Tarim: Capital for Islamic culture 2010

Tarim, the Cultural Islamic Capital for 2010, expects to usher in the yearlong festivities with a Grand Opening on March 10. The event will be attended by many Arab and Islamic cultural ministers, intellectuals, writers and artists. Tarim has received the title of Cultural Islamic Capital for one year, with festivities and educational programs lasting until February 27, 2011.

The Opening Ceremonies will contain 111 activities, including 12 varied exhibitions of handicrafts, photographs, fashion and public heritage. In addition, 15 symposiums and conferences regarding Tarim's scientific role within Islamic history will be undertaken. The opening also includes Arabic and Islamic children’s gathering and poetic gathering’s for Arab Youths. The Ba Kathir festival, Tarim's energetic evenings and a popular poetry festival will also be among the event’s activities.

Throughout the year, Tarim’s programs will honor 24 seminal Yemeni figures in addition to organizing cultural days highlighting each Yemeni governorates in turn. The yearlong festivities will also host Malaysian, Turkish and Tunisian cultural weeks in addition to lectures and other varied activities and programs.  All activities are organized by the citizens of the city.

Tarim the country of mosques, scholars and the capital of Kings

Tarim is the Pearl City of Hadramout; it is the charming bride of the Desert and the Valley.  It is located in the eastern portion of Hadramout province, straddling to the Central Wadi of Hadramout. It is encompassed by the Gaf al-Awamir Directorate in the north, the Directorates of Sah and Gail Bin Yamin in the south, Sayuon Directorate on the west, and al-Soam Directorate on the east.

Conservative estimates placed Tarim’s total area at around 2,894 km, held within a flat plain surrounded by mountain ranges on the southern and northern sides.

Tarim has the singular honor in Yemen for being internationally recognized as the city of mosques and science.

Historical accounts say that the city was named after Tarim Ibn al-Sakon Ibn al-Ashras Ibn Kindah, one of the traditional kings of Hadramout. Historian Mortada al-Zabidi claimed in his book, Taj al-Aros, that the city is actually named after its founder, Tarim Bin Hadramout.

Arab historians have confirmed that Tarim was indeed built in the fourth century B.C.E. According to Landmark in the History of the Arabian Peninsula, written by historian Awadh Ba Wazir, Tarim was established in the era of the Saba Kingdom in order to govern the surrounding area of Hadramout. Wazir also claims that Tarim was named in honor of one of the Saba King’s junior sons

A competing history claims that Trim was established at the time of Assad al-Kamel, a Himyarite ruler in the second century C.E., a date which corresponds with the account mentioned in the Sharh al-Sodor manuscript, authored by Saied Ali Bin Abdul Rahman al-Mashor. The al-Sodor manuscript explains how al-Ranad fort was built four hundred years before the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.

Tarim became the seat of government for the area during the reigns of the Hadramount kings. It then became the capital of Kindah kings, remaining the main seat of government until it became the headquarters for Zeiad Ibn Labid al-Ansar. Al-Ansar was appointed as ruler of Hadramout by the Prophet Mohammed. Since that time, the Tarim name has been linked to Yemen governors in Sana’a and the independent States in Hadramout such as al-Rashid, al-Yamani and al-Ba Kathir. At one time Tarim also managed an important political and administrative role as the capital and stronghold of Hadramout Alwien, the decedents of Ali Ibn Abe Taleb.   

Historical books and studies emphasize the conversion of the people of Tarim, as they embraced Islam when the delegation from Hadramout returned from visiting with the Prophet Mohammed in medina Monora in the tenth year of the Hijra. The Prophet Mohammed appointed Zeiad Bin Labid al-Biadi al-Ansari as the first governor to Hadramout.

Following the death of the Prophet Mohammed, the people of Tarim gathered round Abo Bakr al-Sidig, recognizing him as the next legitimate Calif. The Muslim people of Tarim played an important role in the wars against the apostates of Kindah, participating heavily in a crucial battle at al-Najir fort east of Tarim. Many of the companions of the Prophet Mohammed who were martyred in that battle were buried in Zanble graves. Also, the tomb of the Prophet Hood lies near the town of Tarim, which has become a popular shrine and tourist site.

Ibn al-Imad al-Hanbli described Tarim in his book Shadhrat al-Thahab as a town of temperate air, fresh water the healthiest soil; he viewed it as lying within the “old cradle of saints,” adding that Tarim is the land of scholars. It is the homeland of the family of Ba Alawi Ashraf, otherwise known as the Prophet’s decedents. Al-Hanbli wrote of how righteous men grow in Tarim as the earth grows natural herbs. At one point, three hundred scholars who had the power to provide legitimate legal opinions had coincided at the same time within the city.

In addition, seventy of the Prophet Mohammed’s companions who witnessed the battle at Badr are buried within the soil of Tarim.

Religious capital

Due to the generally recognized spiritual significance of the city, Trim maintained its status as the religious capital of Wadi Hadramout. Tarim has remained the center of enlightenment, an ideal destination from Islamic studies for students from around the world. Indeed, Tarim has managed to avoid the wave of modernity that has encompassed the whole of the Islamic world, remaining situated within the traditions of the earliest of the companions, while holding to the spiritual teachings of scholars and saints throughout time.

Tarim's people contributed to the spread of Islam into East Asian countries in significant ways. Since the end of the fifth century and into the beginning of the sixth century A.H., groups of citizens from Tarim, scholars, merchants, laborers and Sufi’s, migrated to India, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines.

