Folktales from the Arabian Peninsula

by Nadia Jameel Taibah

  Fish traps.

  Fishing boats in Fahaheel harbor, Kuwait.

  Kuwait has a long coastline, so fishing is an important industry. At one time, pearl fishing was a busy occupation, but the use of cultured pearls today has destroyed that industry. Though the pearl fishing industry is gone, the sea still is an important source of income for Kuwaitis, both for fishing and for trade.

  People

  Most of Kuwait’s population is concentrated near the coastal cities of Kuwait City (with nearby Al-Ahmadi and Al-Jahra) and Al-Fuhayhil, and less than 50 percent of the residents are Kuwaiti citizens. Many residents are bidouns (different from Bedouins). These are Arab people who do not have citizenship in Kuwait and do not have citizenship in any other country either. And there are thousands of temporary service providers living in Kuwait: construction and household workers from Asia; teachers and technicians from the United States, Great Britain, and Australia; and many others.

  Because of oil revenues that go into the government treasury and into the personal bank accounts of members of the ruling Al-Sabah family, many Kuwaiti citizens are required to work only a few hours per day or not at all. Revenues from the oil wells are used by the government to subsidize food purchases and to provide free housing. Education and health care are free, and there are no taxes. Original citizens must have been residing in Kuwait prior to 1920 and must be Muslim and speak Arabic. The Al-Sabah family has ruled Kuwait since 1756 and has a large extended family, so many Kuwaitis have royal family connections that allow them to share in the oil wealth.

  TENTING

  Kuwaitis love to remember their past as a desert people. So each year, when the weather is agreeable, they set up family tents out on the desert sands. Often many families group their tents together. Electric lights are put up, and gas tanks are brought in for cooking. Satellite dishes provide TV and Internet access. Though these families often have large, comfortable homes or even mansions to live in, they love this annual camping experience. They drive out in their pickup trucks or SUVs for a weekend or for several weeks.

  A Kuwaiti tent. Photo by Margie Deemer.

  Black tent, March 2013. Note satellite dishes beside tent. Photo by Margie Deemer.

  Tenting in Kuwait, January 2012. Notice the tall klieg lights and the many gas tanks. This is set up for long term comfort.

  Oman

  Oman is the third-largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, a little larger than Colorado. It occupies the southwestern portion of the Arabian Peninsula, plus a strategic small holding adjacent to the United Arab Emirates, which could control access through the Strait of Hormuz between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. All shipping between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, leading to the Indian Ocean, passes through this 39-mile-wide gap.

  The northern part of Oman has rocky, hilly terrain and includes the large cosmopolitan city of Muscat. The southernmost portion of Oman receives more rainfall than most of the Arabian Peninsula, as monsoons from the Indian Ocean drop some rainfall there. So there is a coastal region of date palms, frankincense trees, and some crop-growing possibilities.

  Oman’s extensive coastline includes several useful harbors; shipbuilding and oceangoing trading expeditions were important in the country’s history. Inland, the terrain rises in an escarpment to a dry plateau of gravel, which reaches into the sandy Rub al-Khali (Empty Quarter).

  From 1698 to 1896, Oman governed the East African island of Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania. Descendants of Zanzibaris brought to Oman as slaves still live in Oman. Because of the trade routes, peoples from Baluchistan, across the sea in Iran, and from India have also settled in Oman at various times. The percentage of foreign workers in Oman is not as overwhelming as in some of the other Arabian Peninsula countries: over 70 percent of the population of Oman are Omani citizens.

  In 1970, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said became ruler of Oman. He defeated a communist insurgency attacking from Yemen and then began to modernize his country, building roads, schools, hospitals, and universities. As a patron of the arts, he created a highly respected symphonic orchestra composed of young Omanis trained in classical music.

  Saudi Arabia

  Saudi Arabia covers about 80 percent of the Arabian Peninsula. Most of the country lies in the massive Arabian desert, which is semidesert and scrubland. In the south of the peninsula lies the 888,730-square-mile (2,250,000 sq km) Rub al-Khali (Empty Quarter), an enormous sand desert. In the southwestern province of Asir is the 10,279-feet-high (3,133 m) Mount Sawda.

