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10
95(>.'3
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
PALESTINE UNDER THE
MOSLEMS.
a S>escriptfon of Si?rfa and tbe tyoVs Xan&
FROM A.D. 650 TO I5OO.
TRANSLATED FROM THE WORKS OF
THE MEDIEVAL ARAB GEOGRAPHERS
BY
GUY LE STRANGE.
WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS,
PUBLISHED FOR THE
COMMITTEE OF THE PALESTINE EXPLORATION FUND
BY
ALEXANDER P. WATT,
2. PATERNOSTER SQUARE.
1890.
«a.
M«^i
293412
• • i • ••
•• •• • •
• • • « • «
• • • • •
• •
• •
• • •
• •
t
• • •
« •
TO
Winittr §tstini,
AND FOR MANY YEARS SECRETARY TO THE PALESTINE
EXPLORATION FUND,
TH/S VOLUME IS DEDICATED,
IN TOKEN OF FRIENDSHIP AND ESTEEM, AND IN APPRECIATION
OF THE IMPORTANT WORK DONE BY HIM IN
FORWARDING THE EXPLORATION OF
THE HOLY LAND.
PREFACE.
.<>.
It is the object of the present work to translate and thus render
available the mass of interesting information about Palestine
which lies buried in the Arabic texts of the Moslem geographers
and travellers of the Middle Ages. The materials, both printed
and manuscript, are ample, as will be seen from the list of authori-
ties set forth in the Introduction ; hardly any attempt, however, has
hitherto been made to render the contents of these Arabic texts
available to the English reader. Some few of the works I quote
have, it is true, been translated either in whole or in part, into
Latin, French, or German ; but as far as I am aware, no Orientalist
has as yet undertaken to translate, systematize, and bring into
comparison and chronological order, all the various accounts given
by the Arab geographers of the cities. Holy Places, and districts of
Palestine and Syria.
These provinces of the Byzantine Empire were conquered by
the Arab hordes within a few years of the death of Muhammad
and, except for the interruption caused by the occupation of the
Holy Land by the Crusaders, the country has remained under the
rule of the Moslems down to the present day. Before the close
of the third century after the Flight — corresponding with the ninth
of the Christian era — the science of geography had already begun
to be studied among the learned of Islam. The science, besides
being theoretically expounded in their schools, was practically
treated of in the numerous Arab " Road Books," since the pilgrim-
age to Mecca made every Moslem perforce a traveller once at
least during the course of his life. To the diaries of some of these
viii PREFACE.
pilgrims, whether coming from the western lands of Spain, or
the further east of Persia and beyond — who visited Syria and
Jerusalem on the journey to or from the Hijjiz — we owe the
detailed and graphic descriptions of the Holy City and Damascus,
and the Province of Syria, during the Middle Ages, which occur
in the travels of such men as Nisir-i-Khusrau the Persian, Ibn
Jubair the Spaniard, and Ibn Batdtah the Berber.
It may be useful briefly to indicate the method I have adopted
in carrying through my work. In dealing with the Arab writers,
I have been careful to give in all cases an exact reference
to the text from which the translation has been made, in order
that those who might question my rendering should be able
without loss of time to refer to the original. I may be allowed to
point out that all the information contained in the present volume
has been obtained at first hand, for though I have been careful
to consult the works of other Orientalists who have translated
some of the texts I quote, the translations now published I have
in every case made myself from the Arabic or Persian originals.
In dealing with disputed points relating to the position of the
Holy Places in Jerusalem, I have briefly stated the conclusions
which I thought were to be deduced from the accounts given by
the Moslem writers of the foundation and history of the various
edifices. Theories in respect to the position of the Holy Places,
however, form but a minor portion of my work, which has been
to translate in full, and, where needful, annotate, the texts I had
before me. I am in hopes that others may be able to build with
the bricks I have thus fashioned, and again that from other
printed texts and MSS., similar to those firom which my materials
have been drawn, other workers will bring to light further in-
formation that will correct and enlarge what has been gathered
together in these pages.
Four years have now elapsed since I b^an my work with the
translation of Mukaddasi, during an autumn and winter spent at
Haifa, under Mount Carmel, in Palestine. The result of four
years' labour is perhaps scanty. Those, however, who have ex-
perience of the labour of searching and collating Arabic MSS. —
or even the woric with printed texts as the basis for translation —
PREFACE, ix
will bear me witness that the task is long, and the search often
to be repeated before any satisfactory result is obtained. It is
impossible to skim an Arabic book, and with every care the eye
tires, and, passing over, often fails to note at the frrst reading the
passage that is sought for.
In bringing my labours to a conclusion, I have many to thank
for aid afforded me in collecting and annotating the materials
which form the groundwork of the present volume. In the first
place, I am under a debt of gratitude for the courtesy and liberality
with which the librarians of the great public libraries of Paris,
Munich, London, and Oxford, have answered my demands for
access to the treasures in their charge.
The regulations of the foreign libraries are more liberal in
the matter of loan than is the case at present with us at the
British Museum and at the Bodleian. Under the guarantee
of a letter of introduction, given me by the late Lord Lyons,
at the time our Ambassador at Paris, M. Delisle, director of
the BiblioMque Natianak^ allowed me to borrow and keep
at my own house during many months, for the purposes of
copying and collating, a number of Arabic MSS. belonging to
the Paris Library, which I needed for my work on Siiyfit!.
M. Schefer, the well-known Orientalist, who is at the head of the
Kcole dts Langues Orientales Vivantes at Paris, also allowed me to
carry away on loan, and keep during the greater part of the winter
of 1886-87, ^ number of printed books from the library of the
EcoU^ some of which I should with extreme difficulty have other-
wise procured, since many of the texts I required are already out
of print. To both these gentlemen my heartiest thanks are due.
I need hardly point out how great was the boon they conferred on
me, in thus allowing me to carry away books and MSS. for perusal
in the quiet of my own study ; in so doing sparing me the labour
of cop3ring and collating the texts amid the interruptions and the
incessant coming and going unavoidable in the reading-room of a
great public library.
As regards the Royal Library at Munich, too, I am deeply
indebted to the courtesy of Dr. Laubmann, the director, and his
assistants. On two occasions, during the vacation, when the
X PREFACE,
library is closed to the general public, an exception was made in
my favour — though I came as a perfect stranger to these gentle-
men— and free access was granted me to search and use the
magnificent collection of Oriental manuscripts and printed books
that is found here.
In regard to the British Museum and the Bodleian, I can only
express my acknowledgments to the various curators and officials
of these two national libraries, for the facilities afforded me in
there consulting books which the illiberal regulations of these
establishments render unavailable to students outside the walls of
their respective reading-rooms.
To friends and critics of my former publications I am indebted
for corrections, emendations, and many valuable hints. In the
first place, I have to thank Professor de Goeje, of Leiden, for the
trouble to which he put himself in sending me a long letter filled
with friendly criticism of my translation of Mukaddasi's Description
of Palestine and Syria, To the contents of his letter is largely
due the revision I have made in the present translation. Colonel
Sir Charles Wilson and Major Conder, R.E., have both most
generously given me many learned and useful notes on Mukaddasi^
Ndsir-i'KhusraUy and SuyUti ; and the former I have further to
thank for his paper on the "Gates of the Noble Sanctuary at
Jerusalem," of which I have made a liberal use. Lastly, though
his name appears but rarely in my notes, I owe a debt of
gratitude to Professor Hayter-Lewis for his book on the Ifoiy
Places of Jerusalem^ which I have found invaluable at many
points of my present work. His practical knowledge of archi-
tecture and the personal inspection he has given to the buildings
and sites under discussion, together with the fact that Professor
Hayter-Lewis has no pet theory to support, render his criticisms
and conclusions of the highest possible value.
A few words must be added on the system of transliteration ot
Arabic names employed throughout the following pages. In this
I have made no attempt, by the use of letters with points or bars
beneath, to attain absolute accuracy, and many inconsistencies will
doubtless be discovered by my critics. Nearly all the Arabic place-
names, however, will be found printed in Arabic letters in the
PREFACE. xi
index, and this I deemed was necessary and useful for purposes
of etymology ; While, at the same time, it has dispensed with the
use of dotted-letters in my text, or the adoption of a complicated
system of transliteration.
In regard to dates, unless specially noted to the contrary, the
years are given according to the Christian era. In the translations
and elsewhere it has often been necessary to give the year accord-
ing to the era of the Hijrah, and the corresponding year a.d. has
then been added in brackets. It need hardly be pointed out that
when two dates occur side by side — e,g,, 691 (72) — the higher
figure is the year a.d., ihe lower the year a.h.
In the second part of my work, which contains in alphabetical
order the translation of all the notices I have been able to find in
the Arab geographers of the towns, villages, and other places
throughout the Province of Syria and Palestine, I have thought it
well to add the distances in "miles," or "marches," "stages,"
and " days," which the various authorities give, as lying between
neighbouring points. These distances will in some cases fix
doubtful positions, and in others will serve to mark the lines of
communication and the high-roads of commerce in use during the
Middle Ages, and in the era of the Crusades.
With so many dates, so many foreign names, and such a multi-
tude of references as crowd my pages, though I have done my
best to correct the proofs, many errors must necessarily have
crept in. I shall feel most grateful to any reader who will point
these out to me, and I shall hope, should a second edition be
called for, to profit by the criticisms and corrections of those who
may find occasion to consult these pages.
G. LE S.
22, Piazza dell' Indipendenza,
Florenxe,
January^ 1890.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE xix
PART I.
INTRODUCTION. THE ARAB GEOGRAPHERS. LIST OF
AUTHORITIES i— 13
CHAPTER I.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE.
The name Ash Shdm — Physical features — Qimate — Products— Manners
and customs — Festivals — The Watch-stations of the coast.
Territorial Divisions: The Junds or Military Districts — ^Jund
Filasttn— The Tth, or Desert of the Wanderings— The Jifar— Jund
al Urdunn — The Ghaur — Jund Dimashk — The Ghiltah of Damascus,
the Hauran, and Bathaniyyah, Jaulin, Jaid(ir, and HQIah— The Balki
— Ash ShaHUi — Al Jib&l — ^Jund Hims-^Jund Kinnasrfn— Jund al
'Awisim— The ThughOr— The Nine "Kingdoms'* of Syria.
Tribute and 7 axes — Weights and Measures , . , 14 — 51
CHAPTER II.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE (continued),
Rtoers: The Jordan and its tributaries — The rivers of the coast — The
rivers of Damascus — The Orontes — Rivers of the northern provinces.
Lakes: The Dead Sea— The Lake of Tiberias— The Hiilah—
Damascus Lakes — Lakes of Hims and of AfEmiyyah — Lakes of
Antioch.
Mountains : Sinai — Mount Hor — The Mount of Olives — Mountain-
chains of Palestine : Ebal and Geririm, Jabal 'Amilah — The Jaul&n
hills — Lebanon mountains — Mountains round Damascus — Hermon —
— Jabal al Lukkam ...... 52—82
xiv TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER III.
JERUSALEM.
PAGR
Names of the Holy City — Advantages of Jerusalem — Fertility— Position
— Territory of the Holy City,
TAe Mosque al Aksd : The Prophet's Night Journey— The origin of
the Mosque al Aksa — 'Omar's early building and that of 'Abd al
Malik — Earthquake of the year 130 (746), and restoration of the
mosque by Al Mansiir and Al Mahdi — The technical meaning of the
term Mcujid^ or Mosque— Mukaddasi's description of the Aksa in 985
— The Talisman and the MaksOrahs— Earthquakes of ioi6 and 1034
— Inscriptions relating to repairs — Description of the Aksa by Nasir-
i-Khusrau in 1047 — Dimensions of the mosque — The Crusades —
The mosque given over to the Templars — Description by Idrisi and
'All of Herat — Saladin's reconquest of Jerusalem and restoration of
the AksE in 11 87— Description by Mujlr ad Din in 1496 — Modem
mosque.
The Doftte of the Rock : The Rock — The dome built over it by
*Abd al Malik in 691 — Mr. Fergusson's theory disproved — 'Abd al
Malik's great inscription — Al Mamiin's inscription on the doors —
Description of the dome by Ibn al Fakih in 903 — Arrangement of
the piers and pillars — Istakhri and Ibn Haukal's description — That
of Mukaddasi, 985 — The earthquake of 1016 and the inscriptions
recording repairs — Nslsir-i-Khusrau's visit in 1047 — The fall of the
grpat lantern in 1060 — The Crusaders and the Templum Domini —
Temple-churches and Rafael's picture of the Sposalizio — Idrisi's
account in 11 54 — *Ali of Herat in 1173 ; the iron railing round the
Rock, and other details — Pieces of the rock taken by the Crusaders
as relics — Saladin's restoration — His great inscription in the Dome —
Ibn Batfitah's visit in 1355 — Destruction of the Cupola by fire in
1448 — Suyiiti's description of the Footprint of the Prophet, the Cave,
and other marvels — Mujlr ad Din's measurements . . 83 — 137
CHAPTER IV.
JERUSALEM (continued).
Traditional Accounts : 'Omar's finding of the Rock — The Service insti-
tuted by the Khalif 'Abd al Malik.
The Dome of the Chain : Minor domes — The platform and stair-
ways—The Court and the Haram Area — The Cradle of Jesus and
Stables of Solomon — Minor buildings— Minarets . . 138 — 172
TABLE OF CONTENTS, xv
CHAPTER V.
JERUSALEM (continued),
PAGR
The Gates of the Haram Area — The Colonnades — Size of the Haram
Area — The Tanks and ?ools.
754/ Church of the Remi-rection : The Miracle of the Holy Fire —
The Garden of Gethsemane — The Tomb of the Virgin — Pater Noster
Church and Hethany — The Church of the Ascension and of the
Jacobites — ^The Church of Sion and Gallicantus.
City Gates: The Castle — Wadi yahannum and the Tomb of
Absalom.
The Plain, As Sdhirah : The Pool of Siloam— The Well of Job-
Cavern of Korah ...... 173 — 223
CHAPTER VI.
DAMASCUS.
Description by Mukaddasi in 985 A.D. — The Great Mosque — Mosaics —
City Gates — Other accounts — The rivers of Damascus — Villages
round the City — The Ghautah, or Plain, of Damascus — The various
water-courses — The Hill of Jesus — Ibn Jubair's description of the
City and Mosque in 1184 — The ascent of the Great Dome — The two
descriptions of the Clepsydra — Ibn Batutah's description in 1355
— Shrines — Suburbs — Traditions — Burning of the Mosque by
Timur-Leng ....... 224 — 273
CHAPTER VII.
LEGENDS AND MARVEI^.
Ar Raktm and the Cave of the Sleepers— Zi/^Z/flr (Zoar, Segor), the Cities
of Lot, and the Legend of Lot's daughters—-^/ Kalt and the Well
of the Leaf— Urim and the Ancient Temple — ^Ain al J&rah and
the Menhir — BcCalbakk and the Great Stones — Bait Lahm (Beth-
lehem) and the Basilica of Constantine — An Ndsirah (Nazareth) and
the Wonderful Tree ...... 274—302
xvi TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS.
I'AGE
Ar Ramlah, founded by the Khalif Sulaiman— The White Mosque —
Hebron: The Tombs of the Patriarchs — Visits to the Cave of Mach-
pelah — Invention of the Tonnb of Joseph. Acre ('Akkah) : Construc-
tion of the Port by Ibn TOlOn. Tiberias (Tabariyyah) : The Thermal
Springs and Baths— The Tomb of David . . . 303— 34^
CHAPTER IX.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS (continued).
Tyre (S(ir). Sidon (Saidd). Tripoli (Tarabulus, or Atr&bulus) : The Old
and the New Town — The Castles of the Assassins. Hims (Emessa) :
The Talisman against Scorpions. Harndh (Hamath) : The Ancient
Castle. Aleppo (Halab) : Ibn Butlan's Description — The Castle.
Antioch (Ant&kiyyah) : Christian Churches and Convents — Descrip-
tion by Ibn Butl&n— The Great Storm of the Year 1050 a.d.—
Tradition of Habfb an Najar. Tarsus: The Frontier Fortress, and
the Garrison ....... 342 — 378
PART 11.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PLACES IN PALESTINE AND
SYRIA ........ 379—556
APPENDIX. Note on the builder of the great Aks4 Mosque . . 557
INDEX ........ 559—604
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FACB
The Dome of the Rock and the Dome of the
Chain ...... Frontispiece
Plan of the Mosque of Ibn TCLt>N, in Old Cairo . 95
Plan of the AksA Mosque, according to the descrip-
tion OF Al Mukaddasi in 985 A.D. . to foce 99
Plan of the Aksa Mosque, according to the descrip-
tion OF Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047 A.D. . to foce 106
Plan of the AksA Mosque at the present day . to f cue no
View of the North Front and Portico of the AksA
Mosque at the present day . . to face in
Plan of the Do'me of the Rock and the Dome of the
Chaik at the present day . . . to face 114
Plan of the Dome of the Rock in the time of
NAsir-i-Khusrau, in 1047 a.d. . .126
Plan of the Haram Area in the time of
NAsir-i-Khusrau, 1047 A.D. . . . to face 150
Plan OF THE Haram Area AT THE present DAY . to f cue 172
Elevation of the South Wall of the Haram Area, and
OF THE East Wall at the present day . to face 177
Southern End of the Aksa Mosque and Wall of
THE Haram Area, showing the remains of the
ancient Double Gate . to face 181
h
xirui LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PACK
View of Passage-way under the AksA Mosque, lead-
ing UP FROM THE ANCIENT DOUBLE GaTE . to/aC€ 182
Ancient Single Gate, exterior of the South Wall
OF THE Haram Area. . to /ace 183
Ancient Triple Gate, exterior of the South Wall
OF THE Haram Area . to /ace 184
Plan of the Great Omayyad Mosque at Damascus
AT THE PRESENT DAY .... to/ace 226
Plan of the Sanctuary at Hebron . -313
Map of Palestine and Syria during the Middle
Ages, according to the descriptions of the Arab
Geographers . . . . . to /ace 14
Map of Jerusalem and its immediate Environs,
985 — 1052 A.D. .... to /cue 83
xix ]
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
-«-
Dates in brackets refer to the years of the Hijrah,
^
A.D. 632, June (a.h. ii). Death of Muhammad, Abu Bakr Khah\.
„ 634, Aug. (13). 'Omar Khalif.
>» 634* Sept. (13). Greeks defeated on the Yarmtik (Hieromax).
99 635 (14). Capitulation of Damascus. Defeat of Greeks at
Fihl (Pella). Jordan Province reduced.
„ 636 (15). Emessa and Antioch taken. Reduction of Northern
Syria. Defeat of Greeks at Ajnadain. Cities of Pales-
tine from Gaza to Ndbulus taken. Capitulation of
Jerusalem.
„ 639 (18). Mu'iwiyah Governor of Syria.
„ 644 (24). 'Othman Khalif.
„ 656 (35). 'Ali Khalif.
,, 661 (40). Hasan succeeds 'Ali, but abdicates in favour of
Mu'dwiyah, first Khalif of the House of Omayyah.
„ 661 — 750. Fourteen Omayyad Khalifs reigning at Damascus,
viz. :
Mu'iwiyah I., a.d. 661 (41). Yazid I., 680 (60).
Mu'awiyah II., 683 (64). Marwib I., 683 (64). 'Abd
al Malik, 685 (65). Al Waltd I., 705 (86). Sulaimin,
715 (96). 'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz, 717 (99). Yazld II.,
720 (loi). Hish&m, 724 (105). Al Walid II., 743 (125).
Yazid III., 744 (126). IbrsUitm. Marwin II., 744 (127) ;
defeated and slain a.d. 750 (132).
>f 750 (132)- First of the Abbaside Dynasty, As SaffHh Khalif;
Baghdad becomes the seat of their Government.
Thirty-seven Khalifs in all, from a.d. 750 to 1258
^—2
XX CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE,
The first fifteen whose sovereignty was acknowledged in
Syria were :
As SaflflUi A.D. 750 (132). Al MansOr, 754 (136). Al Mahd!,
775 (158). Al H4df, 785 (169). Ar Rashtd, 786 (170).
Al Amtn, 809 (193). Al Mamfin, 813 (198). Al
Mu'tasim, 833 (218). Al WSthik, 842 (227). Al Muta-
wakkil, 847 (232). Al Muntasir, 861 (247). Al Mustain,
862 (248). Al Mu'tazz, 866 (251). Al Muhtadt, 869
(255). Al Mu'tamid, 870 (256). From a.d. 892 to
1258 twenty-two Khalifs who, for the most part, were
only acknowledged as the spiritual sovereigns of the
Muslims in Syria.
A.D. 878 (264). Ahmad ibn TiilQn, Independent Governor of
Egjrpt, gains possession of Syria, which remains in the
power of the TCilfinide Governors of Egypt, viz. :
Ahmad ibn Tdltn, A.D. 868 (254) Khumirawaih, 883 (270).
Jaish Abu-1 'Asakir, 895 (282). Hiran, 896 (283), to
A.D. 904 (292).
„ 906 (293). Damascus and other towns of S3n*ia plundered
during the inroad of the Karmathians.
n 934 — 969 (323 — 358). Ikhshid! Princes of Egypt hold
Damascus with Southern Syria and Palestine, viz. :
Muhammad al Ikhshtd, A.D. 934 (323). Abu-1 Kasim, 946
(334). 'Ali, 960 (349). Kiffir, 966 (355). Abu-1 Fawaris
Ahmad, 968 (357).
„ 944 — 1003 (333 — 394). Hamdan! Princes of Aleppo hold the
Districts of Northern Syria, viz. :
Saif ad Daulah, a.d. 944 (333). Sa'ad ad Daulah, 967 (356).
Said ad Daulah, 991 (381).
» 969 (358). Al Mu'izz, fourth Fatimite Khalif, gains possession
of Egypt, and drives the Ikhshidis out of Southern Syria
and Palestine.
Fourteen Fatimite Khalifs of Egypt, viz. :
Al Mahdt, a.d. 909 (297). Al KSim, 934 (322). Al Mansdr,
945 (334). Al Mu'i«, 952 (341). Al 'Aziz, 975 (3^5).
Al Hakim, 996 (386). Adh DhAhir, 1020 (411}. Al
Mustansir, 1035 (427). Al Musla'ali, 1094 (487). Al
Amir, lioi (495). Al Hafiz, 1130 (524). Adh Dhifir,
1 149 (544). Al F&iz, 1 154 (549)- Al Adid, 1 160 (555).
„ 1070 (463). Alp Arslan, the Saljfik, conquers Aleppo and the
cities of Northern Syria, in the name of the Abbaside
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. xxi
Klialif of Baghdad, Al Kdim. Ansuz (or Atsiz), the
Turkoman, conquers Jerusalem, and afterwards Tiberias
and Damascus with their territories, in the name of the
Abbaside Khalifs.
A.D. 1 091 (484). 11 Ghizi and Sukmdn, sons of Ortok, Governors
of Jerusalem.
„ 1096 (489). Jerusalem retaken by the Fatimite General of
Al Musta'ali.
„ 1098 (491). Antioch and Ma'arrah taken by the Crusaders.
„ 1 099, July (49 2 ). Jerusalem conquered by Godfrey de Bouillon.
Latin Kings of Jerusalem, viz. :
Godfrey, 1099; Baldwin I., iioo; Baldwin II., 11 18; Fulk,
1 131 ; Baldwin III., 1144.
n 1 147. Second Crusade ; 1148, failure of Siege of Damascus;
' i53i Ascalon taken,
n 1154 (549)- NQr ad Din Zanki, Sultan of Damascus.
„ 1169(565). Saladin, his Lieutenant in Egypt; 1171 (566),
Saladin proclaims the supremacy of the Abbasides, and
suppresses the Fatimite Khalifate of Egypt.
Latin Kings of Jerusalem (continued) :
Almeric, 1162; Baldwin IV., 1 173; Baldwin V., 1186; Guy
de Lusignan, 1 186 to 1 187.
„ 1 1 74 (569). Death of Nfir ad Din ; Saladin takes possession
of Damascus.
1 187, July (583). Defeat of Crusaders at Hattin ; Saladin re-
conquers Jerusalem.
1 188 — 1 192. Third Crusade; 1191, Richard Coeur de Lion
and Philippe Auguste reconquer Acre.
"93 (589). Death of Saladin ; he is succeeded by his three
sons : Al Afdal, at Damascus ; Al 'Aziz, at Cairo ; Adh
Dhihir, at Aleppo.
„ 1 193. Fourth Crusade, loss of Jaffa.
„ 1 196 (592). Al Malik al 'Adil, brother of Saladin, becomes
Sultan of Damascus.
„ 1204. Fifth Crusade, I^tin Empire of Constantinople.
„ 1 218. Sixth Crusade, conquest of Damictta.
„ 1229. Emperor Frederick II. obtains Jerusalem by treaty
from Sultan Kdmil of Egypt ; ten years' truce.
99
»f
99
xxii CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
A.D. 1240. Seventh Crusade, Richard Earl of Cornwall.
„ 1 244. Jerusalem sacked by the Kharizmians.
„ 1245. Eighth Crusade, St. Louis IX. takes Damietta.
„ 1250 (648). Eibek, Mamlfik Sultan of Egypt.
From 1250 to 1390 twenty-five Mamli^k (Bahrite) sultans of
Egypt, to whom Syria was dependent.
„ 1260 — 1277 (658-676). H{ilag{i, grandson of Jengis Khan,
the Mongol, seizes Damascus and Northern Syria. The
Mongols are beaten at 'Ain Jilfid by Sultan Kutuz, of
Egypt, who regains possession of Syria.
„ 1260(658). Baibars, Sultan of Egypt; 1265, captures
Caesarea, 'Athlith, Haifa and Ars{if ; 1266, takes Safed ;
1 268, takes Jaffa, Shakif (Beaufort), and Antioch.
„ 1279 (67^)- Sultan Kal^'On of Egypt. Campaign in Syria,
sack of Tripoli.
„ 1290 (689). Sultan Salah ad Din Khalil captures Acre, Tyre,
Bair^t and Sidon.
>» 1390 (792)- Sultan Bark{ik.
From 1390 to 1516 twenty-four Mamldk (Burjite) sultans of
Egypt, to whom Syria was nominally dependent.
„ 1400 (803) Tim(ir-Leng conquers Hamih, Hims and Ba'al-
bakk ; 1401, takes Damascus and bums the greater part
of the city.
„ 1516 (922). Syria and Egypt conquered by Sultan Selim, of
Constantinople.
ERRATA.
Page 27, line i6,/<>r «* Mitelcnc," read *» Mclitenc."
Page 36, line lo^for " Al Karashiyyah," read " Al Kurashiyyah."
Page 37, line 2l^ifor " Annoricum," read " Amorium."
Page 56, line 9, before ** Khumaruwaih," dele " ihe "
Page 81, Une 9, for " Jabal al Khalt," read " Jabal al Khait."
Page 92, line 2. See note to this, Appendix, p. 557.
Page 489, line y^for " Al Kuraishiyyah," reoti " Al Kurashiyyah."
Page 499, heading and line %for " Mm elene," read " Melitene."
Page 544. Hne 26, the paragraph on TartCs (Tortosa) should be added
to what is given on p. 395, under the heading Antart(^s.
»
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
4-
PART I.
INTRODUCTION, li..'
THE ARAB GEOGRAPHERS.
For purposes of reference a list is here given of the Arab
geographers and historians whose works are quoted in the follow-
ing pages. In addition a short biographical summary is prefixed
to the indication of the edition of the Arabic text from which the
translations have been made. Further information concerning the
various authorities and their works will generally be found in the
prefaces of the editions quoted in the present work.
The earliest extant Arab books on geography and history date
from the ninth century a.d., for it will be remembered that the
Muslims did not begin to write books until fully two centuries
had elapsed after the era of the Flight. From this period, however,
that is, from about the middle of the ninth century and down to
the end of the fifteenth of the Christian era, the names of authors
follow each other at very short intervals, and the list shows over a
score of writers, all Muslims, and nearly all writing in Arabic, who
describe for us, sometimes in considerable detail, the various
provinces of Syria and Palestine.
The list is long, but it should be stated that in many cases we
have not, in the works here named, exclusively the results of
personal observation or information at first hand. Arab authors
I
V.
• •
• •• •
• • •
2 PALE^T-IKE VNDER THE MOSLEMS.
» • • •
•* "• •'
have plagiarized^ e&h' from his predecessor, to a very remarkable
degree ; neitWr, 4s the debt always duly acknowledged. Each
tried to ifiak^ his work as complete as possible by incorporating
therein alf Tie could gather from previous writers, adding some-
thing /Jt)m personal observation when the author himself happened
•'•.lQ.*4iave visited the places described. This constant plagiarism,
i though it tends to decrease the amount of new information, is, in
one way, not without its value, since by a comparison of the
borrowed texts we are enabled to correct the mistakes of copyists
and fill in many lacunae.
The following is the list-c^our authorities :
1. Ibn Khurdadbih.' Tnis writer was a Persian by birth, as
his father's name shows, for KhurdM-bih signifies in old Persian
Good Gift of the Sun (as the Greeks would have said, Heliodorus).
Ibn Khurdadbih was born about the commencement of the third
century of Hijrah (corresponding to the ninth of our era) and
flourished at the court of the Abbaside Khalif Al Mu'tamid, at
Baghdad. Ibn Khurdadbih held the office of Chief of the Post
in the province of Jibal, the ancient Media, and with a view,
doubtless, of instructing his subordinates, compiled the ^^ Hand-
book of Routes and Countries,'*' which has come down to us as one
of the earliest of Muslim geographical treatises.
The translations here given are made from the Arabic text
published by C. Barbier de Meynard in the Journal Asiatique for
the year 1865.
2. The work of Biladhuri is of an entirely different order to the
foregoing, and only in a very secondar)^ sense geographical. His
is the earliest historical account we possess of the Conquests of
the Muslims. He w^as bom at Baghdad, and received his educa-
tion there during the days of the great Khalif, Al Mamdn, and
lived to enjoy the favour of both Al Mutawakkil and Al Musta'in,
his successors. Biladhuri wrote his " Book of the Conquests "
about the year 869, and died in 892. His work is unfortunately
almost barren of geographical description, the names of the places
only being given, and nothing more ; all detail is confined to the
ordering of the battles, and the biographical notices of those who
took part in the actions.
THE ARAB GEOGRAPHERS. 3
The translations are from the text called Kitab FutHh al Buld&n^
published by M. J. de Goeje, Leiden, 1866.
3. Kudamah, the author of a work on the revenues of the
Muslim Empire, written about the year 880, was of Christian
origin, but, like most of his compeers, he had found it to his
advantage to embrace Islam. He occupied the post of accountant
in the Revenue Department at Baghdad, and we know nothing
further of his biography except that he died in 948. ^^^^
A translation, with extracts from the Arabic texti'ls given by
McG. de Skme, under the title oi Kit&bal Kharaj\ in th^ Journal
Asiatiqiu for 1862, and from this the details of revenues of Syria
inserted in Chapter i. are taken. t/ V3
4. Ya'kQbi (also called Ibn W^dhih) was both historian and geo-
grapher. In his History, which was written as early as the year 874,
he states that the Dome of the Rock was the work of the Khalif
'Abd al Malik, and gives the reason that prompted this prince to
construct it. This is the earliest account we possess of the origin
of this important building, and it refutes the theory advocated
by the late Mr. Fergusson, that the Dome of the Rock was
originally a Byzantine church. • y-
YaTcfibi's Geography was wrfften many years later than his
History, and about the year 891. It unfortunately has not reached
us in a perfect state, but the section relating to Syria is tolerably
complete. The work is curious, for it gives notes on the settle-
ments made by the various Arab tribes who had migrated into
Syria ; otherwise the book is little more than a bare list of pro-
vinces, with their chief cities, and is only interesting for the
information given of what were the great towns in those early
days. .
Of YaTcdbi's biography but little is known. It would appear
that he was born in Egypt, passed the earlier part of his life in
Khurasin and the further east, and came back to spend his latter
years on the banks of the Nile in the land of his birth.
The text of the " Geography " was edited by A. W. T. Juynboll,
l^iden, 1861, and it is from this edition the translations are made.
The text of the " History^'* under YaTcQbi^s alternative name of
Ibn Widhih, has been edited by M. T. Houtsma, Leiden, 1883.
I — 2
4 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
5. Ibn al Fakih, the author of a very curious geographical
miscellany, was a native of Hamadan, in Western Persia, and
flourished during the Khalifate of Al Mu'tadhid at Baghdad. He
wrote his work about the year 903, but unfortunately we only
possess it in the form of a somewhat arbitrary abridgment made
by a certain 'Ali Shaizari, of whom little more is known than his
name. Ibn al Fakih gives a careful description of the Haram
Area at Jerusalem, and is also the first Arab author to describe
the great stones at Baalbek, of which he notes the measurements.
The text of the epitome of his work forms the fifth volume of the
Bibliotheca Geographorum Arabicorum, edited by M. J. de Goeje,
Leiden, 1885.
6. The next name on the list is that of a Spanish Arab, Ibn
'Abd Rabbih, born at Cordova in 860, and died in the same city
in 940. He composed an extremely interesting historical work,
extending to three volumes in the Cairo printed edition, giving
details of the life, and manners and customs, of the pre-Islariiic ,
Arabs and others. The book is named " T/u Collar of UniqUeJ^
Pearls^' and in it there is a chapter describing in great detail the
. appearance of the Haram Area at Jerusalem. Whether the author
ever visited the Holy City is not known ; some parts of his de-
scription are identical with what is found irt Ibn al Fakih's work,
just named ; but many details again vary from the account there
given.
The Arabic text has been printed at Bulak, Cairo, in a.h. 1293
(1876), under the title Al 'Ikd al Farid.
7. Mas'Qdi is the author of one of the most entertaining his-
torical works to be found in the whole range of Muslim literature.
His ^'' Meadoivs of Gold'' begin with the Creation, and recount all
the Arabs knew of universal history down to the year 943, when
the work was written. Mas'^di was born in Baghdad towards the
end of the M||bth century of our era. In his youth he travelled
far and wide, visiting Multan and parts of India, and passing through
Persia a second time on his way to India and Ceylon, whence he
returned to Baghdad vid Madagascar. He travelled through
Palestine in 926, and spent some time at Antioch ; then went and
settled in Egypt about the year 955, where he died a year later, at
THE ARAB GEOGRAPHERS, 5
Fustat, now called Old Cairo. Scattered broadcast among his
many volumes of historic lore are a number of geographical notes,
which are of considerable value, by reason of the early period at
which the author wrote, his acuteness of observation, and his
great learning. H ^"^
The Arabic text, with a French translation, of the " Meadows of
Gold'^ {MuridJ adh Dhahab) has been published by C. Barbier de
Meynard and P. de Courteille in nine vols., Paris, 1861-77 ; and
it is from this text the translations have been made. _y/33»
8 and 9. The names of Istakhri (who wrote in 951), and Ibn — j^J
Haukal (who wrote in 978), must be taken together, for the latter,
who is the better-known author of the two, only brought out an
amended and somewhat enlarged edition of the work of the former,
and to which he gave his own name. We have in this double
book the first systematic Arab geography. It is not a mere Road
Book, such as is Ibn Kurdddbih's work, nor a Revenue List, like
Kudamah's — but a careful description of each province in turn
of the Muslim Empire, with the chief cities and notable places.
Istakhri, a native of Persepolis, as his name implies, states that he
wrote his book to explain the maps which had been drawn up by
a certain Balkhi, about the year 921, which maps are unfortunately
not extant Of Istakhri and Ibn Haukal all that we know is that
they were both by trade merchants, and that they travelled far
and wide in the pursuit of commerce. All biographical details
of their lives are wanting.
The texts of Istakhri and Ibn Haukal form the first and second
volumes of M. J. de Goeje's Bibliotheca Geographorum Arabicorum^
Leiden, 1870, 1873. The translation is made from whichever has
proved to be the fuller narrative of the two, generally but not
invariably that found in Ibn Haukal's work.
10. Al Mukaddasi, "the Hierosolomite," was born at Jerusalem
in 946. He had the advantage of an excellent education, and
after having made the Pilgrimage to Makkah in his twentieth year,
determined to devote himself to the study of geography. For the
purpose of acquiring the necessary information he undertook a
series of journeys which lasted over a score of years, and carried
him in turn through all the countries of Islam. It was only in
6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
985 that he set himself to write his book, which gives us a sys-
tematic account of all the places and regions he had visited. His
description of Palestine, and especially of Jerusalem, his native
city, is one of the best parts of the work. All he wrote is the
fruit of his own observation, and his descriptions of the manners
and customs of the various nations and the physical features of
the various countries, bear the stamp of a shrewd and observant
mind, fortified by a profound knowledge of both books and men.
The translation of Mukaddasi I have already given in one of
the publications of the Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society, and it is
made from the Arabic text published as the third volume of M. J.
de Goeje's Bibliotheca cited above, to which text the pages given
have reference.
11. Rather more than half a century later than Mukaddasi, and
about half a century before the first Crusade, the Persian traveller,
Nasir-i-Khusrau, passed through Palestine on his way to Makkah.
He was in Jerusalem in 1047, and his description of the Holy
City and the Haram Area is most minute, and extremely valuable,
as being the last we have of the holy places before the coming of
the Crusaders. Nasir was born in the neighbourhood of Balkh, in
1003, and during the earlier years of his life travelled in India,
where he lived for some time at the court of the celebrated Sultan
MahmQd of Ghazni. He subsequently undertook the pilgrimage
to Makkah, and it was on this occasion that he passed through
Palestine and sojourned at Jerusalem.
The portion of his Diary having reference to the Holy Land I
have translated (from the Persian original) in a recent number of
the Palestine Pilgrimi Texts, The Persian text used is that
collated from two MSS. in the British Museum (Ad, 184 18, and
Or. 1 991).
A French translation of Nasir-i-Khusrau, with the Persian text
following, has been given by C. Schefer under the title of Sefer
Nameh, Paris, 1881. The British Museum MSS., however, give
several new and important readings, and enable us to clear up not
a few of the obscurities found in the French translation.
12. Ibn Butlun's description of Antioch, and of some other of
the cities of Syria, is only known to us by the extracts preserved
THE ARAB GEOGRAPHERS. 7
in Yakdt^s great Geographical Dictionary (see below, No. i6),
and no copy, apparently, of the original work is preserved among
the Oriental manuscript collections of our European libraries.
YakQt quotes the text verbatim from the Epistle (RisAiah\
which Ibn Butlin addressed to his friend, Abu'l Husain Hillal ibn
al Muhsin as S^bl, at Baghdad. The Epistle was written " in the
year 440 and odd," says YakQt ; a date, however, mentioned inci-
dentally in the course of the narrative, shows that Ibn Butlan must
have passed through Antioch during the year 443 (a.d. 1051).
Ibn Butlan was a well-known Christian Arab physician, and a
native of Baghdad. In 439 (a.d. 1047) he set out from that city
to visit his Eg}'ptian rival, the physician Ibn Rudhwin, at Cairo,
and, going thence to Constantinople, took his return journey
through Antioch. Here, age and the vanity of human wisdom
caused him to abandon the world, and he became a monk, dying
very shortly afterwards at Antioch, in the year 444 (1052 a.d.).
13. The geographer Idrisi, is perhaps better known in the west
than any other Arab writer on this subject As long ago as 1592
the text of his book was printed in Rome. His Geography was
written in 1154 at the request of the Norman King, Roger IL, of
Sicily, at whose court he resided. Idrisi was bom at Ceuta, but of
Spanish- Arab parents. He travelled much, for he relates that he has
seen the English and French coasts, and has lived at Lisbon. His
description of Palestine is excellent, and what he says of Jerusalem
is particularly interesting, for he wrote of the Holy City as it was
during the occupation of the Crusaders. Some authorities state
that he visited Asia Minor in the year 1 1 1 6, but there is no ground
for supposing that he went south of this, or that he had himself
visited the Holy Land. His information, therefore, must have
been derived from the accounts that he obtained at the court of
Roger from books, and from those who had returned from their
travels in that country.
The Arabic text from which the present translations are made
is that published in the Transactions of the German Faicestina-
Verdn^ voL viii., 1885, by J. Gildemeister.
14. Another Muslim who has left us a description of sites in
Palestine during Crusading times is 'Ali of Herat, who wrote in
8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS, ' '
1 173 a small work on " T/i^ Places of Pilgrimage'' Its most in-
teresting section is that describing Hebron, wherein he gives an
account of a visit to the Cave of Machpelah. 'Ali of Herat,
though of Persian origin, wrote in Arabic. The text of his work
has not been printed ; but the Bodleian Library at Oxford possesses
a good MS. of the work {MS, E. D, Clarkii 17, civ., Uri.)^ from
which the translations given below have been made.
'Ali died at Aleppo, where he had lived and written his book,
in the year 1215.
15. In 1 185, two years before Saladin re-conquered Jerusalem,
the northern part of Palestine was visited by the traveller Ibn
Jubair, a Spanish-Arab, born at Valencia in 1145. Ibn Jubair
set out on his travels from Granada in 1183; he came first to
Egypt, went up the Nile, and then across the desert to Aidhab,
on the Red Sea, whence he reached Makkah, and subsequently
Al Madtnah. Thence he crossed Arabia to Kufah and Baghdad
(of which he has left a most interesting account) ; and, travelling
up the Tigris bank, crossed from Mosul to Aleppo, came down to
Damascus, and thence on to Acre, where he took ship, and ulti-
mately landed again on Spanish soil, at Carthagena, in 1185. Un-
fortunately for us he did not visit Jerusalem. He made two other
voyages to the East subsequent to the one above mentioned, and
on his return journey died at Alexandria, in Eg}'pt. His descrip-
tion of the places he saw is lively and full of detail, although from
the ornate style in which he wrote, a literal translation of his Diary
would be tiresome reading. His description of Damascus is given
in Chapter vi. of the present work, and is the fullest we possess of
that city during the Middle Ages. '^^^
The Arabic text of Ibn Jubair's Diary has been published by
the late Professor William Wright, Leiden, 1852, and it is to the
pages of this work that the references, in the condensed transla-
tion given, refer.
16. For the immense extent of his labours, and the great bulk
of his writings, Yaktit may certainly take first rank among Muslim
geographers. By birth a Greek and a slave, he was brought up and
received a scientific education at Baghdad, in the house of his
master, who was a merchant. The details of his biography would
THE ARAB GEOGRAPHERS, 9
take too long to recount — suffice it to say that, at various periods
of his wandering life, he sojourned at Aleppo, Mosul, Arbela, and
Marv; and that he fled from this latter city (in those days renowned
for its numerous libraries) in 1220, on the advent of the armies of
Jenghis Khan. Travelling across Persia and through Mesopotamia,
YakQt ultimately reached Syria, and settled down at Aleppo, in
which city he died in 1229. His great Geographical Lexicon,
which describes in alphabetical order every town and place of
which the author could obtain any information, was completed in
the year 1225. It is a storehouse of geographical information,
the value of which it would be impossible to over-estimate ; for
the book gives a detailed account, as seen in the thirteenth century,
of all the countries and towns in Muslim lands, from Spain, in the
West, to beyond Transoxiana and India, in the East. Some idea
of the mass of information, both geographical and historical,
therein contained, may perhaps be gathered from the statement
that the Arabic text, as printed at the cost of the German Oriental
Society, covers close on 4,000 pages, large 8vo ; and that an
English translation, with the needful notes, would occupy from
double to treble that space.
Yakiit also wrote a useful dictionary of Geographical Homonyms,
being a list of different places that have identical names. ,; -» r
The gr^t Geographical Dictionary referred to above, called
Miijam alBulddn — "The Alphabetical (Dictionary) of Geography "
— is edited by Professor Wiistenfeld in six volumes, Leipsic, 1866.
The Dictionary of Homonyms, called Al Mushtartky is edited by
the same Orientalist, and was published at Gottingen in 1846.
17. Three-quarters of a century after YakQt had finished his
great Dictionary, his work was epitomized by a certain Safi ad
Din. He added some few articles of his owm, and cut down all
the descriptions of places found in YakQt, giving to each name
but a single line of text. The work is entitled Mardsid al Ittild
— "The Watch-Tower of Informations." Of the epitomist, Safi
ad Din, nothing is known, and even his name is somewhat a
matter of doubt; but the year 1300 must have been approximately
the date of his work, for he mentions as a recent occurrence the
taking of Acre in 1291. The text of the Mardsid has been
,o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
edited by T. G. J. Juynboll (Leiden, 1859); but since this edition
has been brought out, Professor Wiistenfeld has collated a MS.
belonging to Lord Lindsay, which gives some additions to the
printed text. These have been added by Professor Wiistenfeld to
vol. V. of his edition of Yakat at pp. 11-32. //♦' .
18. Dimashki, born in 1256 at Damascus (as his name implies),
wrote, about the year 1300, a jejune description of his native land,
which, however, affords, on certain points, many curious details of
the state of the country after the departure of the Crusaders. He
was a contemporary of Sultan Bibirs, and his work is of value in
connection with the Crusading Chronicles. He died at Safed in
1327.
The text of Dimashki has been printed in Petersburg, in 1866,
by M. A. F. Mehren, and it is from this edition that the transla-
tions have been made.
19. Abu-1 Fida, some time Prince of Hamah, and a collateral
descendant of the great Saladin, is a geographer of far higher
merit than Dimashki. His chapter on Syria and Palestine is, for
the most part, not copied from lx)oks ; for since he is describing
his native country, he writes from personal observation. The
work was completed in 1321. Abu-l Fida himself was born at
Damascus in 1273. He lived under the MamlQk Sultans of
Egypt — KalaQn, I^j^n, and Malik an Nasir — and was named
Governor of Hamah in 13 10, in which city he died in 1331.
The Arabic text of Abu-1 Fidd*s Geography was published by
Reinaud and De Slane (Paris, 1840), and this is the edition
quoted.
20. Ibn BatQtah, the Berber, may well take rank with the
Venetian, Marco Polo,* for the marvellous extent of his journey-
ings. He was born at Tangiers about the year 1300, and at the
age of twenty-five set out on his travels. Of these he has left us
a full description, written in the year 1355. His route in the
barest outline is all that can here be indicated. Starting from
Moix)cco, he visited in succession Tunis, Tripoli, and Egypt.
Going up through Palestine and Syria, he accompanied the Hajj
* Marco Polo returned to Venice in 1295, and wrote his travels when in
captivity at Genoa about the year 1300.
THE ARAB GEOGRAPHERS. ii
to Madinah and Makkah, went thence on through Mesopotamia
to Persia, and, returning, spent some months at Baghdad,
and subsequently at Mosul. From Mosul he went again to
Makkah, and from there travelled through Yemen, and so back to
Egypt. From Egypt he took ship for Asia Minor, and afterwards
visited Constantinople, the Crimea, Astrakhan, Kharizim, Tartary,
Transoxiana, Afghanistan, and finally reached India, where he
spent a considerable time at Delhi. From India he sailed to the
Maldive Islands and Ceylon, taking them on his way to China ;
and on the return journey visited Sumatra. After long voyaging
in the Indian Ocean, he again found himself at Makkah, and
from that holy city took his way home to Fez, via the Sudan and
Timbuctoo. He subsequently visited Spain ; and died at Fez, at
an advanced age, in the year 1377.
Ibn BatQtah's account of what he saw in Palestine is often
curious, and his description of Jerusalem gives a few details not
found elsewhere ; but his style is verbose and bombastic, and he
too often copies from his predecessor, Ibn Jubair, to be of much
value as an original authority.
Ibn Batiitah's text, with a French translation, has been pub-
Hshed by C. Defr^mery and B. R. Sanguinetti, at the cost of the
Societe Asiatique, in four volumes, Paris, 1879 ; and this is the
edition quoted in the present work.
21. AfuMr al Ghirdm, or, " The Exciter of Desire " (for Visi-
tation of the Holy City and Syria), is by a native of Jerusalem
called Jamil ad Din Ahmad, who wrote a topographical descrip-
tion of the Holy City in the year 1351. Excellent MSS. of this
work, which has never yet been printed, are preserved in the
Bibliotktque Nationale at Paris, and from these the translations
given have been made. For a full description of the MSS., and
an account of Jamil ad Din's life, I may refer to my paper on
Suy(iti (who has copied Jamil ad Din), in the Journal of the Royal
Asiatic Society, vol. xix , new series, p. 250. W! ^J
22. The second Muthtrx^ a work with the same name as the
above, but written by a certain Abu-1 Fida Ishak, of Hebron, who
died in 1430. He describes the Sanctuary of that city, and the
Tombs of the Patriarchs. Details of the MSS. from which my
12 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
translation has been made (for the Arabic text of the work has
never been printed) will be found in the paper cited above.
23. Shams ad Din SuyQti (not to be confounded with his
better-known namesake, who bore the title of Jamil ad DSn)
visited Jerusalem in 1470. and shortly after wrote a description of
the Holy City, entitled Jthdf al Akhissd, "A Gift for Intimates"
(concerning the merits of the Aksa Mosque). In this work he
largely plagiarizes from the two Muthirs mentioned above (Nos. 21
and 22), as I have shown in the paper in the J. R. A. S. already
mentioned. Quotations from Suyiiti give references to the pages
of the J. R. A. S., vol. xix., new series.
24. Mujir ad Din, the last name on the list, though better
known than the three preceding topographers, has done little more
than reproduce verbatim the descriptions given by the authors of
the two Muthirs and SuyQti. -AP^j
The work of Mujir ad Din, who wrote his Uns aljalil in 1496,
has been translated into French by H. Sauvaire {Histoire de
Jerusalem et (T Hebron, Paris, 1876); the Arabic text also has
been printed at Bulak (Cairo), a.h. 1283 (1866), and it is to
this text that the pages given in the present translations refer.
Mujir ad Din, besides what he copies verbatim from his prede-
cessors, gives a full account of the various mosques, colleges,
shrines, tombs, and holy places in Jerusalem, and also a descrip-
tion of the quarters and streets of the Holy City as these existed
at the close of the fifteenth century.
In the present work the purely topographical details of the City
given by Mujtr ad Din have not been inserted, the translations
made from his work being confined to such additional information
on the older buildings of the Haram Area and neighbouring sites
as seemed of importance in connection with the statements of
previous writers.
Besides the above authorities I have sought to verify dates of
historical events by references to the pages of the great Chronicles
of Tabari, and of Ibn al Athir. The text of the former Chronicle
is now in course of publication at Leiden, under the editorship of
THE ARAB GEOGRAPHERS,
»3
M. J. de Goeje ; and it is to the various volumes of this edition
that the quotations here given refer. Ibn al Athir's Chronicle
has been edited in Arabic in fourteen volumes, by C. J. Tomberg,
Leiden, 1867-76.
The various publications of the Palestine Exploration Fund
(P.E.F.) Survey of Western Palestine, as embodied in the Memoirs
(in three volumes), the volume on Jerusalem^ and the Special
Papers, also the numbers of the Quarterly Statement, will often
be found quoted in the following pages ; as also the publications
of the Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society (P.P.T.), which describe
the Holy Land in the days of the Crusaders and the early
Christian Pilgrims.
