Permanent link for An Ode to Oman, by Zahabia Ahmed-Usmani, Program Manager on December 15, 2023

I have always lived as a member of a minority religious tradition in a predominantly Christian society. Upon arriving in Oman, one of the first feasts for my senses was the experience of being in a Muslim society. The wafting smell of Frankincense upon exiting the plane in the airport, the prominence of opulent mosques along the roadside, the witnessing of people in Omani garb, and the sounds of the call to prayers transported me to a place that felt strangely comfortable despite its foreignness. I was in Oman for an Interfaith Photovoice project at the Al Amana Centre. I had met up with two of my soon-to-be lifelong friends in this cohort, two Lutheran women from Finland. One of them had interned in Oman and said that she felt most at peace, at home and welcome in Oman. So maybe this place wasn’t making this impression on me because of my personal spirituality, maybe it was just entrancing?

Interfaith Photovoice is a visual sociology tool that uses photos taken on smartphones to answer complex questions that are impossible to convey only verbally. The pictures are accompanied by narratives that work alongside one another so that, as participants share their intention and perspective, others can build on that experience using their pictures and/or experiences, or they can share a completely different angle of the question at hand. Professor Roman Williams led our group through this process. Central to Oman’s culture is an emphasis on multiculturalism and peace. The country celebrates the UN International Day for Tolerance pretty significantly for which the photos we curated into an exhibit would share our perspectives of tools that would help promote peace and understanding across lines of difference. However, due to the violence and oppression taking place in Palestine, this celebration and all others (including the National Day of Oman) were canceled. Nonetheless, we were there for this project and the process of taking part in Interfaith Photovoice was the fodder for deep, meaningful friendships and embodied learning that will live on with us for our lifetimes.

Our cohort of two women and a Christian man from west Michigan (myself- a Muslim and a Christian man and woman), a Muslim woman from Germany, two Lutheran women (one of whom is a minister), and two Palestinians (a Muslim man and a Lutheran woman) from the West Bank. This group lived together at the Al Amana Centre in Muscat, Oman. We were in an old part of the city called Mutrah. The Al Amana Centre’s mission statement says it fosters peace and reconciliation through safe, immersive, interfaith experiences. The center housed, fed, and provided gathering spaces (the majlis) for the Photovoice project. Beyond this, they took us on excursions to multiple Souqs, a visit to a desert resort, a short hike to the aflaj irrigation system, a swim at the Wadi (ravine), a coastline sunset Dhow boat tour, a visit to date farm with a home cooked Omani meal, a trip to a private beach club where we saw bioluminescence, a visit to the National Museum, and a trip to the mall. 

Most importantly, we experienced being non-Muslim in a majority Muslim country. We visited the compounds on which most Christians worshiped, a Sikh Gurudwara, and a Hindu Temple. In addition to visiting the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (jaw-droppingly gorgeous) we had the historic experience of the first time non-Muslims were welcome to observe Friday Prayers in Oman at the Al Ameen Mosque. Part of Oman keeping the peace is a strict law forbidding proselytization for people of any faith tradition. Our experiences transported us deep into the Omani culture and our meaningful conversations, excursions, and card games during downtimes bonded the group to one another. We talked about everything from Jinns in Islam to life under occupation. We shared stories of our families, our hopes and dreams, the differences among the cultures we each came from, the ways in which we would forever be transformed and the ways in which we would share our learnings with others. 

Zahabia Ahmed-Usmani

Photovoice group and Christian interns from Bangladesh outside of the ticket office of the Mutrah Fort

Having lunch at the Sama desert resort

On a sand dune in the dessert with Interfaith friends from West Michigan (background), Oman, and Germany (foreground)

Al Ameen Mosque, the first time non-Muslims were allowed to observe Friday prayers

Having a traditional Omani breakfast at a restaurant on the way to Nizwa

The Wadi (ravine)

Mohammed (Al Amana Centre) serving us Omani tea after breakfast.

Our walk to the Aflaj through the old city - little did I know what lush beauty would lie ahead

Omani kids swimming in the Aflaj. I wondered how many of these children's parents and grandparents had swam in the same pool?

My Finnish friend and and I taking off on Dhow boat shoreline tour

Sunset on Mohammed's date farm

Me taking a picture of a stained glass depiction of baby Jesus in Joseph's arms at the visit to the church.

Interfaith Photovoice cohort and Al Amana Centre staff at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

Posted on Permanent link for An Ode to Oman, by Zahabia Ahmed-Usmani, Program Manager on December 15, 2023.