There are five Omani figures that have been included so far within the UNESCO program for the fiftieth or centennial anniversary of important historical events and globally influential figures. They are Al-Khalil bin Ahmed al-Farahidi, the physician and pharmacist Rashid bin Omeira, Shaikh Nur A’Din al Salmi, the Omani physicist and physician Abu Mohammed al-Azdi, known as (Ibn al-Dhahabi), and the Omani poet Nasser bin Salim al-Rawahi, nicknamed (Abu Muslim al Bahlani).

Al Khalil bin Ahmed al Farahidi

He was born in the village of Widam on the coast of Al Batinah overlooking the Sea of Oman in 100 AH at the time of the just caliph Omar bin Abdulaziz. He is one of the prominent Omani figures who left a mark and a footprint in the fields of science and knowledge. He enriched human civilization with his knowledge and thought. He is considered the first to produce a dictionary of the Arabic language. He also laid the foundation for grammar science by extracting its problems and explanations. His fame was also related to the science of Arabic prosody, where he was able through this science to confine all the poems of the Arabs in his poetic meters. Therefore, he was included in the UNESCO program for the fiftieth or centennial anniversary of important historical events and globally influential figures at its 33rd session of its General Conference in 2005. He was the first Omani figure to be included in this program. Among his most important books: Kitab al-'Ayn (the first Arabic language dictionary) in which he arranged the words on the origins of letters, starting with the letter al-'Ayn. Then he composed Kitab Fa’it al-'Ayn. Among his books is al-Mandhouma al-Nahouiya, which includes 293 poetic verses formulated according to Al-Kamil metre. It included many sections of Arabic grammar and handled many grammatical matters in an easy and uncomplicated way. He also wrote kitab al-nagham (the Book of Melody), which fully enhances his knowledge of musicology. Also, among his books are Kitab Al-Shwahid (The Book of Evidence), which contains some of the evidences that he heard from the Arabs, Kitab al-Awamil (The book of the Factors), which addresses the grammatical factors and Kitab al-Gimal (the Book of Sentences) which focuses on the states of the sentences in Arabic and Kitab al-Mi’amma on puzzles. He died in 175 AH.

Physician Rashid bin Omeira

He was listed in the UNESCO program for the fiftieth or centenary anniversary of historical events and influential figures at its 37th session of its General Conference in 2013 AD as the most prominent Omani influential person in the field of medicine and pharmacy. He is one of the prominent flags who contributed greatly to the civilization march of Oman through its ancient history. As a skilled physician, he managed to treat many incurable diseases until he became famous and became a destination for the far and near. Not only did he practice medicine; he transferred medical science through medical education and authorship. He was also a jurist, writer and poet. He used these talents in teaching medicine and making prescriptions, which were best reflected in manuscripts and summaries written by him in an easy way that combines science and literature, and between being comprehensive and specialized. So, we find that he arranged lengthy poems to dissect the entire human body, and devoted others to dissecting specific places such as the eye only. Among his most important books is Kitab Minhaj al-Muta’alimeen (The Book of the Learners Curriculum). It is an answer to his son Omeira, in which he mentioned many diseases and their treatment, and included several chapters in which he mentioned many diseases and their treatments, including diseases of the heart, stomach, medulla, lung, uterus, bladder, breasts, kidneys, eye, nose, ear, back, liver, spleen and gallbladder. He also wrote Kitab Fakihat ibn Al-Sabeel in which he also describes diseases, their types and methods of treatment. He also wrote Kitab Mikhtasar Fakihat ibn Al-Sabeel which was summary of proven drugs in treating many diseases. In addition, he wrote Kitab Maqasid al-Dalil wa Burhan al-Sabeel and Kitab Zad Al Musafer in Medicine in addition to poems demonstrating in the main organs in the human body, and anatomy of the human body from head to foot along with other cognitive treasures which he exposes to the scientific library and which are still in manuscripts, waiting for medical students and scholars in order to see the light. as is the case of the predecessors of the books. Physician Rashid bin Omeira lived at the end of the tenth century and the beginning of the eleventh century. That is, he lived in the last period of the state of Bani Nabhan (549 AH - 1034 AH corresponding to 1154AD -1624 AD).