The following list gives the initials under which reference is
made to the works of the Arab geographers and travellers in the
editions named in the foregoing pages :
A.D.
A.ll.
I. \
[I. Kh.)
Ibn Khurda<1bih wrote
circa 864
250
2. 1
(Bil.)
Bilddhur!
869
255
3- <
[Kud.)
Kud^mah
. circa 880
266
4. <
(Yb.)
v.-"|:^5;.. : :
874
891
260
278
5- <
(I.F.)
Ibn al Fakth
903
290
6. I
LR.)
Ibn *Abd Rabbih .
circa 913
300
7. <
(Mas.)
Mas'adl
943
332
8.
(Is.)
Istakhri
951
340
9. <
[I.H.)
Ibn Haukal . . . .
978
367
la 1
[Muk.)
Mukaddasi .
985
375
II. 1
[N. Kh.)
Nasir-i-Khusrau
1047
438
12.
IbnBullan(mYak<it)
105 1
443
13-
(Id.)
Idtisi ....
1 154
548
14. 1
[A.H.)
»Ali of Herat.
^^11
569
15. <
(IJ.)
Ibn Jubair . . . .
1185
581
16. 1
(Yak.)
Yikilt
1225
623
17- 1
[Mar.)
The author of the MarAsid .
1300
700
18.
[Dim.)
Diraashki . . . .
circa 1 300
700
19.
(A.F.)
Abu-1-Fida . .
1321
721
20.
(LB.)
Ibn Bat{ilah . . . .
1355
756
21. 1
(Muth. I.)
The author of the first Mtithir
1351
752
22. 1
[Mulh. II.)
The author of the second Muthtr
1430
833
23- <
(S.)
Shams ad Din Suyilti
1470
875
24.
(M.a.D.)
Mujir ad Din .
1496
901
CHAPTER I.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE.
f
The name "Ash Shim."— Physical features.— Climate.— Products.— Manners
and customs. — Festivals. — The Waich-stations of the coast.
Territorial Divisions: The "Junds," or Military Districts. —Jund
Filasttn.— The T!h, or Desert of the Wanderings.— The JifSr.— Jund al
Urdunn.— The Ghaur.— Jund Dimashk.— The Ghfitah of Damascus, the
Haursln, and Bathaniyyah, Jaulan, Jaidur, and HAlah. — The Balka.— Ash
Sharah. — Al Jibal. — Jund Hims. — Jund Kinnasrtn. — Jund 'Awasim. — The
Thuj»h{ir. — The Nine "Kingdoms'* of Syria.
Tribute and 7 axes. — Weights and Measures,
Syria — a name first given by the Greeks to the country lying im-
mediately round S^r, or Tyre, and which afterwards came to be
applied by them to the whole province — was never adopted by the
Arabs as a general term for the lands on the eastern border of the
Mediterranean. The whole of the great and fertile tract of moun-
tain-land and plain, generally known to us as Syria and Palestine,
extending from the Cilician Passes on the north, to the desert of
Egypt on the south, and bounded on the west and east by the sea
and the desert of Arabia respectively, the Arabs called Ash S/idm,
that being an ancient Arabic word for " left," (or " north ") when
the speaker faced the rising sun. Another, and more fanciful,
etymology of this name is also given by Mukaddasi and others : —
" It has been said that Syria is called ' Sham,' " says Mukaddasi,
" because it lies on the /e/f of the Ka'abah, and also because those
who journey thither (from the Hijjaz) bear to the /e/t or north ; or
else it may be because there are in Syria so many Beauty-spots,
such as we call ShdmcU — red, white and black — (which are the
fields and gardens held to resemble the moles on a beauty's face)."
(Muk., 152.)
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 15
The same author continues :
"Syria is very pleasantly situated. The country, physically,
may be divided into four zones. The first zone is that on the
border of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the plain-country, the
sandy tracts following one another, and alternating with the culti-
vated land. Of towns situated herein are Ar Ramlah, and also
all the cities of the seacoast. The second zone is the mountain-
country, well wooded, and possessing many springs, with frequent
villages, and cultivated fields. Of the cities that are situated in
this part are : Bait Jibril, Jerusalem, Nabulus, Al-LajjOn, Klbul,
Kadas, the towns of the Bika' and Antioch. The third zone is
that of the valleys of the (Jordan) Ghaur, wherein are found many
villages and streams, also palm-trees, well cultivated fields, and
indigo plantations. Among the towns in this part are Wailah,
Tabfik, Sughar, Jericho, Baisan, Tiberias, Baniyas. The fourth
zone is that bordering on the Desert. The mountains here are
high and bleak, and the climate resembles that of the U'aste ; but
it has many villages, with springs of water and forest trees. Of
the towns therein are Maab, 'Amman, Adhra'ah, DanKiscus, Hims,
Tadmur, and Aleppo." (Muk., 186.)
" The climate of Syria is temperate, except in that portion which
lies in the centre region of the province, between Ash Shardh
(Mount Seir) and Al Hulah (the waters of Merom) ; and this is
the hot country where grow the indigo-tree, the banana, and the
palm. One day when I (Mukaddasi) was staying in Jericho, the
physician Ghassan said to me, * Seest thou this valley ?' (that is,
the Jordan Ghaur). * Yes,' I answered. And he continued, * It
extends from hence as far as the Hijjaz, and thence through Al
Yamamah to 'Omin and Hajar ; thence passing up by Basrah and
Baghdid towards the left (w^est) of Mosul, it reaches to Ar Rakkah,
and it is always a Wady of heat and of palm-trees.' "
"The coldest place in Syria is Ba'albakk and the country
round, for among the sayings of the people it is related how, when
men asked of the cold, 'Where shall we find thee?' it was
answered, * In the Balka ;' and when they further said, * But if we
meet thee not there ?' then the cold added, * Verily in Ba'albakk
is my home.' "
i6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
" Now Syria is a land of blessing, a country of cheapness,
abounding in fruits, and peopled by holy men. The upper pro-
vince, which is near the dominions of the Greeks, is rich in
streams and crops, and the climate of it is cold. And the lower
province is even more excellent, and pleasanter, by reason of the
lusciousness of its fruits and in the great number of its palm-trees.
But in the whole country of Syria there is no river carrying boats,
except only for the ferr)\" (Muk., 179.)
" Unequalled is this land of Syria for its dried figs, its common
olive-oil, its white bread, and the Ramlah veils ; also for the
quinces, the pine-nuts called * Kuraish-bite,' the ^\in(lni and DOri
raisins, the Theriack-antidote, the herb of mint, and the rosaries of
Jerusalem. And further, know that within the province of
Palestine may be found gathered together six-and-thirty products
that are not found thus united in any other land. Of these the
first seven are found in Palestine alone ; the following seven are very
rare in other countries ; and the remaining two-and-twenty, though
only found thus gathered together in this province, are, for the
most part, found one and another, singly, in other lands. Now the
first seven are the pine-nuts, called * Kuraish-bite,' the quince or
Cydonian-apple, the 'Ainiini and the DOri raisins, the Kafdri plum,
the fig called As Saba'i, and the fig of Damascus. The next
seven are the Colocasia or water lily, the sycamore, the carob or St.
John's bread (locust-tree), the lotus-fmit or jujube, the artichoke,
the sugar-cane, and the Syrian apple. And the remaining twenty-
two are the fresh dates and olives, the shaddock, the indigo and
juniper, the orange, the mandrake, the Nabk fruit, the nut, the
almond, the asparagus, the banana, the sumach, the cabbage, the
truffle, the lupin, and the early prune, called At Tari ; also snow,
buffalo-milk, the honey-comb, the 'Asimi grape, and the Tamri — or
date-fig. Further, there is the preserve called Kubbait ; you find,
in truth, the like of it in name elsewhere, but of a different
flavour. I'he lettuce also, which everywhere else, except only at
Ahwaz (in Persia), is counted as a common vegetable, is here in
Palestine a choice dish. However, at Basrah, too, it is held
superior to the more common vegetables." (Muk., 181.)
Some few of these items require explanation : — The Theriack,
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 17
called in Arabic Taryctk^ borrows its name from the Greek
eijp/axoV it>dpfi,axov^ **a drug against venomous bites." It was
generally compounded with treacle and other ingredients of most
varied description.
" Kuraish-bite," according to our dictionaries, is the fruit of the
Pinus picea and also of the smaller Snobur-pine, Strobili pini.
The Sugar-cane was cultivated during the Middle Ages in many
parts of Syria and Palestine, especially at Tripoli on the sea-coast
(see Part II., Tardbulus\ and in the hot Jordan Ghaur. Every-
where in this district the traveller at the present day meets with
mined mills for crushing the cane, named Tawdhin as Sukkar,
The cultivation of the cane was introduced into western countries
from Kuzistan in Persia, and, throughout the Middle Ages, Shuster
(the ancient Susa) was renowned for this manufacture on a large
scale. The art of sugar-refining was very extensively practised by
the Arabs, and under their dominion the growth of the cane and
the manufacture of sugar spread far and wide, from India eastward
to Morocco, and was introduced into Europe through the Muslim
conquests in Spain and Sicily.
In regard to the Orange, the researches of Gallesio have proved
that India was the country from which this fruit spread first to
Western Asia, and eventually to Europe. From remote antiquity
the orange has been cultivated in Hindustan, and before the close
of the ninth century the bitter variety seems to have been well
known to the Arabs, who had introduced it into the countries of
South- Western Asia. Mas'Cidi, who wrote in the year 943 (332),
has the following account of the acclimatization of orange and
citron trees :
"The orange-tree {Shajar an Ndranj\ and the tree bearing
the round citron (al Utruj al mudaunvar\ have been brought from
India since the year 300 a.h. (912 a.d.), and were first planted in
'Oman. Thence they were carried by caravans from Al Basrah into
'Irak and Syria. The trees have now become very numerous in
the houses of the people of Tarsus and other of the Syrian frontier
towns ; also in Antioch and in all the Syrian coast towns, with
those of Palestine and Egypt, where, but a short time ago, they
were unknown. The fruit, however, has lost its original perfume
2
i8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
and flavour, as also the fine colour it shows in India, and this is
because of the change from the peculiar soil and climate and
water of its native land." (Mas., ii. 438.)
The Mandrake, called in Arabic Luffah^ is the Fructus atropct
Afandragora of botanists. Its root is called Yabrdh by the
Arabs, and is poisonous, while its fruit is edible.
In his chapter on Eg>'pt, Mukaddasi describes the Nabk as " a
fruit of the size of the medlar {Zu*ri/r). It contains numerous
kernels, and is sweet. It is the fruit of the Sidr (the tree-lotus).
To the fruit they add (the sweet paste called) Nidah, which
is the same as Samand, only more finely prepared, and then
spread it out on reed-matting until it dries and sticks together '*
(Muk., 204). " Samand " is a sweet paste that is well known at
the present day all over Persia, and " Nidah " is the sweetmeat for
which the town of Menshiyyeh in Egypt is famous.
The preserve called " Kubbait," also called Kubbdt and Kubbddy
is a sweetmeat made with carob-sugar, almonds, and pistachio
nuts.
Mukaddasi, continuing his account, gives the following details
of the commerce of Syria in the tenth century :
" The trade of Syria is considerable.
" From Palestine come olives, dried figs, raisins, the carob-
fruit, stuffs of mixed silk and cotton, soap and kerchiefs.
" From Jerusalem come cheeses, cotton, the celebrated raisins
of the species known as 'AinOnt and Diiri, excellent apples,
bananas — which same is a fruit in the form of a cucumber, but
when the skin is peeled off, the interior is not unlike the water-
melon, only finer flavoured and more luscious — also pine nuts of
the kind called * Kuraish-bitc,* and their equal is not found else-
where ; further, mirrors, lamp-jars, and needles.
" From Jericho is brought excellent indigo,
" From Sughar and Baisan come both indigo and dates, also the
treacle called Dibs,
** From ^Amman — grain, lambs, and honey.
" From Tiberias — carpet stuffs, paper, and cloth.
" From Kadas — clothes of the stuffs called Munayyir and
Bar\siyyah^ also ropes.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 19
" From Tyre come sugar, glass beads and glass vessels both
cut and blown.
" From Maab — almond kernels.
" From Baisdn — rice.
" From Damascus come all these : olive-oil fresh-pressed, the
BoThiyyah cloth, brocade, oil of violets of an inferior quality,
brass vessels, paper, nuts, dried figs, and raisins.
" From Aleppo, cotton, clothes, dried figs, dried herbs, and the
red-chalk called Al Maghrah,
" Ba'albakk produces the sweetmeat of dried figs called Malbanr
(Muk., 180.)
In the above lists some items demand explanation : — The Dibs
treacle is boiled-down fruit-syrup. It is often made from dates
or raisins, steeped in their own weight of water, boiled up and
then allowed to simmer ; the mass being finally set in the sun to
dry, when a paste-like residue is left behind.
The Paf)er here mentioned is the coUon-psLpcr* known as
Charta damascena, or Bombycina during the Middle Ages, which
the Arabs had learnt the art of making after their capture of
Samarkand in a.d. 704. Although as early as the tenth century
Bombycinum was used at Rome, this cotton-paper did not come
into general use throughout Europe much before the middle of
the thirteenth century, and /inen-paper was first made in the
fourteenth century.
The cloth called Munayyir was of double woof, and celebrated
for its durability, being chiefly manufactured at Shiraz and Ray
(Rhages), in Persia, where it was known by the name of Daibud.
Of the BaVisiyyah no details are given in the dictionaries.
The red-chalk called Maghrah is the mineral Rubrica Sinopica,
much used by the druggists of the Middle Ages in the concoction
of specifics. It was especially employed in the clyster, and as a
remedy in cases of liver disease ; for which it is recommended by
Dioscorides.
* That Charta Bombycina was made from cotton is the generally received
statement, which, however, M. C. M. Briquet has recently controverted.
According to this last authority, Bombycina was made from hemp and the
remains of old ropes. See his work La Legcnde Paleographiquc du Papier de
Cotan, Geneve, 1884.
2 — 2
20 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
The Malban sweetmeat is noticed by the Jewish doctor
Maimonides, who calls it " Malben " (in Hebrew), and describes it
as made of figs pressed into the form of small bricks.
Treating of the mineral products of Syria, Mukaddasi continues :
"There are iron-mines in the mountains above Bairdt, and
near Aleppo is found the red-chalk allied Maghrah. It is here of
excellent quality ; at 'Amman, where it is also found, it is less good.
Throughout Syria there are met with many mountains of a reddish
colour, the rocks of which are known as of the Samakah (or red-
sandstone), which same is easily quarried. Also other mountains
of a whitish colour, formed of what is called Hawwarah (or white-
chalk) ; this is soft, and they use it to whitewash the ceilings, and
for the cementing of the terrace-roofs of the houses. In Pales-
tine there are quarries of good while building-stone ; and near
Bait Jabril, in many places, marble is found. From the Ghaur
districts they bring sulphur, and other such-like minerals ; and
from the Dead Sea they get salt in powder. The best honey
is that from Jerusalem, where the bee? suck the thyme ; and
likewise from the Jabal 'Amilah. The finest quality of the sauce
called Muri is that which is made at Jericho." (Muk., 184.)
The Muri sauce, here mentioned, is a pickle made from certain
fish or meat set in salt water. It has medicinal properties, duly
noted by Galen, Dioscorides, and others, and was known to the
Romans under the name of Garum or Muria. One Al Hafiz
calls it " the pearl of condiments."
" The Waaler in Syria," says Mukaddasi, " is for the most part
excellent. That found at Baniyas, however, acts aperiently ; and
the water of Tyre causes constipation. At Baisan the water is
heavy and bad ; while verily we take refuge in Allah from that of
Sughar ! The water of Bait ar Ram is execrable ; but nowhere
do you find lighter (better) water than at Jericho. The water of
Ar Ramlah is easy of digestion : but that of Nabulus is hard. In
Damascus and Jerusalem the water is not so hard, for the
climate of these towns is less arid." (Muk., 184.)
Of the general manners and customs of Syria Mukaddasi has
the following :
*• In the Syrian mosques it is the wont to keep the lamps always
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 21
lighted, and they are suspended by chains even as at Makkah. In
the chief town of every province, the pubhc treasure is kept in
the great mosque, it being placed in a chamber supported upon
pillars. And in their mosques, except only in the one at Jericho, it
is of usage to have doors shutting off the Main-building from the
Court, which latter is flagged with stone. The court of the great
mosque at Tiberias alone in all this province is paved with
pebbles.
"The minarets are built square, and they set a pitched roof*
(caWed ^ama/dn, meaning * camel-backed ') over the Main-building
of the mosques ; also, at all the mosque gates, and in the market-
places, are cells for the ablution.
" Of Christian feasts that are observed also by the Muslims of
Syria, for the division of the seasons of the year, are the following :
Easter, at the new year (old style, the vernal equinox) ; Whitsuntide,
at the time of heat ; Christmas, at the time of cold ; the Feast of St.
Barbara (4th of KanOn I., December), in the rainy season — and
the people have a proverb which says : * When St. Barbara's feast
comes round, then the mason may take to- his flute,' meaning that
he may then sit quiet at home ; the P'east of the Kalends (ist of
Kandn II., January)— and, again, one of their proverbs is : * When
the Kalends come, keep warm and stay at home ' ; the Feast of the
Cross (13th or 14th of Ildl, September), at the time of grape-
gathering ; and the feast of Lydda (or the Feast of St. (ieorge,
23rd of Nisan, April), at the time of sowing the seed.
" The months in use in Syria are the solar months of the
Greeks ; namely, Tishrin, first and second (October and Novem-
ber) ; Kaniin, first and second (December and Januar>') ; Shibdt
(February) ; Adhar (March) ; Nisan (April) ; Ayyar (May) ;
Hazairan (June) ; Tammdz (July) ; Ab (August) ; and IIM
(September)." (Muk., 182.)
Mukaddasi continues : "It is seldom recorded that any juris-
prudist of Syria propounds new doctrines, or that any Muslim
here is the writer of aught ; except only at Tiberias, where the
scribes have ever been in repute. And verily the scribes here in
Syria, even as is the case in Egypt, are all Christians, for the Muslims
* See Chapter III., Mukaddasi's description of the Aksa Mosque.
22 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
abandon to them entirely this business, and, unlike the men of
other nations, do not hold letters a profitable subject of study.
" In this province of Syria, also, for the most part, the assayers
of coin, the dyers, bankers, and tanners, are Jews, while it is
most usual for the physicians and the scribes to be Christians.
" The Syrians are a well-dressed folk. Both learned and simple
wear the long cloak called I^idd, and they do not put on lighter
garments in summer-time, except it be in the matter of the single-
soled shoe.
" The Syrians wear the heavy rain-cloaks, of wool, called Mimiar^
thrown open ; and their * Tailasans ' have not the hollowed form.
In Ar Ramlah the chief shopkeepers are wont to ride Egyptian
asses, with fine saddles, and it is only Amirs and chiefs who keep
horses. The villagers and the scribes wear the woollen vest called
Durr^'ah, The clothing of the peasantry in the villages round
Jerusalem and Nabulus consists of a single shirt, called the Kisd^
and they wear no drawers beneath it." (Muk., 182, 183.)
The Tailasan here alluded to was the distinctive head-dress of
the Kadis, or judges, and the men of learning. It consisted of a
veil (also called Tarhah\ worn above the ordinary turban, allowed
to fall back over the shoulders. It was usually made of white
muslin or linen stuff. The word I have rendered by." hollowed,"
mukaurwar, may also signify " starched," but it is generally taken
to denote the " nick," or cavity, left at the top of the head-dress.
The Durra'ah (also called Mtdra*ah) was a short vest generally
worn open in front, but having buttons to fasten it if desired. It
was made of coloured stuffs, and in cloth or other woollen fabric
The KisA is the long shirt or smock, reaching from the neck
almost to the feet ; it was of either white or coloured stuff. The
dress of the Fellahin of Palestine is, down to the present time,
exactly what Mukaddasi here describes. In reading the mediaeval
writers, those who have travelled in modern Syria will be con-
stantly struck by the fact that most of the customs noticed by these
authors are still kept up at the present day. The following descrip-
tion of the bread-ovens, in particular, applies precisely to what may
now be seen in every Druze village of Mount Carmel.
**The people of Syria," writes Mukaddasi, "have ovens, and
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 23
the villagers especially make use of the kind called TdMn. These
are small, and used for baking bread, and are dug in the
ground They line them with pebbles, and kindling the fire of
dried dung within and above, they afterwards remove the hot
ashes and place the loaves of bread to bake upon these pebbles,
when they have become thus red-hot. There are also bakers in
Syria of the lentil-bread, and of the dish called Baisar (of beans
cooked in honey and milk). In this province, too, they boil in
olive-oil beans that have already sprouted, and then fry them,
which is a dish sold for eating with olives. Also they salt the
lupin, and use it much for food. From the carob-bean they make
a species of sweetmeat, which is called Kuhbait ; that made from
the sugar-cane is known for distinction as NAtif (that is, sweet
meat). During the winter-time they bake the sugared butter-
cakes called Zullabiyyah; these are of pastry, but in Syria they
are not made, as elsewhere, with cross-bars on the top and con-
fection of fruit. In the greater number of the above customs the
Syrians resemble the Egyptians, but in some few they have the
ways of the inhabitants of 'Irak and Akdr (that is Lower and
Upper Mesopotamia)." (Muk., 183.)
" All along the sea-coast of Filastin are the Watch-stations, called
Ribat^ where the levies assemble. The war ships and the galleys
of the Greeks also come into these ports, bringing aboard of them
the captives taken from the Muslims ; these they offer for ransom
— three for the hundred Dinars.* And in each of these ports there
are men who know the Greek tongue, for they have missions to
the Greeks, and trade with them in divers wares. At the Stations,
whenever a Greek vessel appears, they sound the horns ; also, if
it be night, they light a beacon there on the tower ; or, if it be
day, they make a great smoke. From every Watch-station on the
coast up to the capital ( Ar Ramlah) there are built, at intervals, high
towers, in each of which is stationed a company of men. On the
occasion of the arrival of the Greek ships the men, perceiving
these, kindle the beacon on the tower nearest to the coast-station,
and then on that lying next above it, and onwards, one after
* That is, about jf 16 for each captive, equivalent, however, in the currency
of the present day, to nearly ;^50 ; see p. 44.
24 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
another, so that hardly is an hour elapsed before the trumpets
are sounding in the capital, and drums are beating in the towers,
calling the people down to the Watch-station by the sea. And
they hurry out in force, with their arms, and the young men of
the village gather together. Then the ransoming begins. Some
vnW be able to ransom a prisoner, while others (less rich)
will throw down silver Dirhams, or signet-rings, or contribute some
other valuable, until at length all the prisoners who are in the
Greek ships have been ransomed. Now the Watch-stations of
this province of Filastin, where this ransoming of captives takes
place, are these : Ghazzah, Mimas, 'Askalan, Mahdz- (the port of)
Azdad, Mahiiz- (the port of) Yubna, Yafah, and Arsiif." (Muk.,
177.)
TERRITORIAL DIVISIONS.
When, towards the close of the first half of the seventh century
of our era, the great wave of Arab conquest swept over Syria, and
wrested that province from the Byzantine dominion, the march
of the invading hordes came down along the well-known caravan
route, leading from Makkah and Al Madinah to Damascus, >vhich
lay along what is now the return Pilgrim Road from the Hijjaz to
the cities of Syria. Hence the first territories that came under
the power of Islam were the countries east of the Jordan and the
Dead Sea ; and it was not till Damascus and its territory in the
north had been taken, that Galilee, the lowlands of the Jordan
Province, and Palestine, were overrun by the Muslims. The
subjugation of the provinces north of Damascus, with the great
cities of Antioch, Aleppo, and Emessa, followed almost imme-
diately on the foregoing, and thus completed the conquest of Syria.
The line taken by the Arabs on their inroad explains the
political divisions into which the conquered territories came to be
parcelled out when the second Khalif, the great administrator
'Omar, settled the government of the Muslim Empire. Syria was
divided into provinces, each of which was termed a ^und. The
word, according to the lexicons, means, primarily, "a troop of
soldiers." In Syria it was applied to the " military districts " in
which a special body of troops lay in garrison, and hence in parti-
cular the fi\e great military districts into which Syria was divided.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 25
These five were the following : The Jund of Damascus, and,
northwards, the Jund of Hims and the Jund of Kinnasrin. West
and south-west of the Damascus Jund was the Jordan District,
called Jund al Urdunn, comprising Galilee, and the Sea of Galilee,
and the lowlands of the Jordan, down to the Dead Sea. West of
this again lay Palestine proper, the Jund Filastin, which included
all the countries lying to the south of the great plain of Acre
and Esdraelon — to the west of the Jordan cleft and the Dead Sea.
This Jund had the sea for its western boundary, and the Desert of
the Wanderings and the road to Egypt closing it on the south.
The country lying north of the Damascus Province had, in the
first years of the Arab conquest, formed but a single Jund, called,
after its chief town, Jund Hims (Emessa). When Mu'awiyah
(661 — 679), the first Khalif of the house of Omayyah, had suc-
ceeded in putting down his rival 'Ali (the Prophet's son-in-law),
and had detached the people of Northern Mesopotamia from
their allegiance to the latter, he erected the lands where they
had settled into a separate district, calling it Jund Kinnasrin.
This is the account given by Dimashki, a somewhat late authority
(1300). The early historian Biladhuri (869) states, on the other
hand, that it was the Khalif Yazid, son of Mu'awiyah above
mentioned, who instituted the new Jund of Kinnasrin by separat-
ing these territories from those of Hims. (Bil., 132 ; copied by
Yak., iii. 742.) The new province was called the Jund of
Kinnasrin, after its chief town of that name, the ancient
Chalcis. It comprised the districts round Aleppo, Antioch, and
Manbij.
Syria, thus divided into five Junds, so remained during all the
days of the Damascene Khalifate of the Omayyads. After the
fall of that dynasty, and the rise of the Abbasides, who made
Baghdad their capital, on the Tigris, the northern frontiers of
Syria were considerably extended by the conquests of the Khalif
Al MansOr and his successors; and in the reign of HarOn ar
Rashid, about the year 170 (786), it was found necessar)' to sub-
divide the now overgrown Jund of Kinnasrin. The countr}-, there-
fore, towards the Greek frontier, comprising the territories from
Antioch west^-ard to the coast, and astward to Aleppo and Manbij,
26 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
was erected into a new Jund, called Jund al 'Awasim, the latter
word being the plural of 'Asim, signifying a " stronghold." North
of this again, and on the actual frontier, was the district called
Ath Thughiir — that of the "frontier fortresses." These frontier
fortresses were often divided into the Thughflr of Syria, to the
westward, and the ThughQr of Mesopotamia, to the eastward.
The district consisted of the long chain of fortresses that guarded
the northern frontier of S)Tia, built there for keeping out the in-
cursions of the Greeks. This chain of fortresses ran from Tarsus,
Adana, and Mopsuestia, on the west, by Malatiyah and Hisn
MansOr, to the line of the upper waters of the Euphrates at
Samosata and Balis, on the east. {C/. Dim., 192, 214.)
To return, however, to the early division of Syria into five Junds.
These corresponded very nearly with the old Roman and Byzantine
provinces, such as the Arabs found in existence at the time of the
conquest, and which are described in the Code of Theodosius, a
work that dates from the fifth century a.d.
Palaestina Prima, with Caesarea for its capital, comprising Judsea
and Samaria, became the Arab Jund of Filastin, with Ramlah for
capital.
Palgeslina Secunda, with Scythopolis (Beth Shean, Baisin) for
its capital, comprising the two Galilees and the western part of
Perjea, became the Jund of Al Urdunn (the Jordan), with Tiberias
for the new capital.
Palaestina Tertia, or Salutaris, including Idumaea and Arabia
Petroea, was absorbed partly into the Damascus Jund, and partly
was counted in Filastin.
Phoenicia Prima, with Tyre for its capital, and Phoenicia
Secunda, or Ad Libanum, became, in the new arrangement
(together with many of the outlying lands east of the Jordan) the
great Jund of Damascus.
Syria Secunda, north of this, with Apameia for its capital, was
divided by the Arabs between the Junds of Hamah and Hims.
lastly, Syria Prima, with Antioch for its capital, became the
Jund of Halab, or Kinnasrin ; or, more exactly, that portion of it
which was ultimately made into a separate district, under the
name of the Jund of the 'Awasim.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 27
The Junds, and the two Northern Provinces, are described by
the Arab geographers in the following terms :
" The provinces of Syria," write Istakhri and Ibn Haukal in the
tenth century, "are Jund Filastin, and Jund al Urdunn, Jund
Dimashk, Jund Hims, and Jund Kinnasrin. Then the 'Awdsim
and the ThughOr.
" The frontiers of Syria are the following : On the west, the
Bahr R(im (the Greek or Mediterranean Sea) ; on the east, the
desert from Ailah to the Euphrates ; and along this river to the
fJDntiers of ROm (the Greek country). The northern frontier is
the country of ROm, while the southern is the frontier of Egypt,
and the Tih (the Desert of the Wanderings) of the Bani Israil.
"The furthest point south of Syria towards Egypt is Rafh.
North, towards the country of ROm, the furthest limits are the
Fortresses (ThughOr), which of old times were called the Meso-
potamian Fortresses. These are Malatyah (Malatia, Mitelene),
Al Hadath, Mar'ash, Al HdrOniyyah, Al Kanisah, 'Ain Zarbah,
Al Massisah, Adhanah, and TarsOs. We reckon all these Fortresses
as belonging to Syria, speaking generally ; but although some have
always been known as the Fortresses of Syria, others are often
called the Fortresses of Mesopotamia. In truth, however, they
are all Syrian ; for whatever lies on this side (or west of) the
Euphrates belongs to Syria. However, it is to be noted that
those named first, from Malatyah to Mar'ash, are generally called
the Mesopotamian Fortresses, because they are always garrisoned
by the people of Mesopotamia, who make military incursions
thence into the country of the Greeks ; and they are not so called
because they really belong to the province of Mesopotamia."
(Is., 55 ; I. H., 108.)
Writing in the fourteenth century, after the overthrow of the
Frank dominion, Abu-1 Fida remarks :
" The limits of Syria in our days include the kingdom of
Little Armenia, which is called the Bilad Sis. The northern
frontier, therefore, goes from Baits beside the Euphrates, through
Kala'at Najm, Al Btrah, Kala'at ar ROm, Sumaisat, Hisn MansOr,
Bahasn^ Mar'ash, and thence by the Bilad Sis to Tarsus and the
Mediterranean Sea." (A. F., 226.)
28 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
I. JuND FilastIn (Palestine) and its sub-districts. Subordinate
to this district were those of the Tih (the Desert of the Wander-
ings of the Children of Israel), and of Al Jifar, both lying towards
the Egyptian Frontier. Of the Jund Filastin, the ancient capital
(says Ya'kubi) was Ludd (Lydda). The Khalif Sulaimin sub-
sequently founded the city of Ar Ramlah, which he made the
capital, and Lydda fell to decay, for its population all removed to
Ar Ramlah, the new capital.* The same author, who wrote in the
ninth century of our era, continues : " The population of Palestine
consists of Arabs of the tribes of I^khm, Judhim, 'Amilah,
Kindah, Kais and Kinanah." (Yb., ii6, 117.)
** Filastin,'' write Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, " is the westernmost
of the provinces of Syria. In its greatest length from Rafh to the
boundary of Al Lajjftn (Legio), it would take a rider two days
to travel over; and the lik^ time to cross the province in its
breadth from Yafa (Jaffa) to Rlha (Jericho). Zughar (Segor, Zoar)
and the country of Lot's people {DiyAr Kaum Ltit) ; Al Jibil (the
mountains of Edom), and Ash Sharah as far as Ailah — Al Jibil
and Ash Sharah being two separate provinces, but lying contiguous
one to the other — are included in P'ilastin, and belong to its govern-
ment.
'' Filastin is watered by the rains and the dew. Its trees and
its ploughed lands do not need artificial irrigation ; and it is only
in Nabulus that you find the running waters applied to this pur-
pose. Filastin is the most fertile of the Syrian provinces. Its
capital and largest town is Ar Ramlah, but the Holy City (of
Jerusalem) comes very near this last in size. In the province of
Filastin, despite its small extent, there arc about twenty mosques,
with pulpits for the Friday prayer." (Is., 56, 57; I.H., 111-113;
copied by Id., 3, 4, and A.F., 226.)
Among the towns of Filastin mentioned as conquered by the
Arab General 'Amr ibn al 'As, at the invasion, are Ghazzah (Gaza),
Sabastiyah (Samaria), Nibulus (Shechem), Kaisariyyah (Caesarea),
Ludd (Lydda), Yubna, 'Amwas (Emmaus), Yafa (Joppa), Rafh, and
Bait Jibrin. At this last he enclosed a domain to which he gave
the name of 'AjlOn, after one of his freedmen. (Bil. 138.)
* See Chapter VIII., •* Ar Ramlah."
I
J
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 29
" Filastin," writes YakQt, in the thirteenth century, " is the last
of the provinces of Syria towards Egypt. Its capital is Jerusalem.
Of the principal towns are ^\skalan, Ar Ramlah, Ghazzah, ArsCif,
Kaisariyyah, Nabulus, Ariha (Jericho), 'Amman, Yafah, and Bait
Jihrin. Most part of Filastin is mountainous, and but little plain
countr)' is met with. This Province is referred to in the Kuran
{XXI. 71) in the words, 'And we brought Abraham and Lot in
safety to the land which we have blessed for all human beings.'
The name is from Filastin, son of Sam, son of Aram, son of Sam
(Shem) son of NCih (Noah), but there are also other genealogies."
(Yak. iii., 913; Mar. ii., 362.)
The District of the Ti/i belongs to Filastin. Of this Istakhri
writes :
" At Tih, the Desert of the Children of Israel is said to be forty
leagues long and nearly as much across. It is a country full of
sand. Part of it is sterile, though here and there are palm-
trees growing, and water in springs. Its limits are the Jifar dis-
trict on the one side, and Mount Sinai and its district on the
other. To the north of the Tih lie the outer limits of the Holy
City and other parts of Palestine ; and its southern frontier is in
the desert beyond the Rif district of Egypt, lying towards the
Red Sea." (Is. 53 ; I.H. 104.)
" The Tih, or Desert of the Children of Israel," says Mukad-
dasi, " is a place on the situation of which there is some discussion.
The most reliable account is that it is the desert country, lying
l)etween Syria and Egypt, which same is forty leagues across in
every direction ; every\i'here are sand tracts, salt marshes, and red
sandstone hills, while occasionally palm-trees and springs of water
may be met with. The limits of this district are, on the one
hand, the district of Al Jifar, and on the other Mount Sinai ; to
the west the desert limit is conterminous with the Eg)ptian pro-
vince of Ar Rif; and on the other side the Tih goes up to Syria.
llirough it lies the pilgrim road to Makkah." (Muk. 179 )
" At Tih," according to Idrisi, " is the land lying between the
Red Sea and the Syrian Sea. It extends for a space of some seven
marches, and is called FaAs at Tth (The Region of the Wander-
ings), for it was here that the children of Israel wandered in the
30 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
time of Moses — peace be upon him ! They wandered here during
forty years without entering any city, or sojourning in any house,
and no man had change of raiment, neither did any experience
growth in stature. The length of this region of the T!h is about
six days' journey." (Id. i and 21.) Yakfit epitomises the above,
and adds nothing new. (Yak. i., 912 ; Mar. i., 123.)
" Of the desert districts of the Tih of the children of Israel,"
writes Dimashki, " are the Israelitish towns, namely, Kadas (Kadesh
Bamea), Huwairak, Al Khalasah (Elusa), Al KhaKis (Lyssa), As
Saba' (Beersheba), and Al Madurah — all these belonging to tht^
Tih." (Dim. 213.)
The District of Aljifcir^ often counted as belonging to Filastfn,
is thus described by Istakhri :
"The district called Al Jifar (the Wells or Waterpits) is the
tract of countr)' extending from the borders of the Lake of Tinnis
(in Egypt) to the frontiers of Filastin. It is a country of continuous
fine and coloured sand, dotted about with palm-trees and habita-
tions, with water here and there. The frontiers of the Jifar are
the Mediterranean, the Desert of the Tih, Palestine, and the Sea
of Tinnis, with the adjoining lands going from Rif of Egypt to the
border of Kulzum (the Red Sea). There are found in this dis-
trict serpents a span long, who spring up from the sand into the
camel-litters and bite the riders. The Eg^^ptians say in their
histories that in the days of Pharaoh the Jifar was built over
everywhere with towns." (Is., 52 ; I. H., 103 ; copied by Yak.
ii., 90 ; Mar. i., 258.)
2. JuND AL Urdunn (the Jordan Province). Subordinate to
this is the District of the Ghaur^ or cleft of the Jordan River, and
the country of the Dead Sea. Of the Jordan Province the capital
is Tabariyyah, Tiberias. Ibn al Fakih writes :
**Ofits districts (Kurah) are Tabariyyah, As Sdmirah (Samaria),
which is Nabulus, Baisin, Fahl (Pella) Jarash, 'Akka (Acre), Al
Kadas (Kadesh Naphthali), and Sur (Tyre)." (I. F., 116; copied
by Id., 21 ; and others.)
The Ghaur (the cleft of the Lower Jordan). According to
Va'kubi this is : " An outlying district of the Damascus Province.
Its capital is Riha (Jericho)." (Yb., 113.;
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 31
"The Ghaur," says Istakhri-Ibn-Haukal, "is the country of
Lot's people, and of the Stinking Lake (Dead Sea). All the rest
of Filastin is higher than this part, and its waters flow down into
it. The Ghaur begins at the Lake of Tiberias, and going by
Baisan extends past Zughar and Rihi down to the Dead Sea.
The word Ghaur means *a cleft between mountains,* cutting
down into the earth. There are all along its course palm-trees,
meadows, springs and streams. No snow that falls ever lies here.
The Ghaur, as far south as Baisin, belongs to the Urdunn
province, but below this it belongs to Filastin. This same deep
valley extends still further south, and at length reaches Ailah."
(Is., 56, 58; L H., Ill, 113; copied by A. F., 226.)
Idrisi writes :
" Al Ghaur includes the Diyir Kaum Ltit (the country of Lot's
people) and the Stinking Sea, being all the land from Zughar up
to Baisan and Tabariyyah. The Ghaur (cleft) is so called because
it is a valley between two ranges of hills. All the waters of Syria
descend into it, and are collected there, forming one mighty stream
(the Jordan), whose origin is in the Lake of Tiberias, near the
city of Tabariyyah.
"The other rivers of Syria flow into the Jordan, such as the
Nahr al Yarmtik (Hieromax), the streams of Baisan, and those
which flow from the district of Maab, and the mountains of the
Holy City, and the mountains of Abraham's Sepulchre (Hebron)
— peace be on him — as also what waters come down from Nabulus.
All these are collected together into the Ghaur, and flow thence
into the Lake of Zughar, the Dead Sea.
" Arihi (Jericho), with 'Amta and Baisan are the finest of the
cities of the valley of the Ghaur. The principal crop of the
Ghaur is indigo. Its inhabitants are brown-skinned, and some of
them even are almost black." (Id., 3.) • ^.
" There are many Ghaurs," says Yakiit, " for Ghaur means
* crevasse.* The Ghaur of the Jordan lies between Jerusalem and
Damascus. It is three days' journey in length, and less than half
a day across. In it runs the Jordan. The Lake of Tabariyyah
lies at its upper end, the Dead Sea at its lower. Its principal
town is Baisan, which is on its edge. It is a low-lying and very
32 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
hot country. WTiat they grow most here is sugar-cane.* Of its
towns is Ariha (Jericho), the city of the giants. At the western
(or southern) end of the Ghaur, is the Stinking Sea, and at its
eastern (or northern) end is the Sea of Tiberias." (Yak., iii.,
823 ;*\Mar. ii., 322.)
" To the Jordan province," says YakQt, " belong the Kiirahs of
Tabariyyah, Baisan, Bait Ras, Jadar, SaffQriyyah (Sepphoris), S(ir
(Tyre), 'Akkah, and others. Baisan, Afik, Jarash, Bait Ras, Al
Jaulan, 'Akkah, Sdr, and SaffCiriyyah, were all taken during the
first conquest of the Arab armies." (Yale, i., 201.)
3. JuND DiMASHK. Subordinate to the Damascus Province
were the districts of the great plain of the GhQtah (or Ghautah)
round the city, and most of the districts to the south, which lay
east of the Jordan Cleft and the Dead Sea.
"Of the Damascus Province," writes Ya'kiibi, "are (the eastern
lands of) the Ghaur, the Hauran, and the Bathaniyyah. The
outlying districts are the Balka, (the southern portion of) the
CJhaur, and Al Jibal." (Yb ,113.)
Ibn al Fakih states that :
*0f the Kurahs of the Damascus Province are Iklim Sanir,
Kurah Jubail, the districts of BairQt, Saida, Bathaniyyah, Hauran,
Jaulan ; also the outlying parts of the Balka, and the various dis-
tricts of the Ghaur. Further, Kurah Maab, and Jibal ash Sharah,
Busra, 'Amman, Al Jabiyah, and Al Kariyatain. Also the dis-
tricts of Al H(ilah and Al Bika\ The coast towns of Damascus
are Saida (Sidon), BairQt, Atrabulus (Tripoli), 'Arkah, and Sfir
(Tyre). Of the last, Tyre, the mosque belongs to Damascus, but
the Kharaj (or land tax) to the Jordan province." (I. F., 105,
w^riting in the year 903.)
" Eastwards of the Urdunn Province (says Idrisi) lies the
Damascus province. Of its Kurahs are, the Plain of the Ghautah
round Damascus, the land of Ba albakk, Al Bika' (Ccelo Syria),
Iklim Lubnan (the Lebanon), Kurah Jiiniyyah, and the HOlah,
the districts of Atrabulus, Jubail, Bairdt, Saida ; the Bathaniyyah
district, the Hauran, the Jaulan, the outlying country of Al
Balka, Kiirah Jibrin of the Ghaur, the districts of Maab,
* This was in the thirteenth century.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 33
'Amman, and Ash Sharah, with the land round Busra and Al
Jabiyyah.
" Eastward of the Damascus Province lies the (Syrian) desert,
and south of it is the Ard as Samdwah (the Great Desert of
Arabia), and the Ard 'Ad (the country of the ancient 'Adites). To
the north lie the 'Awasim and Kinnasrin Provinces." (Id., 21;
repeated from I. Kh., 72.) ,|P^/i^'
/"Ai Ghntah (ox Al Ghautah), "the Garden Land," is the district '
immediately surrounding the city of Damascus. In Ya'kAbi's time,
at the close of the ninth century, it was still peopled by various
tribes of the ancient Ghassanide race, whose kings had ruled in
these countries before the Arab conau^sLr-^(Yb., 113.)
T" The Ghtitah," says Mukaddasi,*^ is a day's journey (or about
thirty miles across each way), and beautiful beyond all description.")
(Muk., 160.) ^I^S^^'i!;^
f " The Plain of the GhQtah," according to Yakiit, writing in the
thirteenth century, "is eighteen miles round, and is surrounded
on all sides by high mountains, more especially to the north. It
is watered by many rivers which irrigate its fields and gardens.
The overflow of these goes into a lake (to the east of Damascus)
and into the swamps. Water is found everywhere, and no place
is pleasanter. It is one of the four paradises of the earth. "m
(Yak., iii. 825 ; Mar., ii. 324.)
Haurdn (Auranitis) and Al Bathaniyyah (Bathanea). Ya'kiibi,
in 891, states :
"The Haurin district has for its capital Busra." (Yb., 113.)
Istakhri and Ibn Haukal in the tenth century write :
" The Hauran and Al Bathaniyyah are two great districts of the
Damascus Province. Their fields are rain-watered. The frontiers
of these two districts extend down to Nimrin, which is on the
Balki district, and 'Ammin. Of this we have it noted in the
books of history that Nimri is of the best of the waters of the Tank
called the Haud, which last lay between Busra and Amman."
(Is., 65; I.H., 124.)
There is here doubtless an allusion — derived possibly from a
Jewish source — to the " waters of Nimrim " of Isaiah xv. 6, and to
the " Nimrah " of Numbers xxxii. 3. The Haud^ or " Tank," is that
3
34 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
mentioned in a Tradition of the Prophet as having existed of old
in these parts. Its waters, it is said, were whiter than milk and
sweeter than honey. The name Nimrin, it should be noted, is of
frequent occurrence in the Trans-Jordan district. • r^'-^' *i*t
^The Hauran is mentioned by YakOt (thirteenth century) as a
large district full of villages and very fertile, lying south of
Damascus. ' (Yak., ii. 358 ; Mar., i. 328.)
. From the Hauran and Bathaniyyah into Damascus is two days'
march.) (Is., I.H., Yak., Muk.)
"Of Al Bathaniyyah, the capital is Adra'ah." (Yb., 113.)
" Al Bathaniyyah," says Yakdt, " or Al Bathanah, is a district
near Damascus. Al Bathanah is said to be a village lying be-
tween Damascus and Adra'ah, from which Job came." (Yak., i.
493 ; Mar., i. 126).
AlJauIAn (Gaulonitis). Ya'kCibl, in 891, writes :
" Of Al Jaulan, the capital is Baniyds." (Yb., 114.)
V* The Jaulan district,'' writes Mukaddasi, "supplies Damascus
with the most part of its provisions." (Muk., 160.)} '■ '■' Vv
" Al Jaulin," says Yakftt, " is a district in the Hauran, and of
the Damascus Province. Al Jaulan is also said to be the name of
a mountain called more exactly Harith al Jaulan ; others say
Hdrith is the name for the summit of the mountain only." (Yak.,
ii. 159 ; Mar., i. 273.)
Al Jaidiir (Ituraea). YakQt, in the thirteenth century,
states :
" Al Jaidftr is a district belonging to the Damascus Province,
and lying to the north of the Hauran. It is said the Jaid(ir and
the Jaulan form but one KCirah (or district)." (Yak., ii. 173 ;
Mar., i. 277.)
Al Hfdah, Mukaddasi writes : ^
' " The province of the Hfilah (round the waters of Meron) pro-
duces much cotton and rice ; it is low-lying, and has numerous
streams." )(Muk., 160.)
" Al Haiah," says YakCit, " is a district lying between Biniyas
and Sur (Tyre), but belonging to Damascus. It has many
villages." (Yak., ii. 366 ; Mar., i. 330.)
Al BalkCi (Peraea). According to Ya'kftbi :
(
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. , 35
" Al Balki is one of the outlying districts of the Damascus
Province. Its capital is 'Amman." J' (Yb., 113.)
/it is mentioned by Yikilt. 81& JDOssessing many villages, and is
noted for its wheat-crops.*^ (Vak., uyiS; Mar., i. 171.) From
the Balki into Jerusalem is two days' marchij (Is., I.H., Id.)
Ash Shardh, Ya'kCib! says :
/^* Of the district of Ash Sharih (the mountains of Moab) the
T^ital is Adhruh." (Yb., ii^.)J\\V[rl'
" This district," says Istakhri in the tenth century, " is extremely
fertile and rich, only the Bedawlnt Arabs have the upper hand
here, and so ruin all." j (Is., 57 ; iJn;, ri^.;
/** Ash Sharah," writes Idrisi, " is a fine province, whose capital
is Adhruh. Both the Sharah and Jibil districts are extremely
fertile, producing quantities of olive-trees, and almonds, figs,
grapes, and pomegranates. The inhabitants are mostly of the
Kaisite tribes."^ (Id., 5.) -^^"^'^
Ash Sharah, according to YikQt, is the mountainous country
through which the Hajj road from Damascus .passes. (Yak., iii.
270 ; Mar., ii. 100.) '
From Jabal ash Sharah to Zughar is one day's march. (Is.,
I.H.) Down to the limit of Ash Sharah is also one day's march
(Is., I.H.), while to Zughar, and thence to the further limit of the
Jabal ash Sharah, is two days' march, according to Idrisi.
It will be noted that the district of Ash Sharih is sometimes
also counted as forming part of the Filasttn Province. (See above,
p. 28.)
A I /mi (Gebalene). According to Ya'ktib! :—
"Al Jibal is one of the outlying districts of the Damascus
Province. Its capital is 'ArandaL" (Yb., 114.)
" Jibal," says Idrisi, " is a fine province, the capital of which is
called Darib." (Id., 5.)
The reading of this last name is uncertain ; in the MSS. of
Istakhri and Ibn Haukal the name is variously given as Ruwaty
Rttwdtk, and Ruwdd. (Is., 57 ; I.H., 113.)
4. JUND HiMS (the Emessa Province). Mukaddasi writes :
^Its capital bears the same name. Among its cities are
Salamiy)'ah, Tadmur (Palmyra), Al Khundsirah, Kafar Tab, Al
3—2
36 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Ladhikiyyah (I^odicea), Jabalah (Byblos), AntarsAs (Tortosa),
Bulunyas and Hisn al Khawahi." (Muk., 154 J Given in much
the same words by I.H , 110.)
The Hims Jund, as before noted (p. 25), originally comprised
all the country to the north of Damascus, which afterwards was
subdivided among the Junds of Kinnasrin and 'Awasim, and the
ThughOr, or Frontier Fortresses.
The southern boundary line of the Hims Province, according
to YdkOt, lay immediately to the south of K^rah, while its northern
limit lay beyond the village of Al Karashiyyah. Eastward the
Hims Province included the x-illage Al Kariyatain and Palmyra
(see Part II., under these names).
5. JxTND KiNNASRfN. The Kinnasrin Jund, after Harun ar
Rashid's time, when the 'Awasim had been formed into a separate
province, was circumscribed to the country round Kinnasrin and
Aleppo, with the two Ma'arrahs, and the Sarmin territory.
6. Jund at. 'Awasim (or of the Strongholds). Ibn al Fakih
writes :
" In the days of the Khalifs 'Omar and 'Othman the Muslim
frontier fortresses lay round Antakiyyah (Antioch), and the
districts which later Ar Rashid formed into the Jund of the
'Awasim. These are KCirah Kiirus, Al Jumah, Manbij, Antikiyyah
TOzin, Balis, and Rusafah-Hisham. What lands lay beyond, the
Muslims made their raids into, and these the Greeks raided like-
wise. Between Al Iskandariyyah and Tarsus were fortresses and
magazines belonging to the Greeks." (I. F., in.)
" The Khalif ar Rashid made Manbij the capital of the 'Awasim
Jund ; .which further comprised the districts of Manbij, DulOk,
Ra'ban, Kfirus, Antakiyyah ,an,d Tizin (or TClzIn), with the inter-
vening places." (Bil., 132; Yak., iii. 742.)
