This letter from the chancery of Imam Yaḥyā Ḥamīd al-Dīn to the Dutch charge d’affaires in Jedda Cornelis Adriaanse is a typical representative of the mixture of tradition and modernity that Yemen was experiencing. It is a handwritten calligraphic text composed in an eloquent Classical Arabic language. It bears on top the round red seal of the imam, reminiscent of the seals of Ottoman sultans. But what about the content? It is a request to the Dutch diplomat to assist the Imam with the acquisition of some Philips radio.
Arabic letter. Letter from imam Yaḥyā Ḥamīd al-Dīn to C. Adriaanse, Saana Yemen, 11 Shawwāl 1357 [4 December 1938] (Or. 27.988)