Misplaced Pages

#324675

108-862: The Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) was established by the Royal Decree No. 31/2006, issued on 03 Rabai-I, 1427 H, corresponding to April 2, 2006. It is an independent body located in Muscat , Sultanate of Oman . It is a Sponsoring Institution accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education - International, that oversees the Graduate Medical Education in Oman. OMSB formulates standards and criteria for practicing health care professions. This article about an organization in Asia

216-538: A community in Shibam. A second Ibadi state was established in Oman in 750, but fell to the newly formed Abbasid Caliphate in 752. Another Ibadi state was established in Oman in 793, surviving for a century until the Abbasid recapture in 893. However, Abbasid influence after reconquest was nominal and Ibadi imams continued to wield considerable power. Ibadi imamates were re-established in subsequent centuries. Ibadis still form

324-482: A couple of offices around the city. It is also home to Galfar Engineering, headed by P. Mohammed Ali. The airline Oman Air has its head office on the grounds of Muscat International Airport . According to the 2003 census conducted by the Oman Ministry of National Economy, the population of Muscat is over 630,000, which included 370,000 males and 260,000 females. Muscat formed the second largest governorate in

432-661: A fabrication to buttress the strength of the Ibadi school by making the Ibadis have the oldest collection of hadiths. Most Ibadi hadiths are found in the standard Sunni collections, bar a small group with Kharijite biases, and contemporary Ibadis often approve of the standard Sunni collections. Unlike in Sunni and Shi'a Islam alike, the study of hadiths has not traditionally been very important in Ibadi Islam, especially in Oman where Sunni influence

540-630: A hospital in Muscat in the 19th century. Like the rest of Oman, Arabic is the predominant language of the city. In addition, English , Balochi , Sindhi , Swahili and Indian languages such as Bengali , Gujarati , Hindi , Konkani , Malayalam , Marathi , Odia , Tamil , Tulu , Telugu and Urdu are spoken by the residents of Muscat. Islam is the predominant religion in the city, with most followers being Ibadi Muslims . Non-Muslims are allowed to practise their religion, but may not proselytize publicly or distribute religious literature. In 2017

648-614: A major role in the Omanis' ability to stay in contact with the civilisations of the ancient world. Sur was one of the most famous shipbuilding cities of the Indian Ocean. The Al Ghanja ship takes one whole year to build. Other types of Omani ship include As Sunbouq and Al Badan. In March 2016, archaeologists working off Al-Hallaniyah Island identified a shipwreck believed to be that of the Esmeralda from Vasco da Gama 's 1502–1503 fleet. The wreck

756-568: A port was acknowledged as early as the 1st century AD by the Greek geographer Ptolemy , who referred to it as Cryptus Portus (the Hidden Port ), and by Pliny the Elder , who called it Amithoscuta . The port fell to a Sassanid invasion in the 3rd century AD, under the rule of Shapur I , while conversion to Islam occurred during the 7th century. Muscat's importance as a trading port continued to grow in

864-721: A prominent mufti in Basrah provided him with cover and enabled him to form widespread connections with influential individuals across the Islamic world. The Ibadi school eventually emerged as a moderate group in Basrah, grounded in the teachings of Jabir ibn Zayd, who, according to the Ibadis (perhaps posthumously), became their first imam. After the Battle of Siffin, the Kharijites engaged in ongoing conflicts with both Alid and Umayyad supporters, often inciting local rebellions against Umayyad rule. Following

972-472: A region which includes Jebel Akhdar , the country's highest range. The hills in Muscat are mostly devoid of vegetation but are rich in iron . The halophytic sabkha type desert vegetation is predominant in Muscat. The Qurum Nature Reserve contains plants such as the Arthrocnemum Macrostachyum and Halopeplis Perfoliata . Coral reefs are common in Muscat. Acropora reefs exist in

1080-480: A single day. The climate generally is very hot and also very humid in the summer, with temperatures sometimes reaching as high as 45 °C or 113 °F. Muscat's economy, like that of Oman, is dominated by trade. The more traditional exports of the city included dates , mother of pearl , and fish. Many of the souks of Muttrah sell these items and traditional Omani artefacts. Petroleum Development Oman has been central to Muscat's economy since at least 1962 and

1188-588: A taxi. Taxis also generally take passengers to locations out of the city, including Sohar , Buraimi and Dubai . Outwardly, Oman shares many of the cultural characteristics of its Arab neighbours, particularly those in the Gulf Cooperation Council . Despite these similarities, important factors make Oman unique in the Middle East. These result as much from geography and history as from culture and economics. The relatively recent and artificial nature of

SECTION 10

#1733086279325

1296-420: A weak imam is obliged to consult the ulamāʾ , or community of scholars, before passing any judgement. A weak imam is appointed only at times of dire necessity, when the community is threatened with destruction. Contemporary Ibadis uphold four "states of the religion" ( masālik ad-dīn ), which are four different types of imams each appropriate to certain contexts. The imām al-kitmān "Imam of secrecy"

1404-414: A wider use in Ibadi doctrine, where it is used to describe all forms of religious error beyond polytheism alone. Classical Ibadi theologians have stated that only the ahl al-istiqāmah will go to paradise , and that all sinning Ibadis as well as all non-Ibadis will be in hell forever. Ibadis traditionally reject Sunni beliefs that all Muslims in hell will eventually enter paradise, and hold that hell

1512-575: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Oman -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Muscat The Hajar Mountains dominate the view from Muscat. The city lies on the Arabian Sea , along the Gulf of Oman, near the strategically important Straits of Hormuz . Low-lying white buildings are a typical feature of its architecture. The city’s port district of Muttrah , with its corniche and harbour, are at

