The Middle East is well known for having a vast extension of arid lands knows as the dessert. Therefore, there are few rivers that could be used for navigating purposes through this region. These included The Nile, the Tigris, and the Euphrates.
As a response to this logistical difficulty, Arab sailors developed sailoring techniques and navigational sciences like the sextant during the 10th century. It made it possible for sailors to navigate off the coasts as they no longer needed them as a reference.