Omani physicist and physician Abu Mohammed al Azdi known as (Ibn al Dhahabi)

He died in Valencia (from Diyar Al-Andalus) in Jumada Al-Akhirah, 456 AH (May 1064 AD). He was included among the influential figures in the world in the works of the 38th session of the UNESCO General Conference in 2015. Among his most important books is Kitab al-Ma (The Book of Water). It is a medical linguistic dictionary that reveals a linguist and a medical scientist at the same time. This book is an unprecedented work in its field as he brilliantly combined medicine arts and pharmacology and was able to treat organic, psychological and mental diseases alike. He had a head start to the idea of ​​replacing human blood with food and mentioned in some articles alternatives to medicine circulated in his era (alternative medicine), its usefulness and harm, such as the treatment through Qur’an, and benefiting from archeoastronomy, in which there is an explicit reference to cancer in those very distant times. This was unpresented. He also brought the idea of ​​blood transfusion for more than a thousand years.

Sheikh Noureddine Abdullah bin Humaid Al-Salmi

He was an Omani social and encyclopedic reformer, where UNESCO recently ranked him among the influential figures in the world at its 38th session of its General Conference in 2015. Al-Salmi’s personality had a great impact on social, religious and political life in Oman, where he enriched the Omani and Arab library with many books in various fields, including the origins of religion, jurisprudence and its origins, hadith, Arabic language sciences, history and others. In his writings, he combined mind and transmission and noticed the different trends of his time, and he derived from the books of the various sects, and this was helped by his mastery of the principles of jurisprudence in which the sayings of various doctrines and trends are mixed.

Omani poet Nasser bin Salim al-Rawahi, nicknamed (Abu Muslim al Bahlani)

He was included among the world’s influential figures on the occasion of the first centenary of his death, as he died in 1920 AD and this was done during the work of the 40th session of the General Conference of UNESCO at the organization’s headquarters in Paris on November 14, 2019.

Abu Muslim al-Bahlani was chosen as a poet and a pioneer of diaspora journalism in Zanzibar, and his influence globally has crossed the borders of the homeland to reach many parts of the Arab world and East Africa. Thus, the name of the great poet of Oman is immortalized in the list of creators of the world.

Abu Muslim grew up in Wadi Mahram and took the knowledge from his father, the scholar, Judge Salem bin Udayyim al-Bahlani al-Rawahi. He used to visit Muhammad bin Salim al-Rawahi in the village of Al-Saih from Wadi Bani Rawaha to learn the principles of Arabic sciences from him and some Omani scholars in that era. Abu Muslim then relied on himself to collect the rest of the sciences and was greatly influenced by Saeed bin Khalfan al-Khalili, and he found a scientific atmosphere in Zanzibar that helped him to read and explore books. He moved to Zanzibar with his father in 1295 AH (1878 AD).

Abu Muslim had taken over the judiciary in Zanzibar and even became the chief judge there with a number of the Zanzibar sultans to whom he was close. In line with the judiciary, he had a seminar to teach the Arabic language and jurisprudence from which many scholars graduated.

He was also interested in authorship and left many works, some of which are printed, some missing, and some still as a manuscript. Perhaps the most prominent is his book on jurisprudence, which gave him the name “Jawhar al-Nidham” (Essence of the Order). He was planning to make that explanation a major juristic encyclopaedia of many volumes, but he died before achieving his dream. He only accomplished three volumes, which showed his superior ability and high potential.