1620-462: Is a large and very populous town, flanked on both sides with high mountains and the front is close to the water's edge; behind, towards the interior, there is a plain as large as the square of Lisbon, all covered with salt pans. [T]here are orchards, gardens, and palm groves with wells for watering them by means of swipes and other engines. The harbour is small, shaped like a horse-shoe and sheltered from every wind." Muscat's naval and military supremacy

1728-487: Is a learned scholar who "rules" in political quietism , practicing taqiyya to avoid persecution, in times when the Ibadi community cannot reveal itself openly. In some cases, a state of kitmān may be necessary even when there is no imam available. In this case, the Ibadi ulamāʾ takes over as surrogate rulers in place of the imam. This has been the case for most of the history of the North African Ibadis since

1836-628: Is a trading hub between the Persian Gulf , the Indian subcontinent and the Far East with an annual volume of about 1.6 million tons. However, the emergence of the Jebel Ali Free Zone in neighboring Dubai , United Arab Emirates , has made that port the premier maritime trading port of the region with about 44 million tons traded in cargo annually. Many infrastructural facilities are owned and operated by

1944-594: Is about 10 centimetres or 4 inches, falling mostly from December to April. In general, precipitation is scarce in Muscat, with the months May to November typically receiving only a trace of rainfall. However, in recent years, heavy precipitation events from tropical systems originating in the Arabian Sea have struck the city. Cyclone Gonu in June 2007 and Cyclone Phet in June 2010 affected the city with damaging winds and rainfall amounts exceeding 100 millimetres or 4 inches in just

2052-577: Is also practiced to a lesser extent in Algeria ( Mzab ), Tunisia ( Djerba ), Libya ( Nafusa ), and Tanzania ( Zanzibar ). The Ibadis are a moderate branch of the Kharijites, an Islamic sect that split from the Muhakkima and al-Haruriyya. These groups initially supported Ali during the First Fitna but turned away after rejecting arbitration at the Battle of Siffin in 657 CE. From the Ibadis' perspective,

2160-605: Is eternal and inescapable for all humans who were not righteous Ibadis in life. About the Shi'ah party, Abu Hamzah said, "As for these factions (of 'Ali), they are a faction which has repudiated the Book of God to promulgate lies about Him. They have not left the people (of the community) because of their insight into religion (as we have), or their deep knowledge of the Qur'an; they punish crime in those who commit it, and commit it themselves when they get

2268-425: Is limited to major roadways and point-to-point travel routes between Oman's major cities and towns. Taxis, also colour-coded orange and white, provide semi-personal transportation in the form of both individual hire and the same opportunistic roadway service as Baiza buses. Baiza buses and colour-coded orange-and-white taxis are unmetered, after several government initiatives to introduce meters were rejected. The fare

SECTION 20

#1733086279325

2376-619: Is required of the imām al-shārī and his followers, as suggested in the following speech by Abu Bilal: You go out to fight in the way of God desiring His pleasure, not wanting anything of the goods of the present world, nor have you any desire for it, nor will you return to it. You are the ascetic and the hater of this life, desirous of the world to come, trying with all in your power to obtain it: going out to be killed and for nothing else. So know that you are [already] killed and have no return to this life; you are going forward and will not turn away from righteousness till you come to God. If such

2484-459: Is set by way of negotiation , although taxi drivers usually adhere to certain unwritten rules for fares within the city. In many countries, one is advised to negotiate a fare with the driver before getting into a taxi. However, in Oman, asking for the fare beforehand often demonstrates a passenger's newness and unfamiliarity with the area. One should always find out the normally accepted fare for one's journey from one's hotel or host before looking for

2592-731: Is the country's second largest employer, after the government. Its major shareholders include Shell , Total, and Partex and its production is estimated to be about 720,000 barrels per day (114,000 m /d). Muscat also has major trading companies such as the Suhail Bahwan Group, which is a trading partner for corporations such as Toshiba , Subaru , Seiko , Hewlett-Packard , General Motors , RAK Ceramics ; Saud Bahwan Group whose trading partners are Toyota , Daihatsu , KIA and Hertz Rent-a-Car ; Zubair Automotive whose trading partners include Mitsubishi , and Chrysler brands such as Dodge; and Moosa AbdulRahman Hassan which operates as one of

2700-638: Is the twelfth-century Tartīb al-Musnad , comprising 1,005 hadiths. The Tartīb is divided into four books. The first two books are muttaṣil narrations by Jabir ibn Zayd , a student of Muhammad's widow Aisha . The third book includes hadith transmitted by the eighth-century Kharijite scholar al-Rabi' bin Habib Al-Farahidi as preserved in the Jami Sahih collection, generally also from Jabir ibn Zayd. The fourth book consists of an appendix of saying and stories from later Ibadi scholars and imams. Most of

2808-427: Is well known for being sailing of many commercial ships and boats. Here also, the traditional boats of Arabian Peninsula named Dhows can be also seen. This port since many centuries have been a main commercial and financial centre in terms of its international maritime trade. Airport The main airport is Muscat International Airport (formerly known as Seeb International Airport) around 25 km (16 mi) from

2916-449: Is your concern, go back and finish up your needs and wishes for this life, pay your debts, purchase yourself, take leave of your family and tell them that you will never return to them. The third state, that of the imām al-zuhūr "Imam of glory", are imams as active rulers of an Ibadi state. The first two caliphs Abu Bakr and Umar are considered ideal models of the imām al-zuhūr . A ruling imam who sins must be removed from power;

