The Age of Metaphors

In the beginning of the twentieth century, an ancient island on the western seaboard of the Arabian Gulf became very prosperous because of its mineral resources. As it witnessed a vast development it was invaded by an army of architects from all over the world who brought with them many architectural styles. The land though was not a barren desert as far as architecture was concerned. A group of local graduates thought that metaphoric architecture had started there centuries earlier by the great Badia al Zaman after whom the island was named. On the arrival of his son Saad, now in his old age, to his birthplace, Jazeerat al Zaman, after his many travels in Africa, India and China, experiencing many adventures on land, under water and on the air, and with three marriages behind him, one from the nation of earth, the other from the nation of water and the last one from the nation air, he was met by Shiymaa, a young female architect who was also a TV presenter. Together with his grandson Saim, also an architect, they listened to and recorded the old mans stories. These, whether they were real or at times exaggerated, will make the reader meet, under the water, with cities, monsters, and houries; on land, with kings and queens, bandits, underground castles and the world of the enchantress; and in the air the reader will live in the world of jinn and flying damsels, and will witness the fight between good and evil and the marriage between jinn and humans. The two young architects drew analogies from these stories and created a new architecture, later to be known as the Jazeerat al Zaman style. In the process of creating this work they were confronted with the economic and social changes of their country and the world. This story is about the birth of a new world where materialistic and religious values clashed, different cultures intermingled, past and present blended, myth and reality became indistinguishable, and where in its most sublime and cheapest expressions love was practiced. When you read this story you will find yourself in a different world and you wont know whether you are dreaming or you are awake, but in the end, I hope, you will become wiser and more knowledgeable and you will become humble enough to learn even from the birds and animals that play a great part in this story. Now, finally, from me and Mirsal the hudhud, we wish you a pleasant time reading this story.