Living Among the Dead: Tales from Egypt
Since my college days, I had nurtured a bucket list of destinations I longed to visit. My fascination with travel began when I first read about Dr. Taqi Usmani’s journey to Spain. His account, originally in Urdu and later translated by Ismail Saadi Machar, captivated my imagination. The stories of Spain—once known as Al-Andalus—its rich Islamic history, the grandeur of the Granada Mosque, and the remnants of a glorious past, all intrigued me deeply. The second book that fueled my wanderlust was the travelogue of Shaykh Dr. Abdul Hakeem Al Azhari of Malabar, Kerala, detailing his visit to Turkey. Having listened to his narratives multiple times during his visits to Mangalore, I became particularly drawn to the tales of Ibn Battuta, especially his accounts of Mangalore and Honnavar. Over the years, my curiosity led me to more travel books. During a conference visit to Kerala, I came across *Uzbekist...