3024-477: The ummah or wider Islamic community, who possess the various privileges accorded to Muslims in Islamic law and who Ibadis may intermarry with. All non-Ibadi Muslims and even Ibadi sinners are considered guilty of kufr (usually translated as "unbelief"), although contemporary Ibadis distinguish between kufr shirk , or religious disbelief, and kufr nifaq , or infidelity in the form of sinning. The term shirk —"polytheism" in conventional Islamic theology—has

3132-707: The Assyrians of the Church of the East resulted in a significant Christian population living in the region, with a bishop being attested by 424 AD under the Metropolitan of Fars and Arabia. The rise of Islam saw the Syriac and Arabic-speaking Christian population eventually disappear. It is thought to have been brought back in by the Portuguese in 1507. Protestant missionaries established

3240-497: The Hijrah , when no independent Muslim community existed that could enforce Islamic laws. Therefore, ḥudūd punishments are suspended under an imām al-kitmān , except the punishments for apostasy, blasphemy, and murder. Ibadis also do not hold Friday prayers in the absence of a legitimate ruling imam. Like the Shi'a but not the Sunni, they do not allow a couple who has committed zināʾ (unlawful sex) to marry each other. During

3348-741: The Nafusa Mountains in northwestern Libya, the island of Djerba in Tunisia, and in the M'zab in Algeria. In East Africa , they are found in Zanzibar . Ibadi missionary activity also reached Persia, India, Egypt, Sudan, Spain and Sicily, although Ibadis communities in these regions ceased to exist. By the year 900, Ibadism had spread to Sindh , Khorosan , the Hadhramaut, Dhofar , the Imamate of Oman , Muscat ,

Oman Medical Specialty Board - Misplaced Pages Continue

3456-536: The Nafusa Mountains , and Qeshm, Hormozgan ; by 1200, the sect was present in al-Andalus , Sicily , M'zab and the western part of the Sahel as well. In the 14th century, historian Ibn Khaldun made reference to vestiges of Ibadi influence in Hadhramaut, though the sect no longer exists in the region today. Including: Ibadis state that their school predates mainstream Islamic schools and some western non-Muslim writers agree. In particular, Donald Hawley 's view

3564-615: The Omani Aquarium and Marine Science and Fisheries Centre . The Bait Al Falaj Fort played an important role in Muscat's military history. Recent projects include an opera house which opened on October 14, 2011. One of the most notable new projects is the Oman National Museum. It is expected to be an architectural jewel along with the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque . Visitors are also encouraged to visit Old Muscat and

3672-541: The Ramadan fast , Ibadis require ghusl or full-body ablution to be undertaken prior to the beginning of the fast on that day if it is necessitated, otherwise the fast for that day is invalid. They hold that committing grave sins is a form of breaking the fast. When making up for missed days of fasting after Ramadan has ended, the Ibadis believe that the atonement fast must be consecutive, whereas both Sunnis and Shi'as believe that Muslims may atone for missed days by fasting for

3780-574: The Sirah of Salim b. Dhakwan, reflect their opposition to extremism. In Basra, a moderate Kharijite doctrine emerged under Jabir ibn Zayd, influenced by the teachings of Ibn Abbas. Missionaries spread this doctrine across the Caliphate, including to Oman, Yemen, Hadramawt, Khurasan, and North Africa. Despite their efforts, the Ibadi leaders in Basra practiced kitman (concealment of beliefs) to avoid persecution after

3888-484: The labour force , dominated by males, who accounted for 80% of the city's total labour. A majority of expatriates (34%) was in engineering-related occupations, while most Omanis worked in engineering, clerical, scientific or technical fields. The defense sector was the largest employer for Omanis, while construction, wholesale and retail trade employed the largest number of expatriates. The ethnic makeup of Muscat has historically been influenced by people not native to

3996-548: The state of Oman makes it difficult to describe a national culture; however, sufficient cultural heterogeneity exists within its national boundaries to make Oman distinct from other Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Oman's cultural diversity is greater than that of its Arab neighbours, given its historical expansion to the Swahili Coast and the Indian Ocean. Oman has a long tradition of shipbuilding, as maritime travel played

4104-529: The "Baiza" buses, so named for the lower denomination of the Omani rial , the baiza (an adaptation of the Indian lower denomination paisa ). These are relatively inexpensive and service all major roadways, as well as a wide and loose network of smaller byways in the greater Muscat metropolitan area, opportunistically dropping off and picking up passengers at any location. Less popular and slightly more expensive are large public buses, coloured red and green, whose service

4212-428: The 'Jama'at al-Muslimin'. Abu Bilal was particularly influential in Basrah and was one of three men who openly commented on the first sermon of Ziyad b. Abih when Ziyad was appointed governor of Basrah, Khurasan, and Sijistan by Mu'awiyah. It is also recorded that Abu Bilal maintained close ties with Jabir b. Zaid, often spending significant time with him. Together, they visited 'A'ishah and reproached her for her role in

4320-759: The 1950s, and eventually escalated into the Dhofar Rebellion (1962). The rebellion forced the Sultan Said bin Taimur to seek the assistance of the British in quelling the uprisings from the interior. The failed assassination attempt of April 26, 1966 on Said bin Taimur led to the further isolation of the Sultan, who had moved his residence from Muscat to Salalah , amidst the civilian armed conflict. On July 23, 1970, Qaboos bin Said , son of

4428-567: The 19th century, the fortunes of the Al Bu Sa‘id declined and friction with the Imams of the interior resurfaced. Muscat and Muttrah were attacked by tribes from the interior in 1895 and again in 1915. A tentative ceasefire was brokered by the British , which gave the interior more autonomy. However, conflicts among the disparate tribes of the interior, and with the Sultan of Muscat and Oman continued into

