Book Review: Standing tall, the rise of the mighty minaret
Updated 19 January 2019
Lisa Kaaki
BEIRUT: “The Minaret,” Jonathan Bloom’s superb study of the lofty tower that epitomizes Islamic architecture, was republished in 2018, confirming the book’s importance almost three decades after its original release.
Tracing the origin and development of the minaret, which first appeared toward the end of the 8th century, Bloom reveals that the original structures had little to do with the call to prayer but were designed to be what they are today — a symbol of Islam.
This beautifully illustrated book not only explains when and why Muslims decided to attach towers to mosques but also looks at the evolution of the minaret from Turkey, Egypt, and India to West and East Africa, Yemen, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.
The 2018 edition has been revised and expanded, providing a sweeping tour of the tower’s prominent position in Islamic architecture.
Despite claims that Islamic architecture has stagnated, Bloom uses this book to outline his belief that it is alive and well, telling readers that in the past few decades “Muslims in Islamic countries have built ever taller and more monumental minarets … while Muslims in the West have sought to build mosques and Islamic centers using such traditional architectural forms as domes and minarets.”
The author brings the architectural form to life by detailing the types of minarets found around the world. A number of contemporary minarets are still built in the Ottoman or Mamluk style, but there are notable exceptions such as the futuristic mosque designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange for the King Faisal Foundation in Riyadh.
Bloom also explores the political dimensions of the Islamic symbol. He describes growing opposition to new mosques in Europe, particularly in Switzerland, where a 2009 poster circulated by the far-right Swiss People’s Party showed Ottoman-style minarets piercing the Swiss flag like missiles. This book sheds light on the campaign, and others like it, which have used the symbol of a minaret to oppose immigration.
From the aesthetic charm of the minaret, to its sociopolitical implications, this book is a must-read for those seeking to understand the powerful impact that bricks and mortar can have on society.
Riyadh’s literary havens: Where coffee meets the love of books
City’s book cafes offer serene spaces for quiet reflection
Carefully curated selections of Arabic and English titles on offer
Updated 39 sec ago
Waad Hussain
RIYADH: Riyadh’s cultural landscape is undergoing a quiet transformation, where the love of coffee meets the timeless allure of literature.
Book cafes are carving out a niche as spaces where readers, thinkers, and coffee enthusiasts converge.
These havens of creativity and reflection offer retreats for the mind and soul, providing a sense of community in an increasingly fast-paced world.
A cozy nook where greenery and natural decor invite visitors to unwind with a good book. (Instagram: @coffee_trees20)
The Book Club: Where stories find their home
Nestled in the Al-Yasmin district, The Book Club is a tranquil retreat for bibliophiles, particularly those passionate about Arabic literature.
Its shelves brim with carefully curated Arabic titles, from classics to contemporary gems, complemented by a modest selection of English books.
HIGHLIGHTS
• In Riyadh’s Al-Narjis district, Wathbah Coffee and Book’s floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, vintage-inspired decor, and intimate corners create a haven for readers and thinkers alike.
• Coffee Trees, tucked away in the Al-Rayan district, offers a sanctuary that blends greenery with literary charm.
The minimalist interior, adorned with soft lighting and intimate reading nooks, creates an atmosphere conducive to focus and relaxation.
What sets The Book Club apart is its browsing policy. Visitors are welcome to skim books for three minutes before deciding to purchase, with additional purchases granting extended reading time.
A serene entrance invites book lovers and coffee enthusiasts to step into a world of stories and community at The Book Club. This Riyadh gem blends literature with culture. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)
During Arab News’ visit, the cafe hosted a stimulating talk with Saad Al-Bazai, titled, “Historical Fiction: Why Do They Believe in the Imagined?”
Al-Bazai told Arab News: “These gatherings bring together a diverse audience and provide them with the opportunity to meet researchers.
“This undoubtedly supports cultural life as it creates a platform for dialogue that differs from social media platforms — it is vibrant, direct, and involves personal presence.”
Sophia: A library, a cafe, and a place to connect
Sophia has become a cornerstone of Riyadh’s literary scene, acting as a hub for knowledge, creativity, and meaningful connections.
Its towering wooden shelves are filled with a rich collection of Arabic and English books, carefully curated to cater to a diverse audience.
Sophia blends intellect and leisure, offering visitors a serene space to read and reflect. (Instagram: @sophia.alriyadh)
Beyond being a library, Sophia also serves as a publishing house, amplifying the voices of local and regional authors, bringing their stories to the forefront.
