I've been inspired by seeing other people making their own classes and reskins for 5e, so I want to try and make a sort of Aladdin-esque mythological setting. However, on researching actual historical weapons, it seems only the scimitar is something distinct to that culture in terms of weapons.

Are there any other things that would fit in such a setting, like weapons or monsters or items or other concepts? Throw out anything you can think of and I'll vacuum it up with extreme gratefulness.

I can recommend 'Throne of the Crescent Moon' by Saladin Ahmed as a great example of how to blend Islamic/middle eastern influences with classical sword and sorcery conventions in an exciting way. It is a relatively short fiction with a ton of good ideas. Monotheistic monster hunters, dervish warriors and shape-shifting tiger-women blend together perfectly to create a world with the impact of a fantasy freight train.

The use of Baraka as magical power imbued to Islamic Marabouts (Saints) in interesting.
It is popular in myths across the Maghreb. Unlike typical magical power Baraka can be stolen in various ways. There are lots of myths about marabouts stealing each others' power trough tricks and ploys.

Its a bit academic but try

Magical Interpretations, Material Realities: Modernity, Witchcraft and the Occult in Postcolonial Africa

there are a bunch of books I read at Uni but it was a few years back now and I can't remember the titles.

Also Jinn are much more essential than you might imagine. In Islamic tradition Satan is a Jinn (well there is a whole world of debate on the Angel vs jinn topic but suffice to say its an interpretation ).
Jinn literally get everywhere.

I didn't receive my print copy yet, so I can't really comment on the contents but I expect that Sorcerers of Ur-Turuk would be full of ideas.

Embrace Exhaustion rules. Oh so wonderful... May want to edit the "commonly known spells" list to keep the desert temp extremes and lack of water worrisome.

What about the Assassins?

Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;839781I didn't receive my print copy yet, so I can't really comment on the contents but I expect that Sorcerers of Ur-Turuk would be full of ideas.

Sorcerers was actually long on ruleset, short on setting as I read it. I'm hoping Graham has the ideas (and success) to write a setting book, since I'd be far more interested in that.

Quote from: RPGPundit;840051What about the Assassins?

Oh the Hassan, that's a great idea. Although that skews the game in the direction of courts and political intrigue...

Al Quadim, one of the TSR's less known settings, is trying to meld pre- or early-islamic arabian world with Arabian Nights and D&D fantasy. Not sure about authors grasp on real world arabian culture, but as a fantasy setting for D&D I really like it (currently reading Land of Fate).

Written for AD&D (2e) conversion for 5e should be easy. As for weapons, I'm fine with scimitar using longsword stats.

Not to mention stuff like Mamluks and Jannisaries, and crazy Sufi mystics.