Abu-1 Fida (1321), a late authority, mentions Antakiyyah as the
capital of the 'Awasim, and says the province originally included
the districts of Shaizar, Afamiyyah and adjacent territories ; also
the Lebanon region as far as the region of Al Kastal, lying between
Hims and Damascus. (A. F., 233.)
YakOt, writing a century earlier, after quoting Bilidhuri (as
above), adds, the 'Awasim were all the Strongholds lying between
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 37
Ilalab and Antakiyyah. Some counted Aleppo as included among
these, while others gave it the Kinnasrin Jund. The 'Awasim
territory is for the most part mountainous, and both Al Maasissah
and Tarsus have often been included in this province. (Manbij
was its early capital, and afterwards Antakiyyah.) (Yak., iii. 742 ;
Ajar., ii. 287.) *^ ^. ^-c' -^
7. Ath ThughCr (or the Front iej; Fortresses).
• " These," writes Yakut, " he aiclng the northern frontier between
Syria and the Greek country. It was here the Muslims lived in
garrison, who volunteered for the guarding of the frontiers ; as
likewise some lay encamped on the coast to protect the land from
the incursions of the Greeks in their ships. Such * fortresses ' are
Tarsus, Adhanah (Adana), and Al Massissah (Mopsuestia), also
those in the Halab and the 'Awasim territories. This district of the
Thughiir has no capital, all the towns are of about equal size, and
each is the chief town of its own district. Of the Thughiir are
the following : Bayyas, whence to Al Iskandariyyah is one march ;
and from Bayyas to Al Massfssah is two marches. 'Ain Zarbah
and Adhanah both lie one march from Al Massissah. From
Adhanah to Tarsus is one day ; Tarsus to Al Jauzat is two days ;
Tarsus to Aulas on the sea is two days ; Bayyas to Al Kanisah as
Saudi is less than one day ; and Bayyas to Al Hardniyyah is the
same ; Al HarQniyyah to Mar'ash, a fortress of the Mesopotamian
district, is less than a dAy. Antakiyyah and Baghras are celebrated
towns of the Thughtir./ In the days of the Khalif 'Omar, and for
some time afterwards, the frontier fortresses lay north of Antioch
and its towns, and this district came afterwards to be called the
'Awasim. Between Iskandariyyah and Tarsus were many fortresses
belonging to the Greeks,^imilar to those which at the present day
belong to the Muslims. [The Muslims in those early days blocked
the £>arb (Pass of) Baghras. This was first accomplished by
Maisarah ibn Masrdk, of the family of 'Abbas, who was despatched
by Abu 'Ubaidah (in the days of the early conquest), as some say ;
others say this blocking of the pass was done by 'Umair ibn Sa'ad
al 'Ansiri ; others, that it was only completed when the Khalif
Mu'awiyah raided against 'Amm{iri>7ah (Armoricum) in the year
35 (646)) ~Viii[\n S'
38 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
(:.
^* The Khalif Mu'awiyah raided again in the year 31 also, setting
out from near Al Massissah and penetrating as far as Darawaliyah.
On his return he destroyed all the fortresses belonging to the
Greeks between this place and Antakiyyah. After the first con-
quest TarsOs, Adhanah, and Al Massissah, with the other for-
tresses adjoining, did not cease to remain in Muslim hands till
they fell to the Greeks, after the battle of Magharat al Kuhl, in
the year 349 (960), when the Greek armies defeated Saif ad Daulah
and drove him back on Halab. Then in 351 the Greeks came
down against Halab also, and Saif ad Daulah, with the other Turk
Amirs in Syria, lost all power, and retired to Miyafarikin across
the Euphrates. Al Massissah and Tarsus were then refortified by
the (jreeks, as also all the other frontier fortresses in their hands.
This was in the year 354 (965), and TarsOs, with the rest, remain
in their hands to the present day (thirteenth century), and are
governed by Leo the King of the Armenians." (Yak, i. 927 ; )
Mar., i. 228) •i''^7c^'
" The ThughQr," says Dimashki, " are divided into two sections :
the ThughQr of Syria and the ThughAr of Mesopotamia. These
are divided each from the other by the Jabal al Lukkam.
"The Mesopotamian fortresses are Malatiyyah — which the
Greeks call Maltaya, and it lies a mile from the Euphrates ;
Kamakh, to the west of the Euphrates ; Shamshit, also west of the
Euphrates ; Al Birah, east of the Euphrates ; Hisn Mansiir; Kala'at
ar RQm, west of the Euphrates; Hadath al Hamra; Mar'ash, first
built by Khalid ibn al Walid, rebuilt by the Khalif Marwdn ibn al
Hakim, and afterwards again by the Khalif al Manser.
** The Syrian fortresses are TarsQs, Adhanah, Al Massissah, and
Hariiniyyah, built by HdrCin ar Rashid, in the early days of his
father's Khalifate. Also Sis, called Sisah ; when the Armenians
took it they made it the capital of their kingdom (of Little Arme-
nia) ; Ayas, called also Ayagh — this last is the port of Sis on the
sea." (Dim., 214.)
Such were the Junds, or military districts, of Syria, down to
the tenth century of our era. Already, however, and apparently
even before that epoch, the system, being no longer required fcMr
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 39
the cantonment of troops, had begun to fall into disorganiza-
tion.
Mukaddasi in 985 describes Syria as divided into six districts,
which differ in some minor points from the original Junds. The
difference, however, is more apparent than real. Further, some of
the names in Mukaddasi's lists would appear to have been trans-
pKJsed by the copyists. Mukaddasi's six districts are :
'* I. TAe District of Kinnasrin, — Its capital is Halab (Aleppo),
and among its cities are Antikiyyah (Antioch), Balis, As-Suwai-
diyyah, Sumaisat (Samasata), Manbij, Bayyis, At-Tinih, Kinnasrln,
Mar'ash, IskandarQnah, ♦Lajjfin, *Rafaniyyah, ♦Jiisiyah, *Hamih,
♦Shaizar, ♦Wadl-Butnan, Ma*arrah-an-Nu'man, Ma'arrah-Kinnas-
rin.
" 2. The District of Hitns {Emesa). — Its capital bears the same
name. Among its cities are : Salamiyyah, Tadmur (Palmyra),
Al-Khundsirah, Kafar-Tib, Al-Ladhikiyyah, Jabalah, Antarsiis,
Bulunyas, Hisn al Khawabi.
" 3. Tki District of Dimashk {Damascus). — Its capital is of the
same name Among its cities are : Biniyas, Dirayya, Saida (Sidon),
Bairiit, Atrdbulus (Tripoli), 'Arkah, and the district of the Bika', of
which the chief city is Ba'albakk, and to which appertain the
towns of Kamid, 'ArjamAsh, and Az-ZabadSni.
" The province of Damascus includes six districts, namely, the
Ghiktah, Hauran, the Bathaniyyah, the Jaulan, the Biki', and the
Htilah.
"4. I7u District of Al-Urdunn (the /ontan),— lis capital is
Tabariyyah (Tiberias). Among its towns are : Kadas, Siir (Tyre),
'Akki (Acre), Al-Fanldhiyyah, Al-Lajjiin, Kabiil, Baisin, and
Adhri'ih.
" 5. The District of Fiiastin {Palestine).— lt% capital is Ar-
Kamlah. Among its cities are : Bait-al-Makdis (Jerusalem), Bait
Jibril, Ghazzah (Gaza), Maimlis, 'Askalan (Ascalon), Yafah
(Joppa), Arstif, Kaisariyyah (Caesarea), Ndbulus (Shechem), Ariha
(Jericho), and 'Ammin.
" 6. 754^ District of Ash-Shardh, and for its capital we should
put Sughar. Its chief towns are : Maab, ^\inftna, Mu*an, Tab(ik,
Adhnih, Wailah, and Madyan.** (Muk., 156.)
40 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
In the Kinnasrin district the names marked with an asterisk
(*) are in another list given by Mukaddasi (Muk., 54) assigned to
the Hims Province. Even thus, however, the lists are a good
deal in confusion, as may be seen by a reference to the map ; for
while Rafaniyyah, and JOsiyah may very rightly be assigned to
the Hims district, Al Khunasirah, and Kafar Tab, given to Hims
in the second (*) list, in reality lie far to the north of the boundary
line.
Mukaddasi further places Adhri'ah, generally noted as the
capital of the Bathaniyyah district (a dependency of the Damascus
Province), among the towns of the Urdunn Province. The
boundary line between the Damascus and Jordan Provinces appears
to have been somewhat ill-defined, and the lands lying immediately
to the east of the Jordan Cleft were at times counted as of the
one province and at times of the other.
This system of military Junds received its final death-blow in
the twelfth century, on the coming of the Crusaders and the in-
stitution of the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem with the baronies and
counties dependent thereon. After Saladin and his successors
had expelled the Christians, and re-established the Muslim do-
minion, Syria and Palestine nominally belonged to the ruler of
Egypt, but in point of fact was divided up among a number of
minor Sultans, the des(^endants of Saladin and his brothers.
Dimashki, writing in 130b, states that since the rise of the Turk
power (meaning the house of Saladin), Syria had been divided
into nine Kingdoms {Mamlakdt), 'I'he exact limits of each
are not easy to define, for the accidents of war and of dis-
puted succession among Saladin's descendants rendered these
" Kingdoms " far from stable. The list of the nine kingdoms,
however, is as follows, as given by Dimashki :
I. The Kingdom of Damasms^ the largest in point of size and
the most influential, since Damascus was still the capital of
Syria.
" It includes," says Dimashki, " ninety districts (Iklim)." Many
of them he enumerates. It will be sufficient, however, to state
that in the Damascus kingdom were included the lands of the
(ihautah Plain in all its length and breadth ; the I^banon moun-
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 41
tains, with the plain of Coelo-Syria and Ba'albakk ; the Wad!
Barada, and northward along the Hims Road the countr)^ as
far as Kari ; the districts of Laji (Trachonitis), Jaulan, Hauran and
Bathaniyyah ; and the BalkL Further, to Damascus at one time
belonged Jerusalem, and Ar Ramlah with its territories, also
Nabulus, the whole of the Ghaur of the Jordan, upper, middle,
and lower ; Hebron ; with all the coast towns, such as 'Askaldn,
Kaisariyyah, Yafa, ^Akka, Saidi, SQr, and Bair(it. (Dim., 198-202.)
2. South of this lay fAf Kingdom of Ghazzah ((iaza), the capital
of which was anciently called Ghazzah Hashim. " It is a city so
rich in trees as to be like a cloth of brocade spread out on the
sand. To the Ghazzah Kingdom at times were counted 'Askalan,
which belonged to the Franks, and which the Muslims took and
destroyed; Yafa (Jaffa), Kaisariyyah, Ars(if, Ad Darfin, and Al
'Arish."
** Of towns lying between the coast and the mountains belonging
at times to Ghazzah are : Tall Himar, Tall as Safiyah, Karata)7a,
Bait Jibrail, Madinah Khalil (Hebron), Bait al Mukaddas (Jeru-
salem). Elach of these has a separate governor." (Dim., 213.)
3. The Kingdom of Karak. " Here are Karak and Shaubak. To
it belong Ma'an, the village of MQtah, Al Lajj^n, Al Hisd, Al
Azrak, As Salt, Wadl M^sa, the territory of Madyan, Kulzum,
Ar Rayyan ; also in the Ghaur, Az Zarka and Al Azrak ; Al Jifar,
At Tih (the Desert of the Wanderings), with * Amman, of which
only the ruins remain ; and the territory of Al Balka. The Iklim
Al Jibil is also included in the Karak kingdom ; its chief town
is Ash Sharah, and the city of Kab, which lies twelve miles from
it." (Dim., 213.)
4. The Kingdom of Safad. " Its capital is Safad. To it belong
Marj 'Ayy^n (Ijon), Al Lajjfln (I^gio, Megiddo), to which belongs
Al 'Ashir and Al Hawi, Jintn (Ginsea), with 'Akkd, Siir (Tyre)
and Saida (Sidon)/' (Dim., 210-212.)
5. The Kingdom of Tarhbulus^ where are the castles of the
sect of the Assassins.
6. The Kingdom of Hims^ anciently the Hims Jund. " Hims
is the capital, and the seat of government. It is the smallest of
the Turkish Governments of S>Tia ; but of its dependencies are
42 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Shamsin, Shumaimis, and the city of Salamiyyah with four districts.**
(Dim., 202.)
7. TA^ Kingdom of Hamah. " Hamah is the capital ; and of
its districts are : Barin, a strong fortress ; also Salamiyyah on the
border of the desert (or else this belongs to Hims)." (Dim.,
206.)
8. Th^ Kingdom of Halab (Aleppo). "Halab is the capital.
Besides the 'Awasim district, Halab possesses the following : Al
Khunasirah, on the border of the desert ; and Jabal Bani-1 KalcQ,
which used to be called Kasrain ath Thdniyah ; and Kinnasrin,
which was the ancient capital prior to Halab. This last is an
ancient Roman city, and its name of old was SOma.
" Among other places are Manbij, on the Euphrates, built by
one of the Chosroes, and called Manbih, meaning * most excellent.'
In its dependencies is Kala'ah Najm, called also Jisr Manbij.
Tall Bashir, by which runs the river As Sajdr, down from *Ain T&b.
Kala'ah ar Riim, where the Khalifah of Armenia and the Patriarch
dwell. Also Yaghra, situated on a fresh- water lake formed by the
Nahr al 'As wad, and lying between the lake and Baghras and
Antakiyyah. HirCiniyyah, built by H^rdn ar Rashid, and many
other places. In all, there are sixty districts belonging to Aleppo,
each with gardens and lands adjoining." (Dim., 202-206.)
9. The Kingdom of Riim, " North of the Kingdom of Aleppo
lies the kingdom governed by the Tartars, the Armenians, and
the Greeks. This in reality is separatti from Syria, and is called
the Kingdom of Rdm." (Dim., 192.)^ ^i'^:i
The author of the J/i/M/r, writing in tTTe year 1351, gives the
following as the poHtical divisions of Syria at his date. He has
been copied verbatim by Suyiiti, and other later writers :
**The first tow^n of Syria is Balis, and the last Al Artsh, of
Egypt. Syria is divided into five districts, namely : —
** I. Filastin, whose capital is llayi (.'Elia, Jerusalem), eighteen
miles from Ar-Ramlah, which is the Holy City, the metropolis
of David and Solomon. Of its towns are Ascalon, Hebron,
Sibastiyah, and Nabulus.
" 2. Haurin, whose capital is Tiberias, with its lake, whereof
mention occurs in the traditions anent Gog and Magog. It is
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 43
said that at the time of the birth of the Prophet — to whom Allah
give blessing and peace !— the lake overflowed. Of its territories
are those of the Ghaur, of the YarmCik (Hieromax), and of Bais^n
(Bethshean, Scythopolis), which is the town of whose palm-trees
the Antichrist (Aif Dajjcil) will inquire. Also Al Urdunn (the
Jordan), more often called Ash Shari'ah.
" 3. The Ghutah. Its capital is Damascus ; Tripoli is on its
coast.
" 4. Hims (Emessa). The name of the province, and of its
chief town. Of its dependencies is the city of Salamaniyah
(Salaminias).
" 5. Kinnasrin. Its chief town is Aleppo, and .of its depen-
dencies are Sarmin and Antioch." (Muth. I., in S., vol. xix. of
J.R.A.S., p. 296.) y
In the beginning of the fifteenth century the possession of Syria
was wrested from the Mamlfik Sultans of Egypt by the Ottoman
Turks of Constantinople. The Mamliiks were defeated in a great
battle, by Sultan Selim, in the plains to the north of Aleppo (15 18),
and Syria became a province of the Turkish Empire.
TRIBUTE AND TAXES.
The Rtvenius of Syria. — Several statements have come down to
us of the revenues of the districts of Ash Shim, during the period
inunediately preceding the Crusades, when that province formed
an int^ral portion of the Muslim Empire.
The sums are reckoned in Dinars and Dirhams, the standard
gold and silver coins instituted by the Omayyad Khalif 'Abd al
Malik, about the year 72 (691). The names Dindr and Birham
the Arabs borrowed from denarius and drachma, denarius being
the name of the silver coin among the Romans, which the Greeks
termed the drachma. /In passing to the Arabs, however, denarius,
or Dlff&r, came to be the name of their gold coin, worth, in the
ninth and tenth centuries, something under ten shillings. It
weighs rather over 59 J grains Troy. The drachma, or Dirhani,
continued the name of the silver coin with the Muslims, and
during the same period was exchanged at the rate of about fifteen
Dirhams tp the gold Dinir. The Dirham weighs about 47 J grains
44 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Troy, and, at the ratio oi gold and silver of those early days, was
worth about eightpenccj/
To form, however, a just idea of what the sums named in the
following lists represent in the currency of the present day, some
account must be taken of the depreciation of the purchasing power
of gold and silver, since the discovery of the New World in the
fifteenth century. Previous to that period, as it is generally
estimated, an ounce of gold commanded an amount of food and
^labour which would be paid by three ounces at the present day.
Hence, though a Dinar be the equivalent in gold of about ten
shillings sterling, it was equal to at least thirty shillings in pur-
chasing power of the moneys of the present day. With regard to
the silver coin, the Dirham, a like calculation has to be made,
which further has to be modified if we take into account the
great depreciation which silver has suffered in modern times.
An ounce of gold in Mukaddasi's days bought, approximately
speaking, 12 ounces of silver, while at the present day (1889) for
an ounce of gold we should get some 22 J ounces of silver.
Therefore, though the Dirham is worth intrinsically about eight-
pence, but would, as one fifteenth part of a gold Dinar, purchase
goods, at the present day, for the value of three times this amount
(/>. two shillings) — silver itself having now so much fallen in
value, the purchasing power of the Dirham's weight of silver is
reduced to almost half this latter amount, and in the currency of
to-day it may therefore be reckoned at somewhat over the shilling. >
I. The earliest date of which we have details of the Revenues
of the Muslim Empire is the account preserved by Ibn KhaldCin,
in the " Prolegomena " of his Universal History, a work written in
the fourteenth century a.I).
Ibn Khaldfin says he copied the account from a work called
Jirah ad Daulah ("The Provision-Sack of the State"), and that it
represents the tribute paid during the reign of the Khalif al
Mamfin. Internal evidence, however, makes it certain that the
statement refers to a date about half a century before the days of.
Al Mamdn; namely, to the Khalifate of his grandfather, Al
Mahdi — that is, between 158 and 170 a.h., or about 780 a.d
The original Arabic will be found in the first volume of the Cairo
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 45
edition of the text of Ibn KhaldCin, at page 150. The figures in
brackets are readings from other MSS. given by De Slane in his
translation of the " Prolegomena " (vol. i. 364) :
Dffidrs.
Kinnasrin Province . 400,000 (420,000), //i/j a thousand loads of olive-oil.
Hims Province . Wanting.
Damascus Province . 420,00a
Jordan Province . 97,000 (96,000).
F'l «tl P * \ 3^0-*^^^» P^^^ 300,000 Rails (Syrian pounds) of olive-
* ( oil.
r.
Total : 1.227,000 (1,246,000) Dinars, about ;£'620, 000 sterling intrinsically,
or something short of two millions sterling of our money.
2. During the reign of HarOn ar Rashid (a.h. 170 to 193)
about the year 800 a.d., a summary of the revenues of the Muslim
Empire was prepared for the use of the Wazir Yahya, the Barme-
cide. This summary is preserved in the /^i/dd al Wusdrd, " The
Book of the Wazirs," written by Al Jahshiyiri'^ iff^as brought to
the notice of the Seventh Orientalist Congress at Vienna by A.
von Kremer, and parts of the text were published by him in the
TrzxvssLCiioTis {Verhandlungen^ Semitische Section, JVien, 1888).
According to this work the following were the sums received by
the treasury dun'ng the reign of the great Khalif. They are
identical in most cases with Ibn KhaldQn's list already given :
Dfndrs.
Kinnasrin and Al 'Awasim Provinces . 470,000.
Hin>s Province. . . . j 3^°'°^' f"' ''°°° """el-loads of
( raisms.
Damascus Province . 420,00a
Jordan Province . 96,000.
Filaslin Province . 310,00a
And in addition, from all the Syrian Junds together, 300,000 RatU
(Syrian pounds) of raisins.
Total : 1,616,000 Dinars, or about ;f 808,000 sterlipg, equivalent lo nearly
two and a half millions of our present currency. )
3. The next statement of the Revenues dates from a period half
* Az Zabtby probably a mistake in the MS. for Az Zait^ ** olive-oil."
. 3^f00o
5,400,000
. 118,000
i,77o,oco
. 120,000
i,8oo,oco
. 109,000
i.635,oco
. 195,000
2,925,000
64 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSJ^EMS.
a century later than the foregoing, vlt is given by Kudamah in his
work called Xi/dd al KhardJ ("The Book of the Land Tax''),
written about the year 880 a.d., and purports to have been copied
from official lists of the year 204 a.h. (820). He gives the sunis
in both Dinars and their equivalent Dirhams.
Extracts from Kudamah 's text will be found in De Slane's paper
in iht Journal Asiatique for the year 1862, from which the follow-
ing is copied :
Dtndrs^ or in Dirhams.
Kinnsusrin and 'Awasim Provinces
Hims Province
Damascus Province .
Jordan Province
Filastin Province
This makes a total of 902,000 Dinars, equivalent to ;f 45 1,000 intrinsically,
close on a million and a half in our present currency.
(4. Ibn Khurdadbih, in his Book of the Roads and the Prai'inces^
gives the following sums. The text will be found on pages 71 and
73 of the extracts given by Barbier de Meynard in the Jovrnai
Asiatique for the year 1865. ) Ibn Khurdadbih's figures are also
identical with those given by Ibn al Fakih, who wrote in 903.
(I. F., 103, 105, no, III, and 116.) Ibn Khurdidbih drew his
account from the official lists giving the revenues of the years
immediately preceding the writing of his book — that is, about
A.D. 864:
Dtn&rsy or in Dirhams.
Kinnasrin and 'Awasim Provinces
Hims Province
Damascus Province .
Jordan Province
Filastin Province
The total is 1,990,000 Dinars, or about a million sterling, equivalent, how-
ever, to three millions of the present currency.
J
. ■ . I^\J<^^\J\J^
W»^-«-»W,VH.RJ
. 340,000
5, 100,000
. 400,000
6,000,000
. 350,000
3,250»ooo
. 500,000
7,500,000
5. Ibn Khurdadbih, besides the figures just given, cites the
following on the authority of Al Isfahani, who flourished in the
earlier part of the ninth centur)- a.d. :
G
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 47
Dfftdrs.
Hims Province ....... under i8o,cxx>
Damascus Province . . „ 140,000
Jordan Province . . . . ,, 175,000
Filastin Province . . . ,, 175,000
This makes a total of only 670,000 Dtn&rs, or ;f 335,000, equivalent to
about a million sterling of the present currency.
6. Yakiibi, who wrote his Geography in 891, gives the following
list:
Difuirs.
Hims Province, not including state farms .... 220,000
Damascus Province, including state farms .... 300,000
Jordan Province, without the farms ..... 100,000
Filastin Province, including farms ..... 300,000
Making a total of 920,000 Dinars, that is/'46o,ooo. equivalent to rather
noder a million and a half of our currency. ( Yb. 112, 115, 11 6, and 117.)
--1^31
7. According to Ibn Haukal (I. H., 128), the revenue of Syria
in A.H. 296 (908), and in a.h. 306 (918), after deduction of the
pay of the officers, was 39,000,000 Dirhams ; that is ;^ 1,300, 000,
equivalent to almost four millions of the present day . )
{ 8. Ibn al fakA. and Ibn Khurdadbih's figures, are copied by
^ukaddasi; wrid, nowever, gives the following as the revenue in
his own days, a.d. 985. (Muk., 189.)
Dinars,
Kinnasrln »iid Al 'Aw&sim ...... 360,000
Damascus Province ....... 400,000
Jordan Province ....... 170,000
Filastin Province . . . . .' . 259,000
Tbb gives a total of 1,189,000 Dinars, or about ;£'6oo,ooo, equivalent to
;f 1,800^000 of the present currencyy
After Mukaddasi's days, apparently there is no known record of
the revenues of Syria. A century later came the Crusaders ; and
when, after another century, the country had reverted again to the
Muslims, what Saladin and his successors in Egypt drew from the
Syrian revenues is not recorded.
The following table gives a summary of the total revenues of
the Syrian Provinces at the various epochs indicated in the fore-
going paragraphs :
AS
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
1. Revenues of about ihe year 780 a.d.
2. Revenues of HarOn ar Rashtd's days (about 800)
3. Revenues in the year 820 .
4. Revenues alwut the year 864
5. Revenues in the early part of the ninth century
6. Revenues in 891 .
7. Revenuts in 908 and 918, 39,000,000 Dirhams
equal to .
8. Revenues in 985 ....
OSLEMS.
Dtn&rs.
Eqitivaient
in £.*
1,227,000
1,616,000
620,000
808,000
902,000
. 1,990.000
670,000
920,000
451,000
99S»ooo
335.000
460^000
0
2,600,000
1,189,000
1,300,000
594,500
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES USED IN SYRIA.
The names of the Arab weights and measures are, many of
them, taken from the Greek or I^itin, being those that were in use
in the Syrian provinces of the Byzantine Empire at the time of the
Muslim invasion. I'hus the Aff/di is the Roman corn-measure,
A
the A/odii/s, generally rendered by bushel. The Vkiyyah is the
Greek Ouyy/a, or ounce ; and the Rati (pronounced also Ritl 2cci6.
Rutl) is, by inversion of the " 1 " and " r," the Greek Airpa^ or
litre. The Arabic Ktrdt^ which we have horrow^ed, and spell
" carat," was, in the first instance, an Arab corruption of the Greek
word Kif'drtov, the fruit of the keratea, carob or locust tree, better
known as the St. John's bread.
The names of the Kaftz, Waibah^ ScC^ Kailajah^ and Habb (or
weight of a grain) are all of native Arab origin. ITie Kabb is
etymologically identical with the Hebrew word " cab," a measure
containing a quart and a third. In Greek, too, wc find Kai9o; for
the name of a corn-measure ; and the (Greeks are said to have
received the name from the East.
The Afakkfik is said to have been adopted from the Persians,
with whom it was the royal drinking-cup, in shape resembling a
boat ; and " Makkdk " is even at the present day in Persia the
name given to the weaver's shuttle, which has a boat-like form.
The Dciniky which was the sixth part of either Dirham or Dtn^,
is also a Persian word ; and Ddnak in that language signifies " a
grain."
* Intrinsically ; to be multiplied by three to obtain the valae in coin of the
present day.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 49
The basis of the Arab measures of capacity is the Sd\ the corn-
measure of the days of the Prophet, which was ruled to contain
the equivalent of " four times the quantity of corn that fills the
two hands, that are neither large nor small, of a man."* Roughly
speaking, it may be taken as rather more than 5 pints ; and on
this estimate the following equivalents, in English measures, are
calculated. The A7V/, which was half a Sd\ canie from the
Greek aiar^^y which represents the Roman sextarius.J
As regards the system of weights, the unit is the silver Dirham
weight, equivalent to about 474 English grains. It must, how-
ever, be remembered that the Rati (or pound-weight) is not only
a standard of weight, but also a measure of capacity; for the
Arabs, like the Romans, calculated cubic measure by the weight
of a specific quantity of oil or wine. In the same double capacity,
the Kaflz is not only the corn-measure, but also the land-measure,
being the land that may be sown \*ith that quantity of com, and,
as such, counted as the tenth part of the Jarib, the normal square
measure for cultivated lands.
The unit of length was ^the Dhir(i\ or ell, which, however,
varied at different epochs, ^fhe Royal Ell i^Dhird' Mdliki) of the
tenth century measured aljout 18 inches in length ; while the
Workman's Ell, in use at a later vdate (fourteenth and fifteenth
QUituries), measured about 2^ feety .■^'^} \( \*)^
» The Persian traveller Nasir-i-Khusrau, whose measurements are,
archaeolpgically, of great importance, makes use of two Persian
units of length — ^namely. Get and Arsh. The latter is given as
the equivalent of the Arabic Dhird', ell or cubit 3 while the Gez
is generally reckoned to be longer than the cubit, and is given in
the dictionaries as roughly equivalent to the English yard. A
careful comparison of the passages in which Nasir-i-Khusrau
employs these measures leads, however, to the conclusion that he
used the terms as synonymous,! and that both the Gez (ell) and
the Arsh (cubit) \ may be taken as measuring somewhat under
two English feet^/
I The Arab mil^ or mile, was directly borrowed from the
• vide Lane's Arabic Dictionary, s. v. SS,
t Sec Chapter III., description by Nftsir-i-Khusrau of the Dome of the Rock,
4
50 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Byzantines ; it contained 4,000 Dhira', or ells, and may, therefore,
be reckoned at somewhat over 2,000 yards. Roughly speaking,
it is the geographical mile, or knot. Three Arab miles commonly
went to the Farsakh^ a word borrowed by the Arabs from the
Persians, who wrote Farsang^ from the Greek ^apaaayya^.
Throughout Syria, as in all other parts of the Muslim Empire,
there was a network of post-roads, with post-houses, where horses
were kept at the (jovernment expense. The post-stage was called
by the Arabs Al Band. The institution is of very ancient date,
and the word used by the Arabs is probably a corruption of the
l^tin Veredus — "a post-horse." The length of the stage naturally
varied with the nature of the countrv to be traversed. \
Mukaddasi writes as follows on the Measures and Weights of Syria
during his days — namely, at the close of the tenth century a.d. :
" Measures of Capacity. — The people of Ar Ramlah (the capital
of Palestine) make use of the Kafiz, the Waibah, the Makkiik,
and the Kailajah.
" The Kailajah (or gallon) contains about i \ Sa's.
** The Makkuk (3 gallons) equals 3 Kailajahs.
** The Waibah (6 gallons) is 2 MakkQks.
" The Kafiz (3 bushels) is 4 Waibahs.
** The people of Jerusalem are wont to make use of the Mudi
(2 bushels), which contains two-thirds of a Kafiz; and of the
Kabb, which equals a quarter of the Mudi ; and they do not use
the Makkiik at all, except in the Government measurements.
" In 'Amman, the Mudi equals 6 Kailajahs (three-quarters of a
bushel) — their Kafiz is the half of the Kailajah (or gallon) — and
by this measure they sell their olives and dried figs.
" In Tyre, the Kafiz is the same as the Mudi of Jerusalem,
and the Kailajah here equals the Sa'.
"At Damascus, the Ghirarah contains i\ Palestine Kafiz
(equivalent, therefore, to 4! bushels).
^^ Measures of Weight. — In Syria, from Hims (Emessa) even to
(the country lying between Palestine and Eg}^pt known as) Al
Jifar, the Ratls average 600 (Dirhams weight each); but some
more, some less. Of these the heaviest is the Rati of Acre, and
the lightest that of Damascus.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 51
"The Ckiyyah (ounce) contains from 40 and odd up to 50
(Dirhams of weight), and every Rati contains 12 Ckiyyah, or
ounces (and is equivalent, therefore, to 6 lbs.), except only at
Kinnasrin, where the Rati is two-thirds of this (and contains only
4 lbs.).
" The standard weight of the coin in Syria is very nearly every-
where the Dirham weight of 60 grains, and their grain (Habb) is
the grain of barley-corn.
"The Danik (which is the sixth of the Dirham) weighs
10 grains.
" The Dinar contains 24 Kirits ; and their Kirat is equivalent
to 3^ barley-corns (each barley-corn weighing about seven-tenths
of a grain, English).
" The distance between the post-stations (the Barid) in Syria is
generally 6 miles." (Muk., 181, 182.)
Nasir-i-Khusrau notes — 1047 *^-i^- — that in the bazaars of
Aleppo the weight in use was the Dhdhiri Rati, which contains
480 Dirhams weight. (N. Kh., 2.) This was named after the
Egyptian Fatimite Khalif, Dhdhir li Izazi Din Illah, and at this
rate was equivalent to about 3J lbs.
4—2
CHAPTER II.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE {con/inued),
Kivers : The Jordan and its tributaries — The rivers of the coast — The rivers
of Damascus — The Orontes. — Rivers of the northern provinces.
Lakes : The Dead Sea — The Lake of Tiberias — The (lUlah — Damascus
Lakes— Lake of Hims and of Afamiyyah — Lakes of Antioch.
Mountaitts: Sinai— Mount Hor — The Mount of Olives — Mountain-
chains of Palestine : Ebal and Gerizim, Jabal 'Amilah — The JauUn hills
— Lebanon mountains — Mountains round Damascus— Her mon — Jabal al
Lukkam.
RIVERS.
Nahr al Urdunn, — The Jordan, in the earlier Arab chronicles,
is invariably given the name of Al Urdunn, a word corresponding
with the Hebrew Ha-Yarden (almost always written with the
article), meaning " the Descender."
Al Urdunn further gave the name to the Military Province
(Jund) of the Jordan. After the time of the Crusades the Jordan,
in the Arab histories, begins to be called Ash Shari'ah, "the
Watering-Place," the name by which it is known to the Bedawin
of the present day.
" Nahr al Urdunn," says Mukaddasi, " rises above Baniyas, and
descending, forms a I^ke over against Kadas (called the HQlah
I^ke) ; thence again descending to Tiberias, its waters spread
out and form the I^ke bearing that name ; and hence, further
descending from the valley of the Ghaur, it falls into the Over-
whelming Lake (which is the Dead Sea). The river Jordan is not
navigable for boats."
Mukaddasi also speaks of the bridge over the Jordan south of
the lower end of the Lake of Tiberias, across which lies the road to
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 53
Damascus, known at the present day as the Jisr al Majimi'ah.
(Muk., 184, i6i.y
Yikiit, quoting from Ahmed Ibn at Tib as Sarakhsi (died
899 A.D.), says the Jordan is divided into the Greater ( Urdunn al
KaMr)y which is the Jordan above Tiberias; and the Lesser
Li/rdunn as Saghtr), which is the Jordan below the Sea of Galilee.
WThe Jordan waters all the country of the Ghaur where the
sugar-canes are grown in the lands round Bais^n, Kariwa, Arihi
(Jericho), and Al 'Auja." YikCit refers also to the bridge below
the Lake of Tiberias, which he says " is finely built, and has more
than twenty arches. The Nahr Yarmdk (Hieromax) joins the
Jordan near here, coming down from the Bathaniyyah Province."^
(Yak., i. 200.)
"Nahr al Urdunn (says Abu-1 Fida, writing in 132 1) is the
river of the Ghaur called also Ash Sharl'ah (the Watering-place).
Its source is in the streams that flow down from the Mount of
Snow (Hermon) into the Lake of Biniyas (HCilah). From this
lake the Shari'ah flows out, and passing, falls into the Lake of
Tiberias. From the Lake of Tiberias it passes onward going
south. The river YarmCik joins the Shari'ah after it has left the
Lake of Tiberias, and at a point between that lake and Al
Kusair. The Shart'ah, which is the Nahr Urdunn aforesaid,
flows thence southward in the midst of the Ghaur, passing by
Baisan, and on, south again, past Riha (Jericho) ; and again
southward, till it falls into the Stinking I^ke, which is the Lake of
Zughar (or the Dead Sea)." (A. F., 48.)
" Nahr al Urdunn, or the Shart'ah," writes Dimashki, " is a
river with abundant water. It rises at Biniyis, and flows down
to the Hulih district, and forms the Lake of Kadas — so called
after the Hebrew city (of Kadesh Naphthali), the remains of which
are on the hill above — and Kadas was the name of the Hebrew
king of that country. Into this lake there fall many streams and
waters. Passing out thence, the Jordan traverses the district of
Al Khaitah, and comes to the Jisr Ya'kfib, under the Kasr
YaTcftb, and reaching the Sea of Tiberias, falls into it. leaving
this, it passes to the Ghaur. (At the hot springs of Tabariyyah,
there flows out, very marvellous to see, hot salt-water."
54 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEAfS:
" From the hot springs, too, that rise at a village called Jadar
(Gadara (?), at present Umm Keis) — and where there are waters
for healing every sort of disease that men suffer from — there comes
down a great river (the YarmQk) that joins the Jordan, after it has
left the Lake of Tiberias, at a place called Al Majimi' in the
Ghaur. The two rivers then become one, and as they flow on,
their waters become even more abundant, for near BaisAn many
springs join the Jordan ; and below this again other springs come
in, till at last the Jordan flows into the Lake of Zughar, which is
salt and stinking, and is called the I^ke of Lot The river flows
into it but does not flow out. The lake does not increase in
volume in winter for all the water that flows down to it ; neither
does the quantity of its waters decrease in summer. But the
Jordan flows into it night and day." (Dim., 107.)
Nahr al YarmHk (the ancient Hieromax). — "The river
Yarmdk," says YAkOt, " is a Wadi in Syria, running into the
Ghaur. The waters fall into the river Jordan, and thence flow
down to the Stinking Lake (or Dead Sea). Here, on the Yarmdk,
was fought the great battle between the Muslims and the Greeks,
in the Khalif Abu Bakr's days. The field of battle was a Wddi
called Al WikCisah (the Place of Breaking-up). It lies in the
Hauran Province of Syria. The Muslims, in the days of Abu
Bakr, lay encamped on the Yarmiik when they marched to make
their raid against the Greeks. They fell on the idolaters, and
Khalid hastened on the people to the slaughter. And certain of
them pursued the enemy till they came to a high place that
overhung a ravine ; down into this the enemy fell, for they did
not see it, the day being misty, or, as some say, because it was
night-time. Those of the Greeks who fled and came up later did
not know what was happening to those in front ; and they fell
into the ravine also. It was impossible to count those of the
enemy who were slain, but by estimate 80,000 of the Greeks
perished. This ravine has been called Al WikQsah from that day
till now, because the Greek army was * broken-up there.' When
the morning dawned, and no infidels were to be seen, the Muslims
imagined they had put themselves in ambush ; till at length they
gained knowledge of their state. Such as were left fled, the
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, $$
Muslims following them and slaying them, until the Greek army
was completely routed." (Yak., iv. 893, 1015 ; Mar., iii. 272, 339.)
" Nahral Yarmfik (the river Hieromax)," says Dimashki, " flows
down from the Jabal Ar Rayyan." (Dim., no.)
JViaAr az Zarkd (the river Jabbok).— " Nahr az Zarka (the Blue
River) flows down from the country of Hisban (Heshbon), and
joins the Jordan." (Dim., no.)
" It is a large river," says Yakfit, " and it falls into the Ghaur.
It runs through green-clad places and many gorges, and it was the
land of the ancient Himyarite Tubba kings. In this country are
many wild animals and carnivorous beasts." (Yak., ii. 924.) ^ ji^n
/Nahral Maujib (the river Arnon). — " This," says Idrisi, " is the
name of the great river, with a deep bed, shut in by two cliffs of
the mountain sides, which you pass through going from the dis-
trict of Ash Sharih to 'Ammin. The road goes between these
two cliff's, which are not far apart, being distant so little space that
a man may talk to another across them. The cliffs overhang the
banks of the river, and though, as just said, you may hear a man
speak across from one to the other, you must descend six miles
and asc^d six if you would get from the one cliff* to that opposite."
(Id. 5.) J
•* Al MQjib, or Al Maujib," says Yik(it, " is a place in Syria,
lying between Jerusalem and the Balki Province." (Yak., iv.
678 ; Mar., iii. 171.)
Nahr al ^Aujd (" the Crooked River "), or Nahr Abi Fuirus
("the River of Peter's Father ").—" This is a river," writes Yikftt, " •// / /
** running some twelve miles from Ar Ramlah towards the north.
It rises from springs in the mountains in the neighbourhood of
Nibulus, and falls into the sea between Arsfif and Yifl Many
great battles have been fought on its banks, and when two armies
meet beside the Nahr Abi Futrus, it is always the army on the
eastern bank that is routed. /Thus it was at the battle between
the Abbasides and Omayyach, in 132 (75o),jand at the battle
between the T(ilAnids and the Khalif al Mu'tadid, at the place
called At Tawihin (the Mills), on its banks." (Yik., iv. 131 ;
Mar., iii. 243.)
" Al 'Auji is the name of a river running between Arsftf and
56 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Ar Ramlah (and is the same as the Nahr Abi Futrus)." (Yik.,
in. 744.)
( "The Nahr Abi Futrus," says Abu-1 Fida, "is the river that
runs near Ar Ramlah in Filastin.) In Muhallabi's work called
the *jizhiy it is said to be the same as the Nahr al 'Auja (the
Crooked). It runs about twelve miles north of Ar Ramlah. They
say that when two armies meet on its banks, it is always the
western host that wins, while the eastern is put to the rout (Thus
the Khalif al Mu'tadid fled (884 a.d.) from the Khumaruwaih ibn
Ahmad ibn TtilCin ; and the Fatimite Khalif of Egypt Al 'Aziz
conquered and took prisoner Haftakin the Turk (975 a.d.), the
latter being with his army on the eastern bank.^ The source of
the river is under Jabal al Khalil, opposite the ruined castle of
Majdaliyibah. Its course is from east to west, and it falls into
the Greek Sea to the south of the lowlands of ArsM. From
its source to its mouth it is less than a day^s journey in length."
(A. F., 48.)
Na/tr Laitah (the Litany River), miscalled the Leontes, is
at the present day known as Al Kasimiyyah. It is mentioned by
Idrisl in the twelfth century.
" The Nahr Laitah falls into the sea between SCir (Tyre) and
Sarafand. It rises in the mountains, and comes down here to the
sea." (Id., 12.)
" Nahr Laiti,'* says Dimashki, " has its source in the lands of
Karak Ndh (Noah's Stronghold). There, many springs and
streams come together, and the river flows along the base of the
Jabal Lubnin (Lebanon), passing Jabal Mashghari, and into the
same there flow many springs. Thence it passes Al Jarmak, and
afterwards Ash Shakif, a great and strong castle. Below this it
becomes a large river, and falls into the Mediterranean not far
from Tyre." (Dim., 107.)
Nahr al Kalb (the Dog River), the ancient Lycus, is men-
tioned by YdkAt, who states that " it flows between Bairiit and
Sidon, and is of the Frontier Strongholds, called Al 'Awisim."
(YAlc, iv. 298, 843 ; Mar, ii. 250, 508.)
This is, however, a mistake, as the Dog River flows into the sea
north of BairQt
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 57
JVa^r Ibrdhtm, — " A river of the Syrian coast, with but a short
course. Its waters come down from the Lebanon mountains and
Kasruwin, and running down to the coast, fall into the Mediter-
ranean." (Dim., 107.)
Nahr al Abtar (" the Curtailed ").— " A river," writes Dimashki,
" which flows into the sea between Bulunyis and Jabalah. It is so
called on account of its short course, and because its waters are not
used (for irrigation), and that, despite their abundance and rapidity,
there are no canals taken from this river. On an island in it are
the remains of a fortress called Buldah. It was one of the
strongest of places, but was dismantled by its garrison, and this by
reason of their quarrelling each with the other, which led to their
dispersion. This island is one of the most beautiful places to be
seen in this country ; one half of it is washed by the sea, and the
part, that is toward the mainland is surrounded by the waters of
the river. Thus half is on salt water, half on fresh, but to the
sight they both appear but one water, which surrounds the island
on all sides." (Dim., 209.)
The Sabbatical River, — The source of this stream was visited
by Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047. He writes :
" We went by the coast road from Kami southwards, and in
the mountains saw a spring which, they say, flows with water but
once a year, when the middle-day of the (lunar) month of Sha'abin
is past It continues running for three days, after which it gives
out not a single drop of water more, until the next year. A great
many people visit this place in pilgrimage, seeking propitiation
whereby to approach God — may He be praised and glorified ! —
and they have constructed here a building and a water-tank."
(N. Kh., 5.)
This account doubtless refers to the source of the Sabbatical
River of antiquity, visited by Titus (Josephus, Wars^ vii., 5, § 1).
It is at the present day called Faunvcirah ad Dair, " The Foun-
tain of the Convent," that is, of Mir Jirjis (St. George), the build-
ing spoken of by Nisir. Josephus asserts that the spring ceases
to flow on Saturdays. The Muslims of the present day say
Fridays.
Nahr Baradd. — Barada, the ancient Abana, is the chief river
5& PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
of Damascus. Some description of the network of streams
which water the plain of Damascus will he given in Chapter VI.
" Rivers occur in some numbers," writes Mukaddasi, " through-
out the province of Syria, and they flow for the most part into the
Mediterranean Sea — all except the Barada, which, dividing below
the city of Damascus, waters the district. In its upper course, an
arm branching from the main stream encircles the northern part
of the city, and divides below into two branches, one of which
runs towards the desert and forms there a lake, while the other
descends till it joins the Jordan." (Muk., 184.)
"The Barada, also called Baradaya," according to YakOt, "is
the chief river of Damascus. There is another river, also, called
Banas, but the Barada is the main stream. It takes its rise in a
valley near a village called Kanwa of the district of Az Zabadani,
five leagues from Damascus and near Ba'albakk. From the springs
there, it flows down to Fijah, which is a village two leagues from
Damascus. Here another spring joins it, and their united waters
flow on to a village called Jumraya. When the stream of the
Barada approaches Damascus, many canals are led off" it, for they
have built weirs which turn the water aside ; to the north are two
canals under Jabal Kasiyfin, the upper called Nahr Yazid, and the
lower Thaura. 'I'he former was dug by the Khalif Yazid ibn
Mu'awiyah." (Yak., iv. 846 ; Mar., iii. 253.)
" The latter name is often incorrectly spelt Thaurah." (Yak.,
^'^'93^'} Mar., i. 131.)
"The Nahr Yazid, going ofi" at the village of Jumrayi, takes a
moiety of the waters and flows under the foot of Jabal Kisiyun.
The Thaura bifurcates at the village of Dummar, and below this
again, to the south, there are led away the waters of the Banas.
After this the main stream of the Baradd flows on towards the
city, and there is taken from it the canal called Nahr al Kanawdt,
which is but a small stream. On reaching the city, the Nahr al
Kanawdt di\-ides into numerous water-channels (Kanawdt) towards
the south, and flows through all the houses of the town. A great
canal, that already mentioned, the Bands, flows through the Castle
and the neighbouring houses in Damascus, and after dividing into
various water-channels, proceeds through the Ghautah, irrigating all
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 5Q
the fields beyond the gates called Bab as Saghlr, and Bah ash
Shark! . The main stream of the Baradi, after passing through
the city, flows also through the Ghautah, and loses itself in the
lake to the east. Coming down from the north, the waters of the
Thauri likewise fall into this lake, as also the Nahr al Yazld, which
waters all the gardens on the north of Damascus." J (Yak., i. 556 ^^Ij^'i
Mar., L 141.)
TAf Orontes, — This river was called by the Greeks ^ A^ih
^nvafu^y from the old Syrian name of "Atzoio," meaning "The
Rapid." The Arabs corrupted this name into A/ ^Ast\ or " The
Rebel River," calling it also Ai Maklilb, " The Overturned," be-
cause it flowed in a contrary direction to most other rivers, that is,
from the south to the north. The Crusaders, with their usual
haphazard method of identification, considered the Orontes to
represent the Biblical Pharphar, and refer to it in their Chronicles
under that name.
" Antikiyyah," says Idrisi, "lies on the river Al MaklOb,
which is called also Al Urunt (Orontes). This river rises in the
territory of Damascus, at a place near where the desert road bifur-
cates. From thence the stream flows down and passes Hims ;
then traverses the two cities of Hamih and Shaizar and reaches
Antioch, where it flows round the northern side of the city, and,
turning south, falls into the sea to the south of As Suwaidiyyah."
(Id., 23.)
According to YAkOt, when the Orontes leaves the Lake of
Kadas, it is known as Al Aftmds, or A I Maimds ; at Hamah and
Hims, it is called Al 'Asi, and near Antakiyyah it goes by the
name of ^/ Urunt or Al Urund. (Yak., i. 233, iii. 588 : Mar., i.
51, XL 226.)
"The river of Hamdh," says Abu-1 Fida, "is also called
Al Urunt, or the Nahr al MaklOb (The Overturned), on account
of its course fi-om south to north ; or, again, it is called Al 'Asi
(The Rebel), for the reason that though most rivers water the
lands on their borders without the aid of the water-wheels, called
DiU&b and Nd'Hrah — that is, merely by the flowing of the water —
the river of Hamih will not irrigate the lands except by the aid of
these machines for raising its waters. The river runs in its entire
6o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
length from south to north. At its origin it is a small stream,
rising near a domain, about a day's journey to the north of Ba'al-
l)akk, at a place called Ar Ras. It runs north from Ar Rls till it
reaches a place called Kaini (Station of) al Hirmil, lying between
JOsiyah and Ar Rds. Here, where it passes through a valley, is
the main source of the river at a place called Maghirat ar Rahib
(*The Monk's Cave'); thence flowing northwards and passing
Jusiyah, it falls into the I^ke of Kadas to the west of Hims.
From this lake the river flows out, passing Hims and on by Ar
Rastan to Hamah, thence by Shaizar to the Lake of AfSmij^ah.
From the Lake of Afamiyyah it goes by Darkiish to the Iron Bridge
{Aljisr al Hadiif), Bounding the river to the east hitherto, there
has been the Jabal Lukkam, but when it reaches the Iron Bridge
the mountains sink, and the river turns here and goes south and
westward, passing by the walls qf Antakiyyah, after which it falls
into the Greek Sea at As Suwaidiyyah.
"There flow into the Orontes a number of streams, ist A
river which rises under the city of Afamiyyah, and, flowing west-
wards, falls into the I^ake of Afimiyyah, where its waters join
those of the Orontes.
" 2nd. A river rising about two miles to the north of Afamiyyah,
called An Nahr al Kabir (* The Great River'). It runs a short
distance, and then falls likewise into the I^ke of Afamiyyah ; the
waters of these two leave the lake as the Orontes.
"3rd. An Nahr al Aswad, or (in Turkish) Kara Sou (*The
Black River '), which flows from the north, and passes under Dar-
bassak.
" 4th. Nahr Yaghra. This rises near the town of Yaghri, and,
after passing the same, falls into the Black River mentioned above^
and they together flow into the Lake of Antakiyyah.
" 5th. Nahr Ifrin, which comes from the country of the Greeks,
and flows by Ar Rawanddn to the district of Al JOmah. After
passing Al JOmah, it flows on to the district called Al 'Umk
(* The Bottom '), and there joins the Black River ; these three,
namely, the Black River, the Nahr Yaghra, and the Nahr Ifrin,
become a single stream and fall into the Buhairah (or I^ke of)
Antikiyyah, flowing out from which their waters become the 'Asi (or
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 6i
Orontes) which comes down from Himah above Antakiyyah and
to the east* of the city." (A. F., 49.)