Oman Medical Specialty Board - Misplaced Pages Continue

4536-530: The Arabian Peninsula. British Parliamentary papers dating back to the 19th century indicate the presence of a significant Hindu Gujarati merchants in the city. Indeed, four Hindu temples existed in Muscat ca. 1760. Christianity flourished in Oman (Bēṯ Mazūnāyē "land of the Maganites"; a name deriving from its Sumerian designation) from the late 4th century to the 7th century. Missionary activity by

4644-647: The Battle of the Camel. During this period, Jabir's leadership of the Muhakkimah became well established. A learned and pious man from the al-Azd tribe—the same tribe as 'Abdullah b. Wahb al-Rasibi, the last elected leader of the Muhakkimah—Jabir focused on intellectual activities. His scholarly approach allowed him to propagate and preserve Islamic teachings without arousing the suspicion of the Umayyad authorities. His position as

4752-710: The Caliph Marwan II led a 4,000-strong army and routed the Ibadis first in Mecca , then in Sana'a in Yemen , and finally surrounded them in Shibam in the western Hadhramaut in 748, defeating and killing Abu Hamza and Ibn Yahya and destroying the first Ibadi state. Problems back in their heartland of Islamic Syria led the Umayyads to sign a peace accord with the Ibadis, who were allowed to retain

4860-465: The Gulf of Oman. Other coastal districts of Muscat include Darsait , Mina Al Fahal , Ras Al Hamar, Al Qurum Heights, Al Khuwair, and Al Seeb . Residential and commercial districts further inland include Al Hamriyah , Al Wadi Al Kabir , Ruwi , Al Wattayah, Madinat Qaboos , Al Azaiba and Al Ghubra . Muscat features a hot, arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ) with long, sweltering summers and warm winters. Annual rainfall in Muscat

4968-596: The Ibadi hadiths have a very short isnād or chain of transmission. They are claimed to be narrated from Jabir ibn Zayd to his student Abu Ubayda Muslim ibn Abi Karima and from the latter to al-Rabi', who died in 786 after preserving his transmissions in the Jami Sahih . This was then reformulated into the Tartīb al-Musnad some four centuries later. John C. Wilkinson , an expert on Ibadism, states that this chain of transmission "does not stand up to any close examination". It may be

5076-501: The Ibadi model for this is the assassination of the third caliph Uthman and the Kharijite revolt against Ali, both actions being viewed as legitimate resistance to a sinful ruler. Finally, the state of the imām al-difā' "imam of defense" involves appointing an imam for a predetermined period of time when the Ibadi community is under foreign attack. He is removed once the threat has been defeated. Ibadis believe that all who profess

5184-511: The Islamic prophet Muhammad 's death in 632 AD as a moderate school of the Khawarij movement, although contemporary Ibāḍīs strongly object to being classified as Kharijites. Ibadis consider and view themselves, like Shia and Sunni, as being the oldest and most genuine sect of Islam . Today, the largest of these communities and the most prosperous is in Oman in the southeast peninsula of Arabia. It

5292-592: The Kharijite prisoners were freed. After their release, Ibn al-Azraq led many Kharijites to Ahvaz in Khuzestan, condemning the Basrans for supporting Ibn al-Zubayr and calling them "polytheists." However, Ibn Ibāḍ stayed behind in Basra and defended those who remained. He argued that the Basrans were not polytheists but guilty only of "ingratitude" (kufr ni'ma), a lesser offense that allowed true Muslims to live among them. Ibn Ibāḍ also opposed other Kharijite factions. He rejected

5400-576: The Mabela area of Muscat are Al Araimi Boulevard and Mall of Muscat. The Mall of Muscat is also home to the Oman Aquarium. Mall Of Oman , the largest shopping mall in Oman was opened in Summer 2021 housing over 100+ stores including Snow Oman , Vox Cinemas , an arcade (Magic Planet) and various food chains. Waterways Sultan Qaboos Port serves as one of the most important ports of Muscat Governorate , which

5508-419: The Muhakkimah were the only faction striving to restore the just Islamic Imamate, as it existed during the time of Abu Bakr, 'Umar, the first six years of 'Uthman's rule, and the early years of 'Ali before he accepted arbitration. The Muhakkimah's military efforts ended with their massacre by 'Ali b. Abi Talib and his forces at the Battle of al-Nahr (37 H/658 AD), followed by another massacre at al-Nakhilah by

SECTION 50

#1733086279325

5616-402: The Muslim community must be descended from the Quraysh tribe . (This differs from the Shia belief that ideally and eventually they will be ruled by the Mahdi , who will be descended from Prophet Muhammad's Household ( Ahl al-Bayt )—Muhammad having been a member of the Quraysh tribe.) Rather, the two primary qualifications of an Ibadi imam are that he is the most pious man of the community and

5724-434: The Muʿtazila and unlike the modern Sunni, the Ibadis believe that: But unlike the Mu'tazila, Ibadis follow the Ash'ari position of occasionalism , which holds that all events are caused directly by God and that what appear to be laws of causation , such as that a fire produces smoke, is only because God chooses to create fire, and then to create smoke. One Ibadi scholar has even stated that this single difference means that

5832-471: The Muʿtazila are more misguided than the Sunni. The fiqh or jurisprudence of Ibadis is based on the same fundamental principles as Sunni and Shi'a juristic traditions, but the Ibadis reject taqlid or deference and stress the importance of ijtihad , or independent reasoning. Contemporary Ibadis hold that believers are allowed to follow incorrect opinions derived through ijtihad as long as they believe it to be true after having made an effort to arrive at

