Sunday 02 / November / 2025
Muscat: Oman's maritime history across the ages embodies a deeply rooted cultural and civilizational legacy, establishing the nation as a pioneering seafaring power and a bridge for intercultural communication, dialogue, and peace with diverse peoples worldwide. This heritage presents a distinguished civilizational portrait of the Omani people across all spheres of human endeavour.
An examination of Oman's ancient maritime legacy clearly reveals the enduring impact of core Omani values—integrity, honesty, and benevolent conduct. Their imprint remains visible today across Africa, India, China, and the islands of Southeast Asia, having played a pivotal role in consolidating human, religious, and cultural bonds. Consequently, Omani maritime history serves as a source of inspiration for successive generations in entrenching the principles of tolerance, cooperation, and openness.
This report details the defining features of Omani maritime history, its key geographical and symbolic milestones, and explores the contributions of pivotal figures and initiatives in building this heritage. It further examines how the Sultanate of Oman leverages this civilizational asset to bolster its contemporary global presence through soft power and cultural diplomacy.
Sheikh Hamoud bin Hamad Al Ghailani, a researcher in Omani maritime history, stated to the Oman News Agency (ONA) that every nation possesses its distinct culture. Oman, as an integral part of the global community, cannot disregard this cultural dimension, which manifests through both individual and collective mobility, inevitably involving a process of mutual influence with other nations, albeit to varying degrees of impact.
He emphasized that the Omani influence was distinctly evident in the dissemination of Islam, particularly across East Africa. This propagation was not achieved through coercion but was founded upon principled discourse, exemplary treatment, sincere cooperation, and trustworthiness. The genuine conviction of Omani Muslims notably attracted many Africans to Islam, as illustrated by narratives such as that of (Al-Amri) and the King of Uganda concerning a sacrificial rite, alongside similar accounts from India, China, and Southeast Asia.
He noted that historical influences of Omanis and Arabs in India included the (Zamorin) Raja of Calicut adopting Muslim attire despite his Hindu faith. In East Africa, the Omani cultural impact is evidenced by the emergence of an Arabic-language press, including publications such as (Al-Najah, Al-Nadi, Al-Falaq, Al-Nahda, Al-Ummah, Al-Islah, and the Official Gazette).
Regarding the Omani contribution to knowledge, he explained that scientific knowledge, particularly that derived from empirical practice, exerts a more profound and enduring influence. Through their extensive seafaring experiences, Omanis accumulated significant expertise, culminating in numerous scholarly works. The legacy of navigators like Ahmed bin Majid, his Omani predecessors such as Yazid Al-Omani, Ismail bin Ibrahim bin Mardas, Jaafar bin Lakis, and the contributions of Kutah, who charted maritime routes, provided foundational knowledge adopted by numerous nations who engaged Omani captains.
He highlighted the direct role of Omanis in spreading Islam across regions they reached, including China, Southeast Asia, India, and East Africa. In all these areas, Islam was disseminated through virtuous conduct, steadfast integrity, and refined ethics, countering narratives that its spread was reliant on military conquest.
The Omani presence in East Africa, he noted, assumed a unique character, remaining a tangible and living exemplar to this day. The era of Sayyid Said bin Sultan and the robust Omani presence offers a rich case study in the propagation of Islam, the Arabic language, and Omani customs and traditions.
He added that during Sayyid Said bin Sultan's reign, Zanzibar evolved into a hub of Islamic and Arab influence throughout East Africa. Islam spread primarily via Arab, particularly Omani, trading caravans. Among these Omani traders, renowned for their Islamic ethics, were missionary merchant sheikhs like Khamis bin Juma, instrumental in the conversion of (Muteesa I), alongside Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Obaid bin Hamoud, Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Marjabi, and Obaidullah bin Salim Al-Khadhouri.
He pointed out that Omani maritime activity has historically fulfilled multiple roles. The voyages of Omani vessels established economic and diplomatic ties with ancient civilizations, including those of the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia, and Pharaonic Egypt, later extending to East Africa and China. These interactions forged enduring relationships that persist today, subsequently strengthening diplomatic relations with brotherly and friendly nations.
