rawahy concluded by saying: 'Watching meteor showers, especially the Perseids, doesn't require any special equipment. It's an amazing visual experience that anyone can enjoy with the naked eye, provided they choose the right place and time. It's an opportunity to contemplate the beauty and vastness of the universe, and a reminder of just a small part of the constant movement of celestial bodies around
