The article analyzes views of Mahmoud al-Rahbi, a prominent Omani writer, on the development of Oman after Sultan Qaboos reforms in the 1970s. The research object is the novel ‘Drums of the Wadi’ (2023), al-Rahbi’s most recent work. The relevance and scientific novelty of the article are due to the deficiency of study of this writer, praised both in Oman and other Arab countries. ‘Drums of the Wadi’ presents a panorama of Oman in the 1980s. Telling the story of young Salim, a son of a tribal sheikh, al-Rahbi traces his country’s fate at this historic juncture. Thus, Salim’s story is studied as a symbol of the sharp break with the traditional lifestyle which occurred to the new generation of Omanis due to the reforms of Sultan Qaboos. This break’s consequences are ambivalent as this young generation of Omanis, personified by the protagonist, gain freedom of self determination, breaking free from the yoke of outdated customs, but, after having lost touch with the traditions of the tribal way of life, they demonstrate selfishness. This leads to a new social type emergence, the businessman, a symbol of unscrupulousness in Omani literature. The ambivalence of reforms’ effects is also evident in the depictions of the Omani village and city. It is concluded that in the novel, while describing the clash of traditions and innovations, al-Rahbi states the need for timely changes in the life of individuals and society as opposed to a sharp break with the established lifestyle, leading to loss of identity.
Gleb Eduardovich Voloshchenko (Thu,) studied this question.