Regarding the utilization of this maritime heritage as a form of soft power, Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Fahdi, Member of the State Council, told the Oman News Agency (ONA) that Omani maritime history constitutes a fundamental component of the nation's ancient heritage, instrumental in shaping the Omani character, its value system, principles, and outlook. This is fundamentally rooted in Oman's strategic geographical location, a significant divine endowment.
He elaborated that Oman has, since antiquity, served as a crucial nexus connecting the world's continents and linking East and West. Its privileged position attracted the attention of seafaring peoples and international traders. The ports of Muscat, Sohar, Qalhat, Sur, Samharam, Mirbat, and others functioned as vital hubs for reprovisioning, commercial exchange, and respite from arduous sea journeys, profoundly facilitating interaction between Omanis and peoples of diverse ethnicities, races, and cultural backgrounds.
History records the Omanis as masters of the seas, he stated, who traversed oceans reaching as far as China—a formidable achievement in the pre-Christian era. Chinese annals from ruling dynasties specifically document Omanis as the first Arabs to reach China, notably the port of Canton (modern-day Guangzhou).
He affirmed that the Omani people are inherently open to other cultures, tolerant, and integrate with others effortlessly, guided by their refined morals, honesty, and equitable dealings. These qualities distinguished them and garnered the interest of other societies, thereby facilitating the spread of Islam and its tolerant principles.
The Omani individual, he believes, has consistently been a source of soft power throughout history, owing to a character defined by high ethics, benevolent intentions, and noble objectives. This has cemented the historical image of Oman, shaped by its contributions to the advancement of nations and peoples in India, East Africa, and China, with enduring evidence remaining visible today.
He confirmed that mosques built by Omanis in China remain in use for prayers, reflecting the positive legacy of the Omani people through the centuries. The Omani was never perceived as an aggressor, oppressor, colonizer, or exploiter of others' wealth, but rather as a bearer of a lofty message, noble values, and authentic ethics.
He clarified that Oman's ancient maritime history itself constitutes a genuine asset of Omani soft power. Leveraging every facet of this history—its milestones, accomplishments, and narratives—will undoubtedly enrich the Omani culture that forms the national identity.
Regarding Omani nautical knowledge and its role in civilizational and commercial exchange throughout history, Khalid bin Ali Al Mukhaini, a maritime researcher, told the Oman News Agency (ONA) that the sea for Omanis was far more than a vast blue expanse; it represented destiny, identity, and a grand academy that shaped their civilizational trajectory. Oman's geography, with its coastline along three major bodies of water and a desert interior that pushed inhabitants seaward during droughts, compelled its people to embrace the waves. The sea became a conduit for sustenance, livelihood, and global interaction, fostering the emergence of Omanis as pioneers in navigation, shipbuilding, and as merchants transporting goods and aspirations between East and West.
Omani sailors, he added, inherited and refined sophisticated navigational expertise over generations. They celestial-navigated using stars, interpreted weather patterns to forecast rains and storms, and mastered the monsoon winds, which were crucial for their commercial prosperity. They meticulously documented knowledge of tides, straits, and islands, learning to read the sea like an open text—predicting storms from shifts in water colour or the flight of migratory birds. This prowess enabled global voyages and the production of detailed manuscripts and navigational almanacs that preserved their science.
On maritime instrumentation and geography, he indicated that Omani navigators employed traditional tools to conquer the unknown: the marine astrolabe, Ibn Majid's bearing tablets ("al-Khashabāt"), and the compass for direction-finding. The "Balad" (lead line), a rope with a tallowed lead weight, was used for depth-sounding and assessing seabed composition for anchoring. The hourglass and "Al-Batili" log were utilized for speed measurement, with later adoption of European charts and solar altitude observations.
He affirmed that Oman's unique location at the confluence of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Arabian Gulf, endowed with extensive coasts and natural harbors, proved instrumental. The sea served as both an open textbook and a constant instructor, its lessons deepening with each voyage and return.
This specialized knowledge, he noted, underpinned the flourishing of Oman's trade with the East and West. The predictable monsoon winds made journeys safer and more economical. Omani vessels carried spices, timber, ivory, and gold from India and East Africa, returning laden with dates, copper, and horses. Consequently, the ports of Sur, Muscat, Sohar, Qalhat, and Mirbat transformed into vibrant international hubs, teeming with activity and commerce.
