The Real Sounds of Qatar: what you can hear from your bedroom

We have been collecting the sounds of Qatar for some time now - I especially like the sound of the Adhan and the animal market. However, while lying awake at three o' clock in the morning listening to the sound of a jack hammer that was so loud it seemed to be in my room, I realised that this is not what I really hear everyday. So I collected the sounds from outside my house over a few days and this podcast is the result:

Qatar Real Sounds

What can you hear from your bedroom?






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Podcast: Surviving Driving in Qatar

Qatar Visitor's Ninety Second Guide to Driving in Qatar

Our latest podcast on Qatar Sounds is on driving in Qatar. For greater authenticity, we decided to record it in a car. Unfortunately, as you can tell from the podcast, not everything went quite to plan...

Qatar Podcast: Qatar Driving Tips

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Qatar's national anthem

Listen to Qatar's national anthem. (Reproduced with the kind permission of the National Anthem Info website.)

Like so much in Qatar, the National Anthem is new. The current emir was so unimpressed by the previous national anthem (then the shortest national anthem in the world) that he replaced it with this more stirring version. (The original version can be listened to here).

The meaning of the Anthem is as follows:

Swearing by God who upraised the sky,
Swearing by God who spread the light,
Qatar will always be free,
Elevated by the spirits of the loyal,
Follow the path of the ancestors,
And the prophets guidance.
In my heart, Qatar is an epic of dignity and glory,
Qatar is the land of the forefathers,
Our protectors at the time of war,
Doves at the time of peace,
And hawks at the time of sacrifice.

(Source: Amiri Diwan website.)

Also see: 

Watch the Qatar National Anthem sung at the opening to the Qatar Asian Games (with translation)

Watch the Qatar National Anthem sung by a Qatar football crowd

Listen to the sounds of the Prayer Call

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Plaintive camel

Listen to the sound of this young camel bellowing after being separated from its mother at Doha's live animal market.

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Umm Slal Mohammed: forts and streams

In addition to its more famous Barzan Towers Umm Slal Mohammed has two older forts – though given their size fortified houses might be a better name for them. They are located closer to the centre of town then the Barzan Towers, one by the mosque and the other opposite within a larger complex of houses.

Neither of them allow visitors to enter; the first is falling apart while the second appears, from the satellite dishes that sprout from it, to appear to be still in use.

The area around these forts is fascinating. On one side there is a plantation of dead palm trees,which looks like something out of a war-zone. Climb down into them, and you’ll still see the way the earth has been built up around them to trap any available water. And water was (and is) available – a massive well (be careful if you are with children – it's not fenced off) is present, with murky water at the bottom and an ancient Hudderfield pump still present at the top.

Directly behind one of the forts is one of the greenest areas I have seen in Qatar. Not only does it have grass, there’s a tiny little brook flowing through it, and it' s truly refreshing to hear the sound of running water in dry Qatar! With this unusual water and greenery, there are also a lot of birds and bird song to be heard.

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Listen to the sound of the brook.

The Barzan Towers

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Desert dunes

The start of a long run down a huge sand dune.

Also See: Qatar Sounds

Listen to the sound of the wind in the desert.

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Coffee and dancing at Souq Waqif

If you are looking for somewhere to go at night which is a little more authentic than a hotel night club, then Eshariq Coffee might be the answer. This Qatari restaurant is popular with both western expats and Qataris, and provides strong Arab coffee and Shisha (flavoured tobacco smoked through a water pipe).

In the evening they also serve Qatar traditional food, which you may wish to avoid unless your stomach is well accustomed to the local bugs. Cushions are provided on benches so that you can recline while smoking your shishsa - which you can do either in the coffee shop, on the verendah or out on the courtyard. The space on the roof is reserved for families.

When we went there on a Friday evening the place was particularly lively, with Arab musicians sitting on the floor or the square outside the cafe. They were playing traditional instruments, including the Arabic lute, and every so often one, two or three singers would get up and dance to the music.

Listen to the sounds of Arabic drums and singing.

