History, Culture, and Society

Yemenat

Ahmed Saif Hashed

Aden is the homeland of the ancient Kingdom of Awsan, present in the history of Saba and Himyar, in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and in the writings of Ibn Khaldon, Ibn Mandhor, Al-Hamdani, Ibn Battuta, Yaqut Al-Hamawi, and Ameen Al-Rehani. It is also recorded in books of genealogies, royal chronicles, biographies, and travel literature.

Aden was once a cradle of culture, home to no fewer than eleven clubs, associations, and organizations devoted to literature, knowledge, and public awareness. It was the city of the Meswat, Ba’theeb, and Al-Ekleel libraries, Al Tawahi Theater, Arwa, Regal, and Balqis cinemas, and sports clubs such as Al-Tilal, Shamsan, Al-Mina, Al-Wahda, and the Military Sports Club.

It was the Aden of Mohammed Saeed Jaradah, Edrees Hanbalah, Mohammed Al-Jabri, Mohammed Abdulghanem, and Lutfi Jafar Aman. It was the Aden of Abu Bakr Al-Saqqaf, Omar Al-Jawi, Mohammed Abdulwali, Sultan Naji, Hussein Al-Hubaishi, Abdulrahman Ebrahim, Fareed Barakat, and many others who shaped its cultural and intellectual life.

It was the Aden of art and artists such as Ahmed Qassem, Mohammed Murshid Naji, Mohammed Juma Khan, Mohammed Saad Abdullah, Eskandar Thabet, Mohammed Abdu Zaydi, Sabah Mansour, Fathia Al-Saghira, and Kafa Iraqi. It was the Aden of the saints and righteous figures, including Al-Aidaroos, Al-Hashimi, Sheikh Othman, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Ahmed, and Hussein Al-Ahdal.

It was the Aden of Abdullah Batheeb, Faisal Abdullatif, and all the dreamers. It was a refuge for those fleeing the oppression of northern authorities, a city for the free and the noble who sought a homeland built on justice, freedom, dignity, and citizenship. That Aden no longer exists, nor can it be seen today, even through the finest lenses.

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Aden is Jabal Hadid ”Mount” and the Isle of Laborers, Al Tawila Cisterns, Sira Fortress, Aden Lighthouse, A’ban Mosque, the Elephant’s Trunk promontory, the “Big Ben of Aden,” the Military Museum, Al-Bunyan Mosque, the churches of Christians, and the remaining temples of minorities.

It was once the second busiest port in the world after New York. It was the first city in the region to have a postal service, an oil refinery, a currency exchange, a radio station, a television channel, a newspaper, legislative elections, and a chamber of commerce. It was also the first to establish labor union laws in the Arab world and the second to enact a progressive family law protecting the rights of women and children.

When Sultan Qaboos of Oman was a student there, he dreamed that Muscat might one day be like Aden. Zaid of the Emirates and Sabah of Kuwait wished to see their cities reach its level of progress. Aden inspired admiration and wonder among Gulf visitors for its order, cleanliness, laws, and refined civility.

Aden was a city of peace, law, order, and coexistence. It gathered together different races, faiths, and communities. Indians, Africans, Zaydis, and Shafi‘is lived side by side, with few exceptions even among Jews. It welcomed Bohras, Persians, Banyans, Pakistanis, Somalis, Iranians, and all those who came in search of hope, work, or life itself.

Ameen Al-Rehani wrote in The Kings of the Arabs that Aden united Muslims, Persians, Banyans, Christians, Isma‘ilis, and Jews. He added that all these people traded without conflict and prospered without arrogance.

Aden was a place where sea and sky met, with seagulls soaring above its harbors, bays, and beaches. It was home to Nashwan Park, the Sailors’ Club, Al-Arousa, the Diplomatic Club, and Al-Kamsari. Its shores included the Golden Coast, Al-Ghadeer Beach, Abyan Beach, and Lovers’ Beach, where passion bloomed like violet fire.

It was the Aden of the Jewish Quarter, the Indian Quarter, the Persian Quarter, and the Somali community in Al-Qalou‘a, Sheikh Eshaq, and Hafoon. Somali refugees who escaped the horrors of war found safety and life among its gardens. Aden was home to the mosques of Al-Aidaroos, A’ban, Al-Asqalani, Al-Alawi, and Al-Hashimi, as well as many churches and houses of worship. It was a city of diversity, coexistence, peace, and social harmony.

Aden embraced both sea and sky and welcomed all who came seeking hope, love, and life. It was a city of affection, honest labor, and the dignity of work. It was the smiling harbor, the place of “sweet unbelief and peaceful faith.”

It was the Aden of Zako Café, Al-Shaibani Restaurant, Dobee‘i’s stew, Al-Qobati’s sweets, Al-Aghbari’s trade, Al-Absi’s studio, and Al-Maqtari’s Qat.

It was the Aden of rice, sanouna, muṭaffaya, sayadiya, zurbian, bagha fish, zinoub pastries, ripe dates, rashoosh bread, tangy hilbah, tawa bread, mutabaq, Adeni tea, and Osmanli coffee.

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