Muscat, Feb. 27 (TNS): An Arabic book documenting His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s achievements has been translated into Urdu and is set to be released early next month, Omani state run media reported on Tuesday.
The book ‘Sultana wa Sultan’ (The Sultanate and the Sultan) was written by Jordanian national Sultan Al Hattab. It has been translated by Amir Hamza, a Pakistani expat and the editor of Islamic Solidarity magazine, a monthly magazine published in both Urdu and Arabic. The publication is being sponsored by the Ministry of Information.
The Urdu translation titled ‘Sultanat aur Sultan’ will contain all the themes of the original Arabic book, including His Majesty’s role in the development of Oman, his administration, foreign policy, and his relationship with the Arab world. The book also features chapters on the history of the Sultanate and the tolerant nature of Omani society.
Hamza said the book would take His Majesty’s achievements to the people of Pakistan, besides helping Pakistani PhD students who wished to write theses on Oman or the Arabian Peninsula.
“It is a very useful book. It gives a detailed account of His Majesty’s rule, beginning in the 70s. During the early days of his rule, he took a caravan out to remote areas, spoke to people about their needs, analysed what a particular province needed, and development would soon follow. His Majesty’s commitment and fulfilment of his promises is an example to be emulated,” he said.
Hamza added that the book also took stock of His Majesty’s knack for conflict resolution through the decades.
“His Majesty’s settlement of the border dispute with the UAE is a great example one can learn from. He essentially told the UAE royal family that if we waste our time fighting over territories, the disputes could escalate and we might not even get any development done. A border agreement was reached and the focus shifted to development,” the Pakistani expat said.
The book also mentioned His Majesty’s and Oman’s role as a calming influence in the region. “Oman is seen as a mediator and a sensible voice in the region. His Majesty has always been on good terms with everyone. Unfortunately, people don’t always listen to the voice of reason. His Majesty’s advice, if acted upon, would have saved a lot of lives during the Iraq-Iran war,” Hamza remarked.
Moreover, everything from the Sultanate’s ports and projects to the empowerment of women figures in the book, he said. “One can say that His Majesty’s calm and development-oriented nature has rubbed off on the country’s people,” he added.
Hamza also disclosed that the book would most likely be translated to English as well.
The editor, fluent in both Urdu and Arabic, is no stranger to translating books on His Majesty. He had translated retired Omani governor Nasser Ale Abdas Salam’s book ‘Ahdun wa wafa’ (a story of fulfilment of commitments) into Urdu as well.