Listen to the sounds of the Arabian Oud (lute)

Although it was ten o' clock at night when we left, there were still some shops open to browse through. We particularly liked this little shop selling Arab shoes, which had been temporarily abandoned by its owner.

Even though Souq Waqif itself is far from being complete, there's already numerous other little cafes and restaurants and we look forward to exploring it further in the future.

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Superbike racing

Saturday 24th February saw round 1 of the Superbike World Championships take place at Losail Racing Track.

Listen to the sounds of the superbikes.

Although Corser set the best time in practice, the first race was won by new-comer to superbike racing Biaggi, with Brit Toseland coming second and Corser coming in a distant ninth. The second race was won by Brit Toseland with Biaggi coming a close second and Corser third. Reigning world champion Troy Bayliss had a disappointing day coming fifth and sixth consecutively.


Like last year, Losail proved singularly inept in updating the score board, which remained unchanged throughout most of the race. A commentary would also have been welcome, but otherwise the races were well organised and exciting.


see a google map of the racetrack

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At the jetty

At this jetty on the Corniche, close to the Sheraton hotel, you can watch brightly coloured fish swimming in the clear water around you while relaxing in the warm winter sun. Look closely, and you will see bigger fish lurking below these small fry.


Click here to listen to the sound of water lapping against the jetty.



Tourist dhows playing loud traditional music will take you on brief trips round the bay. Be careful, though - the fifteen riyal price can rapidly become fifty riyals when you are on the boat, no matter how carefully you check beforehand.


Listen to the sounds of a tourist dhow playing traditional music.

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Listen to the sounds of the Adhan, the Muslim prayer call, echo around the city of Doha on a Friday morning.

About the prayer call

The prayer call you here is the Sunni version - Qataris are predominantly Sunni Adhan is heard five times a day, calling the Muslims to Salat, a prayer which is complusory and must be performed. Traditionally a Muezzin climbed the a prayer tower to deliver the prayer call. However, nowadays the prayer call is often delivered by loudspeaker, which can result in a rather tinny sound.

We've shortened the Adhan posted here. The full text goes:

Allahu akbar Allahu Akbar
As ha du Allah illaha illaulah x2
Ash-hadu anna Muhammadur rasūlullāh
Hayya alas-salāt
Hayya alal-falāh
As-salatu khayru min an-naum x2(fajr prayer)
Allhu akbar Allahu Akbar
Lā ilāha illallāh

Which means:

Allah is great, Allah is great
I bear witness that there is no God except Allah (x2)
I bear witness that Mohammad is the messenger of God
Make haste towards prayer
Make haste towards welfare
Prayer is better than sleep
Allah is great, Allah is great
There is no God except Allah

(We've left Allah as Allah, although of course the translation of Allah is God).

The five prayers:

Salat Ul Fajr - the morning prayer. Should be performed between dawn and sunrise.

Salat Ul Zuhr - the noon prayer.

Salat Ul Asr - begin soon after Salat Ul Zuhr, although the prayer can take place up until just before sunset.

Salat Ul Magrib - begins just after sunset

Salat Ul Isha - begins an hour after sunset.

It is interesting to note that the majority of the praying takes place quite late in the day, presumably to allow people the opportunity to complete their work during daylight hours.

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The sounds of the animal market

Listen to the sounds of the animals and people at the live animal market in Doha.



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Rumeila Park

Click here to listen to the sounds of birds in Rumeila Park


Rumeila Park is located on Corniche Road and has probably the best outdoor children's play area in Doha, with slides, swings and climbing frames all placed on safe sand. There's a large water garden, with shops built around it, an open air theatre, a skateboarding half pipe (which children tend to slide down rather than skate up) and a couple of cafes. The heritage village is located at the Southern end, and showcases a traditional village plus arts and crafts; annoyingly, this is only open during festivals and special occasions. In addition to the water, grass and trees, attract birds, and you can see them play on the ground or listen to their song. There is also a great view across the water to Doha's ever-changing skyline.




Also see Blogging in Sheraton Park

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