  Wikipedia lists the 2013 population of Saudi Arabia as 26.9 million. The CIA World Factbook states that 21 percent of the population is foreign nationals. The country is trying to limit this workforce to 20 percent through a program of training and incentives for Saudi citizens.

  Saudi Arabia is ruled by the house of Saud, descendants of Ibn Saud, who consolidated the tribes of Saudi Arabia into one country in 1932. King Abdullah reigned after 2005, when his half brother King Faud died. In 2015 King Abdullah passed away at the age of 90 and was succeeded by his 79 year old half brother Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

  Nadia Jameel Taibah, who lives in Jeddah, describes her country:

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoys a long and rich history that traces its roots back to the earliest civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula. The region’s ancient nomadic peoples developed a deep love for the land as well as a strong sense of independence. With the advent of Islam in the seventh century, tribes and clans were unified under one religion, which is Islam.

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comprises almost four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula, an area about one-third the size of the continental United States. The eastern part of Saudi Arabia is a plateau that begins with the great Nafud desert in the north, continues along the Arabian Gulf, and culminates in the south in the world’s largest sand desert, the Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter). To the west of this plateau is the Najd, the heartland of the peninsula, known for its spectacular escarpments and gravel and sand deserts. The capital city of Riyadh is located in the Najd. A chain of mountains in western Saudi Arabia runs parallel to the Red Sea. The Hijaz region along the Red Sea contains the holy cities of Makkah [Mecca] and Madinah [Medina].

  The Ka’ba is the House of Allah located in the city of Mecca. Muslims visit the Ka’ba at least once in their lifetime, and this visit is the holy event known as Hajj. Hajj is performed during a special period of the year.

  The Ka’ba was built before Prophet Mohammad’s or Prophet Isa’s lifetime. It was built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismael. They were among the first people to visit that part of the world. Allah commanded Ibrahim and Ismael to build the Ka’ba so that people could come from far and wide in order to worship Allah.

  The Ka’ba was built from stone and clay. People used to go inside the Ka’ba and pray. When the population grew, people prayed on the outside in the direction of the Ka’ba. The holy ground surrounding the Ka’ba is called Haram.

  The new building of Haram can hold two million people with three stories. It is all air-conditioned and covered with white marble. Plenty of Persian rugs are covering the floor, and the high ceiling is covered with beautiful writing of the name of Allah, Prophet Mohammad, and some Koranic verses. The Ka’ba is covered with black dress that is especially made and changed every year at Hajj time. The upper part is hemstitched with gold in Koranic verses.

  In the city of Madinah is a Haram for “Prophet Mohammad’s Mosque.” It was built by Prophet Mohammad and his Companions when he immigrated from Makkah to Madinah. He was buried, along with the two of the best companions, Abu Bakr Alsadeek and Omar Ibn Alkattab, at this mosque.

  United Arab Emirates

  In 1971, the rulers of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, and al-Fujairah formed a federation, the United Arab Emirates. In 1972, Ras al-Khaimah joined.

  The United Arab Emirates population is only 19 percent Emirati. Another 23 percent of the residents are other Arabic-speaking peoples, or from
Iran. Asians make up 50 percent of the population, as workers from India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the Philippines come as construction workers and household servants and to fill other low-paying jobs. The remaining 8 percent of the population are highly paid Westerners and other foreigners who fill jobs as technicians and teachers and provide other skilled services.

  Abu Dhabi

  Abu Dhabi is the largest of the emirates, around 375 square miles, approximately 87 percent of the United Arab Emirates land.

  The Al-Nahyan family rules Abu Dhabi today. They descend from the Bani Yas Bedouin, some of whom migrated to the island of Abu Dhabi in 1793 because of the fresh water there. The family originally came from the Liwa Oasis area in the south of the country, near the Rub al-Khali desert, which covers much of the Arabian Peninsula.

  Abu Dhabi has a long coastline along the Arabian Gulf. The coastal features include salt flats and mangrove groves. The city of Abu Dhabi itself sits on and around an island connected to the mainland by bridges.

