Media Center

Sharjah, April 3, 2026

Issue 85 of Marawid magazine, published by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage in its tenth year, explores a wide range of heritage, cultural, and intellectual topics. The cover highlights the main feature titled “People’s Beliefs… A Heritage that Holds Fear and Wisdom,” where the magazine’s writers delve into Emirati, Arab, and global folk beliefs. They seek to connect these traditions, shedding light on those that have disappeared or are on the verge of fading, while also highlighting those that remain alive despite the passage of time and changing lifestyles.

Folk Beliefs: A Hidden and Complex Heritage

In the editorial, Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Editor-in-Chief, explains that folk beliefs are among the most complex elements of heritage, as they are often unspoken. They reside within people and emerge in moments of confrontation with the subconscious or the supernatural world. He attributes their lack of open expression to their occasional contradiction with logic, reality, or even religion in some cases. Dr. Al Musallam also opens the issue with his article “Folk Beliefs and the Sea.”

Readings in Folk Beliefs

The issue includes a collection of studies examining folk beliefs from multiple perspectives, including:

• “The Formation of Folk Belief Between Geography and Social Awareness” by Fahd Al Maamari.
• “Optimism and Pessimism Associated with Animals in Emirati Heritage” by Ali Ahmed Al Mughanni.
• “Underlying Fear in Folk Beliefs: Magic and Envy in the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula” by Khalid bin Mohammed Mubarak Al Qasimi.

These topics reveal the presence of fear and symbolism in shaping popular consciousness, and their connection to environment and local culture.

Highlights on Books and Studies

Marawid also presents insightful readings of recent publications, including:

• A review of “UAE Heritage in Travel Literature” by Dr. Menni Bounama.
• A feature on “The Scope of the Coastal Region in Ibn Khaldun’s ‘Al-Ibar’,” where Ahmed Shukri summarizes insights from “Al-Ibar wa Diwan Al-Mubtada wa Al-Khabar” by Ibn Khaldun.
• A review of “Fortresses and Castles in the UAE” by Ali Mohammed Rashid Al Qasimi, written by Abeer Younes.

The issue also includes writings on works about Al-Khwarizmi, Western travelers’ perspectives on Bedouins, folk riddles, and Nimr Al-Adwan.

Diverse Heritage and Cultural Topics

The issue is not limited to the theme of beliefs, but also features a variety of topics, such as:

• Plant tales in ancient Egyptian civilization.
• Al-Mihbash: the memory of hands between past and present.
• Mount Yandang in southeastern China.

In addition to other topics covering artistic heritage, traditional crafts, and folk tales, reflecting the richness and diversity of content in exploring human heritage.