{"id":1863,"date":"2018-05-23T12:37:49","date_gmt":"2018-05-23T12:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/cocoon-wp\/?page_id=1863"},"modified":"2026-02-03T13:24:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T13:24:59","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1763879496200{background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">Oud Iraq Center<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Oud Iraq\u2026 the home of authentic melodies and the face of Iraqi musical heritage in the heart of Baghdad.<br \/>\nWe are a specialized center for selling, buying, maintaining, and teaching the oud and all musical instruments, offering the largest selection of rare and modern Iraqi ouds, crafted by the most skilled artisans and oud makers across generations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The center was established to be more than just a store\u2026<br \/>\nA vision carrying a great mission: to revive the art of the Iraqi oud, preserve the heritage of its makers, and create a new generation that plays this sound representing the soul of Iraq since the dawn of civilizations.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Our Mission<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">We believe that the oud is not merely an instrument, but a national identity, the voice of a civilization, and the memory of a city called Baghdad.<br \/>\nFrom this belief, Oud Iraq Center works to:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li>Support Iraqi oud makers and preserve their craftsmanship.<\/li>\n<li>Provide carefully selected ouds, from elite to professional levels.<\/li>\n<li>Offer educational courses led by certified instructors from an early age.<\/li>\n<li>Spread musical culture and introduce the world to the sound of the Iraqi oud.<\/li>\n<li>Build a professional musical community that meets in one place.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">\ud83c\udfb6 Why Oud Iraq?<\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li>The largest collection of rare and distinctive Iraqi ouds.<\/li>\n<li>A genuine quality guarantee for every oud, with inspection and documentation certificates.<\/li>\n<li>After-sales services including maintenance, tuning, and repair.<\/li>\n<li>A luxurious showroom that blends heritage with modernity.<\/li>\n<li>Professional photography and documentation to showcase product details accurately.<\/li>\n<li>A refined purchasing experience worthy of the legacy of the Iraqi oud.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">\ud83c\udfdb Our Roots Go Deeper Than Music<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">For thousands of years, from Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria, Iraq has been the homeland of the earliest forms of music and string instruments.<br \/>\nIn Baghdad, the capital of art and knowledge, oud craftsmanship flourished across centuries\u2026 until it became a symbol of Iraqi identity and a sound that distinguishes it among the peoples of the world.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Oud Iraq revives this journey\u2026<br \/>\nA journey begun by ancient civilizations, which we seek today to continue and present to the world in a modern, refined, and authentic form.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">\ud83c\udf0d Our Vision for the Future<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">We strive for \u201cOud Iraq\u201d to become the leading Arab platform for the Iraqi oud:<br \/>\na center that brings together musicians, connoisseurs, and oud makers, and a place that introduces the world to the beauty of Iraqi musical heritage.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">We aspire to expand, develop, and highlight Baghdad\u2019s artistic name as it was throughout history\u2026<br \/>\nFrom Baghdad to the world\u2026 a sound like no other.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">About the Founder \u2013 Salah Murad<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Behind Oud Iraq Center stands one man who believed from the very beginning that music is not a business, but a message\u2026<br \/>\nSalah Murad, the founder and director of the center, combined his love for Iraqi heritage with his passion for the art of the oud to build a brand that has become a reference for every lover of this ancient sound.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">His journey began with an early fascination with the oud\u2014its making, its history, and the stories of master craftsmen. Over time, passion turned into a project, and the project into a clear vision:<br \/>\nto restore the Iraqi oud to its natural place\u2026 as the most beautiful national sound to emerge from Baghdad to the world.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">\ud83c\udf1f The Founding Story<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The story of \u201cOud Iraq\u201d did not begin with a ready-made store\u2026<br \/>\nIt began with a journey of research that lasted for years: searching for old ouds, for true craftsmen, and for the hidden beauty in every piece of wood carved to become a voice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Salah Murad collected ouds, documented their history, got to know artisans, and restored old instruments to preserve part of Iraq\u2019s musical memory.<br \/>\nAmid all these journeys through workshops, old homes, and heritage markets\u2026 the idea was born:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">To create one center that gathers all this heritage and presents it in a refined and modern way.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Thus, \u201cOud Iraq\u201d was born\u2026<br \/>\nA place that blends heritage and modernity, authenticity and modern techniques, respect for the past and building the future.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">\ud83c\udfdb From an Individual Dream\u2026 to a Trusted Center<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">What began as a personal hobby has today become:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li>The largest gathering of distinctive and rare Iraqi ouds in Baghdad.<\/li>\n<li>A platform that brings together oud makers, performers, and heritage enthusiasts.<\/li>\n<li>A center offering comprehensive services: selling, buying, maintenance, documentation, and education.<\/li>\n<li>A luxury brand representing Iraqi musical identity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Thanks to the founder\u2019s vision and determination, the center has become an official reference for anyone seeking an authentic Iraqi oud at a world-class level.