** The Nahr 'Asl," says Dimashki, " which between Hamah and
At Rastan is called the Nahr Urunt, has its source at the villages
called Al Libwah and Ar Ris, near Ba'albakk, and thence flows
down to Hims. A great spring of water cornes down and joins it,
called 'Ain al Hirmil, above which is an Observatory of the ancient
Sabieans, which resembles the two Observatories to be seen at
Hims, called Al Maghzalini. The 'As! flows on from here past
the walls of Hisn al Akrdd, and its waters are quite clear, even like
tears, till they enter the Lake of Hims ; but on leaving this they
are troubled, like the waters of the Nile, and do not become clear
again till the river reaches the district called Ard ar Rdj.
Ultimately the river flows down past As Suwaidiyyah and out into
the sea." (Dim., 107, 207, 259.)
JVaAr Kuwaik, — The ancient Chalus, and the river of Aleppo.
"It rises," says Idrisi, "at a village called Sinab, sixteen miles
from Ddbik. Thence to Halab is eighteen miles, after which it
passes to Kinnasrin in twenty miles, and on to Marj al Ahmar
(* the Red Meadow '), and below this is swallowed up after a twelve
miles' course in the marshes. From its source to its disappear-
ance in the marshes it is 42 miles in length." (Id. 25.)
YikQt gives much the same information, only that he writes
the name of the village, where the Kuwaik rises, Sabtdt or Sabtdr,
adcfing that some place the source at Sabidir, six miles from
Dibilo He states the total length of the Kuwaik to be 48 miles.
" The waters are sweet, but in the summer-time it almost dries up.
After the winter rains, however, it becomes a fine stream, and the
poets of Aleppo compare it to Al Kauthar, the river of Paradise.'
(Yak., iv. 206 ; Mar., ii. 462.)
"The Kai^-aik River, opposite Jabal Jaushan, near Halab, is
called Al 'Aujin." (Yak., iii. 744; Mar., ii. 288.)
Dimashki describes the Kuwaik in much the same terms. He
says : " The libertines of Halab surname the river Abu-1 Hasan,
* Father of the Beautiful.' It ultimately flows through the Marj al
Ahmar intp the swamp called Buhairah al Matkh (the Lake of
Mud)." (Dim., 202 )
♦ The MSS. read ** T£w/," in error.
62 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Nahr al Azrak ("the Blue River ").—" This," says Yikilt, "is
a river of the ThughOr (Frontier Fortresses) between Bahasni and
Hisn MansOr, towards Halab.'' (Yak., iv. 834 \ Mar., iii. 243.)
Nahr al y4s7vad(** the Black River "). — " A river flowing near the
Nahr al Azrak, and in the territories of Al Massissah and Tarsus."
(Yak., iv. 834 ; Mar., iii. 243 ; see above, p. 60.)
Nahr ^Ifr^in. — " The name of a river in the territories of Al
Massissah, which runs in the Halab territory." (Yak., iii. 689 ;
Mar., ii. 264 ; see above, p. 60.)
Nahr adh Dhahab ("the River of (Jold ").— "The people of
Aleppo call the Wadi Butnan, which passes Buza'ah, by this name.
This valley is one of the wonders of the world for beauty. The
river flows down into a large swamp some two leagues long and
broad, where its waters dr)' up, and leave salt This swamp
they call Al Jabbtil, and the salt gathered here is exported to
all parts of Syria." (Yak., iv. 839 ; Mar., iii. 246.)
Nahr /lurith. — "A river flowing out from the lake called
Buhairah al Hadath, near Mar'ash, and falling into the river
Jaihan." (Yak., iv. 838; Mar., iii. 246.)
Nahr Jaihdn (the Pyramus). — "The Jaihin is a river which
rises in the country of the Greeks. After passing down through
the city of Al Massissah, it runs by certain villages known by the
name of Al MallOn,* and then falls into the sea. It has on its
banks many hamlets with numerous water-courses." (Is., 63;
I.H., 122.)
"The Nahr Jaihan," says Abu-1 Fida, "is a river almost of
the size of the Euphrates. It j)asses through the land of Sis
(Cilicia, or Little Armenia), and the vulgar name it Jahdji. It
flows from north to south between mountains in the Greek terri-
tories, till it passes to the north of Al Massissah, and then turning,
goes from the east westward, and falls into the Greek Sea not for
from the above-named city." (A.F., 50.)
" The beginning of its course," says Dimashki, " is near
Zabatrah. It runs under a huge rock. At its source is a church,
like the church on the SaihAn, and its length is nearly equal to
that of the Saihan." (Dim., 107 ; also Yak., ii. 170, and
Mar., i. 267, who add nothing to the above.)
^ The ancient Mallus, called in the Middle Ages Malo.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 63
JVahr SaihAn (the Sams). — " The river Saihin is of less size than
the Jaihdn. There is across it a most wonderful stone bridge of
extraordinary length. This river, too, rises in the land of the
Cireeks." (Is., 64 ; I.H., 122 ; copied by A.F., 249.)
'*The Saihan," writes Mas'iidi, "according to tradition, is one
of the rivers whose source is in Paradise. It is the river of
Adanah, one of the Syrian Fortresses, and it flows into the Medi-
terranean. It rises three days^ journey beyond Malatyah, and
Adanah is the only town on it belonging to the Muslims. It flows
between Tarsus and Al Massissah. Its sister river, the Jaihin,
has its sources at the 'UyQn Jaihan, three miles from the town of
Mar'ash, and flows likewise into the Mediterranean. The only
Muslim cities on its banks are Al Massissah and Kafarbayyd."
(Mas., ii. 359.)
** The Nahr Saihan," says Dimashki, " has the commencement
of its course in the country of Malatyah, at a place where there is
a fortress. There is here a church in which is a picture of Paradise
and its inhabitants. The river runs down from thence, and its
course to where it flows into the Mediterranean is 730 (?) miles
in length." (Dim., 107.)
Abu-1 Fidi describes the Saihan in much the same terms, and
adds : " It ])asses through the country of the Armenians — called
in our day Bilid Sis — flowing beside the walls of Adanah, and to
the west of the same After passing Adanah — which lies less than
a day's march from Al Massissah — the Saihdn joins the Jaihan
below Al Massissah, and the two become one stream, which
debouches into the Greek Sea between Ayas and Tarsus."
(A.F., 50.)
The Saihin and Jaihan do not, at the present day, join their
waters, but flow into the Mediterranean by separate mouths. The
names of Jaihan and Saihin were given to these frontier rivers by
the early Muslims, on the analogy of the Jaihdn, and Sihtin, the
Oxus and Jaxartes, the frontier rivers of Central Asia.
Nahr al Barad&n (the Cydnus).— " This," says Mas'ftdi " is
the river of Tarsiis, which flows into the sea on the coasts of
TarsQs." (Mas., i. 264.) Ibn al P'akih says this river is also called
Al Ghadbin. (I.F., 116.)
64 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
"Al Baraddn," says YdkQt, **is a river of the ThughQr (or
f'rontier Fortresses). It rises in the Greek country, and flows into
the sea six miles from Tarsds. It waters the gardens of Mar'ash,
after rising at the foot of a mountain near there called Al 'Akra'
(the Bald)." (Yak., i. 553 ; Mar., i. 140.)
LAKES.
T/ie Dead Sea, — The Dead Sea, at the present day, is generally
known as the Bahr Ltit, or " I^ke of Lot." In earlier days it is
spoken of as Al Biihairah al Miyyatah^ the " Dead Lake," Al
Buhairah al Muntinah^ the " Stinking I^ke," or Al MaklAb^ the
'* Overwhelmed," from the cities of Lot that were overwhelmed in
its depths. It is also referred to under the name of. the Sea of
Zughar or Sughar, from the celebrated town of that name on
its l>anks. It is to be noted that nowhere in the Bible is this
lake called the Dead Sea, this denomination first occurring in
Justin (xxxvi. 3, § 6), who speaks of the " Mare mortuum ;" Pau-
sanias also writes (v. 7, § 4) of 0aXa<rtfa jj vix^a.
"The Dead Sea, Al Buhairah al Miyyatah," says YaTcabi, "lies
in the district of Bait Jibrin. It is from hence that the asphalt
{Humrah) comes, which is also called M(^miyi." (Yb., ii7.)^^^N.*ti^
"The Dead Sea," according to Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, **'/ies
in the fore (or southern) part of Syria, near Zughar, and in the
Ghaur. It is called the Dead Sea because there is in it no living
creature nor fish. The waters throw up a substance called hummar
(asphalt), which is used by the people of Zughar for the fertilization
of their vines. The vines are so treated all over Palestine ; after
the same manner the palm also is fertilized, by applying the
male spathe ; and so, too, the people of Al Maghrib (the West)
fertilize their fig-trees with the flower of the male plant According
to Istakhri, the Dead Sea is called Al Buhairah al Muntinah (the
Stinking I^ke)." (Is., 64; I. H., 123; copied by A. F., 228.)
The account of the fertilization of the vines with the bitumen is,
of course, a vulgar error. The natives anoint the vine plants with
bitumen to keep ofi* the worms and grubs, as is mentioned below
in Nasir's account. The artificial fertilization of the palm and
other fruit-bearing trees, is a subject very fully discussed by the
Arab writers on horticulture.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 65
C
Mukaddasi writes :\^"The Lake of Sughar (the Dead Sea) is a
marvellous place, for the river Jordan and the river of the Sharah
both pour into it, and yet they change the level not at all. It is
said that a man does not sink easily in its waters, and that (during
storms) waves do not rise on its surface. With its waters, if a
clyster be administered, the same is a cure for many disorders.
They have a feast-day for the purpose of thus taking the waters,
and it occurs in the middle of the month of Ab (August), when
the people with those who are afflicted with sickness assemble
thereto." (Muk., 1 86.) - Hl ^ '' 'i ''
" Now the river Jordan, descending through the valleys of the
Ghaur, falls into the Overwhelming Lake (which is the Dead Sea).
This lake is completely salt, wild, all-swallowing, and stinking.
The mountains tower above it, but its waves never rise in the
storm." j (Muk., 184.) lli;f
The Persian traveller, Nisir-i-Khusrau, writing in 1047, speaks
in the following terms of the Dead Sea :
" South of Tiberias lies the Buhairah LOt (the Lake of Lot).
The waters of this lake are salt, although the (fresh) waters of the
Lake of Tiberias flow down into it. The cities of Lot were along
its borders, but no trace of them remains. A certain person
related to me that in the salt waters of this lake there is a sub-
stance which gathers itself together from the foam of the lake, and
is black, with the likeness in form to a bulFs (carcase floating).
This stuff (which is asphalt) resembles stone, but is not so hard.
The people of the country gather it and bjceak it in pieces, sending
it to all the cities and countries round. When the lower part of
a tree is covered with some of this (asphalt), no worm will ever do
the tree a harm. In all these parts they preserve the roots of the
trees by this means, and thus guard against the damage to the
gardens that would arise from worms and things that creep below
the soil. The truth, however, of all this rests on the credibility of
the word of him who related it to me, for I have not seen it.
They say, too, that the druggists also will buy this substance, for
they hold that a worm, which they call the Nuktah^ attacks their
drugs, and that this asphalt preserves therefrom." (N. Kh., 17, 18.)
It is worthy of note that as regards the appearance of the asphalt
5
66 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
floating on the waters of the Dead Sea, Josephus uses much the
same expressions. He writes (B. J., iv. 8, § 4) :
" The lake also emits in various places black masses of bitumen,
which float on the surface, somewhat resembling headless bulls in
appearance and size."
As regards the stinking properties of the waters, Lieut Lynch,
while encamped at Engedi, noticed " a strong smell of sulphuretted
hydrogen," also " a fetid sulphureous odour in the night." He,
however, adds elsewhere : " Although the water was greasy, acrid,
and disagreeable, it was perfectly inodorous." The malodour
doubtless arises from the gases given out at the springs which
lie along the shore.
" Buhairjh Zughar," writes Idrisi, " is also called Buhairah
SadOm and GhdmQr, and these last were two of the cities of Uit,
which Allah overwhelmed, so that the place of them became the
Stinking I^ke. It is also known as the Dead Sea, l>ecause there
is nothing in it that has the breath of life, neither fish nor beast,
nor any other creature, of the kinds found in other stagnant and
movirtg waters. The waters (of the Dead Sea) are warm, and of
a disagreeable odour. There ply on the lake small ships which
make the voyage of these parts, and carry over com and various
sorts of dates from Zughar and Ad Darah to Arihi (Jericho), and
the other provinces of the Ghaur. The Dead Sea measures 60
miles in length by 12 miles in the bread th.",.4Jd-> 3-)
** The foul odour of the lake," says Yiktit, *' is 'extremely noxious,
and in certain years the miasma is blown across the land, and
causes destruction to all living creatures, human and others. By
this all the neighbouring villages are depopulated for a time ; then
other people come there who do not have a care for their lives,
and these settle in the lands once more. It is an accursed lake,
for nothing grows there. When anything falls into its waters it
becomes useless. Thus fire-wood is spoilt, and such drift-wood
as is thrown up on the shore will not kindle. Ibn al Fakth says
that anyone who falls into its waters cannot sink, but remains
floating about till he dies." (Yak., i. 516 : iii. 822 ; Mar., i. 132.)
Dimashki writes : "The people have many opinions concerning
the disappearance of the waters (of the Dead Sea). Some say that
its waters have an exit into a country afar ofl*, whose lands they
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, 67
irrigate and fertilize, and here the waters may be drunk. This
country, they report, lies at a distance of two months' journey.
Others say that the soil all round the lake being extremely hot,
and having beds of flaming sulphur beneath, there never cease to
rise vapours, and these, causing the water to evaporate, keep it to a
certain level. Others, again, say there is an exit through the earth
whereby its waters join those of the Red Sea ; and others again
affirm it has no bottom, but that there is a passage leading down
to the Behemoth (who supports the earth). But Allah knows best
the truth of all this ! It is from this lake that they get the asphalt.
No living creature inhabits it, and no plant grows on its border."]
(Dim., 108.)
Buhairah Tabariyyah (the I-ake of Tiberias). — In Mukaddasi's
days, as will be mentioned below (Chapter VIII., Tabariyyah\
the lake was covered with boats carrying the trade and products
ot the villages along its shores.
( "The Lake of Tabariyyah," writes Yakiit, "is about 12 miles
long by 6 broad. It is like an immense pool, surrounded by the
mountains. Many streams pour into it, and the city of Tabariy>'ah
stands on its (western) shore. It lies about 50 miles distant from
Jerusalem. The Greater (or Upper) Jordan flows into it, as also
the streams coming down from the Nabulus district. Out of the
lake flows a great stream, called the Lesser (or Lower) Jordan,
which, after watering the Ghaur, pours into the Stinking Sea by
Jericho. In the middle of the I^ke of Tiberias is a projecting
rock, which they say is the tomb of Solomon, the son of David.
Now, the sinking together of the waters of the I^e of Tiberias
will be a sign of the coming of the Antichrist, called Ad Dajjal.
It is related further that, when its waters have disappeared, one of
the people of YajQj and Maj{ij (Gog and Magog) will say, * Verily,
there is water there beyond,' and then they will all march on
towards Jerusalem. Afterwards Jesus will appear, standing on
the Rock, called As Sakhrah, being surrounded by all true
believers, and to them He will preach. Then a man of the
Jurhum tribe — or of Ghassan, as some say — will go out against
the people of YaiQj and Mdjuj, and they will be routed and
utterly dispersed." j (Yak., i. 515 ; Mar., i. 131.)
5—2
68 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
"Buhairah Tabariyyah," says Abu-l Fida in 132 1, "lies at the
upper end of the (yhaur. Into it flows the Jordan, caU«d Nahr
ash Shari'ah, coming down from the Buhairah Baniyas. \The lake
is called after Tabariyyah, which is a town now in ruins, on the
south-western shore thereof. jThe circumference of the lake is
two days' march, and its surface is quite bare of reeds."
(A. F., 39.)
Buhairah Kadas^ or Buhairah BaniyAs. — The Hdlah Lake,
called in the Bible the Waters of Merom, is referred to in the
early Arab geographers either as the Lake of Kadas, from Kadas
(Kadesh Naphthali), on the height west of it; or as the Lake of
Baniyas (Paneas, Caesarea Philippi), the city lying some distance
to the north.
Mukaddasi, in 985, speaks of it as " a small lake, lying about
an hour distant from Kadas, the waters of which flow into the
I^ke of Tiberias. In order to form the lake, they have built a
wonderful embankment of masonry along the river, confining the
water to its bed. Along the shore are thickets of the Halfa-reed,
which gives the people their livelihood, for they weave mats and
twist ropes therefrom. In this lake are numerous kinds of fish,
especially that called the Bunni^ which was brought here from
Wasit (in Mesopotamia), that town of numerous -clients."
(Muk., 161.)
It is to be noted that the Halfa-reed here mentioned is, with-
out doubt, the Papyrus .Antiquorum, called, by the Fallahtn of
the present day, Bctbilr, ■ (Cf. Canon Tristram Fauna and Flora
of Palestine^ P. E. F., p. 438.) Lane, however, in his Dictionary
(s. V. Halfd), states that the botanical name of this reed is Poa
MuUiflora^ or P. Cynosuroides.
The " Bunni," according to Berggren [Guide Arabe Vulgaire\
is at the present day the name for the carp, which fish, he says,
abounds in the Sea of Galilee and in the Euphrates. Sir R.
Burton, however, in a note to vol. viii., p. 187, of his translation
of the Thousand and One Ni^hts^ says the "Bunni" is the
Cyprinus Binni (Forsk), a fish somewhat larger than a barbel,
with lustrous, silvery scales and delicate flesh.
" Buhairah Baniyas," says Abu-l Fida, " lies near the town of
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 69
Biniyas, which is in the Damascus Province. It is a lake, sur-
rounded by lowlands, and covered with reeds. Into it flow a
number of streams from the mountains round. The river Jordan,
called Ash Shari'ah, flows out of it, and falls into the Lake of
Tabariyyah." (A. F., 40.)
Buhairah al Marj. — The Damascus Lakes are called by YakAt
Buhairah al Marj, " the Meadow l^kes." " They lie to the east of
Damascus, and five leagues distant, across the Ghautah, near the
plain called Marj Rahit The overflow of the Damascus rivers (the
Baradiand others) goes into them." (Yak., i. 516 ; Mar., i. 132.)
Buhairah al Bikd\ — The lake in the plain of Coelo Syria is
called Buhairah al Bika by Abu-1 Fida. " It is a sheet of stagnant
water, full of thickets and reeds, lying, at the distance of a day s
journey, to the west of Ba'albakk." (A. F., 40.)
It is to be noted that this lake does not now exist, its waters
having been drained off. On the margin of the Paris MS. of
Abu-l Fida is the following curious note :
" The Lake of the Bika was a lowland, covered with reeds and
osiers, which they used for making mats. It lay in the middle of
the Bika' Plain of Ba'albakk, between Karak NOh and 'Ain al
Jarr. The Amir Saif ad Din Dunkuz bought it for himself from
the public treasury, and cleared the land of water by digging a
number of channels, which drew off its waters into the Litany
River. He then established here over twenty villages. Their
crops were more rich than can be estimated or described, of such
products as melons and cucumbers. The people gained great
sums, and a rich livelihood. They planted here trees to produce
timber, and built mills. The person who had urged Dunkuz to
do all this was 'Ala ad Din ibn Salj, a native of those parts.
When Al Malik an Nasir (Sultan of Egypt) laid hands on Dunkuz,
be took most of these villages from him, and gave them in fief to
the Syrian Amirs, and but little remained to Dunkuz or his heirs."
This Dunkuz was Governor of Syria from a.d. 1320 to 1339.
(See Abu-1 Fida's Chronicle, under the year 740 a.h.)
Buhairah Kadas, or Buhairah Hints. — The I^ke of Hims is
also called Buhairah Kadas, after the Northern Kadesh. " It lies,"
says YakQt, "south-west of, but near, Hims, and towards the Jabal
70 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Lubnan (Lebanon mountains). It is 12 miles long and 4 miles
broad. The streams of the surrounding hills pour down into it,
and their waters go to swell the river 'Asi (Orontes), which flows
out of it. On this river lie Hamah and Shaizar." (Yak., i. 516 ;
Mar., i. 132.)
( " Buhairah Kadas," says Abu-1 Fida, " is also called the I^ke
of Hims. Its length from north to south is about a third of a
march, and its breadth is the length of the dyke, which we shall
now describe. This dyke has been thrown across the river
Orontes, and forms the northern border of the lake. It is built
of stone, of the construction of ancient times, being attributed to
Alexander the Great. In the middle of the dyke, and on it, are
two towers of black stone. The length of the dyke, from east to
west, is 1,287 c^ls, and its breadth is 18J ells. The dyke hems in
this great mass of water, and were it to go to ruin, the waters
would rush out, and the lake would become a river, and no longer
exist. This lake lies in a plain-country, about a day's journey to
the west of Hims. They catch much fish there. "^ (A. F., 40.)
Buhairah al Afamiyyah (the lakes of Apattiea). — "These,"
writes Abu-1 Fida, in 132 1, "consist of a number of lagoons
(BaiViah) divided one from another by beds of rushes, with low-
lands covered by reeds. The largest of these lagoons forms two
lakes — one to the south, the other to the north. The waters
thereof are derived from the river Orontes, which flows into .
the swamp on the south side, forming the lagoons. The river
afterwards flows out again from the northern border of the swamps
and lowlands. It is the southern of these two lakes which is
more properly called the l^ke of Afami)7ah. Its width is of
about half a league, its depth is less than the height of a man, but
its bottom is so miry that a man cannot stand up in it. On
all sides and all over its surface are reeds and willows, and in the
middle there is a thicket of reeds and papyrus {Jmradiy\ which
prevents the eye from seeing the whole of it at once, for a great
part of it is masked thereby. On these lagoons there live all kinds
of birds, such as swans {Timmahl) and the species called Al
Ghurairah (?) and Sangh, and pelicans {Al Bajd'ah) and cranes
{A I Iivazz), Also birds that feed on fish, such as the species
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 71
called Aljalth (?) and Al AhyadAniyat (or white-feathered fowls),
and other such aquatic birds. In no other lagoons of which I
have knowledge are there so many kinds of birds as here. In
spring-time these lagoons are so crowded with yellow water-lilies
(NUa/ar) that the whole surface is hidden thereby, and the water
is as though covered by a veil from end to end, formed of their
leaves and flowers. The boats thread their way through them.
" The second great lagoon, which is to the north of the first, is
separated from it by the marshy land covered with reeds, through
which runs a waterway, whereby boats go from the southern to
the northern lagoon. This northern lagoon forms part of the
district of Hisn Barziyah. It is known as the Lake of the
Christians (Buhairah an Nasdrd) ; for there are Christian fishermen
who live here in huts built on piles, in the northern part of the
lagoon. This lake is four times larger than the Afimiyyah Lake.
In the middle of the Lake of the Christians the dry land appears.
Water-lilies grow all along its northern and southern banks ; and
there are here also water-birds like what has been described above.
There is here the eel called Al Ankalis, These lagoons lie to
the west, bearing somewhat to the north of the town of Afdmiyyah,
and at no great distance therefrom." (A. F., 40.)
Buhairah Antdkiyyah (the l^ke of Antioch).*— ** This lake,"
says Yikfit, "lies at a distance of three days' journey from
Antioch. It is of sweet water, and in length about 20 miles,
while its breadth is 7 miles. The lake lies in the territory known
as Al 'Amk, *the lowland.'" (Yak., i. 514; Mar., i. 131.)
" Buhairah Antakiyyah," says Abu-1 Fid^ " lies between
Antdkiyyah. Baghris and Harim, and occupies the plain country
called Al \\mk. It belongs to the district of Halab (Aleppo),
and is situated about twelve days* journey to the west thereof.
Into this lake flow three rivers coming from the north. The
easternmost of these is called the Nahr 'Ifrin ; the westernmost,
which runs under Darbassik, is called An Nahr al Aswad, * the
Black River ;' and the third, which flows between the first two, is
called the Nahr Yaghri. Yaghra is the name of a village on its
banks, the population of which is Christian. The circumference
* Known at the present day as Ak Deniz.
72 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
of the lake is about a day's journey. It is covered with reeds, and
there are fish and birds here the like to which we have mentioned
in describing the l^ke of Afamiyyah. The three rivers aforesaid
— namely, the Nahr al Aswad, the Yaghra, and the Ifrin — come
together *" to form a single stream before they fall into the lake on
its northern shore. And from the southern end a river flows out
which joins the Orontes below the Jisr al Hadid (the Iron Bridge),
which lies about a mile above Antakiyyah. The lake lies to the
north of Antakiyyah." (A. F., 41.)
Buhairah al Yaghra. — A lake mentioned by Ydkdt, probably
one of the small lakes found to the north-east of the Lake of
Antioch.t " It lies," says Yak (it, " between Antioch and the
ThughOr (or PVontier Fortresses), and collects into it the waters
of the river 'Asi (the Orontes), of the Nahr Ifrin and the Nahr
al Aswad. These two last come down from the neighbourhood
of Mar'ash. It is called also Buhairah as Salldr — ^which last
is the Eel, called also Al Jirri — by reason of the number of these
fishes found in its water." (Yak., i. 516 ; Mar., i. 132.)
Buhairah al Hadath. — *'This," says Y^kOt, "is a lake near
Mar'ash, lying towards the Greek country. Its beginning is near
the village of Ibn Ash Shi'i, 12 miles from Al Hadath in the
direction of Malatyah. The lake extends thence to Al Hadath,
which is a strongly fortified castle of those parts." (Yak., i. 514;
Mar., i. 131.)
MOUNTAINS.
At 77/r.— "I'ftr," says Abu-1 Fida, "in the Hebrew language
means * mountain ' in general, but the name has passed to designate
certain mountains in particular. Thus T(^r Zaita (the Mount of
Olives) is the hill near Jerusalem, where, according to tradition,
70,000 prophets died of hunger. TClr is also the special name of
the mountain above Tiberias (Mount Tabor). The position of
* This is no longer the case, according to the present maps. The Nahr al
Aswad, called at the present day in Turkish, Kara Sou, meaning likewise
"Black River," flows into the Lake of Ak Deniz on the north, while the
'Ifrln, or 'Afrln, flows in by a separate mouth from the east. See above,
pp. 60 and 62.
t Presumably not identical with the " Lake of Antioch," the description of
which is given in the Arabic text two pages previously.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 7j
Tiir Sina (Mount Sinai) is the subject of discussion. Some say it
is the mountain near Ailah, and others that it is a mountain in
Syria ; and they say that it is called Sind on account of its stones, or
else on account of the trees that grow there.* TOr Hirtin (Mount
Hor) is the name of a high mountain which rises int he country
south of Jerusalem. The tomb of Aaron is on its summit."
(A. F., 69.)
7»r Sind {Mount Sinai),— ''Tdn Sina," writes Mukaddasi,
" lies not far from the Bahr al Kulzum (the Red Sea). One goes
up to it from a certain village called Al Amn,t which same is the
place where Moses and the children of Israel encamped There
are here twelve springs of fairiy sweet water, and thence up to
Sinai is two days' march. fThe Christians have a monastery
(Dair) in Mount Sinai, and round it are some well cultivated
fields, and there grow here olive-trees, said to be those mentioned
by Allah in the Kurin (chap, xxiv., ver. 35), where it is written
concerning that * blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of
the west' And the olives from these trees are sent as presents to
kings. "J> (Muk., 179.)
"Jabal at Tdr," says Idrisi, "is reached from Faran (Paran).
It lies close to the (Red) Sea, and the mountain-chain stretches
parallel thereto, and between it and the sea is a road that is much
traversed. It is a high mountain into which you go up by steps,
and at its summit is a mosque where there is a well of stagnant
water, from which those who come and go may drink." (Id., 2.)
"At Tdr, or TQr Sina," says YakOt, "is a mountain near
Madyan (Midian), where God spake with Moses the second time,
after he had come out of Egypt with the Children of Israel. The
name *Tfir Stni' is of the language of the Nabatheans. It is a
mountain covered with plants and trees, and is an extension of
the range above Ailah." (Yak., iii. 557 ; Mar., ii. 214.)
THr HdrUn {Mount Hor), — "A high and sacred mountain,"
• Stanle>% Sinai and PaUstintf p. 17 (ed. of 1877), states that ** the most
probable origin even of the ancient * Sinai ' is the Seneh or acacia, with
which, as we know, it then abounded " — that is, in Biblical times.
f Possibly an Arab corruption of the name of Elim, where the Israelites
dKamped before coming ** into the wilderness of Sin, which is l>etween Elim
and Sinai,*' Exod. xv. 27.
74 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
says YakOt, "lying to the south of Jerusalem. Hiriin (Aaron)
went up into it with his brother Mfisi (Moses), but did not return.
Then the children of Israel accused Moses of having slain him,
but he showed them a bier on a plateau in the mountain-top, with
the body of HarOn upon it The place was called after him."*
(Yak., iii. 559; Mar., ii. 215.) , ^^'
The historian Mas'Mi, as early as 943 a.d., writes: '"Aaron
died and was buried in Jabal Madb (Moab) among the mountains
of the Sharah district, that lie in the direction of Sinai. His
tomb is celebrated. It stands in an 'Adite (antique) cavern, in
which on certain nights is heard a mighty sound, terrifying to all
living creatures. Others say Aaron was not buried underground,
but was merely laid in this cavern. There are many strange
accounts given by those who have visited this place, and who
describe it." (Mas., i. 94.) ) . ' /
Tur Zaita, or Jabal Zdita {the Mount of Olwes),-^' A holy
mountain," says YdkAt, " overhanging Jerusalem and to the east
The Wddi Jahannum divides it from the city. In this widS is the
'Ain Sulwan (Siloam), and across the w^di the Bridge as Sirftt
shall be stretched. On the mount Omar prayed The tombs of
70,000 prophets who died here are to be seen in this mount, and
from it Jesus ascended into heaven." (Yak., iii. 558 ; Mar , ii. 215.)
Jabal ash Shard h. — " This district lies to the south of the Balkd.
Behind it is the desert, which is now inhabited by the settled
Fellahin." (A. F., 228.)
Jabal al Khamr. — " These mountains," writes YakOt, "are men-
tioned in the Traditions of the Prophet, and are said to be the
mountains of Jerusalem, so-called from the quantity of wine
(khamr) that is grown here." (Yak., ii. 21 ; Mar., i. 238.)
At Tilr {Ebal awl Genzim).—'' 'Vhh;' says Yikiit, "is the
holy mountain above Nabulus, to which the Samaritans go in
pilgrimage. The Jews hold it also in high respect, for they say
Abraham was here commanded to sacrifice Isaac. The name is
mentioned in the Pentateuch." (Yak., iii. 557 \ Mar., il 214.)
Jabal at Tfir (Tabor). — This name is mentioned incidentally
* This legend is given in full in G. Weil's Biblische Legendeti der Mttsd*
miimier^ p. 185. It is derived from the Midrash.
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 75
by Ibn Jubair in 1185 as that of the mount situated not far from
Tiberias ; he, however, did not vjskjt. (I. J., 313 )
" At Tftr Tabor," says Y^k(it, ^ms a mountain above Tabariy-
yah in the Jordan Province. It lies four leagues from Tabariyyah.
On its summit is a spacious and strongly built church. A fair is
held there every year. (\A1 Malik al Mu'atham 'tsa, the son of
(Saladin's brother) Al Malik al 'Adil Abu Bakr, built there a strong
castle, and kept his treasures in this place. But when in 615
(1 218) the Franks came from beyond the sea to try and retake
Jerusalem, he. ordered this castle to be dismantled, and so it
remains now.'^ (Yak., iii. 557 ; Mar., ii. J 15.)
At Tftr (Tabor) Ali of Herat confounds with Sinai, for he says
Moses received the law in this mountain, ** which is near Tiberias."
(A. H., Oxf. MS., f. 31.)
JabaV Amilah.—Wi^ Jabal *Amilah in Upper Galilee is the one
referred to in the following notices. A second mountainous
r^on, also called Jabal 'Amilah, but lying north of Damascus, is
that of which Yikftt ^a.d. 1225) speaks under the heading of
Kii^r LdthA (see below. Part II.).
^ " Jabal 'Amilah," says Mukaddasi in 985, " is a mountainous
district where are many fine villages, and here are grown grapes
and other fruits, and olives. There are also many springs. The
nun waters its fields. The district overhangs the sea, and adjoins
the Lebanon mountains." (Muk., 162.)
This district is called after the tribe of the Bani 'Amilah, who
were settled here in the early days of the Muslim conquest The
district corresponds roughly with Upper Galilee. During the
period of the Crusades the tribe migrated north, and the region
between Damascus and Hims then took the name of Jabal
'Amilah, as is mentioned by Yfikiit> and further described in the
following account \\ > | .•
(•'In the Safed -^Province," says Dimashki in 1300, *' is the
district of the Jabal 'Amilah, full of vineyards, olives, carob,
and terebinth trees. Its population are of the Rafidite and
Imamite sects. Also in this province is Jabal Jaba'* with a
* The name is identical with the Biblical Gibeah, meaning; ** humped/'
a common name for hills. See Stanley, Sinai and Palestine^ Appendix, § 25.
76 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
like population. It is a high mountain tract full of springs, and
vineyards, and fruits. Near it is Jabal Jazin, with spnngs and
fruit-lands in plenty; also Jabal Tibnin, which has a castle
and districts, and lands round it. This district is also inhabited
by Rafidites and Imamites. Jabal Baki'ah is named after the
village called Al Baki ah, where are running waters and excellent
quinces. In this district are also many other villages with olive-
grounds in plenty, and fruits and vineyards. Jabal az ZibAd
overhangs Safad. Az Zabftd is a village, and there are many other
villages in the country round. The people of these villages are of
the Druze, Hakimite, and Amrite sects." (Dim., 211.) j
" The Jabal 'Amilah," writes Abu-1 Fida, *' runs down east of
the coast as far south as Tyre. The fortress of Ash Shakif
( Arnon) is here, which Baibars took from the Franks, under whom
its people formerly lived.*' (A.F., 228.)
/a^a/'^i//— "This," says Abu-l Fidd in 132 1, " is the district
lying south-east of Jabal 'Amilah. The populations of both were
rebellious until Usamah (one of Saladin's Amirs) built the fortress
of 'AjlCin to curb and bring them into subjection. This last is a
very strong fortress, dominating the Ghaur (of the Jordan). All
its territor)' is very fertile, and it is covered with trees, and well-
watered by streams." (A.^F., 228. See also under 'Ajlftn. )
yada/ Siddikd, — "These mountains," writes Mukaddasi in 985,
"lie between Tyre, Kadas, and Sidon. Here may be seen the
tomb of Siddika. On the middle day of the (lunar) month of
Sha'ban, it is the custom for great numbers of the people of the
towns round here to make a pilgrimage to this tomb, and the
Lieutenant of the Sultan also is present. It so happened that once
when I was sojourning in this part of the country, upon the Friday
in the middle of Sha'ban, the Kadi Abu'l Kasim ibn Al 'Abb&s
called upon me to preach before the congregation. In my sermon
I urged them to the restoration of this mosque, and with success,
for afterwards this was accomplished, a pulpit being also erected
therein. I have heard it related that when a dog in pursuit of
any wild animal comes to the boundaries of this sanctuary, he
there and then stops short ; and there are other stories told of a
like kind." (Muk., 188.)
SYRIA AND PALESTINE, yn 77
t/ al Jaulhn (the Hills of the Jaulan).— "(These," says
idasi, " lie on the opposite hand to the Lebanon mountains
; the Jordan), over towards Damascus. Here it was that I
bu Ishak al Balliiti (him of the oak-tree), who was accom-
. by forty men, his disciples, all of them dressed in woollen
Its (after the manner of the ascetics). These people have a
e, in which they assemble for prayer. I found Abu Ishik
I very learned and pious jurisconsult of the sect of Sufyin
iCirl. These people feed themselves with acorns — the fruit
of the size of the date, but bitter. They split it in half, and
it sweeter by allowing it to soak in water. It is then dried
round in a mill. In this country (of Jaulan) also grows
barley, which the people mix with the acorn-meal, and
ith make their bread." (Muk., i88.)y -^T7
r/ ol Jan.!. — " The inhabitants of these mountains," says
ilTm 091^ ** are Arabs of the 'Amilah tribe." (Yb., 114.)
lie Jabal al Jalll," says Ydkflt, " lie on the coast of Syria, ex-
g up towards Hims. The dwelling-place of Nfth (Noah)
I Jabal al Jalil, near Hims, at a village called Sahr, and it is
le Flood began to pour out here. The Jabal al JalSl extend
r Damascus also, and 'Isd (Jesus) preached here, promising
his district should never suffer famine.'' j (Ydk., ii. no;
i. 263.)
tl Bani HUM. — "These," writes Yakftt, "are the mountains
Haurin Province of Damascus. There are in this district
villages ; among them is the village of Al Malikiyyah, where
BHi a wooden platter said to have belonged to the Prophet."
ii 22 ; Mar., i. 239.)
(j/ Lubnan (the I^ebanon mountains). — /** These," says
idasi, " lie contiguous to (and to the north of) the Jabal Sid-
iinning all along and parallel to the coast, from Sidon up to
is. Their slop)es are covered with trees, and fruits fit for
abound. Everywhere among the Lebanon mountains occur
prings of water, where people who come here to pray have
for themselves houses of reeds or rushes. They live on the
fruits, and also gain money by cutting what is known as the
an reeds,' and the myrtles, and other like shrubs, which they
78 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
carry into the towns for sale. But they do not obtain much
nrofit thereby.'y (Muk., i6o, i88.) ^i]r-0'l}3
I " The Lebanon mountains," says Ibn al ^akihj " belong to
Damascus, and they are inhabited by hermits and anchorites.
There grow here all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and ever>--
where are springs of fresh water. These mountains extend as
far as the Greek countr>\ The apples of the Lebanon are very
wonderful, in that when they first come from the Lebanon
district they are sweet mountain apples without any flavour
or savour, but after having been set in the water of the Nahr al
Balikh, they immediately acquire a fine flavour." (L F., 112,
{ " The Lebanon mountains," writes Ibn Jubair in 1185, "are full
ot the castles of Ismailians (Assassins). This range is the bound-
ary between the Muslims and the Franks, for beyond them to the
north lie Antaki}yah and Al I^dhikiyyah, and other towns, which
are in the hands of the Christians. May Allah return these into
the hands of the Muslims !" ) (L J., 257.)
"The mountains of the Lebanon overhang Hims," says YikAt.
"This range has its origin at Al 'Arj, between Makkah and Al
Madinah, and extends thence till it reaches Syria. That part
which is in Filastin is called Jabal al Hamal ; in the Jordan Pro-
vince the range is called Jabal al Jalil ; at Damascus, the Sanir
mountains ; near Halab, Hamah, and Hims, it is the Jabal Lubndn.
This same range extends to Antakiyyah and Al Masstssah, and
there it is called Jabal al Lukkam. Further north again they go
by Malatyah Sumaisdt and Kalikala, even as far as the Bahr al
Kfiazar (the Caspian), and there they are called Al Kaik. In the
Jabal Lubnan is a most beautiful district belonging to Hims, and
here are grown fruits in quantities, and arable fields are seen such
as are found nowhere else. They say that in the Lebanon district
there are spoken seventy dialects, and no one people understands
the language of the other, except through an interpreter." (Yak.,
ii. no, iv. 347 ; Mar., i. 263, iii. 5.)
"On the slopes of the Lebanon mountains," according to
Dimashki, " there grow more than ninety kinds of plants and herbs
that spring up here naturally without cultivation, flowering all the
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 79.
year round, to the profit of those who gather them. Also many
frjiit and other trees." (Dim., 199.) -/3i>3
' "The I^banon mountains," Ibn BatQtah notes in his l)iary,
** are some of the greenest in the world. There are all sorts of fruits
grown here, and springs of water occur frequently, and shade is
found in summer. This region is celebrated for the anchorites
and holy men who dwell here.^ (I. B., i. 184.)
Jahal an Nusairiyya/t, — "(These," writes Abu-1 Fid^, "are cele-
brated mountains lying near Halab. The Nusairiyyah are a sect
called after Nusair, the freedman of 'Ali ibn Abu Talib.* They
bold that 'AH stopped the sun on its course, as did Joshua, the
son of Nun ; and that a crane spoke to him, as did one to Jesus.
They most of them hold 'Ali for the divinity." (A. F., 232, from
Ibn Sa'id.))
JabaiSantr, — "This," says Y^kftt, "is the name for the mountains
lying between Hims and Ba'albakk, along the high road. On their
summit is the Castle of Kala'ah Sanir. The range extends west,
and east to Al Kariyatain and Salamiyyah. It lies east of Hamih.
Jabal al Jalil is opposite to it, lying along the coast. Between the
two stretches the wide plain in which lie Hims and Hamah, and
many other towns. This mountain tract of Sanir forms a KOrah
(or district), and its capital is Huwwirin, which is Kariyatain.
The range is co-terminous with the Lebanon on the right, and
stretches thence northwards, even as far as the Bildd al Khazar
(the r^on of the Caspian). On the left (southwards and to the
east), the range travels on and extends even as far as Al Madinah.
Jabal Sanir is only the name of this mountain tract between Hims
and Ba'albakk, and is thus but a small portion of this long range
of mountains." (Yak., iii. 170; Mar., ii. 61.)
"Jabal ath Thalj (*the Mountain of Snow,' Hermon), Jabal
LubnAn, and Jabal Lukkam, all these mountains," says Abu-1 Fida,
" are continuous, and run one into the other, forming but a single
range going from south to north. The southern point of the chain
is near Sifid. Jabal ath Thalj (Hermon) runs up north and passes
* This is a mistake. They take their name from Muhammad ibn Nusair, who
flourished at the end of the ninth century a.d. See Haarbruckcr's translation
oi Shahrcutani^ i. 216.
«o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
i)amascus. To the north of this the mountain takes the name of
Jabal Sanir. The spur of the chain which overhangs Damascus
is called Jabal Kasiyiin. After passing Damascus the chain goes
west of Ba'albakk, and the range over against Ba'albakk is called
the Lebanon. After passing Ba'albakk it has to the east of it
Tarabulus of Syria, and goes now by the name of Jabal 'Akk&r,
'Akkar being the name of a fortress in the above-mentioned moun-
tains. The chain then passes on north, and after Taribulus
reaches Hisn al Akrad (the Kurd's Castle). Here, in the same
parallel, lies Hims, at a distance of a day's journey to the west.
Hence the range continues on northward, and passes the line of
Hamah, then Shaizar, then Afamiyyah ; and the range, when it
comes to be opposite these cities, goes by the name of Jabal al
Lukkam. When the parallel of Afamiyyah is reached — the Jabal
al Lukkam lying to the west of that city — there begins another
chain opposite the Jabal al Lukkam, and running parallel with it
northwards. Near Afamiyyah this second range goes by the
name of Jabal ShahshabO, being called after a village of the name
of ShdhshabO, lying on the southern flank of the mountains. Jabal
ShahshabA runs from south to north, passing to the west of Al
Ma'arrah, Sarmin, and Halab ; after this it bears to the west, and
joins the mountains of the country of the Greeks.
"As to the Jabal al Lukkim, however, this continues north-
wards, and there is between it and the Jabal Shdhshabd a broad
valley about half a day's march across, in which lie the lakes of
Afamiyyah. The J abal al I .ukkam extends on northwards, passing
by Sihy(in, Ash Shughr and Bikas, and Al Kusair, till it reaches
Antakiyyah. Here the mountain chain is cut through, and
opposite, beyond the valley, rise the mountains of Armenia. In
{the valley) cutting across the chain runs the river 'Asi (Orontes),
which falls into the sea at As Suwaidiyyah." (A. F., 68.)
Jabal ad Darziyyah {ihe: Druze Mountain). — "A continuation
of the I^banon chain," says Abu-1 Fida, ** in the direction of the
valley, called VVadi at Taim. The chain goes also by the name of
the Jabal Kasruwdn. The people are of the Ibahite sect, as are
also the people of the Lebanon." (A. F., 229, quoting Ibn Sa'td.)
Jabal Sikkin. — "This," says Abu-1 Fida, in 132 1, '* is themoun-
SYRIA AND PALESTINE. 8i
tain chain where the Ismailians have their chief c]uarters and their
fortresses, such as Mas) if, Al Kahf, and Al Khawabi. These
fortresses lie in the mountains that run down along the coast over
against the country between Hims and Hamih. Masydf makes a
triangle with Hims and Hamih ; the east point is Hamah, the
north-west is Masydf, and the south-west is Hims, they being each
about a da/s journey the one from the other." (A. F., 229 ;
from Ibn Sa'td.)
Jabal al Khait, — " A district," says Abu-1 Fida, " lying between
Hims and the sea. There are here a great number of the Ibihite
sect (who believe everything to be licit). When they can they sell
the Muslims as slaves to the Franks." (A. F., 229.)
Jabal as Summak. — ** This," says Yakftt, ** is a great mountain
r^on in the district of Western Halab. It is covered with towns,
villages, and castles, all inhabited by people of the Ismailian sect. •
The district lies for the most part in the government of Halab.
Jabal as Summik is so called from the Summik (Sumac) tree,
which abounds here. Sesame, cotton, and apricots are grown
here, and there is running water ; also gardens in plenty and all
kinds of trees and fruits." (Yak., ii. 21 ; Mar., i. 238.)
Jabal al Akrd ("the Bald Mountain ").—"fThe name of the
mountains," says Yikftt, "in Syria that are seen from the sea,
overhanging the districts round Antikiyyah, Al Lddhikiyyah, and
Taribulus. The range is of unknown height." (Yak., i. 336 ;
Mar., L 195.)
Jabal Akra' is the Mons Casius of the Romans, south of
Antioch. Ibn Bat(ltah writes that it is " one of the highest moun-
tains of Syria. You see it first of all others coming from the sea.
The Turkomans dwell on its slopes (a.d. 1355), and there are
many streams and springs that flow down from it." (I. B., i. 183.)
Jabal LukkAm, — These are more particularly the eastern and
northern ports of what was anciently known as Mount Amanus.
All the Syrian mountains north of the Lebanon, however, are
apparently included under this general name. (See the preceding
page.) The Jabal Lukkim are often identical with the Jabal
Sikkin of the later Arab geographers.
" Jabal al Lukkam," says Mukaddasi, " is the most populous
6
82 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
mountain region of Syria, also the largest in area and the most
rich in fruit-trees. A.t the present day, however (a.d. 985), all this
country is in the hands of the Armenians. Tarsus lies beyond
these mountains, and Antioch is on our side of them." (Mule,
188.)
Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, writing in the earlier part of the tenth
century, give the following account of this range : " The Jahal al
Lukkam divide the Syrian from the Mesopotamian Frontier For-
tresses, and the range extends north, far into the country of the
Greeks — for 200 leagues even, as it is said. The range first
appears in the lands of Islam, running down between Mar*ash, Al
Hariiniyyah, and 'Ain Zarbah. The chain goes by the name of
Jabal al Lukkam as far south as Al Ladhikiyyah. Below this the
mountains have, as far as Hims, the name of Jabal (the mountain
of the tribes of) Bahra and Tanukh. South of Hims the range is
called the Lebanon (Jabal Lubnan), and to the south again they
spread out all over Syria, until on the one hand they end on the
shore of the Bahr Kulzum (the Red Sea), and on the other reach
the Cairo hills called Al Mukattam." (Is., 56 ; I. H., 108.)
" The Jabal al Lukkdm," says Yakftt, " are the mountains over-
hanging Antikiy>^h, Al Massissah, Tarsus, and the other cities of
the Thughftr (or Frontier Fortresses). The range extends north
into the country to the Leo kings of Armenia." (Yak., iv. 364 ;
Mar., iii. 17.)
CHAPTER III.
JERUSALEM.
Names of the Holy City— Advantages of Jerusalem— Fertility — Position —
Territory of the Holy City.
Tke Mosque al Aksd : The Prophet's Night Journey — The origin of the
Mosque al AksH — 'Omar's early building and that of *Abd al Malik —
Earthquake of the year 130 (746), and restoration of the mosque by Al
MansCtr and Al Mahdi — The technical meaning of the term Masjidf or
Mosque — Mukaddasi's description of the Aksi in 985 — The Talisman and
the Maks{irahs — Earthquakes of 1016 and 1034— Inscriptions relating to
repairs — Description of the Aksa by NsUiri-Khusrau in 1047 — Dimensions
of the mosque — The Crusades — The mosque given over to the Templars
— Description by Idrisi and Ali of Herat — Saladin's reconquest of
Jerusalem and restoration of the Aksa in 1 187 — Description by Mujir ad
Din in 1496 — Modern mosque.
77i€ Dome of the Rock : The Rock — The dome built over it by *Abd al
Malik in 691 — Mr. Fergusson's theory disproved — 'Abd al Malik's great
inscription — Al MamOn's inscription on the doors — Description of the
Dome by Ibn al Fakth in 903 —Arrangement of the piers and pillars —
Istakhri and Ibn Haukal's description — ^That of Muicaddasi, 985 — ^The
earthquake of 1016 and the inscriptions recording repairs — Nasir-i-Khus-
rau's visit in 1047 — The fall of the great lantern in 1060— The Crusaders
and the Templum Domini — Temple- churches and Rafael's picture of the
Sposalhio — Idrisi*s account in 1 154 — 'Ali of Herat's in 1173 — The iron
railing round the Rock, and other details — Pieces of the Rock taken by
the Crusaders as relics — Saladin's restoration — His great inscription in the
Dome — Ibn BatOtah's visit in 1355— Destruction of the Cupola by fire in
1448 — Suyiiti's description of the Footprint of the Prophet, the Cave, and
other maiveU — Mujir ad Din's measurements.
Jerusalem is known to the Muslims by the names of Bait at
Mukaddas or Bait al Makdis, signifying " The Holy House " ; or
else simply as Ai Kuds^ " The Holy " ; the latter being the more
common name at the present day. The ancient Hebrew name,
" Yerushalaim," was, however, well known to the Arabs, though not
used, and Yikiit mentions the forms Urhhallum^ Urishalum^
also Shallaniy as the various names of the Holy City in the days
cf the Jews. (Yak., i. 402; iiL 315; iv. 590.)
6—2
84 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
The Emperor Hadrian, after removing all the Jews from
Jerusalem (a.d. 130), gave the town the name of MWo. Capitolina
the first part of this name was preserved in the Arabic as liiyc^^
a name which, having no signification for the Arabs, gave rise to
numerous legends. YakAt writes :
" It is reported on the authority of Ka*ab that the Holy City
was called IliyA because Iliya was the name of a woman who built
the city." (Yak., iv. 592.) Further, liiyd is said to mean Bait
Allah (the House of God). And, again, Iliyd is said to have been
so called "after the name of its builder, who was Iliyi, son of
Aram, son of Sam (Shem), son of NQh (Noah), and he was the
brother of Dimishk (Damascus), Hims (Emessa), Urdunn (Jordan),
dftd Filastin (Palestine)." (Yak., i. 423, 424.)
Jerusalem also was occasionally referred to in poetry as Al
Baidt^ meaning "the court," or ** royal residence," a word the
Arabs had borrowed from the IjaXm pa iatium.