5940-445: The Old Palace. The main shopping district is situated in Al Qurum Commercial Area. However, shopping malls are found throughout the city. One of the largest malls in Oman is Oman Avenues Mall , located in Ghubra. The fourth largest mall is in Seeb , near the international airport, called City Centre Muscat , housing all major international brands and the largest Carrefour hypermarket. Two new megamalls opened during 2019 and 2020: in

6048-425: The Second Fitna in 680 CE, the Kharijites split into four main groups with varying levels of extremism. One significant division was led by Ibn al-'Azraq, who introduced doctrines that were rejected by leaders such as Jabir b. Zaid and Abdullah b. Ibadh, who upheld the original principles of the Muhakkima, according to Ibadhi tradition. The Ibadi school of Kharijites emerged after the siege of Mecca in 683 CE, during

6156-428: The Sultan, staged a bloodless coup d'état in the Salalah palace with the assistance of the British, and took over as ruler. With the assistance of the British, Qaboos bin Said put an end to the Dhofar uprising and consolidated disparate tribal territories. He renamed the country the Sultanate of Oman (called Muscat and Oman hitherto), in an attempt to end to the interior's isolation from Muscat. Qaboos enlisted

6264-579: The Sultanate of Oman unveiled the Mushaf Muscat , an interactive calligraphic Quran following a brief from the Omani Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs . The city has numerous mosques including the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque , Ruwi Mosque, Saeed bin Taimoor and Zawawi Mosque . A few Shi'ite mosques also exist here. Muscat has a number of museums. These include Museum of Omani Heritage , National Museum of Oman , Oman Children's Museum , Bait Al Zubair , Oman Oil and Gas Exhibition Centre , Omani French Museum , Sultan's Armed Forces Museum and

6372-448: The Sunnis and Shi'as, and was not exclusive, with individual communities encouraged to elect their Imam. These imams exercised political, spiritual and military functions. In 745, Talib al-Haqq established the first Ibadi state in the Hadhramaut and succeeded in capturing Yemen in 746 from the Umayyad Caliphate. The Ibadi insurrection then spread to the Hejaz , with Abu Hamza al-Mukhtar conquering Mecca and Medina. In response,

6480-404: The Umayyads retook control of the city under Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in 691 CE. Jābir ibn Zayd was eventually recognised as the first Imam of the Ibadis although this was in a state of kitman. Ibn Zayd's criticisms of the narrations of Muhammad's companions formed the corpus of the Ibadi interpretation of Islamic law. The position of Ibadi Imam was elected, unlike the dynastic succession of

6588-402: The anchor" . Other derivations include muscat from Old Persian , meaning strong-scented , or from Arabic , meaning falling-place , or hidden . Cryptus Portus is synonymous with Oman ("hidden land"). But "Ov-man" (Omman), and the old Sumerian name Magan (Maa-kan) , means sea-people in Arabic. An inhabitant is a Muscatter , Muscatian , Muscatite or Muscatan . In 1793 AD the capital

SECTION 60

#1733086279325

6696-453: The appropriateness of these practices within the Ibadi creed, with some considering them an undesirable non-Ibadi influence on the faith while others continue to practice and teach them. Ibadis agree with Sunnis , regarding Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab as rightly-guided caliphs. They regard the first half of Uthman ibn Affan 's rule as righteous and the second half as corrupt and affected by both nepotism and heresy. They approve of

6804-402: The balance of power again in the region, from the Persians and the Portuguese to local Omanis. Among the most important castles and forts in Muscat, the Al Jalali Fort and the Al-Mirani Fort are the most prominent buildings left by the Portuguese. On August 16, 1648, the Imam dispatched an army to Muscat, which captured and demolished the high towers of the Portuguese, weakening their grip over

6912-446: The basis of the works of Ibn Ibāḍ, Jābir bin Zayd , Abū ‘Ubaida, Rabī‘ b. Ḥabīb and Abū Sufyān among others. Basra is the foundation of the Ibāḍī community. Various Ibāḍī communities were established in southern Arabia , with bases in Oman , North Africa , and East Africa . In terms of scholastic theology , the Ibadi creed resembles that of the Muʿtazila in many aspects, except in the central question of predestination . Like

7020-492: The belief in oneness of God and belief in the prophethood of Muhammad as the last messenger are members of the Islamic community. It is the duty of Ibadis to correct those who differ with them in their beliefs. Only the righteous Ibadis, referred to as the ahl al-istiqāmah "people of uprightness", are worthy of being called " Muslims ". Non-Ibadi Muslims are termed the ahl al-khilaf "people of opposition". Nonetheless, non-Ibadi Muslims are still respected as fellow members of

7128-429: The centuries that followed, under the influence of the Azd dynasty , a local tribe. The establishment of the First Imamate in the 9th century was the first step in consolidating disparate Omani tribal factions under the banner of an Ibadi state. However, tribal skirmishes continued, allowing the Abbasids of Baghdad to conquer Oman. The Abbasids occupied the region until the 11th century, when they were driven out by

7236-445: The chance. They have determined upon tumult and know not the way out of it. Crude in (their knowledge of) the Qur'an, following soothwayers; teaching people to hope for the resurrection of the dead, and expecting the return (of their Imams) to this world; entrusting their religion to a man who can not see them! God smite them! How perverse they are!" The notions of walayah "affiliation" and bara'a "disassociation" are central to

