The Stars that Guided Empires: House of Wisdom Explores Arab Maritime Mastery at Sharjah Book Fair

A remarkable exhibition traces the seafaring knowledge of generations of Arab navigators, from the celebrated Ahmad ibn Majid to the practical wisdom recorded in rare manuscripts, revealing how observation and ingenuity shaped trade routes and connected civilisations.

In the hands of Arab seafarers lay the accumulated knowledge of centuries: the ability to read the stars, to sense the subtleties of wind and current, to transform the rhythm of the sea into navigational science. At the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair, this heritage comes to life through an exhibition that speaks to the intellectual and practical achievements of a maritime tradition often overlooked in the telling of global history.

House of Wisdom’s collaboration with the Oman Across Ages Museum, presented as part of Oman’s role as Guest of Honour at this year’s fair, offers a window into ‘Legacy of Arab Navigation: Ahmad ibn Majid and the Science of Seafaring’. The exhibition runs until 15 November and explores how Arab sailors charted trade routes, connected ports across vast distances and strengthened the exchange of goods, ideas and cultures between the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman, revealing maritime and commercial ties that endure across centuries.

The manuscripts on display form the heart of this story. Among them is ‘The Treasure of Secrets in the Science of the Seas’ by sea captain Nasser bin Ali Al Khadhouri, an Omani work of such significance that it became the first Omani manuscript to be inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2017. Here, in careful script and illustration, seafarers recorded their observations: the longitude and latitude coordinates of maritime routes, the characteristics of ports and coastal headlands, the very bones of practical knowledge grounded in experience and refinement across generations.

Also featured is ‘Al-Rahmaniyyat 1’ by sea captain Majid bin Mubarak bin Al Taher, containing illustrations of sailing vessels alongside the coordinates and routes that guided them. These Al-Rahmaniyyat texts represent a tradition in which Arab sea captains documented their seafaring experiences, transforming observation into science. They draw upon astronomy and geography to offer guidance that enabled sailors to navigate vast distances, each port found through technique honed by generations.

The exhibition brings particular attention to Ahmad ibn Majid, the 15th-century navigator and scholar from Julfar whose contributions to maritime knowledge were profound and lasting. ‘The Poems and Epistles of Ibn Majid’, a manuscript from 1771 containing 15 nautical poems, seven of which remain unpublished, sits alongside ‘A Collection of Treatises on Marine Science’, which preserves Ibn Majid’s own writings on navigation and the movement of ships, accompanied by astronomical and geographical maps. A video at the stand traces his life within a family maritime tradition, examining techniques from navigating by the stars to determining maritime routes, and exploring how his writings preserved and transmitted Arab maritime knowledge across generations.

Marwa Al Aqroubi, Executive Director of House of Wisdom, explains the significance of this knowledge. “The history of Arab navigation reveals an important dimension of our region’s scientific and civilisational contributions. Over centuries of observation, experimentation and documentation, Arab seafarers and scholars transformed their experience at sea into scientific knowledge that was passed from one generation to the next, helping expand trade and strengthen connections between peoples.”

This exploration of maritime heritage aligns with House of Wisdom’s broader mission: as recognised through its commitment to cultural leadership in sustainable tourism, the institution continues to engage visitors through programmes that illuminate the region’s intellectual history. The fair itself, which brought together 3,212 exhibitors from 126 countries, has become a gathering place where such narratives find their audience.

For younger visitors, the exhibition offers more than scholarly contemplation. A customisation station invites children to create personalised travel journals, choosing leather colours, decorative motifs and charms inspired by Omani heritage. At House of Wisdom itself, workshops titled ‘A Journey Through Navigation and Discovery’ engage participants in hands-on exploration of navigation, astronomy, cartography, maritime engineering and the spirit of seafaring discovery that once defined the region’s connection to the world.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This exhibition deepens understanding of the UAE’s place within a broader narrative of regional achievement and intellectual exchange. The maritime heritage on display connects Abu Dhabi to a civilisational story that extends far beyond individual emirates, one in which knowledge, commerce and culture flowed across the Arabian Sea and beyond. It speaks to the foundations upon which modern regional identity rests: curiosity, innovation, and a capacity for systematic observation and documentation.

For residents and visitors alike, the exhibition offers an opportunity to encounter the region’s past not as distant history but as a living intellectual tradition. By presenting these manuscripts and narratives, House of Wisdom reinforces the value of knowledge preservation and transmission, themes that resonate throughout Abu Dhabi’s own cultural and educational initiatives. The exhibition invites younger generations to see in their ancestors the same spirit of exploration and ingenuity that continues to define the region today.

Source: WAM