Dr. Badriya bint Mohammed Al Nahbani, a historian and academic, informed the Oman News Agency (ONA) that the "Jewel of Muscat" project was initiated to revive the 9th-century maritime trade route between Oman and the Arabian Peninsula, following the discovery of a corresponding shipwreck in Indonesian waters.
The project concept originated in Oman in 2006, she clarified, following a proposal by the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said to reconstruct the vessel and gift it to Singapore, thereby reinforcing the historical ties between the two nations. Oman financed the construction, while Singapore supported the voyage to its shores, making the project a symbol of bilateral cooperation and friendship.
Regarding the ship's role in revitalizing Oman's image as an influential maritime and commercial power in the medieval Indian Ocean, she indicated that the Jewel of Muscat serves as a modern replica of traditional Omani craft, demonstrating the skill of Omani sailors in overcoming voyage challenges. It also reanimated the collective memory of Oman's maritime heritage, making it tangible through live tracking via a dedicated website that allowed public monitoring of its journey.
The Jewel of Muscat, she added, encapsulated the spirit of the Omani navigator and his capacity for global engagement from its launch until its Singapore arrival, affirming his navigational and political capabilities. The vessel carried distinct political and economic significance within an authentically Omani cultural framework.
She affirmed that the Jewel of Muscat stands as a unique and successful paradigm of cultural diplomacy. Its docking in Singapore on 3 June 2010, was not a transient event but a defining cultural moment. The voyage became a permanent legacy, now housed as a historical exhibit at the Sentosa World Museum, where it continues to welcome international visitors, serving as a living testament to the depth of Omani maritime history.
Dr. Ahlam bint Hamoud Al Jahwari, historian and author, explained to the Oman News Agency (ONA) that Oman's geographical and natural position has, throughout the ages, constituted a focal point for civilizational interaction among nations and actively contributed to maritime commerce in the ancient Near East.
Oman assumed a historically prominent role in shaping regional commercial and maritime developments, she added, becoming a leading cradle of seafaring, thanks to its pioneering navigators who established it as a thriving maritime center, renowned for its numerous and diverse vessels and extensive trade networks. The sea became a vital artery for cultural transmission and fostering intercultural communication.
In the context of heritage revitalization, she noted that several Omani sailing vessels have undertaken historic voyages to retrace ancient routes and strengthen international ties, such as the 1980 voyage of the "Sohar" to China and the 2010 "Jewel of Muscat" expedition to Singapore.
She pointed out that Omani ships, whether sailing vessels like "Shabab Oman I" and "II" and "Zinat Al-Bihar," or other ships such as "Qahir Al-Amwaaj," "Al-Najah," "Nasr Al-Bahr," and "Al-Moazar," have consistently represented the Sultanate of Oman in international maritime events and competitions, strengthening bonds of friendship and peace between Oman and the world. Oman has been, and remains, a land of peace, a haven for culture and human exchange, and a cradle of global maritime navigation.
She noted that the "Al-Rahmani" is among the most notable Omani warships associated with the early Al Busaidi state, specifically with the fleet of Imam Ahmed bin Said Al Busaidi. The ship earned distinction for its heroic role in breaking the Persian siege of Basra in 1775, following a request for assistance from the Ottoman governor of Baghdad.
In a separate context, she highlighted the "Sultanah" as epitomizing the pinnacle of Omani maritime diplomacy in the 19th century. It established the first official maritime bridge between the Sultanate of Oman and the United States, sailing to New York Harbor in 1839 carrying a message of friendship and trade from Sultan Said bin Sultan to the U.S. President. Onboard was the Omani envoy Ahmed bin Al-Nu'man Al-Kaabi, representing the Sultan on one of the earliest diplomatic missions from an Arab state to the United States.
The Omani maritime heritage is not merely a recounted memory but a living present and a promising future—a mirror reflecting the authenticity of the Omani people and the profundity of a civilization that engaged the world through mutual respect and knowledge, not conquest and force. Through sails that reached the farthest horizons, Omanis carried their culture and ethics to other peoples, leaving an indelible imprint on human history.
Undoubtedly, this maritime heritage is not simply a historical chapter, but a cornerstone for present-day nation-building and an effective instrument for enhancing Oman's international stature, both culturally and humanitarianly. Furthermore, investing this historical legacy to reinforce national identity, promote dialogue, and build bridges represents the optimal strategy for its preservation and its confident and proud transmission to future generations.
