The Magical Moroccan Rug by Naveed Mir

Author:Naveed Mir
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kube Publishing Ltd

“Lubna of Cordoba,” said Umar.

Jack jumped. He had become so engrossed by his surroundings that he had forgotten Umar was with them.

“She looks like she’s someone important,” commented Jack.

“She sure does,” agreed Yusuf.

“Brilliant observation! I don’t think you need me here after all,” teased Umar.

“Tell us about her,” said Yusuf eagerly.

Umar and the boys moved to a corner from which they could still see Lubna. They watched as she took a book down from a shelf and some notes out from a bag she had been carrying. The men mostly listened but Yusuf and Jack could tell they were asking her questions too.

“Lubna was once an enslaved Spanish girl who, due to her knowledge of language, became the secretary and scribe of the Caliph al-Hakam II. She was actually in charge of this library – the Royal Library of Cordoba. She travelled extensively to different cities and countries to collect books and manuscripts for the library. Not only that, she also translated many difficult texts from Greek to Arabic.”

“Wow! She did a lot,” remarked Jack. “Anything else to add to her achievements?” he asked jokingly.

“Actually, yes! She was also an amazing mathematician and poet AND she taught local children in her free time. Lubna believed that knowledge should be shared. Do you remember the group of children you saw following her?” Yusuf and Jack nodded. “As she walked to and from the palace, she would give children equations to solve and share her knowledge with them.”

Yusuf and Jack continued to watch her for a while long-er until the adhan broke the silence. Soon people in the library started heading towards the grand door in preparation for prayer and Yusuf, Jack and Umar followed them out of the library. As they walked away from the library, Yusuf pictured the two amazing people they had learnt about with Umar. He wanted to remember their faces forever. Maybe history isn’t so bad after all he thought, smiling to himself.

At that moment, a thought popped into Yusuf’s head – his school project. He wished that the topic they were learning at school was Spanish history. He would have so much to say on that subject now. But his topic was ‘flight’. He wondered whether it would be possible to use the rug to travel and meet the Wright brothers themselves! Part of him felt that this was a completely crazy idea but part of him was also excited. With the rug in their possession, the possibilities were endless!

Sensing that Yusuf was deep in thought, Umar asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“This might sound crazy,” said Yusuf hesitantly, “but I have a history project I am meant to be working on, but haven’t even started it yet. I was wondering if you could help me.”

After Yusuf had filled Umar and Jack in on his project, Jack asked Umar eagerly, “So, are we going to America?”

“We don’t need to,” declared Umar exuberantly, “I can take you back to the year CE 875, that might help.”

“Errm, I’m not sure that will help with the history project,” said Jack, “but okay!” he added excitedly.

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