Atlas to shed light on history of Ottomans

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Sami bin Abdullah al-Maghlus, the Saudi Arabian author of the “Siyer Atlası,” a popular atlas of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, will be following that success up with his “Ottoman Atlas” in six months. 
Al-Maghlus has visited Istanbul many times, due to his interest in history. The 600-year duration of the culture and civilization of the Ottomans gives the empire a significant place in history, he said. 
“If anyone researching Islamic history cannot understand the Ottoman civilization, he cannot 
clearly understand the messages of the past,” he told Anatolia News Agency.

One of the first works of its kind

Al-Maghlus’ “Siyer Atlas” was translated into four languages, including Turkish, and it has a unique place in the Islamic world. Some revisions were made to the atlas when it was translated into Turkish, al-Maghlus said. 

“With maps and pictures, I used the highest level of visual communication in this atlas. We presented the instructions of the atlas clearly. I did not convey anything that I haven’t experienced. 
First I visited specific geographical areas, and then I wrote about them. I took the photographs myself, and traveled to each place mentioned in the atlas. We want people to be able to envision these places; that is why we used pictures,” al-Maghlus said.

Copy to PM Erdoğan

The new atlas focuses on Ottoman history intensely, al-Maghlus said. “I conducted research in many provinces of Turkey. Now, the all information has been collected, and the maps have begun to be drawn. I took the photographs myself again. The ‘Ottoman Atlas’ will be published in six months. I will present a copy of the book, translated into Turkish, to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a gift,” al-Maghlus said.