  Dubai

  Dubai is ruled by the Al Maktoum family. Their clan, the Al Bu Falasah, broke away from the Abu Dhabi Bani Yas group in 1833 and founded Dubai. Located on the Arabian Gulf, Dubai has white sands that support some grasses and date palms, areas with large dunes, some salt flats, and in the west, the Western Hajar Mountains, with their gorges and waterholes. Dubai also controls a small enclave, Hatta, adjacent to Oman.

  Ras al-Khaimah

  Ras al-Khaimah consists of a portion of land located on the Arabian Gulf west of Umm al-Quwain and a smaller portion surrounded by Sharja’s holdings and Al Fujayrah. It is ruled by a member of the Al-Qasimi clan. The Qawasim were great seafarers and controlled the Straits of Hormuz at one time.

  Sharjah

  The city of Sharjah sits on the Arabian Gulf, but Sharjah also owns the small Gulf of Oman enclaves of Kalba, Dibba Al-Hsin, and Khor Fakkan and a third small enclave, Nahwa, adjacent to Oman. The city of Sharjah has grown to the point where it connects with Dubai and Ajman, forming one huge metropolitan area. Sharjah is controlled by the Al-Qasimi family.

  Al-Fujairah

  The al-Fujairah emirate is controlled by the Al Sharqi family. Al-Fujairah is located on the Gulf of Oman, with two portions separated by a bit of Sharjah land and a third portion adjacent to Oman. This emirate is almost totally mountainous and receives enough rainfall for farmers to produce an annual crop.

  Umm al-Quwain

  The Al Mu’alla lineage of the Al Ali tribe rule in Umm al-Quwain. With only 292 square miles (755 km), Umm al-Quwain is the second-smallest of the emirates. Umm al-Quwain has a coastline with sandy islets, mangrove swamps, and creeks.

  Ajman

  The Al Nuaimi are the ruling tribe of the emirate of Ajman. The tiny country also controls Masfut, a small agricultural exclave. Ninety-five percent of the residents of Ajman live in Ajman City. Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman together form a large metropolitan area.

  Qatar

  Qatar occupies a peninsula jutting into the Arabian Gulf. It is about the size of Connecticut. The only country it has borders with is Saudi Arabia. Bahrain lies only 24.8 miles (40 km) across the sea to the north, and a causeway is planned. Only about one-fifth of the population of Qatar is actually Qatari. The rest are foreign workers: about 20 percent are Arabs from other countries, 18 percent are Pakistani, 18 percent are from India, and 10 percent are Iranian. The rest include skilled workers from Europe, the United States, Australia, and other countries. In 2012, 94 percent of the workforce in Qatar was foreign.

  Wealth from oil reserves enables the Qatari citizens to live well. In 2012, Qatar was the richest country in the world, based on per capita income. Fourteen percent of households were considered millionaires. Qatari citizens might receive various perks, such as free education, free land to build homes on, government jobs, and no taxes. Many receive monies from oil investments. Members of the royal family, and this includes thousands of individuals, receive a share of the oil revenues.

  Only 2 percent of Qatar is capable of growing crops, and desalinization plants are necessary to fill the needs of the area for freshwater. Oasis wells, which once could provide adequate water, cannot begin to provide enough water for the growing population, and overpumping can drain the aquifers that supply them. The peninsula is sand or gravel desert, mostly flat, with some sand dunes, and with low limestone outcroppings in the west.

  The Al Thani family of the Banu Tamin tribe have ruled Qatar since 1825.

  Yemen

  Located at the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen holds a strategic place on the Gulf of Aden and the narrow entrance to the Red Sea, the Bab el Mandeb Strait. Yemen is the second-largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, about the size of Colorado and Wyoming combined. The coastal regions of southern Yemen receive enough rainfall to produce crops, especially the Hadramat region. The interior is desert and merges into the Rub al-Khali. Some of the tallest mountains on the peninsula are located in Yemen, with the Jabal an Nabi Shu-ayb the highest, at 12,336 feet (3,760 m).

