Al Rustaq - The Screaming Soul.

Right so here we go back to the usual story doing the routine these days in the whole of Muscat, and obviously leaking it's way to other contigents...the screams of the tormented soul in Rustaq. So is it true or is it a hoax? we find us asking ourselves. No one seems to have a reality conclusion, most of rumours say that they can hear loud shrills of the soul as soon as they step into the area, whereas other observers have heard absolutely nothing in the same area. So are we to believe that this is a hoax? If it is a hoax, then for sure it's a damn good one... but what if it's not? If it's proved that it is'nt a hox, then for sure this will probably be the world's first Omani ghost sighting/hearing(or will it?). Will this lead to "Ghost Hunters" from around the world to the area? Could this be the best form of tourism for a much needed economy in Oman? Let's see what the statistics have to say...

UPDATE!

Im sorry to say that I've not been able to take the trip down to Rustaq as none of my friends wanted to go, and at the same time, the Omani authorities were a little tough on this topic of rumour, so they closed down the area of the noises.(So I've heard)

The authorities have taken out a statement to say that the noises that people hear was from a "dog like" creature leading to more speculation. No dog like creature was ever found and the noises still continue to haunt the residents of Al Rustaq. It has become somewhat of a major tourist attraction in the past few months.

Please stay tuned for more updates, as they come, right here on Absolute Maniac Life and Times!

How did it start:(Rumours)

1.The story began when an old man died at a village very close to Rustaq. He was one of the most wanted witch over there. He passed away recently, but before he passed away he told his sons that they should not open the door to one of his closely guarded rooms even if he died in that creepy place, but when he died they thought they would get money or something similiar.... but instead they heard strong chilling sounds that they had never heard of before there....The place is an old building without any electricity in it, is made of mud....and surrounding it are farms and another old buildings. [Probability - 3/5? Cant make anything of this runour]

2.Something similiar to the 1st rumour, but this time people say, before passing away, the Rustaq witch-man asked his sons never to open the door to his room and made them swear to.. After his passing away, the sons ignored the warning and opened the doors nevertheless. On opening the door, they got the shock of their lives.. They found strange people seated on the floor, chained, dazed and confused, zombie like. It is said that in the past, people disappeard suddenly, especially kids, and after a while they're found dead somewhere, and after burying them, they're found again but unconcious or not sane, as if they're absent minded or something. They used to say that when they're missing, wizards kidnap them and make them seem dead to others, while they're not really dead and after burying them, the wizard comes back, digs the grave and takes out the person and then they work for him as slaves. It's a type of black magic. [Probability - 4/5? Dunno, maybe those who dont believe in black magic wont buy this]

3.Again similiar to the second rumour, but this time, they say the wizard (Rustaq witch man) actually ate these people he used to chain, ranging from babies to women and men. [Probability - 2/5? Could be, cannibals do exist, but what would he get from eating these people? More power?


What Actually Happens:

The story atleast is consistent in every rumour heard. They say that the sound starts from 12 midnight upto the fajr prayers. The sound heard is that of a human being which is similar to that of a tormented man. They say that the sound is so scary that it sends a chill to your bones. (Which actually is true, as heard by me - You can find the video below). No one has been able to identify as to why this is happening or where from. There is no exact spot the sound comes from.

The Area:(Rustaq)

The wilayat of Rustaq is in the Western Hajar, at the south of the Batinah. Rustaq was once the capital of Oman, during the era of Imam Nasir bin Murshid al Ya'arubi. Rustaq fort, built four centuries prior to the dawn of Islam in Oman, is an imposing structure built on three levels, containing separate houses, an armoury, a mosque and four towers. The tallest tower stands over 18.5m high and has a diameter of 6m. Hazm Fort is an outstanding example of Omani Islamic architecture and was built in 1711AD. The fort's roof is built on columns, and contains no wooden supports. Its walls can withstand great impact, being no less than 3m thick.

Rustaq is an area of healing, warm springs, the most notable being Ain al Kasafa.

Sightings/Hearings:(First Hand Accounts)

People have actually started travelling to the site to see for themselves if these rumours are true or not.... although some of them agree that they've heard the sound of screams, they've not been able to determine the exact spot it comes from..(hmmm something fishy there?)

At the same time, others have reported of going to the sound source site and hearing absolutely nothing at all, probably, they claim, because of the prayers going around in the mosques at that time, which probably stops the screams. The Dua's have a lot of power as we muslims believe.

The locals though are absolutely certain that they have been hearing this sound almost everyday, and are so terrified that they are starting to get tightlipped about this.

So then with opinions divided, how interesting does this article get?


Government Action Taken :(The Police/Imam)

As far as the reports are to be believed, the police have conducted a search at the area and are currently tight lipped about the whole issue as they do not want this to be unnecessary drama. But according to more rumours, the people have actually found the chained people in the room that was never supposed to be opened. Whereas others say that the police found nothing at all, and have not even heard the screams.

Latest is that the supreme Islamic scholar of Oman (forgot the name) is going to the site to conduct a spiritual search and probably drive away the sound for good if things work well. Fingers crossed.

Video Clips: (Be aware, download the file and listen/watch at your own risk!)

I have just about laid my hands on a video clip that was forwarded to me by my mom's friend's sister who had happened to visit the site recently. It's about 10 seconds in length and is very spooky, more like the blair witch project. The sound of tormented shouting is clearly audible and very real. Please listen to it only if you're 15+. Apparently there are more video clips doing the round of forums, so as soon as I get hold of any, I will post them here.

>>>>>>Please right click here to download the video clip (you will require Quicktime player to be able to view, or alternatively you can download and then upload it to your phone)


Conclusion:

There is nothing much that I can say except that it does look a little real, but then who can trust video recordings nowdays? So probably the best option is "See, hear it to believe it yourself". The media reports that it could be a "dog-like creature" is simply disturbing and just a lame shot at moving away the attention of the public to something else. The question still remains...what/who is it that makes these dreadful noises? What is the purpose? For now...the question lingers on.