What sets Sophia apart is its dedication to fostering intellectual growth and cultural exchange.
The space regularly hosts book launches, discussion panels, and thought-provoking dialogue sessions that bring together writers, readers, and thinkers from various backgrounds.
The inviting ambiance, complete with warm lighting and cozy seating, creates the perfect backdrop for these events, making each visit an enriching experience.
Aminah Al-Hassani, a loyal visitor, captured the essence of Sophia. She said: “The place is calm and serene, and it has never let me down with a bad book.
“Every book I’ve read here has been better than the last. Their selections are beautiful, and the events they organize are always beneficial and enjoyable.”
The calming ambiance of Coffee Trees, a perfect escape to enjoy ethically sourced coffee and literary treasures. (Instagram: @coffee_trees20)
Coffee Trees: A green sanctuary
Coffee Trees, tucked away in the Al-Rayan district, offers a sanctuary that blends greenery with literary charm. The cafe’s lush decor, accentuated by vibrant plants and natural elements, transforms the space into a botanical retreat.
Though its library is modest, the curated selection of books is perfectly aligned with the cafe’s serene ambiance.
Patrons often find themselves lost in thought or pages, surrounded by the aroma of ethically sourced, expertly brewed coffee.
Whether it’s the tranquil environment or the commitment to sustainability, Coffee Trees is a favorite escape for those seeking a moment of calm in the city.
Wathbah Coffee & Book: Where timeless charm meets literature
In Al-Narjis district, Wathbah Coffee & Book exudes intellectual allure. Its floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, vintage-inspired decor, and intimate corners create a haven for readers and thinkers alike.
The carefully selected collection spans genres and eras, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
The timeless charm of Wathbah, with its floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and vintage-inspired decor. (Instagram: @wathbah_cb)
Wathbah’s ambiance is perfect for quiet reading, reflective conversations, or simply soaking in its aesthetic beauty.
As Sara Al-Ebraheem, a loyal patron, said: “There’s a certain magic in time spent in the company of good books, with a perfectly brewed coffee.”
Ons Coffee Roasters: Where simplicity meets serenity
Ons Coffee Roasters offers a minimalist haven for those who crave peace and simplicity. Its clean design, complemented by tasteful art and cozy seating, creates a calm environment perfect for unwinding.
The warm, minimalist interior of Ons, perfect for a quiet read or reflective moments away from the city’s buzz. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)
While its library may be small, the books displayed are thoughtfully chosen to inspire reflection and curiosity.
Ons Coffee Roasters is as much about quality as it is about serenity. Its expertly brewed coffee elevates the experience, making it an ideal retreat for anyone seeking a quiet corner in Riyadh.
A cultural renaissance in Riyadh
The emerging popularity of book cafes is providing spaces where literature, art, and community thrive. The cafes cater to a growing audience of residents and visitors who value meaningful connections in an increasingly digital world.
Ons’s small literary touch: A charming collection of books graces the walls of Ons, where simplicity meets creativity in every corner. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)
What We Are Reading Today: ‘Mathematical Methods for Geophysics and Space Physics’ by William I. Newman
Updated 08 January 2025
Arab News
Graduate students in the natural sciences—including not only geophysics and space physics but also atmospheric and planetary physics, ocean sciences, and astronomy—need a broad-based mathematical toolbox to facilitate their research.
In addition, they need to survey a wider array of mathematical methods that, while outside their particular areas of expertise, are important in related ones.
This authoritative and accessible book covers everything from the elements of vector and tensor analysis to ordinary differential equations, special functions, and chaos and fractals.
What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Owl and the Nightingale’
Updated 07 January 2025
Arab News
Author: SIMON ARMITAGE
“The Owl and the Nightingale,” one of the earliest literary works in Middle English, is a lively, anonymous comic poem about two birds who embark on a war of words in a wood, with a nearby poet reporting their argument in rhyming couplets, line by line and blow by blow.
In this engaging and energetic verse translation, Simon Armitage captures the verve and humor of this dramatic tale with all the cut and thrust of the original.
International Prize for Arabic Fiction announces 2025 longlist
Updated 07 January 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: The longlist for the 2025 International Prize for Arabic Fiction has been revealed, with 16 novels in the running for the $50,000 award, sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.
