Every project of ours is a journey and a conversation
Kitaba is a sanctuary for the stories that continue to shape a great civilisation
Kitaba's Journey
Kitaba is an open editorial platform dedicated to celebrate the classical and modern Arab culture.
We translate, curate and produce beautiful editions of landmark texts in its literature, thought, art, music, and architecture.
Our interest is cultural, not doctrinal. We work with works that shape language, cities, imagination, identity, and the inner life of a civilisation.
Kitaba was born in Kerala—where the monsoon winds first brought Arab wisdom to Indian shores. Just as the ancient dhows carried spices and silk, we carry the 'Golden Age' of Arab thought into the digital era, translating a shared heritage for a global audience.
Each book's journey begins with a patron. Projects are funded in advance and produced in carefully crafted limited editions. Many will be shared freely with libraries, institutions and readers. The site offers sample translations from three volumes we love as well as a list of books we wish to produce with your help.
Kitaba is led by Joshua Newton, a reputed author-editor-publisher based in Kochi, Kerala and edited by Ahamed Jalaludheen, an Arabic scholar based in Kozhikode, Kerala, India.
This is a slow publishing initiative.
One text at a time. One bridge at a time.
Support a book. Enable a legacy.
Joshua Newton
Joshua Newton | Founder & Editor
Joshua Newton is an international award-winning contemplative writer, author, and filmmaker with over two decades of experience in global journalism and storytelling. A former coordinating editor of The New Indian Express and features editor of UAE Digest (Dubai) and Men’s Health (India), his reportage and non-fiction have appeared in over 60 publications worldwide. He is the first Asian to receive the Luis Valtuena International Humanitarian Photography Award and has been honoured by the Evangelical Press Association for his investigative features.
His literary and cinematic contributions include the critically acclaimed book of creative non-fiction The Book of People, the spiritual thriller The Boy on the Blue Mountain, and the screenplays for the award-winning films Ritu and Offseason. As a wisdom teacher and founder of The Bliss Work®, Joshua focuses on the "Science of Being" and the preservation of intellectual heritage. This unique synthesis of high-level editorial craft and deep contemplative inquiry allows him to guide Kitaba in bridging the gap between ancient Arabian wisdom and the modern seeker’s quest for meaning.
Wikipedia
Founder-Editor
Ahamed Jalaludheen
Ahamed Jalaludheen is a scholar, translator, and editorial lead specialising in the preservation and dissemination of critical intellectual works. He holds a Master in Islamic and Human Sciences from Darul Huda Islamic University, with a core specialisation in Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and Usul al-Fiqh. His academic foundations are furthered by a Bachelor in Sociology from Calicut University and a Master in Philosophy (M.Phil) from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
Currently serving as the Editorial Anchor for Other Books, Calicut. His recent landmark contributions include the Malayalam translation of Joe Sacco’s graphic novel, Palestine and the translation of Edward Said’s celebrated original foreword to that work.
His expertise in classical Arabic and traditional texts is reflected in his role conducting the Arabic cross-checking and proofreading for the definitive edition of Sheikh Zainudheen Makhdum II’s Tuhfat al-Mujahideen. Having served as a lecturer at Darul Huda Islamic University and a guest speaker on the nature of Ilm (Knowledge) at the University of Calicut, Jalal brings a rare combination of traditional Shafi scholarship and modern editorial precision to the mission of Kitaba.
Editor (Arabic)
Our advisory board
Our strength lies in our team work. The Kitaba team strives to bring in the best talent in various fields, from journalism to filmmaking and publishing.
Esther Bryce
Founder / Interior designer
Lianne Wilson
Broker
Jaden Smith
Architect
Jessica Kim
Photographer
Let's create something timeless
By supporting Kitaba, you ensure the profound wisdom of the Arab world is translated and kept alive for the modern mind. Join us as a Guardian of the Script and help bridge a thousand years of history.
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Kitaba is a cultural initiative dedicated to the digitisation and translation of classic and modern Arabian texts. We aim to inspire a global companionship through the enduring power of the written word.
Supported by the guardians of heritage.
Open to the world.