Among his works is “al-Aqida al-Wahabiyah”, verified by Saleh bin Saeed Al-Qanoubi and Abdullah bin Saeed Al-Qanoubi, formulated by Abu Muslim in the form of a dialogue between a teacher and his student. He also wrote a book titled “al-Lawami al-barqiyah fi riḥlat mawlana al-Sulṭan al-mu’aẓẓam Ḥammud ibn Muhammad ibn Saeed ibn Sulṭan bi-al-iqṭar al-Afriqiayh al-Sharqiyah”, in which he recorded his observations during his accompaniment to the Sultan on that journey. He wrote it in prose and poetry, praising the Busaid state and its sultans. Among his books on the Prophet’s Birthday are “al-Nur al-Muhamadi”, “al-Kunuz al-Samadiya” on the Muhammadan Miracles” and “al-Nash’a al-Muhammadiyah fi mawlid khair al-Bariyah”. He also has the book “al_Nafs al-Rahmani fi adhkar Abu Muslim al-Bahlani”, in which he documented his adhkar, with reference to the terms of each dhikr and how it should be recited. The book reflects the behavioral aspect that made up a large proportion of Abu Muslim's poetry.

Moreover, among his works is the book “alwah al-Anwar wa arwah al-Asrar” (missing) and he referred to it in the introduction to “al-Wadi al_Muqaddas”. His nephew, Salim bin Suleiman al-Bahlani, described it in his translation of Abu Muslim as “an honourable book with a great amount in the way of dhikr. In addition, he wrote a book titled “jawahir al-Anwar wa arwah al-Asrar” (missing), mentioned in his book “Nithar al-Jawahar”. He also wrote a book titled “Bahr al-Anwar fi Mathour al-Ad’eiyah wal’adhkar” (missing).

Ahmed bin Majid bin Mohammed Al Saadi 
“Asad Al Bihar” A lion of the sea (825- 906 / 1421 - 1500), a navigator and a master of the sea arts 
Ahmed bin Majid received his first education from his father Majid bin Mohmmed Al Saadi who was a sea captain. He was also taught by a number of skippers as he attended their seminars and lessons on ships anchored in Omani ports. He depended on himself in deriving the measurements of stars and monitoring their risings, sunsets, movements and their impact on sea seasons.  
He was known as the most famous navigator in the Indian Ocean and one of the scholars of navigation and its history among the Arabs. He invented the magnetic needle (A compass that is used in determining the directions of sea voyages). His books were spread in European libraries, and were translated into several languages. Modern European navigation methods were built on them.
Ahmed bin Majid is one of the most famous navigators in the Indian Ocean. He has many scientific contributions and books that have been embraced by some Arab and European libraries. Those publications are used as references for the foundations of modern navigation. He has many Naval innovations such as: “Al Warda”: a machine that is used to determine wind directions while sailing. Also, he invented the "three sticks" machine for measuring stars in addition to developing the magnetic needle (a compass) that is used to determine nautical directions.
He published more than 40 books and poems in maritime scientists such as: “Al Urjooza At Taiyah”, “Al Urjooza As Sufaliya” and “Al Urjooza Al Mua’llaqia” which was published in 1377 AH (1957) in a book titled “Three Unknown Rahmanjat” : Rahmanjat in Farsi means “naval guides”. It was published, verified, indexed, and translated into Russian by the Russian orientalist Theodore T.Shumovsky, based on the manuscript copy at the Institute of Oriental Studies in Petersburg, Russia. Then it was translated into Arabic under the title “Three Flowers in the Knowledge of the Seas.” He also wrote Urjuzah “Tasneef Qiblat Al-Islam Fi Al Allam” (Categorizing the Qibla of Islam in the World) in which he set the direction of the qiblah in all parts of the world. Another Urjuzah was (Hawiyat Al Ikhtisaar Fi Usool Illm Al Bihar” (A container of Abbreviation in the Fundamentals of Marine Sciences), which is his longest poem, in addition to his poems: “The Poetry of Horses” or “Al-Nuniya Al-Kubra.”
One of his most famous books is the book titled (Benefits in the Fundamentals of Maritime Science and Rules), which includes comprehensive benefits in marine science and navigational guidance. Moreover, he compiled it in the late years of his life in 895 AH (1480), relying on his marine experience that exceeded 50 years. There are several manuscripts of the book in France, Syria, Bahrain and Kuwait. Its French translated version was published by the French orientalist Gabriel Farran (d. 1935 AD) between 1921 and 1925. It was then translated into English in 1970 by the English orientalist Gerald Tebbetts and was published in Arabic several times.