While works from Bahrain and Mauritania have made the list for the first time, other nominated novels come from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, Iraq and the UAE.
The longlist has been chosen from a total of 124 submissions by a panel of five judges chaired by Egyptian academic Mona Baker. Joining her on the panel are Moroccan academic and critic Said Bengrad, Emirati critic and academic Maryam Al-Hashimi, Lebanese researcher and academic Bilal Orfali, and Finnish translator Sampsa Peltonen.
In a statement, Baker said, “This year’s longlist is remarkable in its diversity of both theme and literary form. Some novels address women’s struggles to achieve their dreams in a patriarchal society that prevents them from living fulfilled lives. Others offer a nuanced portrait of religious and sectarian worlds, where extremism and dogma contrast with human empathy and understanding.
“There are a number of historical novels on the list which deal with both the recent and more distant past, such as the Abbasid era, or the Inquisition and persecution of Muslims in Andalusia. There are also semi-autobiographical books, and others which read like detective stories.
“Repressive regimes and their power to crush the hopes and lives of ordinary people are also explored; some novelists paint a stark picture of this reality, while others employ sarcasm and humour, rendering these difficult topics more accessible for the reader.”
The 2025 International Prize for Arabic Fiction longlist:
Aqeel Almusawi’s “The Weepers” (Bahrain)
Inam Bioud’s “Houwariya” (Algeria)
Rashid Al-Daif’s “What Zeina Saw and What She Didn’t” (Lebanon)
Ahmed Fal Al-Din’s “Danshmand” (Mauritania)
Jan Dost’s “The French Prisoner” (Syria)
Sausan Jamil Hasan’s “Heiress of the Keys” (Syria)
Iman Humaydan’s “Songs for the Darkness” (Lebanon)
Azher Jirjees “The Valley of the Butterflies” (Iraq)
Hasan Kamal’s “The Stolen Novel” (Egypt)
Taissier Khalaf’s “The Andalusian Messiah” (Syria)
Ahmed Al-Malawany’s “Happy Dreams” (Egypt)
Mohamed Samir Nada’s “The Prayer of Anxiety” (Egypt)
Nadia Najar’s “The Touch of Light” (United Arab Emirates)
Haneen Al-Sayegh’s “The Women’s Charter” (Lebanon)
Sumar Shihada’s “My Life Has Just Begun” (Syria)
Ayman Ragab Taher’s “The Lamplighter” (Egypt)
Review: Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha writes against erasure, destruction
Updated 07 January 2025
Sumaiyya Naseem
JEDDAH: “Every child in Gaza is me,” writes Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha in the creed-like opening of “Forest of Noise,” setting the tone for the poems to come and establishing his profound connection to his people and Palestine.
The poems within the slim but impactful volume by the Palestine Book Award-winning poet blend personal narratives with the broader documentation of life under Israeli occupation, siege, and bombardment in Gaza.
Released amidst one of the most turbulent periods in recent Palestinian history, Abu Toha uses the art form to not only capture personal memory, but to document Israel’s atrocities committed against Palestinians and the resilience of the people living in a continuous state of emergency.
Written in clear, simple language that often evokes visceral, painful imagery, his poetry oscillates between moments of loss, destruction, and survival, and glimpses of peace that seem fantastical in their rarity.
In “Palestinian Village,” Abu Toha imagines a peaceful scene “where a canary never tires of singing” that feels like a distant memory or a dream in stark contrast to the harrowing reality on the ground. The poem, like others in the collection, is a reminder of the cultural and natural heritage that Palestinians are fighting to preserve amid what Amnesty International, as well as some regional states, have termed a genocide.
In “On Your Knees” he powerfully uses repetition of the line “on your knees!” to document the humiliating and horrifying experience of being abducted by Israeli forces as he attempted to cross the Rafah border with his family in November 2023.
Abu Toha resists physical subjugation with poetry as a form of resistance and memory — asserting the Palestinian self and narrative and highlighting the power of art to fight back against erasure.
In “After Allen Ginsberg,” the Palestinian poet draws from the American’s iconic work “Howl,” writing:
“I saw the best brains of my generation
protruding from their slashed heads.”
By adopting Ginsberg's confrontational style, Abu Toha’s unrestrained voice laments and protests Israel's ongoing assault that has claimed the lives of thousands of children, women, and men.
The poet’s unwavering voice in “Forest of Noise” challenges readers to see Gaza not as a distant conflict but as a human tragedy that demands attention.