Historians have noted Tarim’s fame and honor, predicated upon the great number of scholars and mosques found within the city. Conservative estimates have placed over 360 mosques within the humble city at the height of its power. The ancient mosques that still stand serve as evidence to the history, culture and preeminence of the city. However, other mosques have disappeared, transformed into ruin in the arid desert and remain ghosts of time

Mosques ancient and modern

One of the most exquisite mosques of ancient times, the ruins of which can still be found, was al-Botiha mosque. The mosque, built by Sheikh Abdurrahman Bin Alawi Bin Sheikh, who died in 1200 A.H., was a wonder and marvel for its’ time.  The ruins of this magnificent mosque remain in the Ba Hawash area.

Another excellent example of mosque architecture was the Ibrahim al-Saqaf’s mosque, built by Ibrahim al-Saqaf who died in 875H.  The mosque was built on the outskirts of the city, where the present day airport now stands. Although traces of the mosque have entirely disappeared, the accounts of travelers who worshiped at this mosque have left a permanent etching of the significance of the mosque on the area.

Several other mosques of significance can still be visited. Ba Sa’a mosque is situated near the Broom mosque. Al-Aidros and Zanber mosques remain in al-Sabeer area. Aidros lies in al-Fojair area at the eastern side of the town, while Ba Soidan and Balhaj mosques are located at the entrance of the town.

Al-Wasl mosque is considered by scholars and archeologists to be the oldest mosque in the area. It was built by the son of the Prophet's companion, Obad Bin Bishr, during the first century after the Hijri. In addition to this wonder, the Nafie mosque also remains, built in Caliph Abu Bakr’s era. Furthermore, the Ba Alawi mosque, built in the sixth century A.H. remains an important feature for many devout Muslims.

A remaining 153 mosques of ancient Tarim remain that have preserved their character, identity and role. They are distributed throughout all districts and areas of the city of Tarim. This includes 30 mosques in the Rumilah and 24 mosques in the market area. Twenty-two mosques remain in the area of Aided, while 16 still stand in the Khalif area. Similarly ancient and beautify mosques remain in the al-Noaidara area, as well as in al-Redeima, Khailat al-Haori, al-Ramla, Thabi, al-Majiq and Sin Faloq areas.  

Al-Mihdar minaret

Al-Mihdar mosque, which was built by Sheikh Omer al-Mihdar in 1823 C.E., is considered to be the most famous modern mosque in Tarim. It is ornamented with a huge minaret, recently classified as the tallest Minaret in the world built entirely of mud and wood. It is 175 ft. tall freestanding structure. In recent years, the mosque and minaret have become key destinations for local and foreign tourists in Tarim because of the structures’ unique architectural construction.

The home of great minds

Tarim has given birth to a multitude of famous religious scholars, including Abdullah Bin Alawi al-Haddad and Abo Bakr Ibn Shihab Shatri. In the current age it has continued to produce some of the finest scholars to examine the faith of Islam, including Salem Shatri, Ali Mashor Bin Hafez, his brother Omar Bin Mohammed Bin Hafez, Ali Zain El Abdin all-Jafri, Sheikh Ali Salem Bokir and many other scholars. These men have produced works and treatises that have affected the lives of many who subscribe to their words.

Tarim libraries

It is not only the magnificent mosques that distinguish Tarim. The city is also famous for the expansive scientific libraries full of thousands of volumes and rare manuscripts. The largest cultural and scientific library in the city is al-Ahgaf library. Al-Ahgaf contains over 5,300 manuscripts covering a diverse range of sciences, philosophy, theology and other avenues of knowledge.

Al-Ahgaf library received its’ name after al-Ahgaf valley, another title for the Hadramout valley. It was established in 1970 following the combination of several private libraries from prominent families living in Tarim, including al-Yahia library, al-Rabat library, Bin Sahl library, al-Husiaini library and al-Junid library.

Early progress

Urban construction development has been a longstanding tradition within the city of Tarim, reaching back into the early fourteenth century A.H.  The mass migrations to Singapore, Indonesia and India had the greatest impact upon the urban development of Tarim. Besides the copious amounts of wealth that flowed from the trade with the far-flung Diaspora community, leading to the emergence of luxurious palaces and homes, other architectural methods were imported that led to a pride in the city that remains even today.

Tarim houses contain either four or three floors. They are characterized by broad areas of decorations, taking geometric patterns and intricate circular forms that are regularly coordinated.

Population activities

The inhabitants of Tarim focus primarily on plant and animal activities, with cultivation of the date palm widely viewed as the hallmark of the area.  Although there are grains, fruits, vegetables and bee-keeping farms, the date palms have been widely cultivated over large areas of the wadis. It is estimated that over 2,526 acres have been set aside for the beloved palm trees.

These fascinations have led to the establishment of a nickname unique to Tarim. It is called al-Ghana’ otherwise known as the Luxuriant.

The Sidr trees cover large areas as well, growing naturally in the valleys. The local population relies on these Sidr trees, as they represent one of the most important pollination grounds for the local honeybees.

The magnificence of the fertile soil of the agricultural valleys adds to the beauty of the city of Tarim. The valley of Aided stands with preeminence over all other valleys in the area. Aided is located in the southwestern side of the city of Tarim. It is one of the most fertile and spacious of the local valleys and is quickly becoming a natural tourist attraction. Wadi Damon stands as another beautiful and charming valley. A third superb valley is called Gatbah, famous for its palm cultivation.

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