The UAE prides itself on religious tolerance. Last February, it became the first country in the Arabian Peninsula to host a Papal visit. Then in September it was announced that an Abrahamic House of Fraternity will open on Saadiyat Island in 2022. This unique place of worship will accommodate Muslims, Christians and Jews, who all share in the legacy of the Prophet Ibrahim.
The spirit of tolerance and fraternity has become especially important in the age of coronavirus. This Ramadan, the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity called for people from all faiths to join together in prayer. The UAE embassy in Washington accordingly convened an online, interfaith gathering attended by Muslim, Christian and Jewish representatives.
These events recently prompted a friend to ask me about the significance of a Jewish tombstone from Ras Al Khaimah. As a professional archaeologist working in the Emirates, friends and colleagues sometimes pick my brain about local history. Was it true that a Jewish community once lived in the ancient lands of the Emirates?
The short answer is, probably not. But the longer answer is fascinating.
The fact that the Ras Al Khaimah tombstone is the only one of its kind found in the Emirates thus far implies that there was never a significant local community. Moreover, since the Halakhah – Jewish law – requires prompt burial, it is most likely that the tombstone commemorates a visitor to these shores.
The tombstone’s discovery was published by Daniel Frank in 1998. He states that it was found in the 1970s by “tribesmen” in the Shimal area. It consists of an irregular slab of local limestone, about 60 by 40cm, covered in a worn Hebrew inscription:
“This is the grave of the deceased David, of blessed memory, son of Moses, of blessed, saintly memory, son of David, of blessed memory, son of (illegible). May he be remembered in the world to come. May his soul be bound up in the bundle of life. May his soul rest in Eden. May their portion be in the world to come! Murshid and David the (illegible) [erected this stone].”
Frank suggested that certain linguistic features and formulaic phrases imply that David son of Moses, or at least those who buried him, belonged to a Persian-speaking Jewish community. Such communities had existed in Persia since Biblical times and had become involved with trade in the early centuries of Islam.
In the mid-ninth century, during the peak of the Abbasid Caliphate, Ibn Khurradadhbih, the postmaster general, describes Jewish merchants active on a global trade route passing through the Arabian Gulf. This route ran through Baghdad to the port of Uballa near Basra and then on to the Emirates and Oman before reaching India and China.
Jews living in Islamic lands were comparatively well treated. They are recognised as “People of the Book” in the Quran and accorded protected status in Islamic law. Indeed, the Islamic world absorbed waves of refugees fleeing pogroms in Europe. Suleiman the Magnificent, most famously, settled Sephardic Jews in the Ottoman Empire when they were expelled from Spain by the Catholic Monarchs.
A notable Jewish community existed on the island of Hormuz, situated at a strategic bottleneck at the head of the Arabian Gulf, less than a day’s sail from Ras Al Khaimah. The Jesuit missionary Gaspar Barzaeus mentions several synagogues and two rabbis serving a community that the Portuguese traveller Pedro Teixeira puts at about 150 households.
The Kingdom of Hormuz flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries, when it dominated the commerce of the Arabian Gulf. Its fame reached Europe, where it became a byword for earthly splendour. In Milton's Paradise Lost, Satan's throne "outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind" while Marvell described pomegranates as "jewels more rich than Ormus".
The spirit of tolerance and fraternity has become especially important in the age of coronavirus
A 16th-century English merchant wrote that “all nations do, and may freely come to Hormuz, as Frenchmen, Belgians, Dutch, Germans, Hungarians, Italians, Greeks, Armenians, Nazarenes, Turks and Moors, Jews and Gentiles, Persians, Russians.” In these early European accounts, Hormuz appears as the Dubai of its age: a confident and cosmopolitan global city with a diverse expatriate population.
Facing Hormuz on the Arabian shore lay Julfar, the precursor to modern Ras Al Khaimah. This famous port town was the centre of the pearling industry in the Lower Gulf. The Portuguese writer Duarte Barbosa describes it as “a very great fishery as well of seed-pearls as of large pearls, and the Moors of Ormus come hither to buy them and carry them to India and many other lands”.
Pearls were a part of the international gem trade, of which Hormuz developed into a major hub. “All nations,” the Dutch merchant Jan Huyghen van Linschoten tells us, “lie there to buy spices and precious stones that in great abundance are brought hither out of India.” It was this trade that drew Gasparo Balbi, the state jeweller of the Venetian Republic, to the region in the sixteenth century: his account incidentally contains the first reference to the Bani Yas tribe.
Jews played an important role in the early modern international gem trade. In the 15th century – when Hormuz and Julfar were at their peak – the Jewish community of Antwerp dominated the European market. These gemstones were sourced in India and passed through Hormuz before passing along the Euphrates corridor to the Mediterranean.
The Jewish tombstone from Ras Al Khaimah, therefore, can be placed into a historical context in which its significance is revealed. We might imagine that David son of Moses was a ‘Moor of Ormus’ who came to Julfar to buy pearls, and was buried there by his fellow travellers following his untimely demise. He was probably part of the Jewish mercantile community of Hormuz that served as middlemen in the international gem trade between India and Europe.
This gem trade is still very much alive and well today. A remarkable eight out of 10 diamonds are cut in Surat in India, and Antwerp remains the largest diamond district in the world. The Dubai Diamond Exchange, meanwhile, has grown into the largest in the Middle East. In some sense, Dubai, as the leading commercial centre of the Arabian Gulf, constitutes the modern successor of far-famed Hormuz and its cosmopolitan mercantile population.
The Emirates has, as such, always been a place open to the world and host to visitors from diverse peoples and religions. This history has helped to create the spirit of tolerance that characterises the nation today.
Timothy Power is an archaeologist, historian and author of A History of the Emirati People, to be published in 2021
The 15 players selected
Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
Allardyce's management career
Clubs (10) - Limerick (1991-1992), Perston North End (1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007), Newcastle United (2007-2008), Blackburn Rovers (2008-2010), West Ham United (2011-2015), Sunderland (2016), Crystal Palace (2016-2017)
Countries (1) - England (2016)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE-based players
Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim
Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
As You Were
Liam Gallagher
(Warner Bros)
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