Politically, Jerusalem was never the Muslim capital of the pro-
vince (Jund) of Palestine, this being at Ar Ramlah. But the
Holy City, containing within its precincts The Further Mosque,
The Rock, and other Holy Places, was only held second in point
of sanctity to the twin Holy Cities of the Hijjiz, Makkah, and Al
Madtnah, in the eyes of all true believers ; and Jerusalem, further,
was to be the scene of the great gathering on the Last Judgment
Day. Even in the days of its splendour, when Ar Ramlah was
the capital of the south province, as Damascus was of the north,
Istakhri and Ibn Haukal (tenth century) write : " The Holy City .
is nearly as large as Ar Ramlah. It is a city perched high on the
hills : and you have to go up to it from all sides. In all Jerusalem
there is no running water, excepting what comes from springs, that
can be used to irrigate the fields, and yet it is the most fertile
portion of Filastin." (Is., 56; I.H., iii.)
Mukaddasi (a.d. 985), as his name implies, himself a native of
the Holy City, is loud in praises of the manifold advantages of
Jerusalem. He writes :
" The Holy City, Bait-al-Makdis, is also known as Iliyi and
Al Balat. Among provincial towns none is larger than Jerusalem,
and many capitals are, in fact, smaller. Neither the cold nor the
heat is excessive here, and snow falls but rarely. The K^di Abu-I
JERUSALEM. 85
Kllsim, son of the Kddi of the two Holy Cities of Makkah and Al
Madinah, inquired of me once concerning the climate of Jerusalem.
I answered: * It is betwixt and between — neither very hot nor
very cold.' Said he in reply : * Just as is that of Paradise.' The
buildings of the Holy City are of stone, and you will find nowhere
finer or more solid construction. In no place will you meet with
people more chaste. Provisions are most excellent here ; the
markets are clean, the Mosque is of the largest, and nowhere are
Holy Places more numerous. The grapes are enormous, and
there are no quinces to equal those of the Holy City. In Jerusalem
are all manner of learned men and doctors, and for this reason the
heart of every man of intelligence yearns towards her. All the year
round, never are her streets empty of strangers. As to the saying
that Jerusalem is the most illustrious of cities — is she not the one
that unites the advantages of This World and those of the Next ?
He who is of the sons of This World, and yet is ardent in the
matters of the Next, may find there a market for his wares ; while
he who would be of the men of the Next World, though his soul
clings to the good things of This, he, too, may find them here !
Further, Jerusalem is the pleasantest of places in the matter of
climate, for the cold there does not injure, and the heat is not
noxious. And as to her being the finest city, why, has any seen
elsewhere buildings finer or cleaner, or a Mosque that is more
beautiful ? And as for the Holy City l)eing the most productive
•
of all places in good things, why, Allah — may He be exalted ! —
has gathered together here all the fruits of the lowlands, and of
the plains, and of the hill country, even all those of the most
opposite kinds : such as the orange and the almond, the date and
the nut, the fig and the banana, besides milk in plenty, and honey
and sugar. And as to the excellence of the City ! why, is not
this to be the phce of marshalling on the Day of Judgment ;
where the gathering together and the appointment will take place ?
Verily Makkah and Al Madinah have their superiority by reason
of the Ka'abah and the Prophet — the blessing of Allah l)e upon
him and his family ! — but, in truth, on the Day of Judgment both
cities will come to Jerusalem, and the excellencies of them all will
then be united. And as to Jerusalem being the most spacious
86 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
of cities ; why, since all created things are to assemble there, what
place on the earth can be more extensive than this ?
" Still, Jerusalem has some disadvantages. Thus it is reported,
as found written in the Torah (or Books) of Moses, that * Jerusalem
is as a golden basin filled with scorpions/ Then you will not find
anywhere baths more filthy than those of the Holy City ; nor any-
where the fees for the same heavier. Learned men are few, and
the Christians numerous, and the same are unmannerly in the
public places. In the hostelries the taxes are heavy on all that is
sold ; there are guards at every gate, and no one is allowed to sell
of the necessities of life except in the appointed places. In this
city the oppressed have no succour ; the meek are molested, and
the rich envied. Jurisconsults remain unvisited, and erudite men
have no renown ; also the schools are unattended, for there are no
lectures. Everywhere the Christians and the Jews have the upper
hand : and the mosque is void of either congregation or assembly
of learned men." (Muk., i66, 167. The translation is somewhat
condensed.)
That the Christians and Jews had the upp)er hand in Jerusalem
in the century preceding the first Crusade is certainly a curious and
noteworthy fact. In his introductory chapter Mukaddasi states that
" in Jerusalem no one can find either defect or deficiency. Wine
is not publicly consumed, and there is no drunkenness. The city
is devoid of houses of ill-fame, whether public or private. The
people, too, are noted for piety and sincerity. At one time, when
it became known that the Governor drank wine, they built up
round his house a wall, and thus prevented from getting to him
those who were invited to his banquets." (Muk., 7.)
Mukaddasi further continues :
" The territory of the Holy City is counted as all the country
that lies within a radius of forty miles from Jerusalem, and
includes many villages. For twelve miles the frontier follows the
shore (of the Dead Sea) over against Sughar and Maab ; then for
five miles it lies through the desert, and is in the district towards
the south, even unto the country that lies beyond Al Kusaifah and
the land that is over against it. And on the north the frontier
reaches to the limits of Nibulus. This, then, is the land which
JERUSALEM. 87
Allah — may He be exalted ! — has called blessed (Kuran, xxi. 71) ;
it is a country where, on the hills are trees, and in the plains fields
that need neither irrigation nor the watering of rivers, even as the
two men (Caleb and Joshua) reported to Moses, the son of 'Amrin,
saying : * We came on a land flowing with milk and honey.' I
myself at times in Jerusalem have seen cheese selling at a sixth
of a Dirham for the Rati, and sugar at a Dirham the Rati ; and
for that same sum you could obtain either a Rati and a half of
olive-oil, or four Ratls of raisins." (Muk., 173.)
Taking the Dirham at tenpence, and the Syrian Rati at 6 lbs.,
we have cheese at about a farthing a pound, sugar at a penny
three farthings a pound, olive-oil at about a shilling the gallon,
and raisins at the rate of 2 J lb. for a penny. The great natural
fertility of all the country round Jerusalem is constantly referred
to by the Arab writers. Mukaddasi notes that " in Palestine,
during the summer-time, every night, when the south wind is
blowing, dew falls, and in such quantities that the gutters of the
Aksa Mosque are set to run." (Muk., 186.)*
The position of Jerusalem crowning a hill-spur, and surrounded
on three sides by deep gorges, seems to have struck alike both
Eastern and Western pilgrims. The Arabs were accustomed to
build their great cities in the valleys, or else in the plain-country,
for the sake of the streams. The Persian traveller Nasir-i-Khusrau,
who reached Jerusalem on March 5, 1047, approached the Holy
City by the northern road. He writes :
"After we had continued our upward road some way from
Kariyat-al-*Anab, a great plain opened out in front of us, part of
which was stony, and part of it good soil ; and here, as it were,
on the summit of the mountain, lay before our view Bait-al-
Mukaddas (the Holy City). Now, the men of Syria, and of the
• The following passage from TA^ Holy Lattd and the BibU^ by Cunningham
Geikie, D.D., may illustrate the exactness of Mukaddasi's observations : ** In
Palestine,*' Dr. Geikie writes, ** the bright skies cause the heat of the day to
radiate very quickly into space, so that the nights are as cold as the day is the
reverse. To this coldness of the night-air, the indispensable watering of all
plant-life is due. The winds, loaded with moisture, are robbed of it as they
pass over the land, the cold air condensing it into drops of water, which fall in
a gracious rain of mist on every thirsty blade."
88 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
neighbouring parts, call the Holy City by the name of Kuds (the
Holy) ; and the people of these provinces, if they are unable to
make the pilgrimage (to Makkah), will go up at the appointed
season to Jerusalem, and there perform their rites, and upon the
feast-day slay the sacrifice, as is customary to do (at Makkah) on
the same day. There are years when as many as twenty thousand
people will be present at Jerusalem during the first days of the
(pilgrimage) month of Dh^-1 Hijjah ; for they bring their children
also with them, in order to celebrate their circumcision. PVom
all the countries of the Greeks, too, and from other lands, the
Christians and the Jews come up to Jerusalem in great numbers,
in order to make their visitation of the Church (of the Resurrec-
tion) and the synagogue that is there ; and this great Church (of
the Resurrection) at Jerusalem we shall describe further on in its
proper place. (See Chapter V.)
" The lands and villages round the Holy City are situate upon
the hillsides ; the land is well cultivated, and they grow corn,
olives, and figs ; there are also many kinds of trees here. In all the
country round there is no (spring) water for irrigation, and yet the
produce is very abundant, and the prices are moderate. Many of
the chief men harvest as much as 50,000 Manns weight (or about
16,800 gallons) of olive-oil. This is kept in tanks and cisterns,
and they export thereof to other countries. It is said that drought
never visits the soil of Syria. Jerusalem is a city set on a hill,
and there is no water therein, except what falls in rain. The
villages round have springs of water, but the Holy City has no
springs. The city is enclosed by strong walls of stone, mortared,
and there are iron gates. Round about the city there are no
trees, for it is all built on the rock. Jerusalem is a very great
city, and at the time of my visit it contained a population of
some twenty thousand men. It has high, well built, and clean
bazaars. All the streets are paved with slabs of stone; and
wheresoever there was a hill or a height, they have cut it down
and made it level, so that as soon as the rain falls (the water runs
off), and the whole place is washed clean. There are in the
city numerous artificers, and each craft has a separate bazaar."
(N. Kh., 23, 24.)
JERUSALEM. 89
THE AKSA MOSQUE.
The great mosque of Jerusalem, Al Masjid al Aksi, the
" Further Mosque,'* derives its name from the traditional Night
Journey of Muhammad, to which allusion is made in the words of
the Kuran (xvii. i) : "I declare the glory of Him who transported
His ser\'ant by night from the Masjid al Haram (the Mosque
at Makkah) to the Masjid al Aksi (the Further Mosque) at
Jerusalem " — the term " Mosque " being here taken to denote the
whole area of the Noble Sanctuary, and not the Main-building of
the Aksa only, which, in the Prophet's days, did not exist.
According to the received account, Muhammad was on this
occasion mounted on the winged steed called Al Burik — "the
Lightning" — and, with the angel Gabriel for escort, was carried
from Makkah, first to Sinai, and then to Bethlehem, after which
they came to Jerusalem. " And when we reached Bait al Makdis,
the Holy City," so runs the tradition, " we came to the gate of
the mosque (which is the Haram Area), and here Jibrail caused
me to dismount. And he tied up Al Burik to a ring, to which
the prophets of old had also tied their steeds." (Ibn al Athir's
Chronicle, ii. 37.) Entering the Haram Area by the gateway,
afterwards known as the Gate of the Prophet, Muhammad and
Gabriel went up to the Sacred Rock, which of old times had
stood in the centre of Solomon's Temple ; and in its neighbour-
hood meeting the company of the prophets, Muhammad pro-
ceeded to perform his prayer-prostrations in the assembly of his
predecessors in the prophetic office — Abraham, Moses, Jesus,
and others of God's ancient apostles. From the Sacred Rock
Muhammad, accompanied by Gabriel, next ascended, by a ladder
of light, up into heaven ; and, in anticipation, was vouchsafed the
sight of the delights of Paradise. Passing through the seven
heavens, Muhammad ultimately stood in the presence of Allah,
from whom he received injunctions as to the prayers his followers
were to perform. Thence, after a while, he descended again to
earth ; and, alighting at the foot of the ladder of light, stood
again on the Sacred Rock at Jerusalem. The return journey
homeward was made after the same fashion — on the back of the
90 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Steed Al Burik — and the Prophet reached Makkah again before
the night had waned.* Such, in outline, is the tradition of the
Prophet's Night Journey, which especially sanctifies the Rock and
the Haram Area in the sight of all true believers.
After the capitulation of Jerusalem to 'Omar in 635 (a.h 14),
that Khalif caused a mosque to be built on what was considered
to be the ancient site of the Temple (or Masjid) of David.
The traditional position of this site, 'Omar (as it is stated)
verified, by the re-discovery of the Rock — concealed under a dung-
hill— from the description that had been given to him, 'Omar,
by the Prophet, of the place where he had made his prayer-
prostrations in Jerusalem on the occasion of his Night-Journey.
The traditional accounts of 'Omar's discovery of the Rock will
be given later on. It should, however, be here noted that none
of the earlier Arab annalists (such as Biladhuri, or Tabari) record
any details of the building, by 'Omar, of the Aksa Mosque. In
the early days of Islam — namely, under 'Omar and his successors,
down to the settlement of the Khalifate, in the family of the
Omayyads, at Damascus — mosques were, without doubt, con-
structed of wood and sun-dried bricks, and other such perishable
materials. Hence, of the buildings erected in 'Omar's days, pro-
bably but little remained, half a century later, to be incorporated
in the magnificent stone mosque erected by the orders of the
Omayyad Khalif, 'Abd al Malik, about the year 690 (a.h. 72).
It seems probable, also, that this latter Khalif, when he began to
rebuild the Aksd, made use of the materials which lay to hand in
the ruins of the great St. Mary Church of Justinian, which must
originally have stood on the site, approximately, on which the Aksa
Mosque was afterwards raised. Possibly, in the substructures still
to be seen at the south-east corner of the Aksi, we have the
remains of Justinian's church, described by Procopiust as erected
* Further details of the traditional account of this celebrated Night Journey
may be read in chapter xii. of Washington Irving's Lt'fe of Mahomet. In the
commentaries on the Kuran, the account found in the Ibn al Athir and the
other chroniclers is considerably amplified.
t See Palestine Pilgrim's Text Society, Procopius^ p. 138. The subject is
ably discussed in Professor Hayter- Lewis* recent work, The Holy Places of
Jerusalem^ chapter iv. , where all the authorities are cited.
JERUSALEM. 91
in 560 A.D., and burnt down in 614 by Chosroes 11. during the
great Persian raid through Syria, which laid most of the Christian
buildings of the Holy Land in ruins. Perhaps also the remarkable
silence of all the Arab writers in regard to the date of 'Abd al
Malik's rebuilding of the Aksa may be taken as an indirect proof
that that Khalif did not erect the edifice from its foundations,
but that he made use of the remains of the St. Mary Church
(where 'Omar had raised his primitive mosque), incorporating
these into the new Aksd, which thus rose on the ruins of the
Christian edifice.
However this may be, the Chronicles make no mention of the
date or fact of 'Abd al Malik's rebuilding of the Aksa Mosque,
and the earliest detailed description of the same is that given
by Mukaddasi in 985, some three centuries after 'Abd al Malik's
days. Of the Dome of the Rock, on the other hand, we possess
detailed accounts in the older authorities, describing both the
foundation in a.h. 72 (691), and the general appearance the Dome
presented as early as the third century of the Hijrah. It would
appear as though the Arab chroniclers and the travellers who
visited the Haram Area at this period were more impressed by
the magnificence of the Dome of the Rock than by the Main-
building of the Aksa Mosque, of which the Dome of the Rock,
in fact, was but an adjunct. Previous to Mukaddasi's account,
what we know of the history of the Aksa Mosque may be sum
marized as follows : According to tradition, in or about the year
635 (a.h. 14), 'Omar erected a mosque (probably of wood)
at Jerusalem.* Presumably about the year 691 (a,h. 72), the
* In so far as I have been able to discover, the earliest mention of 'Omar's
building a mosque in Jerusalem is the account found in the Chronicle of the
Byzantine historian Theophanes. The following is a translation from the
Greek which will be found on p. 524, vol. i., of the Chronographia (Bonn,
1839) : ** Anno Mundi 6135, Anno Domini 635. In this year Omar began to
restore the Temple at Jerusalem, for the building, in truth, no longer then stood
firmly founded, but had fallen to ruin. Now when Omar inquired the cause,
the Jews answered saying : ' Unless thou throw down the Cross, which stands
on the Mount of Olives, the! building of the Temple will never be firmly
founded.' Thereupon Omar threw down the Cross at that place, in order that
the building (of the Temple) might be made firm ; and for the sa re cause
innumerable crosses in other quarters these enemies of Christ did likewise
92 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Omayyad Khalif 'Abd al Malik rebuilt the Aks^ Mosque (itWe
Mukaddasi and SuyQti). In 746 (a.h. 130), an earthquake is
said- to have thrown down the greater part of the Aksa. Of
this earthquake, and the damage caused by it, the earliest
detailed account I have been able to find is that (see below)
given by the author of the Muthir, who is, however, a late
authority, namely, a.d. 1351. The early Chronicles of Tabari
and of Ibn al Athir make no mention of this earthquake of
A.D. 746, though Mukaddasi (985) alludes in general terms to the
earthquake which had thrown down the Aksa in the days of the
Abbasides. If the date of the earthquake, ah. 130 (746), be
correct, it should be noted in passing that this was two years
before the overthrow of the Damascus Khalifate ; since it was only
in A.H. 132 that As Saffah conquered his Omayyad rival, and
founded the dynasty of the Abbasides, who shortly after this
transferred their seat of government from Damascus in Syria to
Baghdad on the Tigris.
The account referred to above, as given by the author of the
Muthir, of the earthquakes is as follows :*
"On the authority of *Abd ar Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn
Mans(ir ibn Thibit, from his father, who had it from his father
and grandfather. In the days of 'Abd al Malik, all the gates of the
mosque were covered with plates of gold and of silver. But in the
reign of the Khalif Al Mans(ir, both the eastern and the western
portions of the mosque had fallen down. Then it was reported to
the Khalif, saying, * O commander of the faithful, verily the earth-
quake in the year 130 (a.d. 746) did throw down the eastern part
of the mosque and the western part also ; now, therefore, do thou
give orders to rebuild the same and raise it again.' And the
overthrow." Theophanes was bom in 751, and wrote his Chronicle towards
the close of the eighth century A.D. (he died in 818 A.n., 203 A.H.), and he is
therefore prior by more than half a century to the earliest Arab authorities.
His youth is separated by considerably under a century and a half from the
date of Omar's conquest of Jerusalem.
* The Arabic text of this passage, collated from several MSS. in the
Bibliotheque Nationale, is printed in my paper in the J. R. A. S., new series,
xix., p. 304. The passage is copied verbatim by Suyuti (in 1470), and again
by Mujir ad Din (in 1496) ; see p. 250 of the Cairo text of the latter author.
JERUSALEM, 93
Khalif replied that as there were no • moneys in his treasury, (to
supply the lack of coin) they should strip off the plates of gold
and of silver that overlaid the gates. So they stripped these off
and coined therefrom Dinars and Dirhams, which moneys were
expended on the rebuilding of the mosque until it was completed.
Then occurred a second earthquake, and the building that Al
MansClr had commanded to be built fell to the ground. In the
days of the Khalif Al Mahdi, who succeeded him, the mosque
was still lying in ruins, which, being reported to him, he com-
manded them to rebuild the same. And the Khalif said that the
mosque had been (of old) too narrow, and of too great length —
and (for this reason) it had not been much used by the people —
so now (in rebuilding it) they should curtail the length and in-
crease the breadth. Now the restoration of the mosque was
completed on the new plan during the days of his Khalifate."
From this account we learn that in a.h. 130 the Aksa was thrown
down by earthquake and rebuilt by the Khalif Al MansOr. This
restoration by Al MansOr probably took place about the year a.h. 154
(771), for in that year the Chronicles of Tabari and of Ibn al Athir
inform us that Al Mansdr visited Jerusalem, and prayed in the
mosque.* The Chronicles, however, be it noted, make no mention
of Al Manser's restoration of the building : this we only read in
the account given by the author of the Muthir. According to this
latter author a second earthquake (of which, however, apparently no
mention is made in any of the Chronicles) laid Al Mansdr^s build-
ing in ruins ; and afterwards the Khalif Al Mahdi, his successor,
rebuilt the Aksi a second time, making it on this occasion broader
and shorter. Of Al Mahdi's restoration, as in the former case,
no mention is found in the Chronijcles. If, however, the authority
of the MuthSr is to be accepted for the fact, we should place this
second restoration in or about the year 780 (a.h. 163), for in that
year, according to Tabari, t the Khalif Al Mahdi went to Jerusalem
and made his prayers in the Aksd Mosque, and he would then
doubtless have had the ruined condition of the building brought
under his notice.
* Tabari, Scries III., p. 372 ; Ibn al Athlr, vol. v., p. 467.
t Tabari, Series III., p. 500.
94 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
From about the year a.d. 780, when the Aksi was restored in
Al Mahdi's reign, down to 985 when Mukaddasi describes it, as
far as is known from the historians, no accident befell the mosque.
Shortly before this, however, " a colonnade supported on marble
pillars," as we learn from Mukaddasi, had been erected by the
celebrated 'Abd Allah ibn Tahir, for many years independent
Governor of Khurasan and the East. Of the appearance of the
Aksa previous to Mukaddasi's date, the early geographers tell us
next to nothing. What little is noted by them will be given on a
subsequent page, where the accounts are translated in extenso.
Before, however, these passages are laid before the reader, and
in order that he may rightly understand the descriptions which the
early Muslim writers have left of the Noble Sanctuary, with the
buildings of the Aksa and the Dome of the Rock, it will be
necessary to enter into f ome explanations of the Arab and technical
usage of the word " mosque." The main characteristics of the
primitive Arab mosque are well exemplified in the accompanying
plan representing the Jimi' of Ibn T(ll{in. This is the oldest
mosque in Cairo, having been erected by Ahmad ibn T(il(in about
the year 879 (265 a.h.)
As here seen in its simplest form, the mosque primarily consisted
of an open courtyard, within which, and round its four walls, ran
colonnades or cloisters, to give shelter to the worshippers. On the
side of the court towards the Kiblah (in the direction of Makkah),
and facing which the worshipper must stand and kneel during
prayers, the colonnade, instead of being single, is, for the con-
venience of the increased numbers of the congregation, widened
out to form the Jami', or "place of assembly." In the case of Ibn
Tdliin's Mosque, h\Q rows of columns, with the boundary-wall,
form the five transverse aisles {A to a). In the centre of the
boundary-wall on the Makkah side is set the great Mihrab of the
mosque (a\ indicating the direction of the Kiblah. Now in all
descriptions of a mosque it is taken for granted that the visitor is
standing in the Court {as Sahn) of the mosque, and facing the
Kiblah. Fronting him therefore is the Main-building, called the
"covered-part" (al Mughattd)^ or the ^^fore-purt" (a/ Mu^ai/dama A)
of the mosque {A to a) ; while in his rear is the colonnade {B)j
JERUSALEM.
95
single or double, against the wall of the courtyard, furthest from
the Makkah-side, and this is called the " back " of the mosque
(a/ Muakhkharah). The "right-hand side " of the mosque is in
the neighbourhood of the colonnades (C), along the wall on the,
right of the Court when you face the Mihrab, and the " lef^-hand
side" is on the opposite side {D). In the Court (as Sahn) thus
*■''.. .'.....
COURT OF
TRE MOSOUE
; .^jSf :;.:i'?:; ;-%
enclosed, are often other buildings, such as tombs or minor
chapels. In the Mosque of Ibn TfllOn there is a domed building
(E), originally intended to serve as the mausoleum of the founder,
but which, as he died far away in Syria, was subsequently fitted
up with a water-tank to serve as a place for the ablution before
prayer.
96 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Turning now to the Arab descriptions of the Haram Area at
Jerusalem, the point it is of importance to remember is that the
term Masjid (whence through the Eg)'ptian pronunciation of
Masgid^ and the Spanish Mez^uita, our word " mosque ") applies
to the whole of the Haram Area, not to the Aksa alone. Masjid
in Arabic means " a place of prostration (in prayer) ;" and therefore
to revert once again to Ibn TfilCln's Mosque, (i) the Main-
building, A ; (2) the Court, and (3) the Colonnades at the back,
B ; with those (4) to the right, C ; to the left, D\ as also (5) the
Dome E in the Court — one and all form essential parts of the
mosque, and are all comprehended by the term " Al Masjid. '
Bearing these points in mind, and coming to the Noble
Sanctuary at Jerusalem, we find that the term ** Masjid," as
already stated, is commonly applied not only to the Aksa Mosque
(more properly ihcJamV, or "place of assembly," for prayer), but
to the whole enclosure of the great Court, with the Dome of the
Rock in the middle, and all the other minor domes, and chapels,
and colonnades. The Dome of the Rock (misnamed by the
Franks " the Mosque of 'Omar "), is not itself a mosque or place
for public prayer, but merely the largest of the many cupolas in
the Court of the Mosque, and in this instance was built to cover
and do honour to the Holy Rock which lies beneath it.
Great confusion is introduced into the Arab descriptions of the
Noble Sanctuar}' by the indiscriminate use of the terms A/ Masjid
or Ai Masjid al AksA^JamV ox Jhmial Aksd ;. and nothing but an
intimate acquaintance with the locality described will prevent a
translator, ever and again, misunderstanding the text he has
before him — since the native authorities use the technical terms in
an extraordinarily inexact manner, often confounding the whole,
and its part, under the single denomination of " Masjid." Further,
the usage of various writers differs considerably on these points :
Mukaddasi invariably speaks of the whole Haram Area as Al
Masjid, or as Al Masjid al Aksd, " the Aksa Mosque," or " the
mosque," while the Main-building of the mosque, at the south
end of the Haram Area, which we generally term the Aksa, he
refers to as Al Mnghattci, " the Covered-part." Thus he writes
" the mosque is entered by thirteen gates," meaning the gates of
JERUSALEM. 97
the Haram Area. So also "on the right of the court," means
along the west wall of the Haram Area ; " on the left side " means
the east wall ; and " at the back " denotes the northern boundary
wall of the Haram Area.
Nasir-i-Khusrau, who wrote in Persian, uses for the Main-building
of the Aksa Mosque the Persian word Piishish, that is, " Covered-
part," which exactly translates the Arabic Al Mughatid, On some
occasions, however, the Aksd Mosque (as we call itj is spoken of
by N^sir as the Maksiirah^ a term used especially to denote the
railed-off oratory of the Sultan, facing the Mihrab, and hence in
an extended sense applied to the building which includes the
same. The great Court of the Haram Area, Ndsir always speaks
of as the Masjid^ or the Masjid al Aksd, or again as the Friday
Mosque {Masjid-i-Jum^aH),
In the presence of this ambiguity of terms, I have thought it
better to translate Al Masjid and the various other phrases by
" the Haram Area," or " the Noble Sanctuary," in the one case, and
by " the Aksd Mosque " in the other, as circumstances demanded,
and in accordance with the context ; in order thus to render the
translation perfectly clear to European readers. It may be added
that Muslim authorities speak in the same loose way of "the
Rock," when they really mean " the Dome of the Rock " {Kubbat
as Sakhrah) which covers the same ; but this, after all, is only as we
speak of the " Holy Sepulchre," meaning " the Church," which is
built over it. In concluding these preliminary remarks, attention
is directed to the fact that the Kiblah^ denoting the point of the
compass towards Makkah, is in Syria used approximately as
synonymous with " south." In Egypt, as will be seen in the plan
of Ibn T(il(in's Mosque, the Kiblah points east The Kiblah point
in a mosque is indicated by a niche in the (Jimi*) wall, generally
finely ornamented, called the Mihrdk Besides the great Mihrab
of the mosque, there are often numerous other and minor Mihrabs
(prayer niches or oratories), just as in a Catholic church there are
many minor altars and chapels in addition to the high altar of the
chancel.
Descriptions of the Aksd Mosque, — During the hundred years
that preceded Mukaddasi's date, Syria and Palestine had become
7
<^ PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
lost to the Baghdad Khalifs. In 878 (264) Ahmad ibn T(il{in,
their viceroy at Cairo, had asserted his independence, seized on
Egypt and conquered the whole of Syria. The rule of the
T^lOnides lasted in Southern Syria and Palestine till 934, when their
power was transferred to the Ikhshidis, who, in turn, were driven
out of Egypt and Syria by the Fatimite Khalif Al Mu'izz in 969 ;
and it was under the rule of his successor, Al 'Aziz, that Mukad-
dasi wrote his description of Jerusalem in 985.
Mukaddasi's account of the Aksa Mosque at this date is as
follows :
"The Masjid al Aksi (the Further Mosque with the Haram
Area) lies at the south-eastern corner of the Holy City. The
stones of the foundations of the Haram Area wall, which were
laid by David, are ten ells, or a little less, in length. They are
chiselled (or drafted), finely faced, and jointed, and of hardest
material. On these the Khalif 'Abd al Malik subsequently built,
using smaller but well-shaped stones, and battlements are added
above. This mosque is even more beautiful than that of
Damascus, for during the building of it they had for a rival and
as a comparison the great Church (of the Holy Sepulchre) be-
longing to the Christians at Jerusalem, and they built this to be
even more magnificent than that other. But in the days of the
Abbasides occurred the earthquakes,* which threw down most of
the Main-building (al MughattAy which is the Aksa Mosque) ; all,
in fact, except that portion which is round the Mihrab. Now
when the Khalif of that day (who was Al Mahdi) obtained news
of this, he inquired and learned that the sum at that time in the
treasury would in no wise suffice to restore the mosque. So he
wrote to the governors of the provinces, and to all the commanders,
that each should undertake the building of a colonnade. The
order was carried out, and the edifice rose firmer and more sub-
stantial than ever it had been in former times. The more ancient
portion remained, even like a beauty spot, in the midst of the
new, and it extends as far as the limit of the marble columns ; for
beyond, where the columns are of concrete, the later building
commences. The Main-building of the Aksa Mosque has twenty-
* See p. 92.
1
-a
. ....................
s
i
■b
1
•
""""""11
|. .,_„.. ............ ........
1
JERUSALEM. 99
six doors. The door (D) opposite to the Mihrib is called the
Great Brazen Gate ; it is plated with brass gilt, and is so heavy that
only a man strong of shoulder and of arm can turn it on its hinges.
To the right hand of this (Great Gate) are seven large doors, the
midmost covered with gilt plates ; and after the same manner there
are seven doors to the left. And further, on the eastern side (of
the Aksi), are eleven doors unornamented. Over the first-
mentioned doors, fifteen in number, is a colonnade (C, C') sup-
ported on marble pillars, lately erected by 'Abd Allah ibn Tihir.*
" On the right-hand side of the Court (that is along the West
Wall of the Haram Area) are colonnades supported by marble
pillars and pilasters; and on the back (or North Wall of the
Haram Area) are colonnades vaulted in stone. The centre part of
the Main-building (of the Aksi) is covered by a mighty roof, high-
pitched and gable-wise, over which rises a magnificent dome.
The ceilings everywhere— except those of the colonnades at the
back (along the North Wall of the Haram Area) — are covered
with lead in sheets ; but in these (northern) colonnades the ceilings
are made of mosaics studded-in.
" On the left (or east side of the Haram Area) there are no
colonnades. The Main-building of the (Aksi) Mosque does not
come up to the Eastern Wall of the Haram Area, the building here,
as it is said, never having been completed. Of the reason for this
they give two accounts. The one is, that the Khalif 'Omar com-
manded the people to erect a building * in the western part of the
Area, as a place of prayer for Muslims ;* and so they left this space
(which is towards the south-eastern angle) unoccupied, in order not
to go counter to his injunction. The other reason given is, that it
was not found possible to extend the Main-building of the (Aksd)
Mosque as far as the south-east angle of the Area Wall, lest the
(great) Mihrab, in the centre-place at the end of the Mosque,
should not then have stood opposite the Rock under the Dome ;
and such a case was repugnant to them. But Allah alone knows
the truth." (Muk., 168-171.)
On a subsequent piige Mukaddasi gives an account of the Talis-
* Independent Governor of Khurasan and the East from 828 to 844. He
was third in succession of the Tahiride Dynasty.
7—2
'/ 1 1^'
100 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
man in the Aksd ; and Al BirCini,* writing in looo (a.h. 390), a
few years later than Mukaddasi, also mentions having seen these
curious writings ; Mukaddasi*s notice is as follows :
"In the Holy City there is a Talisman against the bite of
serpents, the same being the inscription on the marble slab behind
the Pulpit of the Great Mosque, where is cut in the surface
the words : Mohammad is Allah's Apostle ; and, again. In the
name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate,^^ (Muk., 186.)
Ibn al Fakih, who wrote (903) about eighty years before
Mukaddasi, has the following note on this Talisman. He also,
as will be noted, speaks of the Maksdrahs, or spaces in the
Mosque railedoff for the accommodation of the women ; the
dimensions, however, that are recorded (70 or 80 ells by 50,
equivalent to 120 feet by 75) make it difficult to understand
how these could have been inside the Aksa. Perhaps, therefore,
the Aksa must here again be taken to mean the whole Haram
Area, and then the MaksQrahs may have stood in the outer court.
The account of Ibn 'Abd Rabbih, a contemporary (913), confirms
this. Ibn al Fakih writes :
" To the right of the Mihrab (of the Aksa) is a slab on which, in a
circle, is written the name of Muhammad — the blessing of Allah
be upon him ! — and on a white stone behind the Kiblah (wall, to
the south) is an inscription in the following words : In the name of
Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Muhammad is Allah's
Apostle, and Hamzah was his helper. Now, within the (Aksa)
Mosque are three Maksftrahs for the women, each Maksfirah being
70 ells in length." (I. F., 100.)
On the subject of the Maksdrahs Ibn 'Abd Rabbih's statement
is that :
" In the Mosque (Al Aksa) are three Maksdrahs for the women,
the length of each Maksdrah being 80 ells, and its breadth 50."
(I. R., iii. 367.)
It will be seen that Mukaddasi, writing in 985 a.d., describes the
Aksi Mosque of his day as \izs'vci% fifteen doorways opening to the
north, and eleven opening to the east. The plan of the Aksi
must then have been very different from that of the present build.
• Ath&r al Bdkiyah, Sachau's translation, p. 294.
JERUSALEM. 101
ing, as may be seen by a reference to the illustr^Ltions facing pp. 99
and no.* In toi6 (a.h. 407) and 1034 (a.h. 425), as we learn
from the Chronicles of Ibn al Athir, Syria ' Wa» visited by
destructive earthquakes. He writes :
" In 407 the Great Dome fell down upon the Rock {as SckArd^)
in Jerusalem.^t And again : ** In 425 earthquakes were many in
both Egypt and Syria. The most destructive was that felt at
Ar Ramlah. The people abandoned their houses there during
many days ; a third of the town was thrown down, and many
persons were killed under the ruins.":^
Of the destruction at Ar Ramlah we shall speak subsequently
(see Chapter VIII.). Considerable damage was also done by the
earthquake of the year 425 to the outer wall of the Haram Area,
and an extant inscription in situ records the date of the restoration
carried out here by order of the Fatimite Khalif Adh Dhihir. The
text of the inscription copied from a stone in the wall of the
Haram Area, is given by M. de Vogiie in his magnificent work on
Le Temple de Jerusalem (p. 77). He states it may still be clearly
read, though in a rather dilapidated condition, on two of the
battlements near the Cradle of Jesus ^ at the south-east Angle.
The translation of this inscription is as follows :
"... the days of the Imdm adh Dhahir li 'Izdz ad Dtn Allah, the
Commander of the Faithful . . . (words illegible) . . . the southern
outer wall and the , , , {eastern ?) outer wall . . . year four
hundred and twenty-five,^^
That the Aksi Mosque was also seriously damaged at this
period is proved by an inscription that was read a hundred and
forty years after this date, on the ceiling of the Dome of the
Aks4 by 'AH of Herat, who visited the Holy City in 11 73, while
the place was still in the hands of the Crusaders. This inscrip-
tion is apparently no longer to be seen — at least, M. de Vogiie
makes no mention of it in his work. Possibly, however, it might
• For the first idea of the plans facing pp. 99 and 106, 1 am indebted to Professor
Hay ter- Lewis (see his paper in the Palestine Exploration Fund ** Quarterly
Statement " for January, 1887). My plans, however, differ slightly from his,
l)eing drawn to scale on the measurements given by Nasir-i-Khusrau of the
Mosque as he saw it in 1047.
t Ibn al Athir, vol. ix., p. 209. % Idem, vol. ix., p. 298.
• • •
I02 PALESTINE t/NbER THE MOSLEMS.
••• *•-! "» *
• •• *I
Still be discovered •.were' careful search instituted,* for *Ali of
Herat's accQuiU^isr'very circumstantial, as will be seen by the
following translation :
"^The**Aksd Mosque. — In this Mosque is the Mihrib of the
JCbji^.'Gmar ; the Franks have not done it any damage. On
., *tbe'*roof I read the following inscription: In the name of
, ,•*•. \''\Allah the Compassionate^ the Merciful. Praise to Him who
brought His sen^ant (Muhammad) by night from the Masjid al
Haram (at Makkah) to the Masjid al Aksa (at Jerusalem)^ on
the precincts of which we invoke a blessing. May Allah give aid to
His servant and vicar^ 'AH Abu-l Hasan adh Dhhhir-li- Izdzidin-
Allah^ the Commander of the Faithful, Allah's benediction be upon
him and upon his immaculate forefathers^ and upon his beneficent
sons I For the restoration of this same Dome and its gildings
hath given command our illustrious and dear lord^ the chosen servant
of the Commander of the Faithful^ and his devoted senmnt^ Abu-l
Kdsim *Ali ibn Ahmad — Allah give him aid and protection I The
whole of this (restoration) was accomplished by the last day of the
month Dhil-lKa'adah^ of the year 426 : ^ who (superintended) the
building of the same being 'Abd Allah ibn al Hasan of Cairo^ the
architect. This inscription, as well as the porticoes," says 'Ali,
" are all done over with mosaics of gold, and these the Franks
have not touched or in any way damaged."
The description of the Aksd in 985 by Mukaddasi is, in the
main, identical with that given by Ndsir, who visited Jerusalem
sixty years later (1047), and the two accounts taken together enable
us to gain a very exact idea of the appearance of the Oreat
Mosque before the arrival of the Crusaders. The chief difference
between the Mosque as described by Mukaddasi and that seen by
Nasir lies in the number of gates. Mukaddasi says there were in
his ^"^ fifteen gates to the north, and eleven to the east; while the
Persian pilgrim describes only seven gates to the north, and
ten opening east Further, Nisir makes no mention of the
* My translation is from the MS. in the Bodleian, at fol. 36, verso. With
a view of the possible recovery of this inscription, I have printed the Arabic
text in the Palestine Exploration Fund "Quarterly Statement " for October,
18S8, p. 280.
JERUSALEM, 103
colonnade built by Ibn Tahir, which, according to Mukaddasi,
formed a portico to the gates opening north.
The earthquakes of the years 407 (1016) and 425 (1034),
which took place between the dates of the visits of Mukaddasi
and Nisir, must account for these changes. Ibn Tihir's colon-
nade doubtless fell, and the North Wall of the Aksd, weak as
it was by the apertures pierced in it for the fifteen gates, must have
suffered much damage. When the walls were restored after
the earthquakes, ^r^e gates (instead of fifteen) were left in the
North Wall, and in the East Wall one of Mukaddasi's eleven gates
was presumably blocked, leaving the fen open as seen by Nisir.
Nasir states there were in the Mosque 280 columns. These, in
a small degree, would recall the forest of columns we see in the
great Omayyad Mosque at Cordova — ^at this present day the
Cathedral. That the Aksa was not unlike the Cordovan
Mosque may be inferred from Idrisi's mention (see p. 108) of the
two together for the purposes of a comparison of their respective
sizes. The Cordovan Mosque, begun in 786 a.d., and finished by
the two successors of the Spanish Khalif 'Abd ar Rahman I.,
shows at the present day no fewer than 850 columns in a space
that measures 534 feet by 387. In other words, the Spanish
Mosque is more than double the area of the Aksi in Ndsir's da)rs
(as we shall see by the figures immediately to be quoted), and the
Cordovan building must have contained just over three times the
number of columns to be seen in 1047 in the Great Mosque
at Jerusalem.*
To return, however, to the description of the Aks^ It will be
noticed that the number of the columns, stated by Nisir at 280,
divides up very well to form the fourteen minor aisles going south)
towards the Kiblah, from the fourteen minor gates in the North
* The G)rdovan Mosque had originally eleven longitudinal aisles, eight more
l)eing added on the east side by the Khalif Hishim. In its first design, there*
fore, this Mosque was more like the AkssL even than it came to be after tfit
later additions. There were in the Spanish Mosque over thirty rows oT
columns originally, doubtless perfectly symmetrically arranged. At the present
day many columns are lacking and set out of place, to accommodate the mon-
strous Gothic chapel which was built in Charles V.'s days. (See Afonuntentos
Arabts^ pot Rafael Contreras, Madrid, 1878, p. 42.)
104 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Wall, as described by Mukaddasi. I, therefore, take it for granted
that in Mukaddasi's time also there were these twenty rows of
columns, standing 6 ells (12 feet) apart, with fourteen columns in
each row, and it is on this data that the two plans facing pp. 99
and 106 have been drawn.
Nisir is the first to give us the exact dimensions of the Aksa.
Twice over, he says that the East Wall — that is, the length of the
Mosque from north to south — measured **y^i/r hundred and twenty
cubits ;" while the width along the North Wall was " 150 cubits."*
The width of 150 cubits, or 300 feet, tallies well enough with the
remainder of Nisir's description, and with what is known from
Mukaddasi and modern measurements in the Haram Area. The
length of 420 cubits, however, equivalent to 840 feet, is an
impossible dimension ; for this, measuring from the great South
Wall of the Haram Area, would bring the Northern Gates and
Wall of the Aksi over the Dome of the Rock and the Platform.
Without any great likelihood of error, we should, I think, read
" 120 " for the 420. This, being 240 feet, would bring the North
Wall and Gates of Nisir's Mosque on the same line as the
Gates and North Wall (inside the porch) of the present Mosque.
Considerable portions of the extant walls between the Northern
Gates show at the present day (according to M. de Vogiie)
unmistakable traces of ancient structure. (See the plan drawn in
De Nog\x£^ Jerusalem^ plate xxx., and the plan facing p. no.) And
this confirms the hypothesis that we have in the modern walls the
line still unaltered of the ancient North Wall of the Mosque as it
has existed since the days when, on Al Mahdi's restoration, the
building was shortened in the length, and made broader in
the width. (See p. 93.)
Nisir's measurements of the open space between the south-east
Angle of the Haram Area and the East Wall of the Aksi, namely,
** 200 ells " (see next page) is, in round numbers, exact, for the
measurement would, as near as may be, have been 400 feet, if
we draw the plan to scale on the figures given in the foregoing
paragraphs.
The following is a translation of Nasir-i-Khusrau's description of
the Aks4 Mosque in 1047 :
* See p. 106.
JERUSALEM. 105
"The Friday Mosque (which is the Aksi) lies on the east
side of the city, and (as before noticed) one of the walls of
the Mosque (Area) is on the W4di Jahannum. When you
examine this wall, which is on the Wadi, from the outside of
the Haram Area, you may see that for the space of 100 cubits it is
built up of huge stones, set without mortar or cement. Inside the
Mosque (Area) the summit of this wall is perfectly level. The
(Aksd) Mosque occupies the position it does because of the
Rock As Sakhrah." (N. Kh., 26.)
After describing the Cradle of Jesus (see Chapter V.), Nisir
continues :
"Then passing tiie entrance to this Mosque (of the Cradle
of Jesus) near the (south-eastern) Angle of the East Wall (of
the Haram Area), you come to a great and beautiful Mosque,
which is other than that called the Cradle ofjesus^ and is of many
times its size. This is called the Masjid al Aksi (or the Further
Mosque), and it is that to which Allah — be He exalted and
glorified ! — brought His chosen (Apostle) in the Night Journey
from Makkah, and from here caused him to ascend up into
Heaven, even as is adverted to in the words of the Kuran:
Glory be to Him who carried His servant by night from the
Masjid al Haram {the sacred Mosque at Makkah) to the Masjid al
Aksd (the Mosqiu that is more Remote at Jerusalem)^ whose
precinct we have blessed* On this spot they have built, with
utmost skill, a Mosque. Its floor is spread with beautiful carpets,
and special servants are appointed for its service to serve therein
continually.
" From the (south-east) Angle, and along the South Wall (of the
Haram Area) for the space of 200 ells (or 400 feet), there is no
building, and this is part of the Court (of the Haram Area). The
Main-building (of the Aksa Mosque)t is very large, and contains
the Maksiirah (or space railed-off for the officials), which is built
against the South Wall (of the Haram Area). The length of the
western side of the Main-building (of the Aksll) measures
* Kurftn, ch. xvii., ver. i.
t In Persian PAshish^ "covered part," corresponding with the Arabic term
MughaUA^ which has the same signification.
io6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
420 cubits (read 120 cubits), and the width of it is 150 cubits.*
The Aksi Mosque has 280 marble columns, supporting arches thai
are fashioned of stone, and both the shafts and the capitals
are riveted with lead, so that nothing can be more firm;
Between the (rows of) columns measures 6 ells. The Mosque is
everywhere flagged with coloured marble, and the joints are
riveted in lead. The MaksCirah (Plan, C, C) is facing the
centre of the South Wall (of the Mosque), and is of such size as
to contain sixteen columns. Above rises a mighty dome, that
is ornamented with enamel-work, after the fashion to be seen
in other parts of the Noble Sanctuary. In this place there is
spread Maghribi matting, and there are lamps and lanterns,
each suspended by its separate chain.
*• The great Mihrib (or prayer-niche towards Makkah, Plan, G)
is adorned with enamel-work ;t and on either side the Mihrib are
two columns of marble, of the colour of red cornelian. The
whole of the low wall round the Maksdrah is built of coloured
marble. To the right (of the great Mihrdb) is the Mihrib of (the
Khalif ) MuWiyah (Plan, F), and to the left is the Mihrab of (the
Khalif ) 'Omar (Plan, H) — May Allah grant him acceptance ! The
roof of the (Aksa) Mosque is constructed of wood, beautifully
sculptured. Outside the doors and walls of the Maksftrah, and
in the parts facing (north and east) towards the Court (of the
Haram Area), are fifteen gateways, each of which is closed by a
finely- wrought door, measuring 10 ells in height by 6 ells in the
breadth. Ten of these doorways open in the (east) wall (of the
Mosque), which is 420 cubits in length (read 120 cubits), and
there are five in the width (or north wall) of the Mosque, which
measures 150 cubits in length. Among these gates there is one
* These are the figures in the British Museum MS., which are also those of
M. Schefer's French translation. His text, however, runs as follows, and
(liflfersboth from his translation and the text of the British Museum MS.: "The
main building of the (Aksa) Mosque is very large. The length is four hundred
and gf'gAf cubits, and the Maks{irah lies to the right hand, against the South
AVall. The western side of the Main-building measures /^i/r hundred and fifty
cubits in the width." My reasons for substituting 120 for 420 are given on
p. 104,
t The present Mihr&b only dates from the time of Saladin ; see p. 109.
JERUSALEM. 107
of brass, most finely wrought and beautiful ; so that one would
say it was of gold, set in with fired silver (niello ?), and chased.*
The name of the Khalif Al Mamfin is upon it, and they relate
that Al MdmOn sent it from Baghdad.! When all these gates of
the Mosque are set open, the interior of the building is light,
even as though it were a court of>en to the sky. When there is
wind and rain they close these gates, and then the light comes
from the windows (above). Along all the four sides of the Main-
building (of the AksA Mosque) are chests that belong each one
to a certain city of Syria and Irak, and near these the Mujdwirdn
(or pilgrims who are residing for a time in the Holy City) take
their seat, even as is done in the Haram Mosque at Makkah.
May Allah — be He glorified ! — ennoble the same." (N. Kh.,
34-38.)
On July 14, 1099, the Crusaders, under Godfrey de Bouillon,
became possessed of the Holy City. The Haram Area was given
over to the Knights of the recently-established Order of the
Temple, who derived their name from the Dome of the Rock,
which the Crusaders imagined to be the Temple of the days of
Christ, and hence named Templum Domini, The Aksi Mosque,
on the other hand, was known as the Falatium^ or Templum
Salomonis, The Templars made considerable alterations in the
Aksi Mosque and the adjoining portions of the Haram Area, but
left the Dome of the Rock untouched On the west of the Aksd,
along the south wall of the Haram Area, they built their armoury,
on the site occupied by the colonnades of arches described by
Ndsir (see Chapter V.). In the substructions of the south-east
Angle of the Haram Area, to the west of the Cradle of Jesus, they
stabled their horses, using probably either the ancient "Triple
Gate," or the " Single Gate " (see Chapter V.), as the mode of
egress from these vaults.
The Sicilian geographer Idrist, who lived at King Roger's Court,
* The Great Brass Gate mentioned by Mukaddasi ; see p. 99, Plan, D.
t M. Schefer b, I believe, incorrect when he states in a note to his translation
of Nasir-i-Khusrau's St/er Nanuh (p. 81, n. 2) that this inscription, of Al
MimQn, is still extant. It is certainly not to be found in M. de Vogue's
Urusalemt p. 86, which is the reference given.
io8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
has left the following short notice of the Aksa Mosque as it stood
in the early part of the twelfth century a.d. ; but, as has been
before stated (p. 7), it seems probable that IdrisI had never him-
self visited Jerusalem, and he must therefore have derived his in-
formation from books in King Roger's library, and the descriptions
given him by home-coming pilgrims. Idrisi reports as follows :
" On leaving the Great Church (of the Resurrection), and going
eastwards, you come to the holy house built by Solomon, the son
of David. This, in the time of the Jews, was a mosque (or house
of prayer), to which pilgrimage was made ; but it was taken out
of their hands, and they were driven from thence. And when the
days of Islam came, under the kings of the Muslims, the spot
came once more to be venerated as the Masjid al Aksa.
" The Masjid al Aksa is the Great Mosque (of Jerusalem), and
in the whole earth there is no mosque of greater dimensions than
this, unless it be the Friday Mosque at Cordova, in Andalusia,
which they say has a greater extent of roof than has the Aksa,
only the court of the Aksa Mosque (or Haram Area) is certainly
larger than is that of the mosque at Cordova. (The Haram Area
of) the Masjid al Aksa is four-sided; its length measures 200
fathoms (^<J'), and its breadth is 180 fathoms. In that half (of
the Haram Area) which lies (south) towards the Mihrab (or prayer-
niche) is (the Main-building of the Aksi Mosque), which is roofed
with domes of stone set on many rows of columns. The other
half (of the Haram Area) is an (open) court, and is not roofed
over. The gate of the Dome of the Rock to the south faces the
roofed-in portion (which is the Main-building of the Aksi), which
same was in former times the place of prayer of the Muslims
Since (the Holy City) was conquered by the Greeks (that is, the
Crusaders), and it hath remained in their hands even down to the
time of the writing of this book (in the year 11 54 a.d.), they have
converted this roofed-in portion (which is the Main-building of the
Aksa Mosque) into chambers, wherein are lodged those companies
of men known as Ad Diwiyyah (the Templars), whose name
signifies Servants of Go(Ps House y (Id., 7.)
