Al Jimi Oasis has been farmed for centuries and, in addition to thousands of date palms, the visitor will find large native trees such as the sidr (Zizyphus spinachristi) and ghaf (Prosopis cineraria) and plants cultivated for their medicinal properties. The restoration of over a dozen buildings within the oasis provides an insight into the agricultural and administrative importance of this area from the early 18th century onwards.
Sheikh Ahmad Bin Hilal Al Dhaheri’s house is a large fortified structure, dating from the mid-19th century. The rectangular building is surrounded by a high wall with gun openings at regular intervals. A tower on the northern side and a second structure at the south-eastern corner provided further protection for the oasis west of the house, and a palm tree plantation to the north and east. This was the residence of Sheikh Ahmad Bin Hilal, who was the representative in Al Ain of the ruler, Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa. Sheikh Ahmad Bin Hilal played the important role of intermediary between the ruler in Abu Dhabi and the populace of Al Ain and northern Oman: he received the people and listened and responded to their problems at a special meeting place adjacent to the entrance to the house.
A little to the south of Al Jimi Oasis is Sheikh Ahmad Bin Hilal Al Dhaheri’s watchtower. This 14 metre high tower was built to defend several villages in the area and frustrate attempts to cut off their water supply. Near the tower stands the sidr tree that was believed to be the inspiration for a poem composed by the famous poet Said Bin Mohammad Al Dhaheri, grandson of Sheikh Ahmad. Saif Bin Rubai’ Al Daheri’s mosque is located in the southwest of the oasis, surrounded by palm plantations. There is a covered area made of palm fronds in front of the rectangular building, adjacent to the praying area. Inside, a mihrab (prayer niche) is set into the qibla wall, which indicates the direction of prayer.
Family bonds are strong in Al Jimi. Another house that has passed down through the generations to the present day is that of Bin Hamouda Al Dhaheri, who commissioned its construction 200 years ago. His great-grandson, Hamouda Bin Ali Al Dhaheri, was a high-ranking official who became Undersecretary of the Ministry of the Interior, and later Minister of Internal Affairs and personal consultant to (Former President) the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may his soul rest in peace). The house has a mosque and a deep well in its central courtyard. The landscape of Al Jimi Oasis has changed very little and is made up of many working farms, where workers still engage in traditional agricultural practices, including the pollination of date palms.