Whisper of the hooves from the legends of camels and their stories in Arab culture

Whisper of the Humps from the Legends of Camels and Their Tales in Arab Culture Qasim bin Khalaf Al-Ruwais A Saudi researcher, "Qasim bin Khalaf Al-Ruwais," issued a book on the occasion of the Year of the Camels titled: "Whisper of the Humps... from the Legends of Camels and Their Tales in Arab Culture." This heritage work, published by "Ahooie Publishing House," spans 210 pages and contains the following topics: Your kindness, do not treat the healthy with the sick, Legends of camels in desert culture, Women and Yanquq, The she-camel - woman, Woman - she-camel, Jamal Hind and the خس she-camel, The biography of Al-Khuluj, Haneef between Faleej and Tuwail, The beloveds of Ibn Jadlan, The she-camel and the poem, Camels are the wealth of Arabs, Honoring the deceased and rewarding her, The Najeeb - army, From the history of camel competitions, The camel and the car face to face. The researcher began his book by listing the features of "camels," noting that they are the most present and most cared for living creatures in the creation of the desert and its heritage. This is perhaps due to their connection with the reality of the people of the Arabian Peninsula; their patience in facing the harshness of the desert. But in collective memory, they are not only symbols of patience, but also symbols of strength, beauty, goodness, generosity, courage, love, and giving. They have carried the history and language of Arabs as they carry them and bear their burdens. One Arab woman said: "People have not mentioned anything better than camels; if they carry, they burden; if they walk, they distance; if they are milked, they quench; if they are slaughtered, they feed; long of thirst, active in walking, heavy in carrying, far from home in the morning, everything is a burden on them." The book states that "camels" were not just animals but held a high status, reaching the level of sanctity among pre-Islamic Arabs; they made them the free, the lake, the Waseela, and the Hami. Some worshipped "the camel." Islam came and abolished these customs, and Allah made camels a sign of His miraculous signs in His saying: (Do they not see how the camel was created?). Arabs considered "camels" a timeless cultural symbol around which stories of generosity and courage revolved across the Arabian Peninsula in a different way. The Bedouin was willing to sacrifice his life to defend a single she-camel; yet he was also ready to slaughter that she-camel in honor of his guest. Camels are precious in times of bravery and fighting enemies, but cheap when hospitality and generosity are required. The researcher explained that writing about "camels" and researching their affairs is not strange to the Arab, as the Arabian Peninsula is the (Mother of Camels), and its paths tell the story of Arab Bedouin life from the dawn of history until today. Its mountains still echo with the calls of herders and the murmurs of riders. Therefore, he collected scattered information about them from heritage books and the biographies of men, harmonizing between old and modern scenes of desert Arabs, relying on the eternal Arab record of social life in the land of the Arabian Peninsula, which is "poetry," without favoring formal or colloquial language, aiming to present a panoramic picture drawn by Arabs on the long wall of time from pre-Islamic times to the 14th century AH, serving as a key for comparing the distant past with the near present. It is noted that the researcher found in the initiative of the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia to designate 2024 as the "Year of the Camels" a suitable opportunity to participate in supporting this trend toward desert culture and caring for its heritage. He published other books in celebration of the "Year of the Camels," such as: (The Book of Camels) from the seventh volume of the book (Al-Mukhasas) by Abu al-Hassan Ali bin Ismail Al-Nahwi, known as "Ibn Sīdeh," and (The Poem of Abu al-Najm Al-Ajali in describing camels), edited by Bahjat Al-Athri.