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">\ud83c\udf0d The Founder\u2019s Vision for the Future<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Salah Murad believes that the Iraqi oud is not merely an instrument, but a \u201cvoice of civilization\u201d\u2026<br \/>\nTherefore, he aspires to:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li>Spread this sound beyond the borders of Iraq.<\/li>\n<li>Support local oud makers and develop their craftsmanship.<\/li>\n<li>Create a global online platform to showcase the Iraqi oud.<\/li>\n<li>Document rare ouds and protect them as part of the national heritage.<\/li>\n<li>Build an integrated musical community carrying the name \u201cOud Iraq\u201d to the world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">\u2728 A Personal Message from the Founder<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\u201cOud Iraq is not just a center\u2026<br \/>\nIt is a lifetime project, a memory from Baghdad, and a sound I loved from the first day\u2014and decided to dedicate my life to keeping it alive, respected, and heard by the whole world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1763879496200{background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;] Oud Iraq Center Oud Iraq\u2026 the home of authentic melodies and the face of Iraqi musical heritage in the heart of Baghdad. We are a specialized center for selling, buying, maintaining, and teaching the oud and all musical instruments, offering the largest selection of rare and modern Iraqi [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3438,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1863","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>About - Iraqi OUD<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About - Iraqi OUD\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1763879496200{background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;] Oud Iraq Center Oud Iraq\u2026 the home of authentic melodies and the face of Iraqi musical heritage in the heart of Baghdad. We are a specialized center for selling, buying, maintaining, and teaching the oud and all musical instruments, offering the largest selection of rare and modern Iraqi [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Iraqi OUD\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/17jL3RAEmS\/?mibextid=wwXIfr\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-03T13:24:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/about-iraqi-oud.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/about\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/about\\\/\",\"name\":\"About - Iraqi OUD\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/about\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/about\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/about-iraqi-oud.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-05-23T12:37:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-03T13:24:59+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/about\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/about\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/about\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/about-iraqi-oud.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/about-iraqi-oud.jpg\",\"width\":1300,\"height\":800},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/about\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"About\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Iraqi OUD\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Iraqi OUD\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/iraqi_oud.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/iraqi_oud.png\",\"width\":200,\"height\":193,\"caption\":\"Iraqi OUD\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/oudiraq.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/share\\\/17jL3RAEmS\\\/?mibextid=wwXIfr\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/oud_iraq?igsh=cjF5bWNtdjJreGdk&utm_source=qr\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.tiktok.com\\\/@oud_iraq?_r=1&_t=ZS-93Wm8mpmnIn\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"About - Iraqi OUD","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"About - Iraqi OUD","og_description":"[vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1763879496200{background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;] Oud Iraq Center Oud Iraq\u2026 the home of authentic melodies and the face of Iraqi musical heritage in the heart of Baghdad. We are a specialized center for selling, buying, maintaining, and teaching the oud and all musical instruments, offering the largest selection of rare and modern Iraqi [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/","og_site_name":"Iraqi OUD","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/17jL3RAEmS\/?mibextid=wwXIfr","article_modified_time":"2026-02-03T13:24:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1300,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/about-iraqi-oud.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/","url":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/","name":"About - Iraqi OUD","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/about-iraqi-oud.jpg","datePublished":"2018-05-23T12:37:49+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-03T13:24:59+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/about-iraqi-oud.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/about-iraqi-oud.jpg","width":1300,"height":800},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/about\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"About"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/","name":"Iraqi OUD","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/#organization","name":"Iraqi OUD","url":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/iraqi_oud.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/iraqi_oud.png","width":200,"height":193,"caption":"Iraqi OUD"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/17jL3RAEmS\/?mibextid=wwXIfr","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/oud_iraq?igsh=cjF5bWNtdjJreGdk&utm_source=qr","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@oud_iraq?_r=1&_t=ZS-93Wm8mpmnIn"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1863"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3338,"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1863\/revisions\/3338"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oudiraq.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}