7344-427: The city and harbour, taken in the early 20th century by German explorer and photographer, Hermann Burchardt , are now held at the Ethnological Museum of Berlin . Muscat is located in northeast Oman. The Tropic of Cancer passes south of the area. It is bordered to its west by the plains of the Al Batinah Region and to its east by Ash Sharqiyah Region . The interior plains of Ad Dakhiliyah Region border Muscat to

7452-461: The city's business district of Ruwi and 15 to 20 km from the main residential localities of Al-Khuwair, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Shati Al-Qurm and Al-Qurm. Muscat is the headquarters for the local Oman Air , which flies to several destinations within the Middle East , the Indian Subcontinent, East Africa and Europe. Road Transportation The Muscat area is well serviced by paved roads and dual-carriageway connects most major cities and towns in

7560-400: The correct opinion; certain now-extinct Ibadi sects once held that those with incorrect opinions were disbelievers. Many early Ibadis rejected qiyas or deductive analogical reasoning as a basis for jurisprudence, but the importance of analogies is now widely accepted by Ibadi jurists. Ibadis believe that the stage of the imām al-kitmān corresponds to Muhammad's life in Mecca before

7668-417: The country, after Al Batinah , accounting for 27% of the total population of Oman. As of 2003, Omanis constituted 60% of the total population of Muscat, while expatriates accounted for about 40%. The population density of the city was 162.1 per km . The governorate of Muscat comprises six wilayats : Muttrah , Bawshar, Seeb , Al Amrat, Muscat and Qurayyat . Seeb, located in the western section of

7776-483: The country. Since November 2015, Public transportation in Muscat has been revamped with a bus network connecting most important parts of the city with a fleet of modern Mwasalat (earlier Oman National Transport Company buses. Mwasalat buses procured from VDL of the Netherlands and MAN of Germany have several hi-tech features, including free Wi-Fi. Several forms of public transport are popular in Oman. Most popular are

7884-576: The district of Darsait to Yiti. Plutonic rocks constitute the hills and mountains of Muscat and span approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Darsait to Ras Jissah. These igneous rocks consists of serpentinite , greenstone , and basalt , typical of rocks in southeastern regions of the Arabian Peninsula . South of Muscat, the volcanic rock strata are broken up and distorted, rising to a maximum height of 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in Al-Dakhiliyah ,

7992-451: The fall of the Rustumid imamate in 909, unlike their Omani coreligionists, who periodically reestablished imamates until 1958. The second state, that of the imām al-shārī "Imam of exchange", are Ibadi imams who "exchange" their lives in the living world for a favorable place in the afterlife by engaging in military struggle ( jihād ) against an unbearable tyrannical authority with

8100-569: The first during this era, followed by the Kutchis . The merchant community played an important role in expelling the Europeans in 1650. They were not affected by civil war that established the Al Bu Sa‘id dynasty and continued to prosper under Ahmad bin Said al-Busaidi . Important trade existed between the city and Thatta , and later, Kutch , expanding to other parts of India. During the second half of

8208-478: The first part of Ali 's caliphate and (like Shī'a) disapprove of Aisha 's rebellion and Muawiyah I 's revolt. However, they regard Ali's acceptance of arbitration at the Battle of Ṣiffīn as rendering him unfit for leadership, and condemn him for killing the Khawarij of an-Nahr in the Battle of Nahrawan . Modern Ibadi theologians defend the early Kharijite opposition to Uthman, Ali and Muawiyah. In their belief,

8316-529: The goal of creating an Ibadi state. An example is the early Basran Kharijite leader Abu Bilal Mirdas , who was later held by the Ibadiyya to be a prototype of the "Imam of exchange". A would-be imām al-shārī cannot begin military action until they have found at least forty followers, as Abu Bilal had, willing to die for the cause; once the war has begun, the imam must continue to fight until there are only three followers remaining. A particularly ascetic lifestyle

8424-511: The government of Oman. Omantel is the major telecommunications organization in Oman and provides local, long-distance and international dialing facilities and operates as the country's only ISP . Recent liberalization of the mobile telephone market has seen the establishment of a second provider, Ooredoo . Muscat is home to multibillion-dollar conglomerate CK Industries with their headquarters located in Ruwi . Ajman based Amtek Industries also have

8532-427: The governorate, was the most populous (with over 220,000 residents), while Muttrah had the highest number of expatriates (with over 100,000). Approximately 71% of the population was within the 15–64 age group, with the average Omani age being 23 years. About 10% of the population is illiterate , an improvement when compared to the 18% illiteracy rate recorded during the 1993 census. Expatriates accounted for over 60% of

8640-695: The harbour, his ships were fired on. He then decided to conquer Muscat. Most of the city burned to the ground during and after the fighting. The Portuguese maintained a hold on Muscat for over a century, despite challenges from Persia and a bombardment of the town by the Ottoman Turks in 1546. The Turks twice captured Muscat from the Portuguese, in the Capture of Muscat (1552) and 1581–88. The election of Nasir bin Murshid Al-Ya'rubi as Imam of Oman in 1624 changed

8748-640: The initials of Vincente Sodré, da Gama's maternal uncle and the commander of the Esmeralda ". Ibadi The Ibadi movement or Ibadism ( Arabic : الإباضية , romanized :  al-ʾIbāḍiyya , Arabic pronunciation: [alʔibaːˈdˤijja] ) is a branch inside Islam, which many believe is descended from the Kharijites . The followers of Ibadism are known as the Ibadis or, as they call themselves, The People of Truth and Integrity ( Arabic : أهل الحقّ والاستقامة ). Ibadism emerged around 60 years after