*Ali of Herat, our next authority, writing a few years before
'^aladin's reconquest of the Holy City, after noting the inscription
JERUSALEM, 109
set up by the Fatimite Khalif Adh Dhahir (see p. 102), gives
some details of the dimensions of the Aksa Mosque, which dimen-
sions agree fairly well with the modern measurements. The
" pace " he uses may be taken as approximately 30 inches, and
the "ell" is the royal ell of 18 inches.
Following on the description of the Cave under the Rock, 'Ali
writes :
" The width of the Riwak (or main colonnade of the Aks4
Mosque?) is 15 paces; and its length, from south to north, is
94 paces (or 235 feet). The height of the Dome of the Aksi is
60 ells (90 feet), and its circumference is 96 ells (that is, 32 ells
diameter, or 48 feet). The perimetre of the square (under the
Dome) is 160 ells (each side being 40 ells, or 60 feet). The
length of the Aksa, from south to north, is 148 ells (or 222 feet)."
(A. H., Oxf. MS., f 39.)
After Saladin's reconquest of the Holy City in 11 87, the whole
of the Haram Area and its various buildings underwent a complete
restoration. The account given in the Chronicle of Ibn al Athtr
of what was especially done in the Aksa Mosque is as follows* :
^^ Events of the year 583 (1187). — When Saladin had taken
possession of the city and driven out the infidels, he commanded
that the buildings should be put back to their ancient usage. Now
the Templars had built to the west of the Aksa a building for
their habitation, and constructed there all that they needed of
granaries, and also latrines, with other such places, and they had
even enclosed a part of the Aksa in their new building. Saladin
commanded that all this should be set back to its former state,
and he ordered that the Masjid (or Harem Area) should be
cleansed, as also the Rock, from all the filth and the impurities
that were there. All this was executed as he commanded."
Over the Great Mihrab, in the Aksa Mosque, may still be read
the inscription set here by Saladin after this restoration was com-
pleted. The Arabic text is given by M. de Vogu^ in Le Temple
de Jerusalem^ p. loi. The translation of the same is as follows :
" In the name of Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful / Hath
ordered the repair of this holy Mihrdb, and the restoration of the
* Ibn al Athtr, vol. ix., p. 364.
no PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
AksA Mosque — which was founded in piety — the servant of Allah,
and His regent, Ydsuf ibn Ayyith Abu-l Mudhajfar, the victorious
Jung, Salah ad Dunyd wa ad Din {Saladin), after that Allah had
conquered (the City) by his hand during the month of the year 583.
And he asketh of Allah to inspire him with thankfulness for this
favour, and to make him a partaker of the remission {of sins), through
His mercy and forgiveness J*
Subsequent to the Muslim reconquest of the Holy City, the
only mention made by the historians of any alterations in the Aksi
Mosque are those noted by Mujir ad Din. He states that the
south wall of the Haram Area, near the Mihrab of David, was re-
built by the Mamlflk Sultan of Egypt, Muhammad, son of Kala'iin,
who reigned from 13 10 to 1341. The same Prince also ordered
the south end of the Aksi to be lined with marble slabs, and
caused two windows to be pierced there, in the south wall, to right
and to left of the Great Mihrib. (M. a. D., 438.)
After the times of Saladin there is no detailed description of
the dimensions and appearance of the AksA Mosque till we come
to that written by Mujir ad Din in 1496 ; and in his day the
Mosque was evidently identical with the one we now see. The
present Mosque (exactly like that described in 1496) has seven
gates to the north, and only one to the east. Two other gates,
on the western side, lead one into the court, and one into what
was, in Crusading days, the Templars' Armoury, sometimes
called Baka^at al Baidd (Plan, F, F'), and incorrectly Al Aksd al
Kadimah (* the Ancient Aksll \ which Mujir ad Din names * the
Women's Mosque.' Mujir ad Din's description is as follows :
" The Aksi Mosque measures in length north to south, from the
Great Mihrib to the threshold of the Great Gate opposite to it,
100 ells of the workman's ell (Dhird' al ^Amal), This does not
iaclude the bow of the Mihrib, nor the portico outside the northern
doors. The width from the Eastern Gate (C) — through which
you go out to the Cradle of Jesus — to the Western Gate, is 76 ells
of the workman's ell.* The Mosque has ten gates leading out to
the Court of the Haram Area. Seven are to the north, opening
* In the present plan these lines measure 230 feet by 170, giving for the
workman's ell 23 feet, and 2*24 feet— roughly, 7\ feet.
OPEV COURT OF HARAM AREA
JERUSALEM, IH
from each one of the seven aisles of the Mosque.* Then there is
the eastern door and the western door, and the door leading to
the building known as the Jimi' an NisA, * the Mosque of the
Women ' (the Templars' Armoury, Plan, F, F'). Now from the
western part of the Aksd, there opens this great hall, called Jami*
an Nis4. It has a double aisle running east and west, roofed
by ten vaults, supported on nine piers, very solidly built I
learn that this place was built during the days of the Fatimites."
(M. a. D., 367, 368.)
The last assertion is presumably in error, for the Templars'
Armoury does not date from Fatimite days.
Of the Mihribs in the Aksi Mosque, Suyftti gives the following
notes, showing that in his day (1470) they stood exactly as they
do at present :
" The Mihrdb of Zakariyyi (Zacharias). — Most agree that it is
that within the (Aks4) Mosque in the aisle {riwdk), near the
eastern door."
In the Muslim legend, " Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom,
ye slew between the temple and the altar " (St. Matth. xxiv. 35),
and Zachariah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest who was stoned
with stones at the "commandment of the king in the court of the
house of the Lord" (2 Chron. xxiv. 22), and Zacharias, the father-
of John the Baptist, are all one and the same personage. The
Mihr^b Zakariyyst is still pointed out at the point D on the plan
of the Aks4 Mosque.
Suydti continues :
"The Mihrib of Mu'^wiyah. — This is said to be the beautiful
Mihrib which is at the present time enclosed within the MaksQrah
(the part railed-off), for the preacher of the Khutbah (or Friday
sermon). Between it and the great Mihrib comes the beautiful
pulpit As to the Mihrib of 'Omar, people differ which this may
* The accompanying illustration of the north front and portico of the Aksa
represents the building as it stands at the present day. The gable or pitched
roof (called Jamalan, or " camel-backed " in Arabic), covering the central
nave, is here shown. This form of roof, according to Mukaddasi (see pp. 21
and 99), was peculiar to the Mosques in Syria ; in other countries the roofs of
the Mosques were generally flat and covered with a coating of clay.
112 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
be. Some say it is the great Mihrib, close to which now stands
the Noble Pulpit, and fronting the Great Gate, through which you
enter the Aksi Mosque. Others say that the Mihrab of 'Omar is
the one in the eastern aisle of the Aksa Mosque, being in the
(south) wall of the Mosque, seeing this said aisle, with its
adjacent parts, is called the Jimi' of 'Omar (Plan, E), and that
this is the very place which he cleared of filth, he, 'Omar, and
those who were with him of the Companions, and swept clean
before they prayed thereon. Whence it is called the Jimi' of
'Omar. Most, however, are of the opinion before mentioned,
namely, that the Mihrdb of 'Omar is the great Mihrab near the
Mimbar, or Pulpit." (S., 264.)
The small building on the east of the Aksi, along the south
boundary wall, known at the present day as the Mosque of 'Omar
(Plan, E), and here referred to, is of comparatively modem con-
struction, and subsequent to the days of Saladin. The present
building lying to the east of the north portico and gates of the
Aksd, called the Fdrisiyyah (not shown on the plan facing p. no),
was built by a certain Faris ad Din Albki, about the year (755)
1354. (M. a. D.,390.)
The question now arises : When did the great change in the
plan of the Aksd Mosque take place ? — from the many-columned
Mosque of the days of Nisir (as shown in the plans facing pp. 99
and 106) to the comparatively poor building described by Mujtrad
Din, and seen at the present day ? (the plan of which faces p. 1 10).
The Arab chroniclers tell us nothing very definite on this point,
but all we can gather from various sources inclines us fully to agree
with Professor Hayter-Lewis in thinking that the great alteration in
the Mosque must have been made shortly after the Holy City had
been taken by Godfrey de Bouillon. Mr. Hayter-Lewis writes :*
* The probability is that the Mosque was injured in the capture
of the town by the Crusaders. By them it was assigned as the
residence for the Templars who have left very clear traces of their
occupation of the Aksi ; more especially at the southern part,
where an apse to the south-east chapel, and portions of a richly-
ornamented arcade to the south wall, are very evident. Probably
* T/ie Holy Places of Jerusalem ^ by T. Hayter-Lewis, F.S.A., p. 87.
JERUSALEM. 113
it was by them repaired and reconstructed much as it appears
now, except that when Saladin reconquered the city he restored it
to its original purposes of a Mosque, uncovered the Mihrib, which
had been blocked up by a thick wall, as is stated in an inscription
by him, decorated the whole, and executed, circa 1188, the work
now seen in the transepts.*
The historical data given by the Muslim writers would certainly
seem to corroborate this view. Tracing the history point by point
backward, we find, in the first place, that the Mosque, as it now
stands, is identical with that described by Mujir ad Din in 1496.
Now Mujir ad Din devotes some pages of the section of his work
on the topography of the Holy City (pp. 432-447 of the Cairo
text) to a careful enumeration of the long list of Mamlftk Sultans
who succeeded to the throne of Saladin (ending with the Sultan of
his own days), with a view of mentioning the various monuments
they had left in the Haram Area and Jerusalem ; and nowhere
does he make mention of any extensive alterations having been
effected by the Maml^k Sultans in the Aksi. Further, the
description given in the chronicles of the restorations effected by
Saladin in the Mosque after the year 1187, shows that the Mosque,
as it came into his hands, after the expulsion of the Crusaders, was
in all essential points what Mujir ad Din described in 1496, and
what we now see. From 1099 to 1187 the Holy City was in the
hands of the Crusaders, and in 1047 we have Nisir-i-Khusrau*s
account of the Aksa when he visited it — a magnificent building,
double the width of the present Mosque, with two hundred and
eighty pillars supporting the roof, and fifteen aisles. The con-
clusion can only be that it was during the occupation of the
Crusaders that the Mosque was reduced from its original grand
proportions to the narrow limits we at present see. This conclu-
sion is confirmed when we remember that the Latins considered
the Aksa Mosque to hold a very secondary place (while the Dome
of the Rock was in their eyes the true Templum Domini) ; hence
that the Knights Templars had no compunction in remodelling
probably the whole building, when they turned part of the Aksa
into a church for the order, and established their mainguard and
armoury in the outlying quarters of the great Mosque.
8
114 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
THE DOME OF THE ROCK.
In remarkable contrast with the little that is known of the early
architectural history of the Aksd Mosque, is the very full account
given by the Annalists of the date and the historical incidents
connected with the foundation of the Dome over the Sacred Rock.
From, the earliest times, also, there are extant such detailed descrip-
tions of this beautiful building, that it may be affirmed, almost
certainly, that the edifice as it now stands in the nineteenth
century,* is (in regard to ground-plan and elevation) substantially
identical with that which the Khalif 'Abd al Malik erected in the
year 691 (a.h. 72). The Cupola, it is true, has on many occasions
been shattered by earthquakes, and the walls possibly have often
been damaged and repaired, but the octagonal ground-plan and
the system of concentric colonnades, through all the restorations
have remained unaltered; and even to the number of the
windows, the Dome of the Rock, as described in a.d. 903 by
Ibn al Fakih, is almost exactly similar to the Kubbat as Sakhrah
of the present day.
In the matter of the Rock which the Dome is intended to
cover, it must be remembered that this was held sacred, in the
eyes of Muslim true believers, both as representing the ancient
Kiblah of Moses — for on the Rock they say the Ark of the
Covenant was placed — and as the first Kiblah in Islam, for it
was only in the month of Rajab of the second year of the Flight
that the revelation came to Muhammad telling him that the
Ka'abah at Makkah was for all future times to be the sole
Kiblah-point, towards which his followers should turn their faces
in prayer. Further, this Rock was an object of veneration to
the True Believer, since, according to the received tradition
already quoted (p. 89), their Prophet had from this Rock
ascended into Paradise, and returned again to earth at this spot,
after beholding the presence of Allah. That the Rock was a
sacred rock to all Muslims, it is all important to remember, in
view of the events which induced 'Abd al Malik to erect the great
Dome above it. Before quoting the accounts of this event given
* See frontispiece.
/
•s
J
ui
UI
Z
JERUSALEM, 115
in the Arab Chronicles, it may be well to borrow a few lines
from a work written by the late Professor E. H. Palmer, which
portray the condition of the Omayyad Khalifate at the period
when the Dome of the Rock was built :
* In A.D. 684, in the reign of 'Abd al Malik, the ninth successor
of Muhammad, and the fifth Khalif of the house of Omayyah,
events happened which once more turned people's attention to the
City of David. For eight years the Muslim Empire had been
distracted by factions and party quarrels. The inhabitants of the
two Holy Cities, Makkah and Al Madinah, had risen against the
authority of the legitimate Khalifs, and had proclaimed 'Abd
Allah ibn Zubair their spiritual and temporal head. The Khalifs
Yazid and Mu'iwiyah had in vain attempted to suppress the insur-
rection ; the usurper had contrived to make his authority acknow-
ledged throughout Arabia and the African provinces, and had
established the seat of his government at Makkah itself. 'Abd al
Malik trembled for his own rule ; year after year crowds of
pilgrims would visit the Ka'abah, and Ibn Zubair's religious and
poHtical influence would thus become disseminated throughout the
whole of Islam. In order to avoid these consequences, and
at the same time to weaken his rival's prestige, 'Abd al Malik
conceived the plan of diverting men's minds from the pilgrimage
to Makkah, and inducing them to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem
instead.'*
Ya'kftbi, one of the earliest of the Muslim historians, writing
of the events which came to pass in 'Abd al Malik's days, gives a
v-ery clear account of how that Khalif, for the political reason just
mentioned, attempted to make the True Believers circumambulate
the Rock at Jerusalem, in place of the Black Stone in the Ka'abah
at Makkah. Had the attempt succeeded, the Khalif would thereby
have instituted annual rites of pilgrimage in Jerusalem on the
pattern of those which, since the Prophet's days, had been per-
formed in the Makkah Haram ; and the golden stream of pilgrim
offerings and fees would have flowed into 'Abd al Malik's treasury,
instead of into the pockets of the inhabitants of Makkah, who
* Jerusalem the City of Herod and Saladin^ byW. Besant and E. H. Palmer,
1871. p. 78.
8—2
Ii6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
were at this time supporting the claims of his rival, Ibn Zubair,
to the Khalifate. Had 'Abd al Malik's attempt succeeded, it is a
question whether Jerusalem might not then have become the
capital of the Omayyads, in place of Damascus. As events
turned out, the Khalif failed to divert the Muslim pilgrimage to
the Holy City of Palestine, and Makkah did not lose its pre-
eminence as the religious centre of Islam, even when Ibn Zubair
was defeated and slain, and Damascus was made the seat of the
Omayyad Khalifate. To return, however, to the historian Ya'kdbi.
The passage of his writings relating to the building of the Dome
of the Rock is the following :
" Then 'Abd al Malik forbade the people of Syria to make the
pilgrimage (to Makkah) ; and this by reason that 'Abd Allah ibn
az Zubair was wont to seize on them during the time of the
pilgrimage, and force them to pay him allegiance — which, 'Abd al
Malik having knowledge of, forbade the people to journey forth to
Makkah. But the people murmured thereat, saying, * How dost
thou forbid us to make the pilgrimage to Allah's house, seeing
that the same is a commandment of Allah upon us ?' But the
Khalif answered them, * Hath not Ibn Shihab az Zuhri* told you
how the Apostle of Allah did say : Mt^n shall journey to but three
Masjids {mosques^ namely), A I Masjid Haram {at Makkah\ my
Masjid {at Madinah), and the Masjid of the Holy City {which is
Jerusalem) ? So this last is now appointed for you (as a place of
worship) in lieu of the Masjid al Haram (of Makkah). And this
Rock (the Sakhrah of Jerusalem), of which it is reported that
upon it the Apostle of Allah set his foot when he ascended into
heaven, shall be unto you in the place of the Ka'abah.* Then
'Abd al Malik built above the Sakhrah a Dome, and hung it
around with curtains of brocade, and he instituted doorkeepers
for the same, and the people took the custom of circumambulating
the Rock {as Sakhrah of Jerusalem), even as they had paced
round the Ka'abah (at Makkah), and the usage continued thus all
the days of the dynasty of the Omayyads." (Yb. Hist,, ii. ii.)
* A celebrated traditionist, who was personally acquainted with many of the
Prophet's Companions. He died in 124 (742), being seventy-two or more
years old. His life is given by Ibn Khallikan, Biographical Dictionary^ Dc
SIane*s Translation, vol. ii., p. 581.
JERUSALEM. 117
The above account, of itself, is sufficient to disprove the theory
very skilfully argued by the late Mr. Fergusson, of which the
cardinal idea was that this Dome of the Rock (and not the
Church of the Sepulchre) represents and stands in the place of
the Great Church erected by Constantine, over our Lord's tomb.
Mr. Fergusson stated that he based his theor>' on historical data,
as well as on arguments drawn from the architectural style of the
building (which in his eyes was purely Byzantine), and he roundly
asserted that " no Mohammedan writer of any sort, anterior to
the recovery of the city from the Christians by Saladin, ventures
to assert that his countrymen built the Dome of the Rock,"* a
statement which can no longer stand, in view of the authority here
quoted.
Mukaddasi, who wrote in the year 985, gives another version
of the reasons which induced *Abd al Malik to build the Dome
over the Rock, which it may be well to quote at the present point.
The paragraph occurs after the description of the Great Mosque
at Damascus, which will be given later on (see Chapter VI.).
Mukaddasi then continues :
" Now one day I said, speaking to my father's brother, * O my
uncle, verily it was not well of the Khalif al VValid to expend so
much of the wealth of the Muslims on the Mosque at Damascus.
Had he expended the same on making roads, or for caravanserais,
or in the restoration of the Frontier Fortresses, it would have been
more fitting and more excellent of him.' But my uncle said to
me in answer, * O my little son, thou hast not understanding !
Verily Al Walid was right, and he was prompted to a worthy work.
For he beheld Syria to be a country that had long been occupied
by the Christians, and he noted herein the beautiful churches still
belonging to them, so enchantingly fair, and so renowned for their
splendour, even as are the Kumimah (the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre at Jerusalem), and the churches of Lydda and Edessa.
So he sought to build for the Muslims a mosque that should
prevent their regarding these, and that should be unique and a
wonder to the world. And in like manner is it not evident how
• Sec his article onjemsalem in Dr. Smith's " Dictionary of the Bible,"
vol. i., p. 1030.
Ii8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
the Khalif 'Abd al Malik, noting the greatness of the Dome of the
(Holy Sepulchre called) Al Kumamah and its magnificence, was
moved lest it should dazzle the minds of the Muslims, and hence
erected above the Rock, the Dome which now is seen there ?* "*
(Muk., 159.)
That the Khalif *Abd al Malik was the builder of the Dome of
the Rock is further confirmed by the well-known inscription
which may still be read above the cornice of the octagonal colon-
nade supporting the Cupola Running round this is a magnificent
Cufic script, in yellow on blue tiles, which must have been placed
here by 'Abd al Malik at the time when his building was com-
pleted. It is dated a.h. 72 (691). Unfortunately, some of the
tiles were apparently taken out about a century and a half later
when, in the days of the Khalif al MamAn, son of Hiriin ar
Rashid, the Dome underwent restoration, and in their place other
tiles, but of a darker blue, have been substituted, bearing the
name of Al Mam (in in place of that of 'Abd al Malik. This
fraudulent substitution, or forgery, perpetrated presumably by the
courtly architect of the Abbasides, stands, however, self-confessed
— by the forgers having omitted to alter the date of 'Abd al
Malik's reign, that is, the year 72 a.h. Al Mamdn, whose name
they have substituted immediately before this date, was only bom
in A.H. 170, and was Khalif from a.h. 198 — 218. Also, as noted
above, the colouring of the newer tiles is of a darker tint, which
does not correspond with the blue of the earlier tiles. Further,
the inserted letters (of Al MamQn's name and titles), being too
numerous for the space at command, have had to be closer set
than are those in the original portions of the inscription. To
make all this as clear as is possible to the English reader, the
following translation of the inscription is printed in capitals to
represent the square Cufic script. In this the three lines give the
words as they stand at the present day. The letters placed closer
together represent the forged part of the inscription in the Arabic,
much crowded as to space, and written on the darker tiles. These
have been substituted by the architects of Al MimCln. The letters
* See also p. 98, where Mukaddasi speaks again of the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre, and of the Aksa having been built to rival this in magniBcence.
JERUSALEM. 119
added below the second line indicate the inscription that probably
stood in the place of these substituted tiles, the letters of 'Abd al
Malik's name being spaced out to bring them even with those in
the remainder of the inscription.*
"hath built this dome the servant of ALLAH
'abdaluhtheimamalmamuncommander of the faithful
DAL MALIK C
IN THE YEAR TWO AND SEVENTY — ALLAH ACCEPT OF HIM !"
Another dated inscription has also been discovered in the Dome
of the Rock, stamped on each of the bronze plates which are
attached to the lintels above the four outer doors facing the car-
dinal points of the octagonal building. The date given is 216 a.h.,
corresponding to 831 a.d. These are also written in a fine Cufic
script, and relate, in all probability, to the very restoration under
Al Mamftn's orders, during which the falsification just described of
'Abd al Malik's great tile-inscription was perpetrated. The inscrip-
tion on the plates may be translated as follows :t
" According to 7vhat hath commanded the senmnt of Allah ^Abd
Allah, the Im&m Al Mdmiln^the Commander of the Faithful — may
Allah prolong his existence ! — and under the governorship of the
brother of the Commander of the Faithful, Abu Ishdk, the son of the
Commander of the Faithful Ar Rashid—may Allah lengthen his
{Abu Ishak's) life ! And it hath been accomplished at the hands of
Sdlih ibn Yahya, Freedman of the Commander of the Faithful, in
the month RabV al Akhir of the year tivo hundred and sixteen.^*
Al Mamftn reigned from 813 (198) to 833 (218), when he was
succeeded by the brother here mentioned, Abu Ishik, who, on
becoming Khalif, took the name of Al Mu'tasim. Abu Ishik lived
on excellent terms with his brother, the Khalif Al Mimftn, and,
* A beautiful chromo-Iithographic facsimile of the original Cufic text of this
inscription is given by M. de Vogile on plate xxi. of his work Le Temple de
Jerusalem, It is also printed (in the Cufic Character) on p. 88 of the volume
on Jerusalem, published by the Palestine Exploration Fund. A lithographic
facsimile may also be seen on the plate facing p. 484 of iYiefourftat Asialique^
vol. ix., Huitiime SMe, 1 887.
t The text is given by M. de Vogii^ J^rttsaUntt p. 86.
120 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
during the very year given in the inscription, the Chronicles*
relate that he commanded a body of troops in Al Mimdn's expe-
dition against the Greeks, and afterwards came with the Khalif to
visit Damascus. It is not, however, stated that he was at that
time Governor of Syria (as the inscription rather implies), but he
was, probably, already the recognised heir-apparent, and, as such,
doubtless, his name appears on these lintels.
The earliest detailed description of the Dome of the Rock, is
that left us by Ibn al Fakih in the year 903 (290). As will be seen
from the Plan of the Haram Area (at the end of Chapter IV. ), the
octagonal building supporting the Dome stands at about the centre-
point of a square-shaped platform. This platform is of a man's
height above the general level of the court of the Haram Area, and
is ascended by stairways. On the platform, besides the Dome of
the Rock, stand several other very much smaller Domes. The de-
scription of these will be given in more detail at a later page.
(See Chapter IV.)
Ibn al Fakth speaks of all these edifices in the following terms :
" In the middle of the Haram Area is a platform, measuring 300
ells in length, by 140 ells across, and its height is 9 ells. It has
six flights of stairways, leading up to the Dome of the Rock. The
Dome rises in the middle' of this platform. The ground-plan of
the same measures 100 ells by 100, its height is 70 ells, and its
circumference is 360 ells. In the Dome every night they light
300 lamps. It has four gates roofed over, and at each gate are
four doors, and over each gate is a portico of marble. The stone
of the Rock measures 34 ells by 27 ells, and under the Rock is a
cavern in which the people pray. This cavern is capable of con-
taining sixty-two persons. (The edifice of) the Dome is covered
with white marble, and its roof with red gold. In its walls, and
high in (the drum), are fifty-six windows (^^^), glazed with glass of
various hues; each measures 6 ells in the height, by 6 spans
across. The Dome, which was built by 'Abd al Malik ibn
Marwin is supported on twelve piers and thirty pillars. It con-
sists of a dome over a dome (that is, an inner and an outer), on
which are sheets of lead and white marble (below).
* Ibn al Athtr, vi. 295.
JERUSALEM. 121
" To the east of the Dome of the Rock stands the Dome of
the Chain. It is supported by twenty marble columns, and its
roof is covered with sheets of lead. In front of it (again to the
east), is the Praying Station of Al Khidr (St. George or Elias).
The platform occupies the middle of the Haram Area. To the
north is the Dome of the Prophet, and the Station of Gabriel ;
near the Rock is the Dome of the Ascension." (I. F., 100, loi.)
With this description of the year 903, the Dome of the Rock as
it now stands, tallies to a remarkable degree. The ell then in use
was that known as the DhirdU Maliki^ or royal ell, which may
be estimated as approximately equivalent to 18 inches. The
perimeter of the octagonal walls stated at 360 ells, gives 45 ells,
or 67 J feet for the length of each face of the octagon ; the measure-
ment to-day is 66 feet.
The measurement of 100 ells by the like, for the ground-plan,
corresponds fairly well also, since the space between the thresholds
of the opposite doors, north and south, or east and west, measures
almost exactly 150 feet.
The height, given at 70 ells, or 105 feet, shows that the Dome
was in these early times of much the same height as is the present
one, built after the earthquakes, which measures 112 feet from
floor to pinnacle. The four gates and- their porticos are exactly
what is found at the present day, as also is the Rock itself and the
Cavern below it. A more remarkable coincidence is afforded by
the number of the windows mentioned by Ibn al Fakih. In the
present edifice there are sixteen stained-glass windows, pierced in
the drum under the Dome, and below this are ^y^ openings in
each of the eight side walls forming the octagon. This (5 times 8
added to 16) gives fifty-six for total, the exact number mentioned
by Ibn al Fakih as existing in the year 903.
In the matter of the columns supporting the Dome, some change
in the number and arrangement appears to have taken place at
various times since the year 903, probably during the many
restorations after the shocks of earthquake.
The twelve piers mentioned still exist as described by Ibn al
Fakih, a reference to the present plan (facing p. 1 14) showing four
piers in the inner circle supporting the Dome, and eight in the outer
122 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
circle marking the angles of the octagon. The number of the
minor pillars, however, is not so exact. At the present day there
are three pillars between each of the four piers of the inner circle,
and two pillars between each of the eight piers of the outer circle.
This gives a total for the present pillars of twenty-eight, and Ibn
al Fakih says there were thirty in his day. The difference,
however, is not very material.
On this subject of the number of the piers and pillars, it may be
well to note the details given by the Spanish Arab Ibn 'Abd Rabbih,
who wrote about this same period {circa a.h. 300, a.d. 913). He
states that " within the Sakhrah (or Dome of the Rock) are thirty
columns, and the columns which are without {kMnj\ presumably
meaning * round ') the Sakhrah (or Rock) are eighteen in number."
There is, however, some ambiguity in the term kMnj, and the
numbers agree neither with those given by Ibn al Fakih, his
contemporary, nor with those seen at the present day, as shown in
the plan (facing p. 114).
The dimensions Ibn al Fakih gives for the Platform, and
his description of the other minor Domes standing on this Plat-
form, will be noticed on a subsequent page. (See Chapter IV.)
Next in order comes the account of the Dome of the Rock left
by Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, three-quarters of a century after
the time of Ibn al Fakih. This description of the year 978 has
been copied verbatim by the geographer Abu-lFidd in his account
of Palestine written in 1321 ; and it maybe cited as an instance of
the uncritical way in which Arab writers plagiarise each from his
predecessors. Ibn Haukal and Istakhri write :
" The Holy City is nearly as large at Al Ramlah (the capital of
the province of Filastin). It is a city perched high on the hills,
and you have to go up to it from all sides. There is here a
Mosque, a greater than which does not exist in all Islam.
The Main-building (which is the Aksi Mosque) occupies the
south-eastern angle of the Mosque (Area, or Noble Sanctuary),
and covers about half the breadth of the same. The remainder
of the Haram Area is left free, and is nowhere built over, except
in the part around the Rock. At this place there has been raised
a stone (terrace) like a platform, of great unhewn blocks, in
JERUSALEM. 123
the centre of which, covering the Rock, is a magnificent Dome.
The Rock itself is about breast-high above the ground, its length
and breadth being almost equal, that is to say, some 10 ells*
and odd, by the same across. You may descend below it by
steps, as though going down to a cellar, passing through a
door measuring some 5 ells by 10. The chamber below the
Rock is neither square nor round, and is above a man's stature
in height." (Is., 56; I. H., in ; A. F., 227.)
Mukaddasi, a native of Jerusalem, whose account (985) dates
from a few years later than the above by Ibn Haukal, taken with
that left by the Persian traveller Nasir, who visited the Holy City
in 1047, gives us a detailed and graphic picture of the Dome of
the Rock in the century preceding the arrival of the first Crusaders.
Mukaddasi, immediately after the description of the Aksa Mosque
quoted above (pp. 98, 99), writes as follows :
" The Court (of the Haram Area) is paved in all parts ; in
its centre rises a Platform, like that in the Mosque at Al Madinah,
to which, from all four sides, ascend broad flights of steps.
On this Platform stand four Domes. Of these, the Dome of the
Chain, the Dome of the Ascension, and the Dome of the
Prophet are of small size. Their domes are covered with sheet-
lead, and are supported on marble pillars, being without walls.
**In the centre of the Platform is the Dome of the Rock, which
rises above an octagonal building having four gates, one opposite
to each of the flights of steps leading up from the Court. These
four are the Kiblah (or southern) Gate ; the Gate of (the Angel)
Israfil (to the east) ; the Gate As SCir (or of the Trumpet), to the
north ; and the Women's Gate (Bab an Nisd), which last opens
towards the west. All these are adorned with gold, and closing
each of them is a beautiful door of cedar-wood finely worked
in patterns. These last were sent hither by command of the
mother of the Khalif Al Muktadir-billah.t Over each of the
gates is a porch of marble, wrought with cedar-wood, with brass-
work without ; and in this porch, likewise, are doors, but these are
unornamented
* Too low an estimate.
t He reigned at Baghdad, 908 to 932.
124 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
"Within the building are three concentric colonnades, with
columns of the most beautiful marble, polished, that can be seen,
and above is a low vaulting. Inside these (colonnades) is the
central hall over the Rock ; it is circular, not octagonal, and is
surrounded by columns of polished marble supporting circular
arches. Built above these, and rising high into the air, is the
drum, in which are large windows ; and over the drum is the
Dome. The Dome, from the floor up to the pinnacle, which rises
into the air, is in height loo ells. From afar off you may perceive
on the summit of the Dome the beautiful pinnacle (set thereon),
the size of which is a fathom and a span. The Dome, externally,
is completely covered with brass plates gilt, while the building
itself, its floor, and its walls, and the drum, both within and with-
out, are ornamented with marble and mosaics, after the manner that
we shall describe* when speaking of the Mosque of Damascus.
The Cupola of the Dome is built in three sections ; the inner is of
ornamental panels. Next come iron beams interlaced, set in free,
so that the wind may not cause the Cupola to shift ; and the third
casing is of wood, on which are fixed the outer plates. Up
through the middle of the Cupola goes a passage-way, by which a
workman may ascend to the pinnacle for aught that may be wanting,
or in order to repair the structure. At the dawn, when the light
of the sun first strikes on the Cupola, and the Drum reflects
his rays, then is this edifice a marvellous sight to behold, and one
such that in all Islam I have never seen the equal ; neither have I
heard tell of aught built in pagan times that could rival in grace
this Dome of the Rock." (Mule, 169, 170.)
Between the times of Mukaddasi and Nasir, the Holy City
suffered severely from shocks of earthquake, as reported in the
Chronicle of Ibn al Athtr (see above, p. loi), and in the year 10 16
(407), as there stated, the Dome over the Rock fell in. The dates
of the repairs subsequently undertaken are recorded by two extant
inscriptions in the Cupola, the first of which is of a tenor that
recalls the one that was read and copied in the Dome of the
Aksi Mosque by 'Ali of Herat (see above, p. 102).
The Holy City had since the year 969 been in the possession of
* See Chapter VI.
JERUSALEM, 125
the Khalif of Cairo, and it was the Fatimite Adh Dhihir who
ordered the restorations which were completed in 1022 (413) and
1027 (418), and which are referred to in the two following
inscriptions.
The first is written in the ancient Karmatic characters, and is to
he seen on a beam in the framework of the Dome. M. de Vogii^
has given a facsimile of this inscription on plate xxxvii. of his
work, Le Temple de Jerusalem, The following is a translation :
" In the name of Allah, the Compassionate^ the Merciful, Verily
he who believeth in Allah restoreth the Mosques of Allah, Hath
commanded the restoration of this Dome^ the JmAm Alm-l-Hasan
*Ali adh Dhdhirli- Izaz-ad- Dm- Allah, the son of Al Hakim-bi-Amr-
Illah, Commander of the Faithful — the benediction of Allah be upon
him, and on his most pure and generous forefathers ! This was
executed at the hand of hi^ servant ihe Amir, the supporter of the
Imdms, the sustainer of the State, ^ Ali ibn Ahmad Indbat Allah, in
the year 413 (a.d. 1022). May Allah perpetuate the glory and the
stability of our Master, the Commander of the Faithful, giving him
kingship over the east and the west of the earth, for Him we praise
at ihe beginning and the ending of all actions /"
The second inscription is to be seen inside the Dome of the
Rock on the tile-work. It is unfortunately much mutilated, but
the last few words are plainly legible. M. de Vogiie (Jerusalem^
Plate xxiii.) has reproduced it in chromolithograph. The letters
are yellow on the dark green ground of the enamelled tile. The
last words may be translated :
". . . . in the year four hundred and eighteen,"
A.H. 418 corresponds with a.d. 1027, which would lead us to
suppK)se that these tiles were put up to replace those damaged
by the earthquakes.
Nisir-i-Khusrau's account, describing what he saw during his
visit to Jerusalem in 1047, ^s the last we possess prior to the
Crusades. It must be noted that the "cubit," or "ell "(as the
Persian measures Arsh and Gez are here rendered), is not the
Dhira Maliki, the royal ell, of 1 8 inches, but the later Arab ell,
equivalent to about 2 feet English measure. At this valuation,
Nasir's measurements will be found to agree wonderfully exactly
136 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
with those of (he present Dome of the Rock. The arrangement
and number of the " piers " and " columns " described by N4sir
does not, however, coincide with those seen at the present day.
Nasir gives — inner circle : four piers, with two columns (eight in
all) between each ; outer circle : eight piers, with three columns
(twenty-four in all) between each pier. At the present day there
are, on the contrary, three columns between each of the four
piers of the inner circle, and two only between each of the eight
piers in the outer ring. (See pinn facing p. 114.) Hence N^sir's
total of the columns (not counting piers) is thirty-two, while the
present number is twenty-eight. (See also above, p. i a i.)
After describing the Aksi Mosque, NSsir continues :
"The Kubbat as Sakhrah (the Dome of the Kock)— which
Rock was, of old, the Riblah — is so situate as to stand in the
middle of the platform, which itself occupies the middle of the
Haram Area. The edifice is built in the form of a regular octagon,
and each of its eight sides measures 33 cubits (or 66 feet). There
are four gates facing the four cardinal points— namely, east, west,
JERUSALEM. 127
north, and south ; and between each of these is one of the oblique
sides of the octagon. The walls are everywhere constructed of
squared stones, and are 20 cubits (or 40 feet in height). The
Rock itself measures 100 ells round. It has no regular form,
being neither square nor circular ; but is shapeless, like a boulder
from the mountains. Beyond the four sides of the Rock rise four
piers of masonry that equal in height the walls of the (octagonal)
building ; and between every two piers, on the four sides, stand a
pair of marble pillars, which are like to the height of the piers.
Resting on these twelve piers and pillars is the structure of the
Dome, under which lies the Rock ; and the circumference of the
Dome is 120 cubits (or 240 feet).*
" Between the walls of the (octagonal) building, and the circle
of piers and pillars — and by the term * pier ' {sutiin) I understand
a support that is built up, and is square ; while the term * pillar '
{ustuwAnah) denotes a support that is cut from a single block of
stone, and is round — between this inner circle of supports, then,
and the outer walls of the edifice, are bui!t eight t other piers of
squared stones, and between every two of them are placed, equi-
distant, three columns in coloured marble. Thus, while in the
inner circle between every two piers there are two columns, there
are here (in the outer circle) between every two piers, three
columns. On the capital of each pier are set four volutes (s/idkh\
from each of which springs an arch ; and on the capital of each
column are set two volutes, so that ever)' column is the spring of
two arches, while at every pier is the spring of four.
" The Great Dome, which rises above the twelve piers standing
round the Rock, can be seen from the distance of a league away,
* From the very exact plans in M. de Vog\Xcsy<frusa/em, the full diameter
of the drum of the Dome appears to l>e 23 metres, or 75^ feet. This gives a
circumference of 237 feet, which agrees very well with the 120 cubits, 240 feet
of the text.
t The British Museum MS. and M. Schefer's text both give **six "as the
number of piers in the outer circle, but this neither corresponds with what
follows some lines below (where the total number of piers in the outer and
inner circles is stated to be twelve, «.r., four //i/j eight), nor with the actual
condition of the Dome of the Rock, which apparently never had more than
four piers in the inner, and eight in the outer circle, a number necessitated by
the octagonal shape of the building.
128 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
rising like the summit of a mountain. From the base of the
Dome to its pinnacle measures 30 cubits, and this rises above the
(octagonal) walls that are 20 ells high, for the Dome is supported
on the pillars that are like in height to the outer walls ; and the
whole building rises on a platform that itself is 12 ells high, so
that from the level of the Court of the Noble Sanctuary to the
summit of the Dome measures a total of 62 ells (or 124 feet).*
The roofing and the ceiling of this edifice are both in woodwork ;
this is set above the piers, and the pillars, and the walls, after a
fashion not to be seen elsewhere. The Rock itself rises out of
the floor to the height of a man, and a balustrade of marble goes
round al)out it, in order that none may lay his hand thereon.
The Rock inclines on the side that is towards the Kiblah (or
south), and there is an appearance as though a person had walked
heavily on the stone when it was soft like clay, whereby the
imprint of his toes had remained thereon. There are on the
Rock seven such footmarks, and I heard it stated that Abraham
— peace be upon him ! — was once here with Isaac — upon him be
peace ! — when he was a boy, and that he walked over this place,
and that the footmarks were his.
"In the house of the Dome of the Rock men are always con-
gregated— pilgrims and worshippers. The place is laid with fine
carpets of silk and other stuffs. In the middle of the Dome, and
over the Rock, there hangs from a silver chain a silver lamp ; and
there are in other parts of the building great numbers of silver
lamps, on each of which is inscribed its weight. These lamps are
all the gift of the (Fatimite Khalif, who is) Sultan of Egypt; and,
according to the calculations I made, there must be here in silver
utensils of various kinds of the weight of a thousand Manns (or
about a ton and a half). I saw there a huge wax taper that was
7 cubits high, and 3 spans in diameter. It was (white) like the
* I note this as the principal passage for proving that Nasir-i-Khusrau uses
the terms ^ezj " ell," and ars/tj " cubit," synonymou^ly. On a previous page he
has said that the platform is twelve ars/i high ; here he says it measures twelve
^czj and this added to twenty ^ir^ (walls) and to thirty ars/i (dome) makes sixty-
two j^ez. The height of the Dome of the Rock at the present day, measuring
from floor to summit of dome, is, roughly, 112 feet. Nasir estimates it (deduct-
ing the height of the platform) at 50 ells or cubits, equivalent to 100 feet.
JERUSALEM, 129
camphor of Zibdj,* and the (wax) was mixed with ambergris.
They told me that the Sultan of Egypt sent hither every year a great
number of tapers, and, among the rest, the large one just described,
on which the name of the Sultan was written in golden letters.
"As 1 have said before, all the roof and the exterior parts
of the Dome of the Rock are covered with lead. At each of the
four sides of the Dome of the Rock is set a great gate, with
double folding-doors of Sdj-wood (or teak). These doors are
always kept closed. They say that on the night of his ascent into
Heaven, the Prophet — peace and benediction be upon him ! —
prayed first in the Dome of the Rock, laying his hand upon the
Rock. And as he came forth, the Rock, to do him honour, rose
up, but the Prophet — peace and benediction be upon him ! — laid
his hand thereon to keep it in its place, and firmly fixed it there.
But, by reason of this uprising, even to the present day, it is here
partly detached (from the ground below). The Prophet — the
peace of Allah be upon him, and His benediction ! — went on
thence and came to the Dome, which is now called after him, and
there he mounted (the steed) Burak ; and for this reason is that
Dome venerated. Underneath the Rock is a large cavern, where
they continually burn tapers; and they say that when the Rock
moved in order to rise up (in honour of the Prophet), this space
below was left void, and that when the Rock became fixed, it so
remained, even as may now be seen." (N. Kh., 44-50.)
Of the Rock itself, Nasir gives the following account :
" This stone, of the Sakhrah, is that which God — be He exalted
and glorified ! — commanded Moses to institute as the Kiblah
(or direction to be faced at prayer). After this command had
come down, and Moses had instituted the Sakhrah as the Kiblah ;
he himself lived but a brief time, for of a sudden was his life
cut short. Then came the days of Solomon — upon him be
peace ! — who, seeing that the Rock of the Sakhrah was the
Kiblah-point, built a Mosque round about the Rock, whereby
the Rock stood in the midst of the Mosque, which became
* Zibaj, or Zabii, according to the author of the AtanUidy is the name of the
country in the further parts of India, on the frontiers of China, «>., Cochin
China (?).
o
I30 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
the oratory of the people. So it remained down to the c
of our Prophet Muhammad, the Chosen One— upon him
blessings and peace !— who likewise at first recognised this Rocl
be the Kiblah, turning towards it at his prayers ; but God — be
exalted and glorified ! — afterwards (in the month Rajab of
second year of the Hijrah) commanded him to institute as
Kiblah the House of the Ka'abah (at Makkah)." (N. Kh., 2;
The Author of the Muthir, writing in 1351, notes the oc(
rence of what he deemed a remarkable event, which happene
few years after Nasir's visit. He writes :*
"In the year 452 (a.d. 1060) the Great lantern {Tannur) 1
hung in the Dome of the Rock fell down, and there were
this lantern fi\Q hundred lamps. Those of the Muslims \
were at Jerusalem augured therefrom, saying, * Of a surety tt
will happen some portentous event in Islam.' "
In 1099 the Crusaders took Jerusalem, and the Dome
the Rock, considered by them to be the Templum Dom
passed to the Knights Templar. Holding this building to be
veritable Temple of the Lord, its figure was emblazoned by
Knights on their armorial bearings, and in both plan and elevat
the edifice came to be reproduced by the Templars in the vari
Temple Churches which the Order caused to be built in Lond
Laon, Metz, and other cities throughout Europe. In Rapha
famous picture of the Sposalizio, preserved in the Brera Galler
Milan, the Spousals of the Virgin are represented as taking pi
before the Gate of the Temple, which Temple is a fairly e>
representation of the polygon of the Dome of the Rock.
The Sicilian geographer Idrisi, in 11 54, gives a short descript
of the Dome ; but he himself had never visited Palestine, j
he most probably made up his account from descriptions dat
from the beginning of the eleventh century.
He writes : " In the centre of the (Court of the) Mosque r
the mighty Dome, known as the Kubbat as Sakhrah (the Dom<
• The Arabic text is given in my paper in ^^ Journal of the Royal A s\
Society, New Series, vol. xix., p. 304. This paragraph is copied verbatim
Suyfiti {Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol. «'/., p. 287), and a}s(
Mujtr ad Din (Cairo Text, p. 270). The Chronicles, it may be noted, men
no earthquake as occurring in this year.
JERUSALEM, 131
the Rock). This Dome is overlaid with gold mosaic, and is
of most beautiful workmanship, erected by the Muslim Khalifs.
In its midst is the Rock (the Sakhrah), which is said to have
fallen down (from heaven). It is a mass of stone of the height of
the Platform, and occupies the centre under the Dome. The
extremity of one of its sides rises above the floor to half a man's
height or more, while the other side lies even with the level (of
the Platform). The length of the Rock is nearly equal to its
breadth, and is some 10 ells and odd by the like. You may
descend into the lower part thereof, and go down into a dark
chamber, like a cellar, the length of which is 10 ells, by 5 in
width, and the ceiling reaches above a man's height No one can
enter this chamber except with a lamp to light him. The Dome
(of the Rock) has four Gates. The Western Gate has opposite
to it an Altar, whereon the Children of Israel were wont to offer
up their sacrifices. Near the Eastern Gate of the Dome is
the Church, which is called the Holy of Holies — it is of an
admirable size. Opposite to the Northern Gate (of the Dome of
the Rock) is a beautiful Garden, planted with all sorts of trees, and
round this Garden is set a colonnade of marble of most wondrous
workmanship. In the further part of this Garden is a place
of assembly, where the priests and deacons are wont to take their
repasts." (Id., 7.)
This Garden of the Priests, mentioned also by *Ali of Herat
(see p. 133), is, doubtless, the House of the Augustinian Canons
established here by Godfrey de Bouillon. Perhaps this may have
occupied the site of the " Cloister of the SQfis " mentioned by
Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047 (see Chapter V., Gates of the Haram
Area). The Church of the Holy of Holies is the building the
Muslims call the Dome of the Chain, of which a description will
be given in the following chapter. The Altar of the Children of
Israel is apparendy of Christian invention, and corresponds to no
Muslim edifice ; it is mentioned in the Cs'tez de Jherusalem* (about
1225), and by other Christian writers, one of whom states that the
Saracens ultimately turned it into a sundial.
'All of Herat, who visited the Holy City in 1173, fifteen years
• Palestine Pilgrims* Text^ p. 37.
9—2
132 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
before it was retaken by Saladin, has left us a full description of
what he saw in the Dome of the Rock. He notes the iron railing
put round the Rock by the Crusaders in place of the marble
balustrade mentioned by Nisir-i-Khusrau. Portions of this iron
" grille " still exist, and an illustration depicting it will be found in
M. de Vogii^'s Jerusalem, The chamber under the Rock 'Ali
calls " The Cave of the Souls." The present tradition asserts
that the Bir al Aruuih, " The Well of the Souls," is not this
chamber, but a well hollowed in the rock below its pavement.
'Ali^s description of the Dome represents exactly what is seen at
the present day, the detail of the arrangement and number of the
piers and columns, in the inner and outer circle, supporting the
Dome, as given in his text, being identical with what is shown in the
present plan. The earlier accounts, it will be remembered, varied
on these points of detail. When the alteration occurred is
unknown. The ell with which 'Ali of Herat takes his measure-
ments is presumably the royal ell of 18 inches, or somewhat less.
'AH of Herat writes : " The Kubbat as Sakhrah (meaning the
Rock under the Dome) has upon it the (imprint of) the footmark
of the Prophet. Now I went and saw the Rock in the days of the
Frank dominion, and what was to be seen of it then lay in the
north part of the Dome only. Round it was a railing of iron.
At the present time, since Saladin's reconquest of the Holy City,
the Rock appears to the south also, under the Dome. There
is all around, below it, a border, which is covered with enamelled-
work. The Rock is here a span in breadth, and its height is
of 2 ells. Its circumference is over 4 ells. Underneath the Rock
is the Cave of the Souls {Mughotrat al Arwah), They say that
Allah will bring together the souls of all True Believers to this
spot. You descend to this Cave by some fourteen steps, and
they state that the grave of Zakariyyah — peace be upon him ! — is
here in this Cave. The Cave of the Souls is of the height of
a man. Its width extends 11 paces from east to west, and 13
paces from north to south. In its roof is an aperture towards the
east, the size of which, is an ell and a half across. The circum-
ference of the Cavern is 5 ells. The building of the Dome of the
Rock has four door8,-and I yisited the place in the year 569 (i 173),
JERUSALEM, 133
during the time of the Frank dominion, as before stated. Opposite
the door leading to the Cave of the Souls, and near to the iron
railing, was, in these days, a picture of Solomon, son of David.
Also near to the iron railing, and to the west of the Leaden Gate,
but above it, was the picture of the Messiah all studded over with
jewels.
" The Gate (of the Dome of the Rock) to the east opens
towards the Dome of the Chain. Above it is an arch, on which
is inscribed the name of the Khalif Al Kiim-bi-Amr-Illah, and
the chapter (cxii., of the Kuran), called Ikhlis — that is, * Sincerity.'
To the east of the Dome of the Rock is, as aforesaid, the Dome \
of the Chain ; it is here Solomon, the son of David, administered
justice. To the north of the Dome of the Rock was the House
of the Priests {Ddr al Kusds), which building is supported on
columns.'^ The (octagonal) Colonnade round the Dome of the
Rock is supported on sixteen columns of marble, and on eight
piers ; and the Dome within this is supported on four piers and
twelve columns. In the circumference (of the Drum) are sixteen
grated windows. The circumference of the Dome is 160 ells
(240 feet). The perimeter of the great edifice which comprehends
all these (pillars, and the Dome, and which is the octagonal
building), measures 400 ells minus 16 ells (384 ells, or 576 feet).
A line going round the whole building (of the Dome of the Rock),
and including the Dome of the Chain and what pertains thereto
of other buildings, would measure 482 ells (or 723 feet). The
height of the iron grating which surrounds the Rock is twice that
of a man. There are four iron gates to the Dome of the Rock
— one (north) towards the Bab ar Rahmah (Gate of Mercy,
the ancient Golden Gate) ; one (west) towards the Bib Jibrail :
one towards the Kiblah (south); and one (east) towards the
Dome of the Chain. The Dome of the Chain measures 60 paces
round." (A. H., Oxf. MSS., ff. 35-38.)
In 1 187 Jerusalem was retaken by Saladin, who, as has been
described above (p. 109), effected a complete restoration of die
Haram Area to its pristine condition. Of the state into which
the Rock had come through the zeal of the Franks for the
* See p. 131.
134 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
acquisition of relics, the Chronicle of Ibn al Athir gives the
following account under the year 583 a.h. Possibly the " border "
described by 'Ali of Herat as running all round the Rock (see
above, p. 132) is the covering of pavement which Saladin ordered
to be removed.