  Frankincense and myrrh grow well in the Hadramat and other areas of Yemen, and this area, along with Oman, was once a center of incense trade. The Old Testament tells of the Queen of Sheba visiting King Solomon in Palestine and bringing frankincense and myrrh. The country of Sheba was Saba, which included present-day Yemen and parts of Saudi Arabia.

  Yemen has had a troubled past. North Yemen and South Yemen have disagreements, and the government has changed several times in recent years.

  LUQMAN THE WISE

  Let’s begin our exploration of Arabic folktales with these tales of a pan-Arabic wise man.

  Many stories are told about the wise man Luqman. It is said that one day while Luqman was napping under a tree, an angel came to him in a dream. The angel said that Allah would give him a gift. He could choose either to be a king or to be wise. Without hesitating, Luqman chose wisdom. When he awoke, Luqman realized that he felt in harmony with nature and now understood many things. He thanked Allah for this wondrous gift.

  Later Luqman was captured by slavers and sold as a slave. He remained calm and accepted his slavery, so his owner respected him. One day, his owner decided to test him. He asked Luqman to kill a sheep and bring him the most valuable parts of the sheep. Luqman prepared the tongue and heart and brought them to his owner. Later, the man asked Luqman to slaughter a sheep and bring him the worst parts. Luqman brought the tongue and heart. When questioned about this, Luqman explained that when good, the tongue and heart are the best possible things. But when bad, they are the worst. It is true that a man with a good heart speaks kindness with his tongue and calms things, while a man with a bad heart speaks evil and creates dissension.

  Later, Luqman became highly regarded for his wisdom. Many of the fables we know today as Aesop’s Fables are also attributed to Luqman.

  Luqman was also known for his wise sayings. He is quoted as saying, “Talk in a low voice. If loud voices could get things done, asses would be building houses every day.” “When people see a rich man eating a snake, they say it is for medicinal reasons. When they see a poor man eating a snake, they say he is hungry.” “Don’t repeat everything you hear, and don’t talk about everything you see.” Many of Luqman’s sayings are popular today, such as, “A bird in the hand is better than a thousand flying about the sky.”

  A Muslim Hadith tells that Luqman was once asked how he came to his high position. “By speaking truthfully, being faithful to trust put in me, and leaving alone things that do not concern me.”

  In one tale, Luqman asks God for long life. God agrees to let him chose a lifespan of seven generations of an animal of his choice. He chooses the lifespan of a falcon. He then adopted a baby falcon and raised it as his companion. The falcon lived for 80 years. But one day it died. Now Luqman journeyed to the mountains, found another falcon nest, and retrieved another baby falcon. And so it went until the seventh falcon was his companion. He called this seventh falcon, Lubud, which means “time.” L
ubud lived on the top of a jebel (peak), and Luqman lived at the bottom. After 80 years, when he awoke one morning and made his way to the top of the jebel, he found that Lubud was very weak. “Lubud do not die! If you die you take my life with you!” But Lubud closed his eyes and passed on. So lying down, Luqman also closed his eyes and passed.

  Luqman apparently maintained his strengths well into his later years though. His servant girl was once asked how his eyesight was holding up. “Not very well,” she replied. “Yesterday he was watching a couple of ants cross the ceiling and he could hardly make out which trail was that of the male and which that of the female.”

  FOLKTALES FROM SAUDI ARABIA

  Tales shared by Nadia Jameel Taibah

  ANIMAL TALES

  THE DOVE, THE PARTRIDGE, AND THE CROW

  A long, long, long time ago, there was a Bedouin tribe named Benazin. They were looking for a new land because they had used all their land’s water and plants. So they decided to scour the area of the countryside around them.

  They released three different kinds of birds: the crow, the dove, and the partridge. They trusted the crow very much because the crow proved to be a very hard worker and he had good vision. They trusted the dove and the partridge too because they could both fly for a long distance without getting tired.

  So the three birds flew off at the same time. After a short period of time, the crow arrived at a very green land with plenty of water. He stopped there. And that was in the south direction.