This article acts as a roadmap for enchantment, revealing how Jeddah’s old town, Al Balad, rekindles a sense of wonder often diminished by modern life.
It spotlights a city that possesses a rich material heritage while weaving together stories and myths that deepen spirituality, anchor individuals in history, and celebrate cultural diversity.
MASJID ALSHAFIE: THE BEATING HEART OF JEDDAH
If Jeddah had a body, then Masjid AlShafie would undeniably be its beating heart. This famous masjid is Jeddah’s first to be built, tracing back to the time of the second Caliph Umar. It underwent a series of reconstructions and renovations, yet its enduring structure, dating back to 1533, stands as a quintessential display of Indo-Islamic architecture.
Its exquisite woodwork traveled from Gujarat, India, brought over by a devout Indian merchant named Khawaja Muhamad Ali, who personally financed its renovation and left the original iconic minaret intact.
Today, this minaret stands as Jeddah’s oldest surviving monument, dating over 800 years. Like a heart that conceals its own mysteries, Masjid AlShafie harbors secrets within its very structure. Beneath its main mihrab (prayer niche) lies a hidden, older mihrab.
If you look upward into its wooden dome, you will discover a subtly inscribed poem—selected verses from Imam Busairi’s famed Burda—paying homage to the Prophet (peace be upon him)
and underscoring the masjid’s unique spiritual identity. The doorway to this heart, the masjid’s main wooden gate, is adorned with two intricately carved lotus flowers. In Hinduism, the lotus symbolizes purity and enlightenment, and it is considered the throne of deities.
Following the Islamic Mughal conquest of India, however, this motif was reinterpreted and adopted as an Islamic symbol representing the throne of Allah. As a result, the lotus motif began appearing in various grand Mughal architectural landmarks, such as Delhi’s Jama Masjid and the Taj Mahal. By gazing at these flowers, one feels as though the predestined bond between Jeddah and the Indian subcontinent has been summoned and immortalized. According to Islamic narratives, this bond began with the descent of Adam and Eve. As Eve is said to have descended in Jeddah while Adam descended in India, they were later reunited at Mount Arafat, near Makkah. The story of Masjid AlShafie is one of many that demonstrate how this bond continues to live on.
THE SILENT FAREWELL: RESTORING THE PAST
Jeddah’s stories are as numerous and diverse as the faces of the people who have inhabited this city.
A unique story I witnessed firsthand involves Beit Zaker. Named after Zaker the carpenter, it was home to the last remaining traditional carpentry in Jeddah. Even after relocating from the building years ago, Zaker never truly left it. He returned daily, long
into old age, earning a reputation as a living legend, always ready to share with curious visitors his tales of AlBalad that is until his sudden silence. Everyone who knew him or passed by him wondered why
this old and frail man, dressed so elegantly in Hijazi attire is sitting so poignantly on his chair silently observing and never speaking. No one knew why because after the silence came the absence followed by the news of his passing. This loss weighed heavily on the city, as Jeddah grieved for him.
Left abandoned without its caretaker the centuries old house mourned him as well. Just a few months after his death in May 2021 the house collapsed. I happened to be there when it happened, witnessing the water pipes burst in the dark of night and flood the old streets, as though the house were shedding tears. The coral stone, the rawasheen, and the wooden beams tumbled together in what seemed like a final embrace, consoling one another for their departed caretaker.
Since then the house been restored to its former glory by the great efforts of JHD (Jeddah Historic District) program and it now stands witness to a unique bond that once connected it with Zaker its caretaker. It is located in the northern part of Jeddah in AlSham district. Famously known as Beit Am Zaker.
THE MYSTERIOUS GOLD OF JEDDAH’S PAST: DAHAB STREET
Adding another layer to Jeddah’s rich tapestry of stories is the tale behind Dahab Street, or Gold Street. In the early 1960s, while the municipality was paving a kilometer-long road, demolition crews struck a building’s wall, sending gold coins tumbling onto the street. Amid the ensuing chaos, authorities traced the building’s ownership to the Bajnaid family, identifying my great-grandfather, Abdulbasit Bajnaid, as its patriarch.
When offered the newly discovered gold, he declined, explaining that the section of the building belonged to a solitary Yemeni Jew who had rented the space long ago and stored his gold in wall cavities therefor the gold coins did not belong to us. Ultimately, since no one claimed the treasure, and the real owner’s fate was shrouded in mystery, with some believing he had already passed away in Jeddah and others suggesting he fled with hopes of returning to his collect his wealth someday. The government absorbed it into its treasury and officially named the street Dahab (gold) Street to commemorate this remarkable event. The location where this incident occurred is where the family house once stood, which is now an empty land adjacent to the famous AlMimar Masjid.
It is my hope that this short article has offered a perspective that instills a sense of enchantment when viewing Jeddah, whether one is a resident or a visitor. These stories and histories show that Jeddah is a welcoming place that never ceases to amaze. With individuals, buildings, and narratives woven together, Jeddah’s urban fabric fosters inclusion rather than exclusion. Perhaps this is why everyone who visits feels an immediate sense of belonging. It may be owed, in part or in whole, to the belief that Hawaa (Eve), the grandmother of all humanity (and one of the origins of the name Jeddah, or Jaddah in Arabic), is buried beneath its soil.
About Salem Bajnaid
Salem Bajnaid is an entrepreneur, heritage traveler, and cultural curator who brings Jeddah’s heritage to life through innovative productions. With a background in social sciences and cultural studies, he blends history with contemporary creativity across his business ventures and cultural projects.