Ibn al Athir writes : " Now the Franks had covered the Rock
with a marble pavement, and this Saladin ordered to be removed.
And the reason whereby they had thus covered it with a pave-
ment was this : In the earlier times their priests had been used to
(break off and) sell pieces of the Rock to the Frank (pilgrims)
who came from beyond the sea on pilgrimage; for these would
buy the same for its weight in gold, believing that there lay therein
a blessing. But seeing this, certain of the (l^tin) kings, fearing
lest the Rock should all disappear, ordered that it should be paved
over to keep it safe." (Ibn al Athir, ix. 365.)
After Saladin had completed his restoration, he set up inside
the cupola of the Dome, above the Rock, a beautiful inscription
in tile- work on a series of bands and medallions, which may still
be seen tn situ. The Arabic text of this long inscription, of which
the following is a translation, will be found in M. de Vogii6*s
work,* so often referred to. The text does not run continuously ;
but the following numbers (referring to the paragraphs of the
translation) show the order in which the bands and medallions —
running, of course, from right to left, following the Arabic writing
— stand each to the other inside the Drum below the cupola.
Besides Saladin's inscription, there are also two others, set up at a
much later date, in the spaces at first left vacant.
13. 12. 7. II. 6. 10. 5. 9. 16. 8. 4. 3. 15. 2. 14. I.
1. ^^ In the name of Allah^ the Compassionate^ the Merciful^ hath
commanded the renewal of the gilding of this
2. Noble Dome^ our Master the Sultan^ the victorious King^
3. the sage, the just Saldh ad Din Yitsuf
4. In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
5. . . . in the latter third of the month Rajab of the year 585,
6. by the hand of God's poor servitor Salah ad Uin
7. Yiisuf ibn Ayyftb ibn Shddi, may Allah encompass him in His
mercy r*
* Le Temple de fSrusalem, pp. 9I1 92.
JERUSALEM, 135
It will be convenient to add here the translations of the two
other inscriptions, which are found on the bands and medallions,
interspersed with Saladin's great inscription. The first of these
commemorates the restoration by order of the MamlCik Sultan
of Egypt, Muhammad ibn Kala'An, in a. h. 718 and 719 (13 18 and
1 319). The second was set up in our own days by the Sultan of
Turkey, MahmCid II. The tiles containing the date of this last
inscription have been injured, and only the centuries (12** a.h.)
can be read. Sultan MahmCld 11. reigned from a.h. 1223 — 1255
(1808— 1839).
8. ** Hath commanded the rene^val of the gilding of this Dome,
together with the restoration of the outer Dome of lead
9. Our Master . . . Adsir ad Dunyd wa ad Din,
10. the Suitan of the world, who stablisheth the pillars of the
noble LaiVy
11. the Sultan of Islam, Muhammad the son of the Sultan and
Martyr
12. A I Malik A I Mans fir KalaCtn, may Allah encompass him
in His mercy I And this {restoration took place) during
the months of the year 7 1 8
13. And it was done under the superintendence of the poor
senntor oj Allah — be He exalted ! — the assiduous, noble
14. and illustrious Jawdli, Inspector of the Two Noble
Sanctuaries, —
15. May Allah give him pardon ! And this in the year 719 "
16. " Hath commanded the gilding of this Dome, and the restora-
tion of the external Dome, our Master the Sultan MahmM
Khan, In the year 12^^* '^
The traveller Ibn Bat(itah, who visited Jerusalem in the year
1355, gives but few new details of the Dome of the Rock. He
expatiates on the marvellous beauty of the building, and notes the
four great gates and the interior of the Dome, ornamented with
gilding and colours. After describing the Rock, and mentioning
the cavern below it, he continues, " Round the rock there are two
gratings set here to guard it Of these the one nearest the Rock
136 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
is of iron, the other of wood. In the Dome there is hung up a
great Buckler of iron, and the people say this was the Buckler of
Hamzah ibn *Abd al Mutallib (the uncle of the Prophet)." (I. B.,
i. 122, 123.)
Mujir ad Din states that, in the year 1448 (851), the roof of the
Dome of the Rock was destroyed by fire, and was restored by
Sultan al Malik adh Dhahir, " so as to be more beautiful even
than it had been aforetimes." (M. a. D., 443.) The cause of
the fire is said by some authorities to have been a thunderbolt,
which fell in the southern part of the edifice. Others state that
the building was set on fire by a boy, who had gone under the
roof with a candle to catch some pigeons.
Suydti, writing in 1470, gives the following account of the
Rock, and the wonders shown in its vicinity : " The Footprint
seen here is that of the Prophet when he mounted the •steed
Al Burak to ascend into heaven. In Crusading times it was called
Christ's Footprint. The Tongue is said to have been given to
the Rock when it addressed the Khalif 'Omar in welcome ; and
the Marks of the angel Gabriel's Fingers are those left when the
Rock, wishing to accompany the Prophet to heaven, had to be
pushed down and kept in its place.
" The place of the Noble Footprint may be seen at this day on
a stone that is separate from the Rock, and opposite to it, on the
further side, which is to the south-west. This stone is supported
on a column. The Rock, at this present day, forms the walls
enclosing the cave (that is, beneath it) on all sides, except only the
part which lies to the south, where is the opening into the Cave.
The Rock here does not come up to the south side of the Cave,
for between the two is an open space. From the entrance down
into the Cave lead stone steps for descending thereto. On these
stairs is a small shelf, near where the pilgrims stop to visit the
Tongue of the Rock. At this spot is a marble column, the lower
part of which rests on the south portion of the shelf aforesaid,
while its upper part abuts against the Rock, as though to prevent
its giving way towards the south — or maybe it is for some other
purpose — and the portion of the Rock that lies below supports it.
The Place of the Angel's Fingers is on the western side of the
JERUSALEM. I37
Rock, and is distinct from the Place of the Noble Footstep already
mentioned. It lies close t o, and over against, the western gate of
the Sakhrah (or Dome of the Rock)." (S., 258 ; copied by
M. a. D., 371.)
All these various mar\^els are shown in the Dome of the Rock
at the present day, and occupy the same positions as they did in
1470 when Suyftti wrote.
In conclusion, the following measurements are of some interest.
They are given by Mujir ad Din, and appear to have been care-
fully taken by him at the time when he wrote his description of
Jerusalem in 1496. The "workman's ell," as before stated,
measures somewhat over 2 J feet.
" The building of the Dome of the Rock is octagonal. The
outer perimeter is 240 ells, while the inner is 224 ells, measuring
with the workman's ell.
"The Dome is 51 ells high, measured from the pavement to
the summit. The Platform, on which the Dome of the Rock
stands, is 7 ells above the level of the Court ; thus the summit of
the Dome is 58 ells above the Area of the Noble Sanctuary. The
Dome is supported by twelve pillars and by four piers (in the
inner ring)." (M. a. D., 370, 371.)
CHAPTER IV.
JERUSALEM.
Traditional Accounts : 'Omar's finding of the Rock — The Service instituted by
the Khalif 'Abd al Malik.
T/ic Dome of the Chain : Minor domes — The platform and stairways —
The Court and the Haram Area — The Cradle of Jesus and Stables of
Solomon — Minor buildings — Minarets.
TRADITIONAL ACCOUNTS.
In the preceding chapter, the history of the Dome of the Rock
and the Aksi Mosque has been recounted from the earliest avail-
able Arab sources, namely, the Chronicles and Geographies (dating
from the third and fourth centuries of the Hijrah), and the
accounts of the first Muslim pilgrims, who described their visits to
Jerusalem. With the foregoing it will be found interesting to
compare the traditional accounts (apocryphal in detail, and pro-
bably first reduced to writing at a period subsequent to the
Crusades), which profess to give detailed notices of the Khalif
'Omar's re-discovery of the Rock, and of the services instituted by
the Khalif 'Abd al Malik after he had erected the Dome over it.
These accounts, as far as I have been able to discover, are first
given in the work called the Muthir al Ghiraifi (see p. ii), which
was composed in 135 1 (752), close on seven hundred years after the
days of 'Abd al Malik, and considerably over the seven centuries
after the date of 'Omar. The author of the Muthir wrote in the
period succeeding the Crusades, when the Franks had recently
been ejected from the Holy Land ; and at this date, what may be
caUed Historical Romances (as, for instance, the " History " of the
Pseudo-Wikidi, and others), were much in vogue throughout the
untries that Saladin and his successors had so recently liberated
JERUSALEM. 139
from the Frank dominion. The reconquest of Palestine by
Saladin, recalled the incidents of the first Muslim conquest under
'Omar ; and possibly there were still, in the fourteenth centur)',
some historical traditions which may have formed the groundwork
on which the following narratives were composed.
There is, as will be observed^ in the Mui/iir^ a learned affecta-
tion of citing authorities, giving the account as on the authority of
so-and-so, who had it from his father, and his grandfather, who
heard so-and-so relate, etc., etc. This, however, is merely the
usual Arab way of citing the tradition, and in the present case
practically means nothing, since no authority can be found for
these stories earlier than the author of the Muthir himself. These
accounts, as given in the Afuthir, have been freely plagiarised by
succeeding writers. Shams ad Din SuyOti (1470) quoted from the
Muthir verbatim, and Mujirad Din, in 1496, copied out the whole
once again, adding here and there some few amplifications.* In
the following pages the order of the paragraphs in the Muthir is
not kept to, the narrative in my transllition being arranged to suit
the sequence of events.
'Omar's Conquest, {Muthtr, chapter v.f) — " Al Walid J states
on the authority of Sa*id ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz, that the letter of
the Prophet had come to the Kaisar (Csesar) while he was sojourn-
ing at the Holy City. § Now at that time there was over the
Rock of the Holy City a great dungheap, which completely
masked the Mihrdb of David, and which same the Christians had
put here in order to offend the Jews, and further, even, the
Christian women were wont to throw here their cloths and clouts,
so that it w^as all heaped up therewith. Now, when Caesar had
• The Arabic text, taken from the Paris MSS. of the Afuihtr, of which the
following is a translation, is printed in my paper on Suyuti in ^'^ Journal of the
Royal AsicUic Society ^ vol. xix., part ii., where the whole subject of the Muthtf^s
authorities will be found discussed at length.
t Quoted by S., 278.
X Al Walid ibn Muslim, on whose authority most of these accounts rest, was
a celebrated traditionist, a native of Damascus, and died aged seventy-three
(according to Naw&wi, Wiistenfeld's Text, p. 618) in a.h. 194 or 195 (810).
§ In the seventh year of the Hijrah, the Prophet despatched envoys to the
Cbosroes (Khusrii Parwtz) of Persia, and to the Caesar of Byzantium, calling
on them forthwith to acknowledge his mission as Allah's Apostle.
I40 PALESTINE. UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
perused the letter of the Prophet, he cried and said : * O, ye men
of Greece, verily ye are the people who shall be slain on this dung-
heap, because that ye have desecrated the sanctity of this Mosque.
And it shall be with you even as it was with the Children of Israel,
who were slain for reason of the blood of Yahya ibn Zakariyyi
(John the Baptist)/ Then the Caesar commanded them to clear
the place, and so they began to do ; but when the Muslims in-
vaded Syria, only a third part thereof had been cleared. Now,
when 'Omar had come to the Holy City and conquered it, and
saw how there was a dungheap over the Rock, he regarded it as
horrible, and ordered that it should be entirely cleared. And to
accomplish this they forced the Nabathaeans of Palestine to labour
without pay. On the authority of Jabir ibn Naftr, it is related
that when 'Omar first exposed the Rock to view by removing the
dungheap, he commanded them not to pray there until three
showers of heavy rain should have fallen/'
" It is related as coming from Shadad ibn Aus, who accompanied
*Omar when he entered the noble Sanctuary of the Holy City on
the day when Allah caused it to be reduced by capitulation, that
'Omar entered by the Gate of Muhammad, crawling on his hands
and knees, he and all those who were with him, until he came up
to the Court (of the Sanctuary). There he looked around to right
and to left, and, glorifying Allah, said : * By Allah, verily this — by
Him in whose hand is my soul ! — must be the Mosque of David,
of which the Apostle spake to us, saying, / was conducted thither
in the night journey,^ Then 'Omar advanced to the fore (or
southern) part of the Haram Area, and to the western side
thereof, and he said : * Let us make this the place for the
Mosque.' "*
* With this and the following accounts of 'Omar's first visit to the Temple
Area, accompanied by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, it will be interesting to
compare the narrative of the Byzantine historian Theophanes, who wrote his
Chrottographia in the eighth century A.D. (see note to p. 92), more than five
hundred years, therefore, before the author of the Aluthtr^ who is our sole
authority for the Muslim tradition. The Greek original, of which the following
is a translation, will be found in vol. i., p. 519 of the Bonn edition (1839) of
the Chronographia. **Anno Mundi 6127; Anno Domini 627. In this yesur
Omar undertook his expedition into Palestine, where, the Holy City having
been continuously besieged for two years (by the Arab armies), he at length
JERUSALEM, 141
" On the authority of Al Walid ibn Muslim, it is reported as
coming from a Shaikh of the sons of ShadM ibn Aus, who had
heard it from his father, who held it of his grandfather, that
'Omar, as soon as he was at leisure from the writing of the Treaty
of Capitulation made between him and the people of the Holy
City, said to the Patriarch of Jerusalem : * Conduct us to the
Mosque of David.' And the Patriarch agreed thereto. Then
'Omar went forth girt with his sword, and with him four thousand
of the Companions who had come to Jerusalem with him, all
begirt likewise with their swords, and a crowd of us Arabs, who
had come up to the Holy City, followed them, none of us bearing
any weapons except our swords. And the Patriarch walked before
'Omar among the Companions, and we all came behind the
Khalif. Thus we entered the Holy City. And the Patriarch
took us to the Church which goes by the name of the Kumamah,*
and said he : * This is David's Mosque.' And 'Omar looked
around and pondered, then he answered the Patriarch : * Thou
liest, for the Apostle described to me the Mosque of David, and
by his description this is not it.' Then the Patriarch went on
with us to the Church of Sihydn (Sion), and again he said : * This
is the Mosque of David.' But the Khalif replied to him : * Thou
liest.' So the Patriarch went on with him till he came to the
noble Sanctuary of the Holy City, and reached the gate thereof,
called (afterwards) the Gate Muhammad. Now the dung which
was then all about the noble Sanctuary, had settled on the steps
of this gate, so that it even came out into the street in which the
gate opened, and it had accumulated so greatly on the steps as
became possessed of it by capitulation. Sophronius, the chief (or Patriarch)
of Jerusalem, obtained from Omar a treaty in favour of all the Inhabitants of
Palestine, after which Omar entered the Holy City clothed in camel-hair
garments all soiled and torn, and making show of piety as a cloak for his
diabolical hypocrisy, demanded to he taken to what in former times had been
the Temple built by Solomon. This he straightway converted into an oratory
for blasphemy and impiety. When Sophronius saw this he exclaimed : * Verily,
this is the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, and it
now stands in the Holy Place ;' and (the Patriarch) shed many tears.'*
* Al Kumamah — literally, ** the dunghill." This is a designed corruption on
the part of the Muslims of ** Al Kayamah," Anastasis^ the name given to th^
Church of the Resurrection (the Holy Sepulchre) by the Christian Arabs.
142 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
almost to reach up to the ceiling of the gateway. The Patriarch
said to 'Omar : * It is impossible to proceed and enter — except
crawling on hands and knees.* Said 'Omar : * Even on hands and
knees be it.* So the Patriarch went down on hands and knees,
preceding 'Omar, and \ve all crawled after him, until he had
brought us out into the Court of the Noble Sanctuary of the Holy
City. Then we arose off our knees, and stood upright. And
'Omar looked around, pondering for a long time. Then said he :
* By Him in whose hands is my soul ! — this is the place described
to us by the Apostle of Allah.' " (S., 276 ; M. a. D., 226.)
" And it is reported on other authority to the last, namely, from
Hisham ibn 'Ammar, who had it from Al Haitham ibn 'Omar ibn
al 'Abbasi, who related that he had heard his grandfather, *Abd
Allah ibn Abu 'Abd Allah, tell how, when 'Omar was Khalif, he
went to visit the people of Syria. 'Omar halted first at the village
of Al Jabiyah,* while he despatched a man of the Jadilah Tribe
to the Holy City, and, shortly after, 'Omar became p>ossessed
of Jerusalem by capitulation. Then the Khalif himself went
thither, and Ka'ab t was with him. Said 'Omar to Ka'ab : * O,
Abu Ishak, knowest thou the position of the Rock ?' and Ka'ab
answered : * Measure from the wall which is on the Widi Jahan-
num so and so many ells ; there dig, and ye shall discover it :*
adding : * At this present day it is a dungheap.' So they dug
there, and the Rock was laid bare. Then said 'Omar to Ka'ab :
* Where sayest thou we should place the Mosque, or, rather, the
Kiblah?' Ka'ab replied: * Lay out a place for it behind the
Rock, whereby you will make one the two Kibldhs, that, namely,
of Moses, and that of Muhammad.* But 'Omar answered him :
* In Jaulan.
t The author of the Muthtr writes in another section : '* Ka'ab al Abtuur,
or Al Ilibr, surnamed Abu Ishak ibn Mdnt the Himyarite, was originally a
Jew, and became a Muslim during the Khalifate of Abu Bakr— or, some say,
during that of *Omar. He is a celebrated authority for Traditions, and b
noted as having been a very learned man. He died at Hims in a.h. 32 (6S2)."
In point of fact, Ka'ab, like his co-religionist, the equally celebrated Jew
Wahb ibn Munabbih, who also embraced Islam (the two being the great
authorities among the early Muslims in all points of ancient history), was in
time discovered to have been a great liar, and to have considerably gulled the
simple-minded Aral)s of the first century of the Flight.
JERUSALEM. I43
* Thou hast leanings still towards the Jews, O Abu Ishik. The
Mosque shall be in front of the Rock (not behind it).' Thus was
the Mosque erected in the fore-part of the Haram Area."
" Al Walid further relates, as coming from Kulthum ibn Ziyid,
that 'Omar asked of Ka'ab : * Where thinkest thou that we should
put the place of prayer for Muslims in this Holy Sanctuary?'
Said Ka'ab in answer : * In the hinder (or northern) portion
thereof, in the part adjoining the Gate of the Tribes.' But 'Omar
said : * Not so ; seeing that, on the contrary, to us belongs the
fore-part of the Sanctuary.' And 'Omar then proceeded to the
fore-part thereof. Al Walld again relates — on the authority of Ibn
Shaddid, who had it of his father — * 'Omar proceeded to the fore-
part of the Sanctuary Area, to the side adjoining the west (namely
to the south-west part), and there began to throw the dung by
handfuls into his cloak, and we all who were w^ith him did like-
wise. Then he went with it — and we following him to do the
same — and threw the dung into the Widi, which is called the
Widi Jahannum. Then we returned to do the like over again,
and yet again — he, 'Omar, and also we who were with him — until
we had cleared the whole of the place where the Mosque now
stands. And there we all made our prayers, 'Omar himself praying
among us." '
Some other versions are also given of the same traditions, idoi-
tical in every point except for the pseudo-authority quoted, and
the wording of the narrative. (See S., 32 ; copied by M. a. D., 225.)
The following is given by Suydti only (not by the author of the
Muthir\ and is curious for the mention of the St. Mary Church
{KanUah Maryam) possibly the Church of the Virgin described by
Procopius.
" Now, when 'Omar made the capitulation with the people of
the Holy City, and entered among them, he was wearing at that
time two long tunics of the kind called SumbulAnL Then he
prayed in the Church of Mary, and, when he had done so, he
spat on one of his tunics. And it was said to him : ' Dost thou
spit liere because that this is a place in which the sin of polytheism
has been committed ?* And 'Omar answered : * Yea, verily the
sin of polytheism hath been committed herein ; but now, in truth.
144 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
the name of Allah hath been pronounced here.' It is further
reported that 'Omar did carefully avoid praying near the Widi
Jahannum.'* (S., 34.)
'^^dd al Malik and the Dome of the Rock, (Muthtr^ chapter vi.*)
— "The Khalif *Abd al Malik it was who built the Dome of the
Rock, and the (Aksa) Mosque of the Holy City ; and, according
to report, he devoted to the expenses of the same the revenues of
Egypt for the space of seven years. The historian Sibt al Jauzi,
in his work called the * Mirror of the Time ' {Mirat as Zamdn),
states that 'Abd al Malik began the building here in the year 69
of the Hijrah, and completed the same in the year 72 (a.d. 687 —
690). But others say that he who first built the Dome (of the
Rock) of the Holy City was Sa'id, the son of the Khalif 'Abd al
Malik, and that he afterwards, too, restored itf Now, on the
authority of Rija ibn Hayah, and of Yazid ibn Sall4m,f 'Abd al
Malik's freedman, it is reported that, on the occasion of building
the Dome of the Rock of the Holy City and the Aksi Mosque,
the Khalif came himself from Damascus to Jerusalem, and thence
despatched letters into all the provinces, and to all the governors
of cities, to the following effect : * 'Abd al Malik doth wish to
build a Dome over the Rock in the Holy City, whereby to shelter
the Muslims from heat and cold ; as also a Mosque. But he
wisheth not to do this thing without knowing the will of his
people. Therefore, let the Muslims write their desires, and what-
soever may be their will.' And letters came back to him from the
governors of the provinces which assured the Commander of the
Faithful of the full approval of all men, and that they deemed his
intention a fitting and pious one. And said they : * We ask of
Allah to vouchsafe completion to what the Khalif doth undertake,
in the matter of building in the Noble Sanctuary, and the Dome
therein, and the Mosque ; and may it succeed under his hand, for
* Quoted by S., p. 280.
t This assertion is found in none of the early authorities.
it: Abu'l Mikdam Hiji ibn Hayah ibn JarOl, of the Kindah tribe, was a man
celebrated for his learning; and in later years a great friend of the second
Khalif 'Omar (Ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz). Yaztd ibn Sallam, his colleague, was a native
of Jerusalem. The account following is transcribed by Mujir ad Din. — Cairo
Text, pp. 241, 242.
JERUSALEM. 145
it is a noble deed, both for him and for those who follow after
him/
" Then the Khalif brought together craftsmen from all parts of
his empire, and commanded that they should set forth the propor-
tions and elevation of the building before they began to build the
Dome itself So they laid out the plan thereof in the Court of
the Haram Area. And he commanded them to build a Treasure
House on the east side of the Rock, and the same is the building
which now stands close beside the Rock.**' So they began to
build. And the Khalif set apart great sums of money, and
instituted to be overseers thereof Rija ibn Hayah, and Yazid ibn
Salldm, commanding them to spend the same, and giving them
authority therein. So they made expenditure for digging the
foundations, and building up the structure, until (all was finished
and) the moneys were (in large part) expended. When the edifice
was complete and solidly constructed, so that not a word could
be said for improvement thereto, these men wrote to the Khalif
at Damascus, saying : * Allah hath vouchsafed completion to what
the Commander of the Faithful commanded concerning the build-
ing of the Dome over the Rock of the Holy City, and the Aksd
Mosque also. And no word can be said to suggest improvement
thereto. And verily there remaineth over and above of what the
Commander of the Faithful did set apart for the expense of the
same — the building being now complete and solidly built — a sum.
of 100,000 (gold) dinars. So now let the Commander of the
Faithful expend the remnant in whatever matter seemeth good to
him.' And the Khalif wrote to them in reply: * Let this, then,
be a gift unto you two for what ye have accomplished in the
building of this noble and blessed house.' But to this Rija and
Yazid sent answer : * Nay, rather, first let us add to this the
ornaments of our women and the superfluity of our wealth, and
then do thou, O Khalif, expend the whole in what seemeth best
to thee.' Then the Khalif wrote commanding them to melt down
the gold, and apply it to the adornment of the Dome. So all this
gold was melted down and expended to adorn the Dome of the
Rock ; to an extent that it was impossible, by reason of the
... .*. Now called the Dome of the Chain. See p. 153.
10
146 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
gold thereon, for anyone to keep the eye fixed and look at it
They prepared also two coverings, to go over the Dome, of felts
and of skins of animals, and the same were put over it in the
winter-time to preserve it from the rains, and the winds, and the
snows. Riji ibn Hayih and Yazid ibn Sallam also surrounded the
Rock with a lattice-screen of Sdsim (or ebony-wood), and out-
side the screen they hung between the columns curtains of
brocade.
*• Each day fifty and two persons were employed to pound and
grind down saffron, working by night also, and leavening it with
musk and ambergris, and rose-water of the J(iri rose. At early
dawn the servants appointed entered the Bath of Sulaimin* ibn
'Abd al Malik, where they washed and purified themselves before
proceeding to the Treasure Chamber (al Khazanah), in which was
kept the (yellow perfume of saffron called) Khuldk. And, before
leaving the Treasure Chamber, they changed all their clothes,
putting on new garments, made of the stuffs of Marv and Herat,
also shawls (of the striped cloths of Yaman), called 'Asb ; and,
taking jewelled girdles, they girt these about their waists. Then,
bearing the jars of the KhulOk in their hands, they went forth and
anointed therewith the stone of the Rock, even as far as they
could reach up to with their hands, spreading the perfume all over
the same. And for the part beyond that which they could reach,
having first washed their feet, they attained thereto by walking on
the Rock itself, anointing all that remained thereof; and by this
the jars of the KhulCik were completely emptied. Then they
brought censers of gold and of silver, filled with aloes wood of
Kim^r (in Java), and the incense called Nadd, compounded with
musk and ambergris ; and, letting down the curtains between the
columns, they swung to and fro the censers, until the incense
did rise into all the space between the columns and the Dome
above, by reason of the quantity thereof Which done, and the
* The MSS. of SuyAti read " Hamniam Sulaiman," as though it were the
Bath of King Soloman. I have found no notice of this bath elsewhere ; and
it is on the authority of the Muihtr that the Bath is named after the son of the
Khalif *Abd al Malik. The Jfirt rose is named from the town of Jfir or GAr, in
Persia, afterwards called Fairiizibad, which was so celebrated for its roses as to
be sumamcd Balad al Ward, " the City of Roses." (Y^kiit, ii. 147.)
JERUSALEM. 147
curtains again drawn up, the censers were carried outside the
building, whereby the sweet smell went abroad, even to the
entrance of the market beyond (the Haram Area), so that all who
passed therein could scent the perfume. After this the censers
were extinguished Proclamation then was made by criers from
before the screen : * The Sakhrah, verily, is open for the people,
and he who would pray therein, let him come.' And the people
would hasten to come and make their prayer in the Sakhrah, the
most of them performing two Rika'ahs (or prayer prostrations),
while some few acquitted themselves of four. And he who had
thus said his prayers, when he had gone forth again, (friends)
would perceive on him the perfume of the incense, and say:
* Such an one hath been in the Sakhrah.* (After the prayer-time
was over, the servants) washed off with water the marks left by
the peoples* feet, cleaning everywhere with green myrtle (brooms),
and drying with cloths. Then the gates were closed, and for
guarding each were appointed ten chamberlains, since none might
enter the Sakhrah — except the servants thereof — on other days
than the Monday and the Friday.
"On the authority of Abu Bakr ibn al Hdrith, it is reported
that, during the Khalifate of *Abd al Malik, the Sakhrah was
entirely lighted with (oil of) the Midian Bin (the Tamarisk, or
Myrobalan) tree, and oil of Jasmin, of a lead colour. (And this,
says Abu Bakr, was of so sweet a perfume, that) the chamberlains
were wont to say to him : * O Abu Bakr, pass us the lamps that
we may put oil on ourselves therefrom, and perfume our clothes ' ;
and so he used to do, to gratify them. Such are the matters
relating to the days of the Khalifate of 'Abd al Malik.
" Further, saith Al Walid, it hath been related to me by *Abd
ar Rahman ibn Manser ibn Thabit — who said, I hold it of my
father, who held it of his father, and he from his grandfather —
that, in the days of *Abd al Malik, there was suspended from the
chain hanging down in the middle of the Dome of the Rock a
single unique pearl, also the two horns of the Ram of Abraham,
and the Crown of the Chosroes. But when the Khalifate passed
to the Abbasides, they had all these relics transported to the
Ka'abah — which may Allah preser\'e !"
10 — 2
148 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
The following, which occurs in the seventh chapter of the
MuMr, is quoted both by Suydti and by Mujir ad Din. (S., 285 ;
M. a. D., 248.) A somewhat similar account will be found below
(p. 161), on the much earlier authority of Ibn al Fakih.
** On the authority of the Hafidh Ibn 'Asakir, the testimony
going back to Abu-1-Ma'ali al Mukaddasi, it is related how 'Abd
al Malik built the Dome of the Rock and the Aksa Mosque.
Further, 'Ukbah states that in those days there were six thousand
beams of wood used for the ceilings, besides the beams for
the wooden pillars ; and the doors were fifty in number. There
were six hundred pillars of marble, and seven Mihrabs, and of
chains for suspending the candelabra four hundred, less fifteen
(that is three hundred and eighty-five), of which two hundred and
thirty were in the Aksa Mosque, and the remainder (namely, one
hundred and fifty-five) in the Dome of the Rock. The length of
all these chains put together was 4,000 ells, and their weight
43,000 Syrian (pounds or) ratls.* There were five thousand
lamps ; and, in addition to these, they were wont to light two
thousand wax candles on the Friday nightsj and on the middle
nights of the months of Rajab, Sha'aban, and Ramadhin, as also
on the nights of the Two (Great) Festivals. (In the various parts
of the Haram Area) are fifteen (small) domes, besides the (Great)
' Dome of the Rock ; and on the Mosque-roof there were seven
thousand seven hundred sheets of lead, each sheet weighing 70
ratls, Syrian measure (420 lbs.). And this did not include what
was on the roof which covered the Dome of the Rock. All this
was of that which was done in the days of 'Abd al Malik. And
this Khalif appointed for the perpetual service of the Noble
Sanctuary three hundred servants, who were (slaves) purchased
with moneys of the Royal Fifth from the Treasury ; and as these
servants in time died off, each man's son, or his son's son, or
some member of his family, was appointed in his place. And so
the service hath continued on for all time, generation after genera-
tion ; and they receive their rations from the public treasury.
" In the Haram Area there are twenty-four great water cisterns,
and of minarets four — to wit, three in a line on the west side of
* 258,000 lbs.
JERUSALEM, 149
the Noble Sanctuary, and one that rises above the Bab al Asbllt
(the Gate of the Tribes). And among the servants of the Haram
there were Jews, from whom was exacted no poll-tax. Originally
there were but ten men, but, their families increasing, the number
rose to twenty ; and it was their business to sweep away the dust
left by the people at the times of visitation, both in summer and
in winter, and also to clean the places of ablution that lay round
the Aksi Mosque. There were also ten Christian servants of the
Noble Sanctuary, whose office went by inheritance after the same
fashion. These made, and likewise swept, the mats of the
Mosque. They also swept out the conduits which carried the
water into the cisterns, and, further, attended to the keeping clean
of the cisterns themselves, and other such service. And among
the servants of the Sanctuary, too, were another company of
Jews, who made the glass plates for the lamps, and the glass
lantern bowls, and glass vessels and rods. And it was appointed
that from these men also no poll-tax was to be taken, nor from
those who made the wicks for the lamps ; and this exemption
continued in force for all time, both to them and their children
who inherited the office after them, even from the days of *Abd al
Malik, and for ever.
" Al Walid further writes — on the warranty of Abu 'Amir ibn
Damrah, who reported it on the authority of 'Ati, who had it of
his father — that in early days it was the Jews who were appointed
to light the lamps in the Noble Sanctuary, but that when the
Khalif 'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz came to reign, he deprived them
of this office, and set in their place servants who had been pur-
chased with moneys of the Royal Fifth. And a certain man of
these servants — a slave bought of the Royal Fifth — came once to
him, and said : * Give me manumission, O Khalif !* But 'Omar
answered : * How then ! verily I cannot emancipate thee 1 but
shouldst thou depart (of thine own accord), behold I have no
power over a hair even of the hairs of thy dog !' "*
Such are the traditional (or apocryphal) accounts, very probably,
for the most part, an invention of the fourteenth century, which
* Mujir ad Din, who gives the anecdote, has " a hair of the hairs of thy
body " in place of " of thy dog." (M. a. D., 250.)
REFERENCES TO THE PLAN OF THE HARAM AREA IN THE
TIME OF NASIR-I-KHUSRAU.
A. Bib Daiid, Gate of David.
6. Bab as Sakar, Gate of Hell.
C. Gate leading to the Cloisters of the Siifts.
D. Bib al Asbat, Gate of the Tribes.
E. Bab al Abwab, Gate of Gates.
F. Bab al Taubah, Gate of Repentance.
G. Bab ar Rahmah, Gate of Mercy.
H. The ancient Bab al Burik, or Bstb al Jan4iz, Gate of the Funerals.
I. Ancient ** Single Gate"| TOne of these is the Bab al 'Ain, Gate
J. Ancient " Triple Gate " / I of the Spring.
K. Bab an Nabt, Gate of the Prophet, the ancient ** Double Gate."
L. Steps leading down to the subterranean Passage-way of this Gate.
M. BSb Hittah, Gate of Remission.
N. Dome of the Chain.
O. Kubbat ar Rasdl, Dome of the Prophet.
P. Kubbat Jibrall, Dome of Gabriel.
Q. Stairway, called Makim an Nab!, Station of the Prophet.
R. Stairway, called Makam GhChrt.
S 'i
' > Western Stairways.
U. Northern Stairway, called Makdm Shimt.
V. Eastern Stairway, called Mak^m Sharki.
W. Oratory of Zachariah.
X. Dome of Jacob.
Y. Small Mosque, of old a Hall.
Z. Steps leading down to the Mosque of the Cradle of Jesus.
a. Colonnade of Arches^
*• " " ■ Along the West Wall.
e. VColonnades along the North Wall.
/■)
g. Colonnade of forty-two arches, along South Wall, joining the Western
Colonnade.
JERUSALEM. 151
purport to relate the events of 'Omar's conquest, and 'Abd al
Malik's buildings, in the seventh century of our era. How much
credence should be placed in them it is difficult to say. They
rest, doubtless, on some foundation of fact ; but the form of the
greater part of the narratives is very evidently apocryphal.
We may now return to the older Chronicles and Geographers,
whose accounts are more worthy of credence, and their authorities
more easily controlled, and we shall resume the subject of the
description of the Haram Area, proceeding to quote the earlier
accounts concerning the various buildings, other than the Aks4
Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which occupy the area of the
Noble Sanctuary.
THE DOME OF THE CHAIN.
A few paces east of the Dome of the Rock stands a small
cupola, supported on pillars, but without any enclosing wall,
except at the Kiblah point, south, where two of the pillars have a
piece of wall, forming the Mihrab, built up in between them. This
is called Kubbat as Silsilah — " the Dome of the Chain." As early
as 913 it is mentioned by Ibn 'Abd Rabbih as "the Dome where,
during the times of the children of Israel, there hung down the
chain that gave judgment (of truth and lying) between them."
(I. R., iii. 368.)
According to the most generally accepted tradition, King David
received from the angel Gabriel, not a chain, but an iron rod,
with the command to span it across his judgment-hall, and on it
to hang a bell. When the rod was touched in turn by plaintiff
and defendant, the bell sounded for the one with whom the right
lay.* The Arab Geographers, however, all speak of a chain ;
and Yakdt, describing this Dome, particularly mentions that it
was here that was " hung the chain which allowed itself to be
grasped by him who spoke the truth, but could not be touched by
him who gave false witness, until he had renounced his craft, and
repented him of his sin." (Yak., iv. 593.)
The Dome of the Chain is also mentioned by Ibn 'Abd
Rabbih's contemporary, Ibn al Fakih, who describes it as, in his
• See Weil, Biblische Legenden der Muselmdnner^ p. 215.
152 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
day, "supported on twenty marble columns, and its roof is
covered with sheets of lead." (I. F., loi.) In Mukaddasi's days
the Dome of the Chain is also described as merely a cupola,
" supported on marble pillars, being without walls." (Muk.,
169.)
So frail a structure would, doubtless, have frequently suffered
damage by the earthquakes, which, as is recorded, threw down
many of the buildings in the Haram Area. And this circum-
stance will explain the varying accounts given at different times
of the number of the pillars. At the present day there are
six in an inner circle, supporting the cupola, and eleven in the
outer, two of these being built into the Mihrab. This gives a
total of seventeen pillars (see plan facing p. 114).
The Persian traveller Nasir, writing in 1047, gives the following
description of the building he visited (see plan, p. 126) :
" Besides the Dome of the Rock there is (on the platform) the
dome called Kubbat as Silsilah (or the Dome of the Chain). The
* Chain ' is that which David — peace be upon him ! — hung up,
and it was so that none w^ho spoke not the truth could grasp it ;
the unjust and the wicked man could not lay hand on it, which
same is a certified fact, and well known to the learned. This
Dome is supported on eight marble columns, and six stone piers ;
and on all sides it is open, except on the side towards the Kiblah
point, which is built up, and forms a beautiful Mihrab." (N. Kh.,
48.)
Idrisi, in 11 54, writing probably from Christian accounts, and
at a time when the Holy City was in the occupation of the
Crusaders, speaks of the Dome of the Chain as "the Church
which is called the Holy of Holies." (See above, p. 131.) Ac-
cording to the author of the Cttez de Jherusalem^ a work of about
the year 1225, the building was in his day known to the Christians
as "the Chapel of St. James the Less, because it was here he
was martyred, when the Jews threw him down from the Temple."*
Saladin, after reconquering the Holy City (1187), must have put
back the Dome of the Chain to its original use as a Muslim
oratory. According to Mujir ad Din, the Dome of the Chain was
* Palestine Pilgrim* s Text^ p. 13.
JERUSALEM, 153
rebuilt by the Egyptian Sultan Baibars, who reigned from 1260 —
1277. (M. a. D., 434.)
It is often stated that the Dome of the Chain was first built to
serve as the model, from which the architects of 'Abd al Malik
subsequently erected the Great Dome of the Rock. This idea is,
I believe, found in no Arab writer previous to Mujir ad Din
(1496). Suydti (see above, p. 145), from whom he copies most
of his descriptions, has not a word of this; and Mujir ad Din
apparently either himself invented the idea of the Dome of the
Chain having been built as a model, or else inserted it as the
account current among the learned of his own day. Mujir ad
Din's statement is as follows :
" It is said that (the Khalif ) 'Abd al Malik described what he
desired in the matter and manner of the building of the Dome
(of the Rock) to his architects, and they, while he sojourned in
the Holy City, built the small dome which stands to the east of
the Dome of the Rock, and is called the Dome of the Chain."
A few lines before, Mujir ad Din further states that the Khalif
laid up the seven years' tribute of Egypt, which had been amassed
for the building expenses of the Dome of the Rock — " in the
Dome which stood over against the Rock on the eastern side, and
which he had caused to h^ built here near the olive-tree. This he
made his store-chamber, filling it with the moneys." (M. a. D., 241.)
Mujir ad Din further describes the Dome of the Chain as in his
day " supported by seventeen columns, not counting the two (on
either side) of the Mihrab." (M. a. D., 372.) At the present
day, as has been noted above, there are seventeen columns in all,
including those in the Mihrab, so that apparently since 1496 some
alterations have been effected in this building.
Minor Domes, — Besides the Great Dome of the Rock, and the
smaller Dome of the Chain to the east of it, there have at all times
stood on the Platform at least two other smaller Domes, built to
commemorate the incidents of the Prophet's Night Journey.
These edifices were of so frail a structure as constantly to have
suffered by the shocks of earthquake, and it is not surprising to
find some confusion in the names under which they are described
at various dates.
154 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
In 903, according to Ibn al Fakih, " in the northern part (of the
platform) are (i) the Dome of the Prophet, (2) and the Station of
* Gabriel ; (3) while near the Sakhrah (the Dome of the Rock) is
the Dome of the Ascension." His contemporary, Ibn 'Abd
Rabbih, on the other hand, mentions " ( i ) the Dome whence the
Prophet made his ascent into Heaven ; (2) the Dome over the
spot where the Prophet pmyed (in communion) with the (former)
^ Prophets ; . . . (3) further the Praying-place of Jibrail." Mukad-
dasi (who wrote in 985) states that the two Minor Domes were
called "the Dome of the Ascension, and the Dome of the
Prophet." According to Nasir's account in 1047, ^^ ^>s day the
two were known as the Dome of the Prophet, and the Dome of
Gabriel.
From these various statements the conclusion presumably to be
drawn is, that of the two domes lying north-west of the Sakhrah ;
that standing furthest to the west was in Ibn al Fakih's time
called " ( I ) the Dome of the Prophet ;" and this is identical with
that mentioned by Ibn 'Abd Rabbih as "(2) the Dome where the
Prophet prayed," with Mukaddasi's " Dome of the Prophet," also
described a little later under the same name by Nasir-i-Khusrau.
The Dome, occupying the position of the one here spoken of, goes
at the present day by the name of the Kuhhat al Mtrdj, the Dome
of the Ascension. (Plan at the end of the present chapter, R.)
Between the present Dome of the Ascension and the Great
Dome of the Rock, there would seem to have stood in old days
a second Minor Dome, occupying the position of the present
Dome or Prayer-Station of the Angel Gabriel. (Plan at the end
of the chapter, at S.) From very early times, however, the names
of these Minor Domes would appear to have been constantly
interchanged or altered. Thus this second Dome is called by
Jbn al Fakih "(3) the Dome of the Ascension;" by Ibn 'Abd
Rabbih **(i) the Dome whence the Prophet ascended;" by
Mukaddasi "the Dome of the Ascension;" and by Nasir "the
Dome of Gabriel" Further, besides these two Domes, Ibn al
Fakth, and Ibn 'Abd Rabbih, both mention " the Praying-Station
of Gabriel," which is not spoken of by either Mukaddasi or N&sir.
The only actual description of the two Minor Domes, stand-
JERUSALEM. 155
ing to the north-west of the Sakhrah, previous to the Crusades is
that left us by Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047. After describing the
Dome of the Rock and the Dome of the Chain, he continues :
" And again, on the platform, is another Dome, that surmounts
four marble columns. This, too, on the Kiblah side, is walled in,
forming a fine Mihrib. It is called Kubbat Jibriil (the Dome of
Gabriel); and there are no carpets spread here, for its floor is
formed by the live-rock, that has been here made smooth. They
say that on the night of the MiVij (the Ascent into Heaven) the
steed Burik was tied up at this spot, until the Prophet — peace
and benediction be upon him ! — was ready to mount. Lastly,
there is yet another Dome, lying 20 cubits distant from the Dome
of Gabriel, and it is called Kubbat ar KasQl (or the Dome of the
Prophet)— peace and benediction be upon him ! This Dome,
likewise, is set upon four marble piers." (N. Kh., 49.)
To what purpose these Minor Domes were put during the
occupation of the Holy City by the Crusaders is unknown.
Shortly after Saladin had reconquered Jerusalem in 1187, what
is now known of the Dome of the Ascension was rebuilt, having
fallen to ruin. Mujir ad Din, writing in 1496, states :
"The present Dome of the Ascension was rebuilt in 597 (1200)
by the governor of Jerusalem, 'Izz ad Din *Othman ibn *Ali
Az Zanjili, the more ancient Dome having fallen to ruin."
(M. a. D., 373.) An inscription giving this date may still be read
on the present Kubbat al MVr&j,
The position of the minor Dome, known of old as the Dome of
the Prophet, appears to have been a matter of controversy among
the learned in the days that followed the Muslim re-occupation of
Jerusalem. Yakdt (1225) refers to it as the Dome of An Nabi
DMd—ih^ Prophet David. (Yik., iv. 594.) This change of
name from Muhammad to David is probably what led Suytiti,
writing in 1470, to put forward the following theory for the
identification of the older Dome of the Prophet, as described by
Muslim writers previous to the time of the Crusaders. Suyiitl's
indentification of this Dome of the Prophet with the Dome of the
Chain has not, it will be noted, been adopted by subsequent
authorities. Suyiiti writes :
156 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
" The Dome named the Dome of the Prophet is, as I under-
stand it, the one which lies to the east of the Sakhrah, being also
called the Dome of the Chain. It was built by the Khalif *Abd al
Malik. For I would point out that in the Haram Area, beside
the Dome of the Ascension, there are but two other Domes. One,
a small Dome, stands at the edge of the Sakhrah Platform, on the
right hand side of the northernmost of the steps leading up to the
Platform from the west.* I believe at the present day this is in the
hands of certain of the servants of the Noble Sanctuary, and is put to
some use on their part ; certainly no one in the Holy City con-
siders this to be the Dome of the Prophet. The only other Dome
(in the Haram Area) stands back near the Gate of the Noble
Sanctuary, on the northern side, called the Gate of the Glory
of the Prophets, known also as the Bab ad Dawddariyyah. This
is called the Dome of Sulaiman — not after the Prophet Solomon,,
but perhaps after Sulaiman, the son of the Khalif ^Abd al Malik.
As to the Dome of the Ascension, it is, as everybody knows,
on the Platform of the Sakhrah, and is much visited by the
pilgrims. Hence, therefore, it is likely that what Al Musharraf,
and the author of the Mustaksd, and of the Bd'ith an NufuSy
referred to under the name of the Dome of the Prophet, is that
rtow known as the Dome of the Chain, which was built by the
Khalif 'Abd al Malik."
** Now, as to the place where the Prophet prayed, in the com-
pany of the former Prophets and the Angels, it is said that this
spot is beside the Dome of the Ascension, where, on the Platform
of the Sakhrah, there used to stand a beautiful Dome. When, how-
ever, they flagged the Platform of Sakhrah, they did away with
this Dome, and set in its place a handsome Mihrib, the floor of
which is laid in a circle with red marble slabs, after the manner of
other parts of the Sakhrah Court. This, then, as it is said, in the
place occupied by this Mihrib, is where the Prophet made his
prayer with the Angels and Prophets. He then advanced a step
forward from that place, and there rose up before him a ladder of
gold and a ladder of silver, and thereby he ascended into Heaven."
(S., 260, 261 ; the last paragraph is copied by M. a. D., 374.)
*' At present known as Kubbat al Khidr, the Dome of St. George. .
JERUSALEM. 157
The Platform and Stainvays. — The Platform occupying the
centre of the Haram Area, on which stand the Dome of the Rock
and the other minor Domes, according to Ibn al Fakih, measured
in his days (903) "300 ells in length, by 140 ells across, and
its height is 9 ells." (I. F., 100.) Taking the ell to be the royal
ell, measuring i J feet (the evaluation derived from the dimensions
recorded of the Dome of the Rock), this gives 450 feet, by 210,
and is considerably less than the measurement of the present Plat-
form, which is, taking the mean of length and breadth, 540 feet by
.465 feet. In 1047 ^'^ have Nasir-i-Khusrau's measurements
recorded, namely, ** 330 cubits by 300 "; but the cubit (in the
Persian Ars/i) here used is the long cubit of nearly 2 feet.
This, if the figures be correct, gives rather under 660 feet, by
600 feet,a nd would go to prove that at N^sir's date, just pre-
vious to the Crusades, the Platform was somewhat larger than
it is at present. Further, it had apparently been raised in the
height since Ibn al Fakih's days. Then it was 9 (shorter) ells, or
13^ feet, above the level of the Court ; in Nasir's time it was
12 (longer) ells, somewhat under 24 feet high. At the present day
the upper level is only some 10 feet above that of the rest of the
Haram Area.
Mujir ad Din, writing at the close of the fifteenth century, gives
the measures he himself had made, which prove that in his day
the Platform must have occupied exactly the same lines it does at
the present time. The measurement he uses is the Workman^ s ell^
which was approximately 2\ English feet. The following is a
translation from his text :
"The dimensions of the Platform (Sahti) of the Sakhrah are
these : From the South Wall, between the two stairways the line
passing between the East Gate of the Dome of the Rock and the
Dome of the Chain, up to the North Wall, opposite the Bab
Hittah, measures 235 ells. From the East Wall, over against the
Olive-trees that are near the Kubbat at Tiim^r (the Dome of the
Roll), to the West Wall opposite the Sultan's Madrasah, measures
189 ells of the Workman's elK" (M. a. 1)., 377.)
Ibn al Fakih states that the platform was (in 903) ascended by six
flights of steps. Mukaddasi, about eighty years later, says there
IS8 PALESTINE UNDER 7 HE MOSLEMS,
were four stairways leading up from the four sides ; liisir-i-
Khusrau, in 1052, however, gives six again as the number of the
stairways, and he adds the following description of the Platform
and its stairways :
" In the middle of the Court of the Harani Area is the Plat-
form, and set in the midst thereof is the Sakhrah (Rock) which,
before the revelation of Islam, was the Kiblah (or point turned to
in prayer). The Platform was constructed by reason that the
Rock, being high, could not be brought within the compass of the
Main-building (of the Aksa Mosque). Wherefore the foundations
of this Platform were laid, measuring 330 cubits by 300, and the
height thereof 12 ells. The surface of the same is level, aiid
beautifully paved with slabs of marble, with walls the like, all the
joints being riveted with lead. Along the edge of its four sides
are parapets of marble blocks that fence it round, so that, except
by the openings left especially therefor, you cannot enter. From
the Platform you command a view over the roofs of the (Aksa)
Mosque. There is an underground tank in the midst of the Plat-
form, whereto is collected, by means of conduits, all the rain-water
that falls on the Platform itself; and the water of this tank is
sweeter and purer than is the water of any other of the tanks
in the Haram Area."
" Now, regarding the stairways that lead up on to the platform
from the court of the Noble Sanctuary, these are six in number,
each with its own name. On the side (south) towards the Kiblah,
there are two flights of steps that go up on to the platform. As
you stand by the middle of the retaining wall of the platform
(facing south), there is one flight to the right hand and another
to the left. That lying on the right is called Makam an Nabi
(the Prophet's Station) — peace be upon him ! — and that lying
on the left is called Makim GhClri (or the Station of Ghiiri).
The stairway of the Prophet's Station is so called because
that on the night of his ascent, the Prophet — upon him be
peace and blessing ! — went up to the platform thereby, going
thence to the Dome of the Rock. And the road hither from
the Hijjiz comes by this stair. At the present day this stairway
is 20 cubits broad, and each step is a rectangular block of care-
JERUSALEM. 159
fully chiselled stone in one piece, or sometimes in two. The
steps are laid in such fashion that it would be possible to ride on
horseback up the stairway to the platform. At the top of this
stairway are four piers of marble, green, like the emerald, only
that the marble is variegated with numberless coloured spots ; and
these pillars are 10 cubits in height, and so thick that it would
take two men to encompass them. Above the capitals of these
four pillars rise three arches — one opposite the gate, and one on
either side ; and (the masonry) crowning the arches is flat-topped
and rectangular, with battlements and a cornice set on it. These
pillars and the arches are ornamented in gold and enamel-work,
than which none can be finer.
