Al-Misbah showcases treasures of "Kuwaiti Heritage" to Kuwait University students
In a national literary and cultural event titled “The Memory of Kuwaiti Heritage: Place, People, and Identity,” Dr. Haifa Al-Sanousi, a faculty member at Kuwait University, hosted heritage researcher and board member of the Kuwait Heritage Association, Saleh Al-Musbah. The event was attended by Dr. Latifa Al-Tamim and a large number of students who actively engaged with the lecture’s themes, enhancing Kuwaiti identity through numerous questions and inquiries, thereby fostering an atmosphere of dialogue and intellectual discussion.
At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Al-Sanousi emphasized that hosting Mr. Al-Musbah was in recognition of his significant contributions to documenting Kuwaiti heritage. She noted that he has authored many works and made substantial scientific contributions that have enriched the Kuwaiti library. She added that Mr. Al-Musbah is known for his love of books and his dedication to acquiring rare books and manuscripts, as well as his continuous collaboration with researchers and those interested in history and heritage. He makes his sources and references available to them, driven by his conviction regarding the importance of preserving and documenting heritage.
During the lecture, Mr. Al-Musbah clarified that the manuscript of Sheikh Musaid bin Ahmed bin Muaid Al-Azmi is the oldest known manuscript in Kuwait’s history. Written by his hand in 1682 CE on Failaka Island, it is a copy of Imam Malik bin Anas’s book, “Al-Muwatta.” He also presented the book “History of Kuwait’s Mosques” by historian Adnan Al-Roumi, explaining that it documents mosques in the Central, Jabla, East, Marqab, Fahaheel, Abu Hleifa, Al-Qurra, and Al-Jahra regions, up until the year the wall was demolished in 1957. The book includes the names of the mosques, their founders, dates of construction and renovation, as well as the names of imams, muezzins, and staff.
He also spoke about the book “Kuwaiti Camel Pilgrimage Caravans,” which he completed in collaboration with historian Adnan Al-Roumi and Dr. Khaled Al-Shatti. The work documents 31 Kuwaiti camel pilgrimage caravans since 1800. The team subsequently continued publishing the book “Kuwaiti Pilgrimage Caravans Through History,” which covers the evolution of Kuwaiti pilgrimage journeys using various modes of transport, along with the associated customs, traditions, and values of mutual solidarity among Kuwaitis.
At the conclusion of the lecture, Mr. Al-Musbah presented several prominent works that chronicle Kuwait’s history, including “History of Kuwait” by historian Abdulaziz Al-Rashid (1926), “Pages from Kuwait’s History” by Sheikh Yusuf bin Issa Al-Qanaei (1946), “From Kuwait’s History” by Saif Marzouq Al-Shamlan (1959), “A Compendium of Kuwait’s History 1960” by researcher Rashid Al-Farhan, and “And Here Kuwait Began” (1962) by writer Abdullah Al-Hatim. He also mentioned articles by Ahmad Bashir Al-Roumi (1968), emphasizing that these works constitute fundamental pillars for preserving Kuwait’s history and heritage and transmitting them to future generations.
