When he visited Sohar, al Maqdisi described it as "the gateway to the east a prosperous, beautiful city and a pleasant place to live with a large number of inhabitants." He noted that its residential areas were strung out along the shore and that its mosque, which overlooked the sea, had a tall minaret and a mihrab that changed colour because it was plated with copper. In his book Mu'jam al Buldan (Geographical Dictionary) Yaqut al Hamawi refers to Sohar as "the kasbah of Oman", while al Farisi, author of Hudud al 'Alam (Boundaries of the World) describes it as "the market-place of the whole world." In his book Al Masalik wa'1 Mamalik (The Roads and Countries) al Istakhri says it is rich and beautiful - a description which indicates that even at that time it was economically prosperous and a haven for the ships that plied the Arabian Sea. Amr bin al `As - the Companion of the Prophet who brought the Prophet's message to Abd and Jaifar, the sons of al Julanda and kings of Oman, inviting them to embrace Islam - visited Sohar in the 3rd year of the Hijrah/624AD.

In later years, Sohar was one of the richest ports in the Islamic world and ships sailed to it from China and India and unloaded cargoes to be sold in its souqs. Historians admired the fine buildings along its seafront and described the town in the most glowing terms.

The Wilayat of Sohar is 240 Kilometres from Muscat and borders on the Wilayat of Liwa to the north, the Wilayat of Saham to the south, the Wilayat of Buraimi to the west and the Gulf of Oman to the east. It has a 45-Kilometre-long coastline and an area of around 1,728 square Kilometres. Its mountains extend for over 70 Kilometres.