Monday 18 / November / 2024
Muscat: For Muntasir Shaaban Al Farsy, writing history is not only a passion, but through his writing he wants the people to know more about the history of Oman.
“I love writing something, which is useful to the readers and I want the people of Oman to know our country more through my writing,” Al Farsy told the Times of Oman.
Recently, Al Farsy published three books, which help the readers know more about the Sultanate and its past.
The first book, named Sayyid Said the Great talks about Sayyid Said bin Sultan, the forefather of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. It deals with the period from his accession to his death.
“In this book you can find details about Sayyid Said bin Sultan and his reign, such as his childhood, marriages, children, his ministers and governors and so on,” Al Farsy stated.
According to Al Farsy, he collected the information from his uncle’s book, which was written in 1942, and also from some of the historians and the Internet.
He talks about the first government school in Oman in his other book called, Happy Platinum Jubilee to the Al Saidiya. He also shares the details of other first schools opened in Oman, such as the first American school, the first Indian School, etc.
“Al Saidiya was the first government school to open in Oman and now it’s a museum,” Al Farsy said. He has also written about the education system in the Samail Jail, saying the detention centre has a big library.
According to him, Said bin Taimur (father of His Majesty the Sultan) ascended the throne in 1935 with his own vision of establishing additional schools.
“The Al Saidiya School was founded in the same year when His Majesty the Sultan was born and that’s the reason why I named the book Happy Platinum Jubilee to the Al Saidiya,” he added.
In the book, the historian shows that private schools in Oman came into existence in the early 1900s.
“It was news to me; I never knew that private schools even existed at that time,” Al Farsy explained. “Like that many new facts can be read in these books,” he added.
The third book is about the holy shrine of Mecca. The book is named Al Ka’aba sweet Al Ka’aba, where Al Farsy writes about the past of the shrine, mainly the landmark events that it experienced, including floods, bombardments, etc.
During his childhood, Al Farsy loved to write short stories, but as he grew his interest changed to writing about historical events.
“Now I am trying to find out the details of the Muttrah Hotel, which is considered the first Hotel in Oman,” he said.
Al Farsy is an undergraduate and studied at the Rockford College (now known as Rockford University).
He worked in a Radio Station in America for one and a half years and also served with the Ministry of Oman for two decades early in his career. After his retirement, he also worked at the Sheraton Hotel for some period.
He has been working with the Muscat Media Group for the last two years.
“My most treasured desire is to meet His Majesty and gift my books to him,” Al Farsy asserted.
His books are available at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Shangri La Hotel, Sultan Centre Qurum, the Al Batra book shop, and other major bookshops in Oman.
“My books will be available in Bait Al Zubair, at the Ministry of Heritage and Culture’s museum and at duty free shops at the Seeb Airport soon,” Al Farsy said.
“I am not making money from this, but my people should know our country through my writing,” he asserted.