8856-658: The joint forces of Mu'awiyah and al-Hasan b. 'Ali. After these events, the Umayyad rule became firmly established and focused on suppressing all forms of opposition. As a result, sympathizers of the Muhakkimah—referred to as 'al-Muslimun' or 'Jama'at al-Muslimin' in early Ibadhi literature—were forced to hide their faith and conduct their activities in secret. Among the survivors of the Battle of al-Nahrawan were 'Urwah b. 'Udayyah and his brother Abu Bilal Mirdas. They continued their religious activities in Basrah, where they were known for their devotion and became leading members of

8964-553: The local Yahmad tribe. Power over Oman shifted from the Yahmad tribe to the Azdi Nabahinah clan, during whose rule, the people of coastal ports such as Muscat prospered from maritime trade and close alliances with the Indian subcontinent , at the cost of the alienation of the people of the interior of Oman. The Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque sailed to Muscat in 1507, in an attempt to establish trade relations. As he approached

9072-508: The main artery of Muscat, running west-to-east through the city. The street eventually becomes Al Nahdah Street near Al Wattayah. Several inter-city roads such as Nizwa Road and Al Amrat Road, intersect with Al Sultan Qaboos Road (in Rusail and Ruwi , respectively). Muttrah , with the Muscat Harbour, Corniche , and Mina Qaboos , is located in the north-eastern coastline of the city, adjacent to

9180-621: The majority of the contemporary Omani population and the royal family of Oman are Ibadi. Ibadi missionary activity was met with considerable success in North Africa . In 757, Ibadis seized Tripoli and captured Kairouan the next year. Driven out by the Abbasid army in 761, Ibadi leaders founded a state, which became known as Rustamid dynasty , in Tahart . It was overthrown in 909 by the Fatimid Caliphate . Ibadi communities continue to exist in

9288-450: The most learned in fiqh , or Islamic jurisprudence; and that he has the military knowledge to defend the Ibadi community against war and oppression. In the Omani tradition, an imam who is learned in the Islamic legal sciences is considered "strong" ( qawī ), and an imam whose primary skills are military without scholarly qualifications is considered "weak" ( ḍaʻīf ). Unlike a strong imam,

9396-409: The next legitimate caliph and first Ibadi imam was Abdullah ibn Wahb al-Rasibi , the leader of the Kharijites who turned against Ali for his acceptance of arbitration with Muawiyah and was killed by Ali at Nahrawan . Ibadis believe that the " genealogy of Islam " ( nasab al-islām ) was transmitted by other individuals at Nahrawan, such as Ḥurḳūṣ ibn Zuhayr al-Saʿdī , and developed into Ibadi Islam,

9504-554: The north-eastern edge of the city. Muscat's economy is dominated by trade, petroleum, liquified natural gas and porting. Ptolemy 's Map of Arabia identifies the territories of Cryptus Portus and Moscha Portus . Scholars are divided in opinion on which of the two is related to the city of Muscat . Similarly, Arrianus references Omana and Moscha in Voyage of Nearchus . Interpretations of Arrianus' work by William Vincent and Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville conclude that Omana

9612-591: The oldest automotive agencies in the entire region having been established in 1927. The private Health Care sector of Muscat, Oman has numerous hospitals and clinics. The Muscat Securities Market is the principal stock exchange of Oman. It is located in Central Business District of Muscat and it was established in 1988, and has since distinguished itself as a pioneer among its regional peers in terms of transparency and disclosure regulations and requirements. Mina'a Sultan Qaboos, Muscat's main trading port,

9720-410: The period of imām al-kitmān , the duties of affiliation and disassociation are no longer valid. Some have characterised the works of some Ibadi scholars as being particularly anti-Shi'ite in nature, and some state that Ibadi scholars, like al-Warjalani, held Nasibi views. Ibadi beliefs remain understudied by outsiders, both non-Muslim and other Muslim. Ibadis have stated that whilst they read

9828-401: The recitation of al-Fātiḥah . Ibadis shorten prayers when staying in foreign territory—even if they do so on a permanent basis—unless they choose to adopt the country as their new homeland; Sunnis generally hold that believers should return to the full prayer after a given number of days outside of home. The primary Ibadi collection of hadiths, or traditions and sayings attributed to Muhammad,

9936-469: The required amount at any time, whether consecutive or nonconsecutive. Like the Shi'a and some Maliki Sunnis, the Ibadis keep their arms at their sides rather than clasping the hands during prayer . During the noon and afternoon prayers , Ibadis recite solely al-Fātiḥah , the first chapter of the Quran, whereas other Muslims may recite other Quranic verses in addition. They also do not say ʾāmīn after

10044-573: The second Muslim civil war. Abd Allāh ibn Ibāḍ was part of a group of Basran Kharijites, led by Nafi ibn al-Azraq, who initially supported the defenders of Mecca against the Umayyads. However, they became disillusioned when the Meccan Caliph, Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, refused to denounce the late Caliph Uthmān. Disappointed, they returned to Basra, where they were imprisoned by the Umayyad governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad. When Basra overthrew Umayyad rule in support of Ibn al-Zubayr in late 683 or early 684 CE,

10152-398: The services of capable Omanis to fill positions in his new government, drawing from such corporations as Petroleum Development Oman . New ministries for social services such as health and education were established. The construction of Mina Qaboos , a new port conceived initially by Sa‘id bin Taimur, was developed during the early days of Qaboos' rule. Similarly, a new international airport

10260-542: The sheltered bays of the satellite towns of Jussah and Khairan. Additionally, smaller Porites reef colonies exist in Khairan, which have fused to form a flat-top pavement that is visible at low tide. Crabs and spiny crayfish are found in the waters of the Muscat area, as are sardines and bonito . Glassfish are common in freshwater estuaries , such as the Qurum Nature Reserve. The Sultan Qaboos Street forms

10368-552: The south, while the Gulf of Oman forms the northern and western periphery of the city. The water along the coast of Muscat runs deep, forming two natural harbours , in Muttrah and Muscat. The Central Hajar Mountains run through the northern coastline of the city. Volcanic rocks , predominantly serpentinite and diorite are apparent in the Muscat area and extend along the Gulf of Oman coast for ten or twelve 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from

10476-621: The theology of Ibadi relations with non-Ibadi people. Only righteous Ibadis are considered worthy of friendship and association, whereas sinners and non-Ibadi Muslims are subject to dissociation, sometimes to the point of ostracism. Modern Ibadi scholars suggest that the duty of dissociation does not require rudeness or social avoidance, and that an Ibadi may have genuine affection for a non-Ibadi; nonetheless, "an inner awareness of separation" between upright Ibadis and non-Ibadis must be maintained. In practice, however, Ibadi Muslims have generally been very tolerant of non-Ibadi religious practice. During

10584-401: The third son, Thuwaini bin Said , became the Sultan of Oman. By the 19th century, a large Hindu merchant community in the port city dominated its commercial life. It is argued that their settlement at least since the fifteenth century; one of the reasons is that the Portuguese relied heavily on them to secure a trade monopoly in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf area. The Sindhis were amongst

10692-566: The town. Decisively, in 1650, a small but determined body of the Imam's troops attacked the port at night, forcing an eventual Portuguese surrender on January 23, 1650. A civil war and repeated incursions by the Persian king Nader Shah in the 18th century destabilised the region, and further strained relations between the interior and Muscat. This power vacuum in Oman led to the emergence of the Al Bu Sa‘id dynasty , which has ruled Oman ever since. "Muscat

10800-554: The views of ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ṣaffār, founder of the Sufri sect, and clashed with Abū Bayhas, leader of the Bayhasiyya sect, whose views were closer to the radical doctrines of Ibn al-Azraq. The Ibadis distanced themselves from more extreme Kharijite beliefs, particularly on two key issues: The Ibadis viewed the doctrines of Nafi and other extreme Kharijites as dangerous heresies (bida'a) and waged wars against them. Early Ibadhi writings, like

10908-489: The works of both Sunnis and Shias, the learned scholars of those two sects never read Ibadi works and often repeat myths and false information when they address the topic of Ibadism without performing proper research. The development of Ibadi theology happened thanks to the works of scholars and imams of the community, whose histories, lives, and personalities are part of the Islamic history . Ibāḍī theology can be understood on

11016-420: Was a reference to Oman , while Moscha referred to Muscat . Similarly, other scholars identify Pliny the Elder 's reference to Amithoscuta to be Muscat . The origin of the word Muscat is disputed. Some authors claim that the word has Arabic origins – from moscha , meaning an inflated hide or skin . Other authors claim that the name Muscat means anchorage or the place of "letting fall

11124-578: Was developed in Muscat's Seeb district. A complex of offices, warehouses, shops and homes transformed the old village of Ruwi in Muttrah into a commercial district. The first five-year development plan in 1976 emphasised infrastructural development of Muscat, which provided new opportunities for trade and tourism in the 1980s–1990s, attracting migrants from around the region. On June 6, 2007, Cyclone Gonu hit Muscat causing extensive damage to property, infrastructure and commercial activity. Early photographs of

11232-436: Was initially discovered in 1998. Later underwater excavations took place between 2013 and 2015 through a partnership between the Oman Ministry of Heritage and Culture and Blue Water Recoveries Ltd., a shipwreck recovery company. The vessel was identified through such artifacts as a "Portuguese coin minted for trade with India (one of only two coins of this type known to exist) and stone cannonballs engraved with what appear to be

11340-466: Was re-established in the 19th century by Said bin Sultan , who signed a treaty with U.S. President Andrew Jackson 's representative Edmund Roberts on September 21, 1833. Having gained control over Zanzibar , in 1840 Said moved his capital to Stone Town , the ancient quarter of Zanzibar City ; however, after his death in 1856, control over Zanzibar was lost when it became an independent sultanate under his sixth son, Majid bin Said (1834/5–1870), while

11448-459: Was that Ibadism should be considered an early and highly orthodox interpretation of Islam. Unlike the Sunni theory of the caliphate of the Rashidun , and the Shi'i notion of divinely appointed Imamate , the leaders of Ibadi Islam—called Imams—do not need to rule the entire Muslim world; Muslim communities are considered capable of ruling themselves. The Ibadis reject the belief that the leader of

11556-523: Was transferred from Rustaq to Muscat. Evidence of communal activity in the area around Muscat dates back to the 6th millennium BC in Ras al-Hamra, where burial sites of fishermen have been found. The graves appear to be well formed and indicate the existence of burial rituals. South of Muscat, remnants of Harappan pottery indicate some level of contact with the Indus Valley civilisation . Muscat's notability as

11664-515: Was weaker. Unlike traditional Sunni Islam but like the modern Salafist movement, Ibadis do not have Sufi orders and reject the veneration of saints . Historically, the views of Sufis were not well regarded in Ibadi literature, with Ibadi scholars like Al-Mundhiri writing anti-Sufi works. However, mystical devotional practices reminiscent of Sunni Sufism were traditionally practiced by some other Ibadi scholars, to whom miracles were sometimes ascribed as with Sunni Sufis. Modern Ibadis disagree on

#324675