** The balustrade round the (edge of the) platform is of green
marble, variegated with spots, so that one would say it was a
meadow covered with flowers in bloom. The stairway of Makim
Gh(iri consists of a triple flight, and the three lead up together on
to the platform — one in the middle, and two on either side — so
that by three ways can people go up. At the summit of each of
the three flights are columns supporting arches with a cornice.
Each step is skilfully cut of squared stone, as before described, and
each may consist of two or three blocks in the length. Over the
arcade above is set a beautiful inscription in gold, stating that the
same was constructed by command of the Amir Laith ad Daulah
Niishtakin Ghdri ; and they told me that this Laith ad Daulah
had been a servant of the Sultan of Egypt, and had caused these
steps and gangways to be built.
" On the western side of the platform there are, likewise, two
flights of steps leading up thereon, and constructed with the same
skill as those I have just described. On the east side there is
but one flight. It is built after a like fashion to the foregoing,
with columns and an arch with battlements above, and it is
named Makam Sharki (or the Eastern Station). On the northern
side (of the platform) there is also a single stairway, but it is
higher and broader than are any of the others. As with those,
there are here columns and arches built (at the top of the flight),
and it goes by the name of Makam Shimi (that is, the Syrian or
Northern Station). According to the estimate I made, these six
l60 PALESTINE. UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
flights of steps must have had expended upon them 100,000 dinars
or (;^5o,ooo)." (N. Kh., 43-45-)
Nflshtakin GhQri, here spoken of, was a Turk who commanded
the armies of the Fatimite KhaHf Adh Dhahir. From having
originally been a slave in Khoten, he rose to become Governor
of Syria, where he ruled between the years 1028 — 1041, shortly
before Nasir's visit.
T^e Court of the Haram Area. — The early accounts which
describe the various buildings — Domes, Mihrabs, and Oratories —
found scattered over the great court of the Haram Area make
mention of edifices, some of which, with the lapse of time,
have now completely disappeared, while others, having changed
their names, can only doubtfully be identified with the existing
structures.
During the eighty-eight years that Jerusalem remained in the
hands of the Crusaders, the buildings of the Haram Area were
turned to various purposes — religious or domestic — by the
Templars, to whom the Noble Sanctuary had been granted.
When Saladin retook the Holy City, it was in the third generation,
counting from those who had been dispossessed by Godfrey de
Bouillon, and many of the Muslim traditions attached to the then
extant buildings of the Haram Area had doubtless been forgotten
or become falsified.
Of the Haram Area in general, in the beginning of the tenth
century we have two accounts (dating from 903 and 913), which,
judging from their points of coincidence, may possibly have been
derived from the same source. It is not certain whether either
of the respective authors of these accounts (Ibn al Fakih and
Ibn 'Abd Rabbih) ever personally visited the places they purpose
to describe. Portions of these accounts have been frequently
copied by subsequent writers, and notably by Suy{iti, from whom
Mujir ad Din has so freely plagiarized. (See above, p. 148.)
Some of the details mentioned in these two accounts have already
been commented upon in the foregoing pages ; the description of
the other small buildings described as occupying the Haram Area
in the tenth century will now be noted and compared with the
accounts that have come down to us from other sources. First,
JERUSALEM. .161
hQweyer, it will be well to give complete translations of the two
descriptions of the Haram Area.
Ibn al Fakih's description, written in 903, is as follows :
" It is said that the length of the Noble Sanctuary at Jerusalem
.is 1,000 ells, and its width 700 ells. There are (in its buildings)
four thousand beams of wood, seven hundred pillars (of stone),
and fi\'Q hundred brass chains. It is lighted every night by one
thousand six hundred lamps, and it is served by one hundred and
forty slaves. The monthly allowance of olive-oil is 100 kists,*
and yearly they provide 800,000 ells of matting, also twenty-five
thousand water-jars. Within the Noble Sanctuary are sixteen
chests for the volumes of the Kurin set apart for public service,
and these manuscripts are the admiration of all men. There are
four pulpits for voluntary preachers, and one set apart for the
salaried preacher ; and there are also four tanks for the ablutions.
On the various roofs (of the Mosque and domes), in place of clay,
are used forty-five thousand sheets of lead. To the right hand of
the Mihrab (in the Aksa Mosque) is a slab on which, in a circle,
is written the name of Mohammed— the blessing of Allah be
upon him ! — and on a white stone behind the Kiblah (wall, to the
south) is the inscription : In the name of Allah the Merdfuly the
Compassionate^ Mohammed is Allah s Apostle. J-Jamzah was his
helper. \ Within the Mosque are three MaksQrahs (or railed
spaces) for the women, each MaksQrah being 70 ells in length.
There are within and without (the Noble Sanctuary) in all fifty
gates (and doors)."
Next follows the description of the Dome of the Rock and the
minor domes already translated (p. 120). Ibn al Fakih then
continues :
" Among the gates (of the Haram Area) are Bib Diiid, B4b
Hittah, Bib an Nabi (Gate of the Prophet), B4b at Taubah (Gate
of Repentance), and there is here the Mihrib Maryam (Prayer-
niche of Mary), Bib al Wddi, Bab ar Rahmah (Gate of Mercy),
with the Mihrab Zakariyyi, Abwib .al Asbit (the Gates of the
* The Kist (from the Greek Sicn-ifCt and the Roman Sextariuii) was
equivalent to about a quart and a half of our measure.
t The Prophet's uncle, who fell at the Battle of Ohod.
II
l62 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Tribes), with the Cave of Abraham, the Mihrib of Jacob, and
Bkb Dar Umm Khalid (the Gate of the House of Khalid's
Mother). Outside the Haram Area at the City Gate to the west
is the Mihrib DkM (David's Prayer-niche). The place of the
tying-up of (the steed) Al Burik is in the angle of the southern
minaret. The Spring of Siloam ('A in Sulwin) lies to the south
of the Haram Area. The Mount of Olives overlooks the Haram
Area, being separated therefrom by the Wadt Jahannum. From
(the Mount of Olives) Jesus was taken up ; across (the Wadt) will
extend the bridge As Sirit ; and there, too, is the Place of Prayer
of the Khalif 'Omar, also many of the tombs of the prophets."
(I. F., IOC, loi.)
Ibn *Abd Rabbih*s notice, written some ten years later than the
above, differs in some of the details. It is as follows :
" Description of the Mosque of the Holy City, and what therein is
of Holy Places of the Prophets, — The length of the Haram Area
is 784 ells, and its breadth 455 ells, of the ells of the Imim.*
They light the Noble Sanctuary with 1,500 lamps, and in its
structures have been employed 6,900 beams of wood. Its gates
are 50 in number, and there are 684 columns. Within the
Sakhrah (the Dome of the Rock) are 30 columns, and the
columns which are outside the Sakhrah are 18 in number.f The
Dome is covered by means of 3,392 sheets of lead, over which are
placed plates of brass, gilded, which number 10,210. The total
number of the lamps that light the Sakhrah is 464, which hang by
hooks and chains of copper. The height of the Sakhrah of the
Holy City (in ancient days), when it reached heavenward, was
12 miles, and the people of Jericho (to the east) profited by its
shadow, as did also those of 'Amwds (Emmaus, to the west) ; and
there was set over it (in the early times) a red ruby, which shone,
giving light even to the people of the Balkd, so that those who
lived there were able to spin by the light thereof. In the Masjid
• If the reading Imam be correct, the Im^m in question is doubtless the
Khalif 'Ali, who inaugurated many novelties besides the standard of the ell.
t See p. 122. It will be observed that As Sakhrah (the Rock) is used to
denote both the Dome and the Rock itself ; just as Al Masjid means the whole
Haram Area, and more particularly the Mosque (or Masjid) Al Aksd in its
southern part.
JERUSALEM. 163
(al Aksi ?) are three MaksQrahs (enclosed splices) for the women,
the length of each MaksQrah being 80 ells, and its breadth 50 ells.*
In the Mosque are 600 chains for the suspending of the lamps,
each chain being 18 ells in length; also seventy copper sievest
{Ghirbdl\ and seven cone-shaped stands (called Sanaubardt) for
the lamps. Further, seventy complete copies of the Kurin, and
six copies of greater size, each page of which is made of a single
skin of parchment ; these last are placed on desks. The Noble
Sanctuary contains ten Mihribs, fifteen Domes, twenty-four cisterns
for water, and four minarets, from whence they make the call to
prayer. All the roofs, that is, of the Mosque, the Domes, and the
minarets, are covered with gilded plates. Of servants appointed
to its service, there are, together with their families, in all 230
persons, called Mamltiks (slaves), all of whom receive their rations
from the Public Treasury. Monthly there is allowed (for the
Noble Sanctuary) 700 Kists Ibrahimi of olive-oil, the weight of
the Kist being a Rati and a half of the larger weight J The
allowance yearly of mats is 8,000 of the same. For the hanks of
cotton for the wicks of the lamps, they allow yearly 12 Dtnirs
(£^)y for lamp-glasses, 33 Dinirs; and for the payment of the
workmen, who repair the various roofs in the Noble Sanctuary,
there is 15 Dinirs yearly.
" Of Holy Places of the Prophets in Jerusalem are the following :
Under the corner of the (Aksd) Mosque is the spot where the
Prophet tied up his steed, Al Burdk. Of gate leading into the
Noble Sanctuary are the Bib DiQd, the Bab Sulaimin, and the
Bib Hittah, which last is intended by Allah when he saith :§ * Say
ye, Hittah (forgiveness), and there is no God but Allah;* but
some men say Hintah (wheat), making a jest thereof, for which
may Allah curse them in their impiety ! Also there are the Bib
Muhammad, and the Bib at Taubah (the Gate of Repentance),
where Allah vouchsafed repentance to David And the Bib ar
Rahmah (the Gate of Mercy), of which Allah has made mention in
His Book, saying : * A gate, within which is Mercy ; while without
• See p. 100. t \Vliat purpose these served is unknown.
X That is, about nine pounds to the Kist.
f Kurin, ii 55. II Kuran, IviL 13.
II — 2
i64 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
the same is the Torment,' alluding to the W^di Jahannum, which
lies on the east of the Holy City. And the Abwab al Asbkt (the
Gates of the Tribes), the tribes being the Tribes of the Children
of Israel ; and the Gates here are six in number. Also the BSb
al Walid, the Bib al Hishimi, the Bab al Khidr (the Gate of Elias
or St. George), and the Bab as Sakinah (the Gate of the Shechina,
or Divine Presence).
"In the Noble Sanctuary further are the Mihrab of Mary
(Mother of Jesus), the daughter of 'Amran, whither the Angels
were wont to bring her fruits of winter during the summer-time,
and summer-fruits in the winter -time. Also the Mihrib of
Zakariyyi (father of John the Baptist), where the Angels gave
him .the good news (of the birth) of John, at a time when he was
standing praying therein. Also the Mihrab Ya'kQb (Jacob), and
the Kursi Sulaiman (the Throne of Solomon), where he used to
pray to Allah ; and the Minaret of Abraham, the Friend of the
Merciful, whither he was wont to retire for worship. There are
likewise here the Dome whence the Prophet (Muhammad) made
his ascent into Heaven; the Dome over the spot where the
Prophet prayed with the Prophets (of old) ; also the Dome where,
during the times of the Children of Israel, there did hang down
the Chain that gave judgment (of truth or lying) between them.
Further, the Praying-place of Gabriel (Musalla Jibriil), and the
Praying-place of Al Khidr (Elias).
" Now when thou enterest the Sakhrah (or Dome of the Rock),
make thy prayer in the three comers thereof; and also pray on
the slab which rivals the Rock itself in glory, for it lies over a gate
of the Gates of Paradise. The birthplace of Jesus, the son of
Mary, is (at Bethlehem) about 3 miles distant from the Noble
Sanctuary ; Abraham's Mosque (which is Hebron), wherein is ;his
tomb, is 18 miles from the Holy City. The (Malikite) Mihrab of
this Mosque lies on the western side. And among the excellent
sights of the Holy City are these. The place of the Bridge As
Sirit is in the. Holy City, and from Jahannum (Hell) — may Allah
keep us therefrom ! — it will reach even unto the Holy City. On
the Day of Resurrection Paradise will be brought as a bride to the
Holy City, and the Ka'abah also shall come thither with her, so
JERUSALEM, 165
that men will exclaim, * All hail to those who come as pilgrims !
and all hail to her to whom pilgrimage is made !* And the Black
Stone shall be brought, in bridal procession, to the Holy City;
and the Black Stone on that day shall be greater in size than the
Hill of Abu Kubais.* Among the Excellencies of the Holy City
are these, namely : that Allah did take up His Prophet into
Heaven from the Holy City, as likewise Jesus, the son of Mary.
And verily in the last days the Antichrist shall conquer Christ in
all and every part of the earth, excepting only in the Holy City.
And Allah hath forbidden Gog and Magog to set foot in the Holy
City, l^astly, all the Saints and Holy Men of God are from the
Holy City, and Adam and Moses and Joseph, and the great
company of the Prophets of the Children of Israel all left by testa-
ment the command that they should be buried in the Holy City."
(I. R., iii. 366-368.)
Mukaddasi, writing in 985, corroborates some of the details
mentioned by the two foregoing authorities. He notes :
" Of the holy places within (the Haram Area) are the Mihrib
Maryam (the Oratory of Mary), Zakariyyah (of 2^chariah)» Ya'kOb
(of Jacob), and Al Khidr (of Elias, or St. George), the Station of
the Prophet {Afakam an Nabi)^ and of Jibrail (Gabriel), the Place
of the Ant, and of the Fire, and of the Ka'abah, and also of the
Bridge As Sirat, which shall divide Heaven and Hell. Now, the
dimensions of the Haram Area are : length, 1,000 ells — of the
royal Hashimite ell — and width, 700. In the ceiling of its various
edifices there are four thousand wooden beams, supported on seven
hundred marble columns, and the roofs are overlaid with forty-
five thousand sheets of lead. The measurement of the Rock
itself is 33 ells by 27, and the cavern which lies beneath will
hold sixty-nine persons. The endowment provides monthly for
100 Kists of olive-oil, and in each year they use 800,000 ells
of matting. The Mosque is served by special attendants ; their
service was instituted by the Khalif *Abd al Malik, the men
being chosen from among the Royal Fifth of the captives
taken in war, and hence they are called Al Akhmis (the
Quintans). None besides these are employed in the service,
* The hill overhanging the city of Makkah on the west. '
i66 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
and thc7 take their watch in turn beside the Rock." (Muk.,
170, 171.)
The various j)oints of interest in the preceding descriptions
must now be noticed in detail, and compared with the descriptions
derived from other authorities.
TAf Cradle of Jesus, -The small Mosque in the substructures of
the ancient tower at the south-eastern angle of the Haram Area,
known at the present day as the Cradle of Jesus, is spoken of by
Ibn 'Abd Rabbih (see above, p. 164) under the name of "The
Mihr^b of Mar)', the daughter of 'Amran (and Mother of Jesus)."
Mukaddasi, too, mentions among the Holy places in the Haram
Area " The Mihrdb Maryam and Zakariyyah."
The earliest detailed description of this spot is to be found in
Ndsir's diary. He writes : ** Adjacent to the East Wall, and when
you have reached the south (eastern) angle (of the Haram Area) —
the Kiblah-point lying before you, south, but somewhat aside —
there is an underground Moscjue, to which you descend by many
steps. It is situated immediately to the north of the (South) Wall
of the Haram Area, covering a space measuring 20 ells by 15, and
the chamber has a roof of stone, supported on marble columns.
Here was of old the Cradle of Jesus. The Cradle is of stone, and
large enough for a man to make therein his prayer prostrations,
and I myself said my prayers there. The Cradle is fixed
into the ground, so that it cannot be moved. This Cradle is
where Jesus was laid during His childhood, and where He held
converse with the i)eople. The Cradle itself, in this Mosque, has
been made the Mihrdb (or oratory) ; and there is, likewise, on the
east side of this Mosque the Mihr^b Mar>'am (or Oratory of Mary),
and another Mihrdb, which is that of Zakariyyi (Zachariah)—
peace be upon him ! Above these Mihrabs are written the verses
revealed in the Kur^n that relate respectively to Zachariah and to
Mary. They say that Jesus- peace be upon Him !— was bom in
the place where this Mosque now stinds. On the shaft of one of
the columns there is impressed a mark as though a person had
gripped the stone with two fingers ; and they say that Mary, when
taken in the pangs of labour, did thus with one hand seize upon
none, leaving this mark thereon. This Mosque is known by
JERUSALEM, 167
the title of Mahd 'Isa (the Cradle of Jesus) — peace he upon Him !
— and they have suspended a great number of lamps there of
silver and of brass, that are lighted every night." (N. Kh., 33.)
During the occupation of the Crusaders, the Templars used these
substructures under the south-east angle of the Haram Area for the
stabling of their horses, and by the Latin chroniclers the place is
mentioned under the name of the Stables of Solomon. 'Ali of
Herat, who wrote in 11 73, during the l^tin occupation, speaks of
these substructures under this name. He writes :
" Below the Haram Area are the Stables of Solomon, where he
kept his beasts ; and they say there are here in the walls stones of
enormous size, and the mangers for the beasts are to be seen even
to this day. There are also here the Caverns known as the Cradle
of Jesus, the son of Mary — peace be upon Him !" (A. H., Oxf.
MS., f. 39.)
Previous to the advent of the Crusaders, many buildings stood
in the great Court of the Noble Sanctuary, no traces of which
remain at present ; and, from the descriptions of Mujir ad Din
and Suy{itt, many would seem to have already disappeared at the
date of Saladin's re-occupation of the Holy City. Thus Ndsir-i-
Khusrau, in 1047, writes :
" In the Court of the Haram Area, but not upon the Platform,
is a building resembling a small Mosque. It lies towards the
north side, and is a walled enclosure (hadhirah\ built of squared
stones, with walls of over a man's height. It is called the Mihr^b
DMd (or the Oratory of David). Near this enclosure is a rock,
standing up about as high as a man, and the summit of it, which
is uneven, is rather smaller than would suffice for spreading
thereon a (prayer) rug. This place they say was the Throne
of Solomon (Kursi Sulaiman), and they relate that Solomon —
peace be upon him I — sat thereon while occupied with building the
Noble Sanctuary."
This Mihrib DaOd, which is said to be in the northern portion
of the Haram Area, and near the Kursi Sulaiman, can hardly be
the place named at present the " Oratory of David," which is a
niche in the great south wall of the Haram Area. It is probably
the same building as the Kubbat Sulaiman of Mujir ad Din,
i68 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
before the Mb al *Atm, and immediately to the south-west of that
gate.' (Plan facing p. 172, at V.)
As regards the identification of the Mihrib of David, SuyQti,
writing in 1470, discusses the subject in the following terms :
" Now, as to the Mihr^b D^Od, there is diversity of opinion as
to its identification. Some say it is the great Mihrdb, which is in
the south wall of the Haram Area ; others, that it is the great
Mihrab in the neighbourhood of the Mimbar (or pulpit of the
Aksi Mosque). The author of the work called A/ Fath al Kudsi
asserts that the Mihrib of David is in the Castle of the Holy
City, in the place where David was wont to pray. For his dwelling
bcfing in the Castle, here, also, was his place of worship. Now,
the Mihrib, whereof mention, by Allah, is made in the Kurin in
the words (chapter xxxviii. 20), * When they mounted the wall of the
Mihrib,' is generally admitted to be the Mihrdb of David, where
he prayed, and this was situated in the Castle, that being his place
of worship ; while the spot now known as the great Mihrdb, which
is inside the Haram Area, is looked uix)n as the place where
David was wont to pray when he came into the Haram Area.
When 'Omar came hither, he sought to follow in David's steps,
and made his prayer in the place where David had prayed.
Hence the place came to be called the Mihrab of 'Omar, from the
fact of his having prayed there for the first time on the day of the
capitulation of Jerusalem ; but originally this had been named the
Mihrib of David. In confirmation of this is the fact of 'Omar's
known veneration of this spot. For when he asked of Ka'ab,
* Which place wishest thou that we should institute as the place of
our prayer in this Sacred Area?' and Ka'ab had answered, *Iri
the hinder part thereof, where it may be near the Sakhrah, so that
the two Kiblahs (namely, of Moses and of Muhammad) may be
iftllted,' 'Omar had said, * O Abu Ishak, so thou wouldst act still
in Jew fashion ? Are we not a people to whom the fore part of
the Holy Area belongs as of right ?'* Then 'Omar nlarked out the
Mihrab, whidi had beert that of David, and where he had been
Wont to worship in the Haram Area. Thus 'Omar's opinion, and?
his veneration for this spot, both confirm the view that David, in
* See p. 142.
JERUSALEM, 169
ancient times, had fixed on this place, and had chosen the same
as his place of prayer." (S., 262 264.)
Besides the building called the Oratory of David, Nisir
mentions two other Domes as standing in the northern part of the
Haram Area. The first of these — the Dome of Jacob (Kubbat
YalcQb) — he says, stood near the colonnade, running along the
wall from the present Bah Hittah — then called the Gate to the
Cloisters of the Sufis — to the north-west angle of the Haram Area.
(See below, p. 176 ; also on Plan facing p. 150, at X.)
The other dome stood apparently in the north-east angle of the
Hanim Area (Plan facing p. 150, W). It was called the Oratory
of Zachariah (Mihrab Zakariyy^). Of this no trace remains at the
present day. The Dome of Jacob is probably that now known
under the name of the Kubbat Sulaiman, the Dome of Solomon.
(Plan facing p. 172, U.)
Concerning the Throne of Solomon, which Mukaddasi and
Nlsir both mention, the following traditional account is given by
SuyOt! :
'* It is also related that Solomon — God's prophet — when he had
finished the building (of the Temple), sacrificed three thousand
heifers and seven thousand ewes at the place which is in the after
(or northern) part of the Haram Area, in the vicinity of the B§b
al Asb^t (the Gate of the Tribes). This is the spot which is now
occupied by the building called the Throne of Solomon." (S.,
258 ; see Plan facing p. 172, V.)
This passage is copied by Mujir ad Din, who, however, adds
that, according to the received tradition of his day, the place
which is known as the Kursi Sulaiman is within the dome known
as the Dome of Sulaiman, near the Bab ad Duwaidariyyah.
(M. a. D., Ill ; Plan facing p. 172, U.)
Of other Domes, Mujir ad Din (in 1496) mentions the follow-
ing:
" Kubbat M{isa (the Dome of Moses) stands opposite the Bab
as Silsilah (the Gate of the Chain). It is not called after Moses,
and has no traditional connection with him. It was rebuilt in 649
(f J31), and was anciently called Kubbat ash Shajarah, the Dome
of the Tree." (M. a. D., 375.)
I70 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
" Kubbat at TOmir, the Dome of the Roll, stands on the edge
of the platform at the south-east comer." (M. a. D., 376.)
Speaking of the minarets of the Haram Area, Mujir ad Din
writes : " The four minarets occupy the same position as did those
of the days of 'Abd al Malik. The first of them is at the south-
west angle of the Haram Area, above the Madrasah of Fakhr ad
Din. The second is above the Gate of the Chain. The third is
at the north-west angle, and is called Madhanat al Ghawinimah.
It is near the gate of that name (Plan facing p. 172, at F), and
was rebuilt about the year 697 (1298). The fourth is the minaret
between the Gate of the Tribes and the Gate Hittah. It was
rebuilt in 769 (1367)." (M. a. D., 379, 380.)
In conclusion it may be useful briefly to recapitulate the various
minor Domes and Shrines of the Haram Area, mentioned by the
authorities prior to the first Crusade, after which date so many
alterations were eflected among the edifices of the Noble Sanctuary.
The present Dome of the Ascension is that called the Dome of
the Prophet, by Ibn al Fakih ; the Dome of the Ascension, by
both Ibn 'Abd Rabbih and Mukaddasi ; and the Dome of the
Prophet, by Nasir-i-Khusrau.
The present Dome of Gabriel (close to the Dome of the Rock)
is that called the Station of Jibrail, by Ibn al Fakih ; the Prayer-
station of Jibratl, by Ibn 'Abd Rabbih ; the Dome of the Prophet,
by Mukaddasi; and the Dome of Jibriil, by Nasir-i-Khusrau.
The Dome where the Prophet prayed with the Former Prophets
is mentioned by Ibn 'Abd Rabbih. Mukaddasi also speaks of the
Station of the Prophet, and the Station of Gabriel, as among the
Shrines in the Haram Area.
The Station of Al Khidr (St. George or Elias) is mentioned by
Ibn al Fakih, Ibn 'Abd Rabbih and Mukaddasi, the last naming
it a Mihrib.
The present Cradle of Jesus is mentioned by Ibn al Fakih, Ibn
'Abd Rabbih, Mukaddasi, and Nasir-i-Khusrau, who also speak of
the Mihr^b Maryam, and the Mihr^b Zakariyyah.
Another Mihr^b 2^kariyyah, or Dome, near the north-west
angle of the Haram Area, is also mentioned by Nasir-i-Khusrau
nknown at the present day).
JERUSALEM. 171
The Cave of Abraham is mentioned by Ibn al Fakth, and the
Minaret of Abraham by Ibn 'Abd Rabbih (both unknown at the
present day).
The Place of the Ant, the Place of the Fire, and the Place of
the Ka'abah, are all mentioned by Mukaddasl
The Mihrib of Jacob is mentioned by Ibn al Fakih, Ibn 'Abd
Rabbih, and Mukaddasi ; the Dome of Jacob, in the north part of
the Noble Sanctuary, is described by Nasir-i-Khusrau.
The Mihrib of David, in the north part of the Haram Area, is
mentioned by Nisir-i-Khusrau.
The Throne of Solomon is mentioned by Ibn *Abd Rabbih
and Nisir-i-Khusrau.
The place of the Bridge between Heaven and Hell, called As
Sir^ is mentioned by Ibn al Fakih, Ibn 'Abd Rabbih, and
Mukaddasi.
The tying-up place of the steed BurSk is mentioned by Ibn al
Fakth and Ibn 'Abd Rabbih.
xfz PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
REFERENCES TO THE PLAN OF THE HARAM AREA AT THE
PRESENT DAY.
A. Bftb as SilsiUh, Gate of the Chain.
B. B&b al Mutawadda, Gate of the Place of the Ablution ; or Bab al
Matdrah, Gate of Rain.
C. Bab al Kattanin, Gate of the Cotton Merchants.
D. Bib al Hadtd, Gate of Iron.
£. BsLh an N&dhir, Gate of the Inspector.
F. B&b al Ghaw&nimah, Gate of the Gh&nim Family.
G. Babal 'Atm, Gate of the Darkness ; also called Biib Sharaf al Anbij^
Gate of the Glory of the Prophets, or B&b ad Dawftdariyyab,
Gate of the Secretariat.
H. B&b Hittah, Gate of Remission.
I. Bab al Asb&t, Gate of the Tribes. • •
J. Bab at Taulwih, Gate of Repentance. ( -,, ^ ,, ^
K. BAb ar Rahmah, Gate of Mercy. i ^^^ ^°^^^" ^^'^•
L. Walled -up Gate, anciently called Bab al Janaiz, Gate of the Funerals,
or Bab al Burak.
M. Ancient " Single Gate," walled up.
N. Ancient " Triple Gate," walled up.
O. Ancient "Double Gate," leading to the underground Passage-way,
under the Aksa Mosque.
P. Bab al Magharibah, Gate of the Western Africans ; below it is the
now walled-up Bab an Nabi, Gate of the Prophet.
Q. Kubbat as Silsilah, Dome of the Chain.
R. Kubbat al Mi'raj, Dome of the Ascension.
S. Kubbat Jibrail, Dome of Gabriel.
T. Kurst 'Isa, Throne of Jesus.
U. Kubbat Sulaiman, Dome of Solomon.
V. Kursi Sulaiman, Throne of Solomon.
W, W. Mahd 'Isa, Cradle of Jesus, and the Stables of Solomon.
X. Madrasah, or College, called Al Farisiyyah.
Y. Jami' al Magharibah, or Mosque of the Moghrebins.
Z. Baka'at al Baida, called incorrectly the Old Aksa, in Crusading times
the Armoury of the Templars.
CHAPTER V.
JERUSALEM {contintud).
The Gates of the Haram Area — The Colonnades — Sire of the Haram Area —
The Tanks and Pools.
The Church of the Kesuf-rection : The Miracle of the Holy Fiie— The
Garden of Gethsemane — The Tomb of the Virgin— Pater Noster Church
and Uethany — The Church of the Ascension and of the Jacobites— The
Church of Sion and Gallicantus.
City Gates: The Castle — yVadi yahannum and the Tomb of Absalom.
The Plain, As SAhirah : The Pool of Siloam— The Well of Job-
Cavern of Korah.
THE GATES OF THE HARAM AREA.
In the identification of the Gates leading into the Haram Area,
named in the various authorities, I cannot do better than quote
verbatim from a paper contributed by Colonel Sir C Wilson to the
Palestine Exploration Fund "Quarterly Statement" for July, 1888
(p. 141), which is also inserted as Appendix C to my translation
of Nasir-i- Khusrau's Diary, published in the Palestine Pilgrim
Texts, In these proposed identifications I thoroughly concur, and
take this opportunity of expressing how much I feel indebted to
Sir C. Wilson for the aid he has afforded me in clqaring up this
somewhat knotty point.
Before, however, entering on the subject of the identification of
the Gates, it will be convenient to recapitulate the lists given by
Ibn al Fakih, and Ibn *Abd Rabbih, our two earUest authorities.
Following this will come Mukaddasi's list, then N^sir-i-Khusrau*s
detailed notice of the Gates in 1047, after which we shall be in a
position to discuss the identification of the various names recorded
of the ancient Gates with those that at present exist.
Jbn al Fakih, 903, and Ibn 'Abd Rabbih, 913, the two earliest
authorities, do not apparently attempt to name the Gates in order^
174
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
but only at haphazard and incidentally to the general account of
the Domes and Mihribs of the Haram Area. These Gates they
mentioned are the following (see above, pp. 1 61-164) •
Ibn al FakIh.
Bab DkM.
Bib Hittah.
Bib an Nabi.
Bib at Taubah.
Bib al Widl.
Bib ar Rahmah.
Abwib al Asbit.
Bib Dir Umm Khilid.
Ibn 'Abd Rabbih.
Bib Di(id.
Bib Sulaimin.
Bib Hittah.
Bib Muhammad.
Bib at Taubah.
Bib ar Rahmah.
Abwib al Asbit
(six in number).
Bib al Walid.
Bib al Hishimi.
Bib al Khidr.
Bib as Sakinah.
The next list is that given by Mukaddasi in 985. He writes :
" The Haram Area is entered through thirteen openings, closed
by a score of Gates. These are :
(
Inh
The Bib Hittah (the Gate of Remission).
The two Gates of the Prophet.
The Gates of the Mihrib Maryam
(the Gates of Mary's Oratory).
The two Gates Ar Rahmah (of Mercy).
The Gate of the Birkat (Pool of) Bani Israil.
The Gates Al Asbit (of the Tribes).
The Hashimite Gates.
The Gate of Al Walid.
The Gate of Ibrahim (Abraham).
The Gate of Umm Khilid (the Mother of Khilid).
The Gate T>kM (David)." (Muk., 170.)
s eulogy on the beauties of Jerusalem, Mukaddasi further
mentions " the Bib as Sakinah (The Gate of the Shechinah)
JERUSALEM, 175
and the Kubbat as Silsilah (the Dome of the Chain).'*
(Mule, 151.)
Between Mukaddasi's descriptions in 985, and Nisir's visit in
1047, the earthquakes occurred which so seriously damaged the
Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. (See p. 101.) The
Gates doubtless also suffered damage ; the walls of the Haram
Area, as we know from the inscriptions (see p. loi), were cer-
tainly in part overthrown ; and when the Gateways were rebuilt
after the earthquakes, they presumably were given in some cases
new names.
Nisir-i-Khusrau writes of the Gates in the following terms :
" The Area of the Noble Sanctuary is paved with stone, the
joints being set in lead.
(i.*) "As we have said before, the Haram Area lies in the eastern
part of the city ; and through the bazaar of this (quarter) you
enter the Area by a great and beautiful gateway, that measures
30 ells (60 feet) in height, by 20 across. The gateway has
two wings, in which open halls, and the walls of both gateway
and halls are adorned with coloured enamels, set in plaster, cut
into patterns so beautiful that the eye becomes dazzled in contem-
plating them. Over the gateway is an inscription, which is set
in the enamels, giving the titles of the Sultan (who is the Fatimite
Khalif ) of Egypt ; and when the sun's rays fall on this it shines so
that the sight is bewildered at the splendour thereof. There
is also a great Dome that crowns this gateway, which is built
of squared stones. Closing the gateway are two carefully-con-
structed doors. These are faced with Damascene brass-work,
which you would take to be gold, for they are gilt, and orna-
mented with figured designs. Each of these doors is 15 ells
(30 feet) in height, by 8 ells across. The gateway we have just
described is called the Bab Da{id (the Gate of David) — peace
he upon him !
"After passing this Gateway of David (and entering the
Haram Area), you have, on the right, two great colonnades,! each
• The roman numerals show the order of the gates as they occur in the
walls, and are here added for purposes of reference. (See Plan facing p. 150.)
t These colonnades go. along the western wall of the Haram Area (see
p. 190).
176 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
of which has nine-and-twenty marble pillars, wHose capitals and
bases are of coloured marbles, and the joints are set in lead.
Above the pillars rise arches that are constructed of masonry
without mortar or cement, and each arch is constructed of no
more ihan five or six blocks of stone. These colonnades lead
down to near the Maksdrah (or Main-building of the Aksi
Mosque).* On your left hand (as you enter the Gate of David),
and towards the north, there is likewise a long colonnade with
sixty-four arches, supported by marble pillars.
(ii.) ** In this part of the wall (that is, in the colonnade between
the Gate of David and the north-west angle of the Haram Area)
is the Gate called Bab as Sakar (Gate of Hell).
(iv.) " In the north part (of the Haram Area) is a double gate-
way, the Gates of which are placed side by side, each being 7 ells
across, by 1 2 high. This gateway is called the Bab al Asbat (the
Gate of the Tribes).
(v.) "When you have passed this Gate of the Tribes, there .is
still another great gateway in the breadth of the Haram Area
(or the North Wall) in the portion running eastward. There
are here three Gates side by side, of a like size to the B^b al
Asbat, and they are each fashioned in iron, and adorned with
brass, than which nothing can be finer. These (three) gates they
call the Bab al Abwab (the Gate of (iates), for the reason that,
whereas elsewhere -the gateways are only double, there is here
a triple gateway.
"Running along the north part of the Haram Area, and
between the two gateways just mentioned, is a colonnade, with
arches that rest on solid pillars ; and adjacent thereto, a Dome that
is supported by tall columns, and adorned with lamps and
lanterns. This is called Kubbat Ya'kdb (the Dome of Jacob) —
peace be upon him ! — for at this spot was his place of prayer.
(iii.) "And further along the breadth (or Northern Wall)
of the Haram Area is a colonnade, in the wall of which is a Gate
that leads to two Cloisters belonging to the S{ifis, who have their
* The Main-building of the Aksa Mosque is often referred to by Nllsir under
ihe denomination of the ** Maksiirah," which more properly is the name given
to the railed oratory for the Sultan which the Mosque contains.
\
JERUSALEM, 177
place of prayer here, and have built a fine Mihrab (or oratory).
There are always in residence a number of SQfis, who make this
(oratory) the place of their daily devotions ; except on Friday,
when they go into the Noble Sanctuary, in order to attend the
service of prayer therein. At the north (west?) angle of the
Haram Area is a fine colonnade, with a large and beautiful Dome.
On this Dome* there is an inscription, stating that this was
the Oratory (Mihrab) of Zakariyya the Prophet — peace be upon
him ! — for they say that he was wont to continue ceaselessly in
prayer at this spot.
(vi.) " In the Eastern Wall of the Haram Area there is a great
gateway skilfully built of squared stones, so that one might almost
say that the whole was carved out of a single block. Its height is
50 ells (100 feet), and its width 30, and it is sculptured and orna-
mented throughout. There are ten beautiful doors in this gateway
(set so close) that between any two of them there is not the space
of a foot These doors are all most skilfully wrought in iron and
Damascene brass-work, set in with bolts and rings. They say this
gateway was constructed by Solomon, son of David — peace be
upon him ! — to please his father. When you enter this gateway,
facing east, there are two great doors. The one on your right
hand is called Bab ar Rahmah (the Gate of Mercy), and the other
Bab at Taubah (the Gate of Repentance) ; and they say of this
last that it is the Gate where God — be He exalted and glorified !
— accepted the repentance of David— upon whom be peace !
"Near this gateway is a beautiful Mosque. t In former times it
was only a hall, but they turned the hall into a Mosque. It
is spread with all manner of beautiful carpets, and there are
servants especially appointed thereto. This spot is greatly
frequented of the people, who go to pray therein, and seek com-
munion with God — be He exalted and glorified! — for this being
the place where David — peace be upon him ! — was vouchsafed
repentance, other men may hope to be turned likewise from their
sinfulness."
* Of this building no trace now exists. See p. 169.
t This I understand to refer to a building occupying the position of what is
now known as Kursi Sulaiman, the Throne of Solomon (Plan facing p. 172, at V).
12
178 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
After describing the Mosque of the Cradle of Jesus and the
Great Aksd Mosque (see pp. 105, 166), Nisir continues :
"Beyond the Main-building (of the Aksa), along the great
(south) wall (of the Haram Area) afore-mentioned, rises a colon-
nade of two-and-forty arches,* the columns being all of coloured
marble. This colonnade joins the one that is along the west (wall
of the Area). Inside the Main-building (of the Aksi) there is a
tank in the ground, which, when the cover is set on, lies level
with the floor, and its use is for the rain-water, which, as it comes
down, drains therein.
(viii.fl) " In the south wall (of the Haram Area) is a gate
leading to the places for the ablution, where there is running
water. When a person has need to make the ablution (before
prayer), he goes down to this place, and accomplishes what is
prescribed ; for had the place (of ablution) been set without the
walls, by reason of the great size of the Haram Area, no one
could have returned in time, and before the appointed hour for
prayer had gone by.
" As I have written above, the Holy City stands on the summit
of a hill, and its site is not on level ground. The place, however,
where the Noble Sanctuary stands is flat and on the level ; but
without the Area the enclosing wall varies in height in different
places, seeing that where the fall is abrupt, the Haram wall is
the highest, for the foundation of the wall lies at the bottom of
the declivity ; and where the ground mounts, the wall, on the
other hand, has, of need, been built less high. Wherever, in the
city itself and in the suburbs, the level is below that in the Haram
Area, they have made gateways, like tunnels cut through the
ground, that lead up into the Court (of the Noble Sanctuary).
(viii.) "One such as these is called Bab an Nabt (or the Gate
of the Prophet) — peace and blessing be upon him ! — which opens
towards the Kiblah point — that is, towards the south. (The
passage-way of this gate) is 10 ells broad, and the height varies
by reason of the steps. In one place it is 5 ells high,- and in
* See p. 191. This is in the space afterwards occupied by the Hall erected
by the Knights Templars for their armoury, and which at the present day opens
from the Aks& Mosque, and is called Baka'at al Baidha, or Aksa al Kadlmah.
JERUSALEM, 179
Others the roof of the passage-way is 20 ells above you. Over
this passage-way has l>een erected the Main-building of the (Aksi)
Mosque ; for the masonry is so solidly laid, that they have been
able to raise the enormous building that is seen here without any
damage arising to what is below. They have made use of stones
of such a size, that the mind cannot conceive how, by human
power, they were carried up and set in place. It is said, however,
that the building was accomplished by Solomon, the son of David
— ^peace be upon him ! The Prophet— peace and blessing be
upon him ! — on the night of his ascent into heaven, passed into
the Noble Sanctuary through this passage-way, for the gateway
opens on the road from Makkah. Near it, in the wall, is seen the
imprint on the stone of a great shield. It is said to be that of
Hamzah ibn *Abd al Mutallib, the Prophet's uncle — peace be
upon him I — who once seated himself here with his shield slung
on his back, and, leaning against the wall, left the mark of the
same thereon. This gateway of the Haram leading into the
tunnelled passage-way is closed by a double-leafed door, and the
wall of the Haram Area outside it is of a height of near upon 50
ells. The reason for the piercing of this gateway was to enable
the inhabitants of the suburb lying obliquely beyond to enter the
Haram Area at their pleasure without having to pass through
other quarters of the city. To the right of this gateway there is
in the wall a block of stone 11* cubits high and 4 cubits across ;
and this is larger than any of the other stones of the wall,
although there are many that measure 4 and 5 ells across, set in
the masonr>' at a height of 30 and 40 ells."
(vii.) "In the width of the Haram Area there is a gate, open-
ing towards the east, called Bab al 'Ain (or the Gate of the Spring),
passing out from which you descend a declivity to the Spring of
Silwan (Siloam)."
(ix.) "There is also another gate, the passage-way of which is
excavated in the ground, and it is called Bab al Hittah (the Gate
of Remission). They say that this is the gate by which God— be
He exalted and glorified ! — commanded the children of Israel to
enter the Noble Sanctuary, according to His word — be He
* Other MSS. read ** fifteen." These are the stones in the Great Course.
12 — 2
i8o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
exalted !— -(in the Kurdn, chapter ii. 55) : * Enter ye the gate with
prostrations, and say (Hittah), Remission! and We will pardon
you your sins, ahd give an increase to the doers of good.' "
(i.«.) "There is still another gate (to the Haram Area), and it
is called Bab as Sakinah (the Gate of the Shechinah, or Divine
Presence) ; and in the hall adjacent thereto is a mosque that has
many Mihrabs (or prayer-niches). The door of the entrance
thereof is barred, so that no one can pass through. They say
that the Ark of the Shechinah, which God — be He exalted and
glorified ! — has alluded to in the Kuran, was once placed here,
but was borne away by angels. The whole number of gates, botli
upper and lower, in the Noble Sanctuary of the Holy City is nine,
as we have here enumerated them." (N. Kh., pp. 29-32, 39-43.)
The key to the puzzle presented by the varied nomenclature of
the gates of the Haram Area cannot be better given than in Sir
C. Wilson's own words. He writes :
*A comparison of the descriptions of Mukaddasi (985 a.d.)
and Nasir-i-Khusrau (1047 a.d.) with each other, and with the
description of Mujir ad Din (1496 a.d.) and existing remains,
• enables me to identify many of the gates with some degree of
certainty, and to show that a change took place in the Arab
nomenclature of the gates between the eleventh and fifteenth
centuries — possibly when Jerusalem was captured by Saladin.
Nisir describes the Bib an Nabi (Gate of the Prophet) beneath
the Mosque Al Aksa in such terms as to leave no doubt of
its identification with the double gateway and passage leading
upwards from it beneath the Mosque to the Haram Area. He
also mentions another gate — Bab Hittah (Gate of Remission)
— as being excavated in the ground; and the only known
gate of the Haram of this character is the closed Gate of
Muhammad, or of the Prophet, beneath the Bab al Magharibah.
If, now, we turn to Mukaddasi's list of gates, we find that he
commences with Bab Hittah, that his second gate is * the two
Gates of the Prophet,' and that he ends with the Gate Da(id,
which is, without dispute, the Bab as Silsilah (the Gate of the
Chain) of the present day. The inference I draw from this is that
*ddasi named the gates in order, commencing with the Bab
JERUSALEM, i8r
Hittah, and ending with the Bib DMd, and not, as might have
been supposed, at haphazard
*In attempting to identify the Gates with those which now
exist, it is necessary to bear in mind that the Haram Area, with
its buildings and the approaches to it, has been much altered at
various periods, as, for instance, during the Latin kingdom, after
the recapture of the city by the Saracens, and when the walls
were rebuilt by the Sultan Sulaiman in the sixteenth century.'
Taking the list in the order given by Mukaddasi, and beginning
with the Bib Hittah, we must reverse the order of Nasir*s enumera-
tion, who, entering at the Bab DiQd, and turning to the left, takes
the Gates in the contrary order to that we shall now follow.
To the description given by Nasir (already quoted) are here
added the few notes taken from later authorities, ending with what
SuyQti, writing in 1470, has to tell of the history of the Gates
after their restoration at the hands of Saladin's successors.
SuyQti's description has been copied verbatim by Mujir ad Din,
who has added nothing to what he has borrowed without acknow-
ledgment from his predecessor. The substance of the proposed
identifications here following is taken from Sir C. Wilson's paper
referred to above.
Mukaddasi's Bab Hittah (i)* (Gate of Remission) is the
Bab al Hittah (ix.) of Nasir, described (above, p. 179) as
"excavated in the ground." Ibn al Fakih and Ibn 'Abd
Rabbih both mention this Bab Hittah (see p. 174). After
the Crusaders, however, it appears to have changed its name, and
the old Bab Hittah can only be identified with the present Bib
al Burak, or Bab an Nabi Muhammad (often called " Barclay's
Gate "), which lies half underground, and which may now be
entered beneath the modern Bab al Magharibah. Of the present
Bib al Magharibah above this ancient Gate, Suydti writes as
follows : " Bib al Maghiribah (the Gate of the Mogrebins or
Western Africans) is so called from its being in the neighbour-
hood of the Gate of the Mosque of the Mogrebins, where
* The Arabic numerals (i) to (11), and the Roman numerals (i.) to (ix.)
refer respectively to Mukaddasi's and Nasir's enumeration of the Gates given
on pp. 174-180.
i82 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
they have their prayers. The quarter named from this Gate
lies at the south-eastern comer of the City. This Gate is also
called Bab an Nabi (the Gate of the Prophet)." (S., 268 ;
M. a. D., 383.)
Mukaddasi's " Two Gates of the Prophet " (2) (with Ibn al
Fakih's Bab an Nabt and Ibn *Abd Rabbih's Bab Muhammad)
must correspond with Nisir's " Gate of the Prophet " (viii.),
which is described as being like a tunnel in the South Wall,
under the Aksa, and leading up by steps into the Court of the
Haram Area (see p. 178). This Gate (viii.) is, doubtless, the
same as that referred to (viii.a) by N^sir in another paragraph
(p. 178) as "leading to the places for the ablution" — remains
of water-pipes and cells being still shown at this point in the sub-
structures of the Aksd ; for the ancient Gate of the Prophet under
the Aksi can only be the so-called Double Gate, long since walled
up, but still to be seen closing the southern side of the vaults
under the Aksa.* These vaults in Mujir ad Din's time (1496)
were known as^ Al Aksd al Kadimah, the Ancient Aksfi.
(M. a. D., 379.) As late as the date of Ibn BatQtah's visit,
in 1355, if we are to believe that traveller's account, the gateway
here was still open. He writes : " On three sides (of the Haram
Area) are many Gates, but on the Kiblah (or south) side it has, as
far as I know, only one Gate, which is that by which the
Imam enters." (I. B., i. 121.) This Gate is not mentioned
by either Suy(iti or Mujir ad Din.
Mukaddasi's " Gates of the Mihrib Maryam " (3) must have
stood close to the Mihrab of Mary (now called the Cradle of
Jesus), mentioned by the same authority (see p. 165) ; these
Gates apparently correspond with the Bib al 'Ain (the Gate of
the Spring), described by Nasir (vii.), by which one could go
down to Siloam (see p. 179). The ancient "Single Gate," or
perhaps with greater probability the ancient " Triple Gate " — both
in the eastern part of the South Wall, and leading to the sub-
* The illustration opposite shows the present appearance of this ancient
passage-way. The view is taken from a point immediately within the walled-
op gateway in the South Wall. The illustrations facing pp. 177 and 181 show
the position and present appearance of the Double Gate from without.
,M«-i
iH ^'-
^ "iw^
^ 1
m
1
^
1
1
J
i .1
^^ : 1^
yERU SALEM. 183
Structures of the " Cradle of Jesus " and the " Stables of Solomon,"
and both of which Gates are now walled up — must, one or the
other, be the modem representative of this Gate. The Templars,
as before noted, stabled their horses in these substructures ; and
after Saladin's conquest of the Holy City, all means of egress
from the Haram Area, except west and north through the city,
being closed, all these Gates then came to be walled up.*
Ibn al Fakih speaks of a Bab al W^di (see p. 161), which,
from its name, would appear likely to have opened on the
WadI Jahannum (Kedron), on the east of the Haram Area. In
this part of the Haram Wall, and somewhat to the south of
the "Golden Gate," may still be seen a walled-up door, which
probably occupies the position of the gateway mentioned by
Ibn al Fakih. Of this walled-up Gate, Mujir ad Din notes as
follows : " In the Eastern Wall of the Haram Area, to the south
of the Gates of Mercy and Repentance, is a fine Gate now closed
with masonry. It lies opposite the steps leading down from
the Platform (of the Dome of the Rock) called Daraj (the Steps
of) al Burak. Some say this was the Gate al Burak by which the
Prophet entered on the occasion of his Night Journey. It was
also formerly called Bab al Janaiz (the Gate of the Funerals), for
the funerals went out by it in ancient times." (M. a. D., 380.)
Apparently somewhere in this part of the wall there was yet
another Gate, called the Gate of Jericho — not to be confounded
vnlh the City Gate of that name (see p. 214), now called the
(iate of St. Stephen. Mujir ad Din speaks of this Gate of
Jericho as near the spot where Muhammad ibn Kurrdm — founder
of the Kurramite sect — was buried in 255 (869). He adds :
"The Gate known as the Gate of Jericho has disappeared
long ago, and since the Frank occupation there is no trace
of it. Apparently it must originally have opened at a place near
the further end of the houses that are towards the Mount of
Olives." (M. a. D., 262.)
Ibn al Fakih's and Ibn 'Abd Rabbih's Bab ar Rahmah, and the
* The accompanying illustrations show the present appearance of these
two walled-up Gates, the position of which in the South Wall is shown in the
illustration facing p. 177.
l84 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
" Two Gates Ar Rahmah " of Mukaddasi (4), are the Bib ar
Rahmah and the Bib at Taubah (vi.) of Nasir (see p. 177),
namely, the great closed gateway in the East Wall, known at the
present day to Europeans as the Golden Gate.* This Gateway
is still known to the Muslims under the name of the Gates of
Mercy and Repentance. Suy^iti's account of it is as follows :
" The Bab ar Rahmah (the Gate of Mercy) lies to the east of
the Aksi Mosque, and is in the wall of which Allah has made
mention in the words (of the Kurin, Ivii. 13) : * But between
them (the Hypocrites and the Believers on the Judgment day)
shall be set a wall with a gateway, ^^ithin which is Mercy,
while without the same is the Torment.' The valley which
lies beyond this Gate is the Wadi Jahannum. The Gate of
Mercy itself is inside the wall which encloses the Haram Area,
and the Gate referred to in the above verse of the Kuran as on
the Wid! Jahannum, is now closed, and will only be opened at
some future time, and by the will of Allah — be He exalted !
And as to Bab at Taubah (the Gate of Repentance), it joins and
makes one with the Gate of Mercy, but through neither of them
at the present day do men pass. Near the Gate of Repentance,
and thus between the Gate of Mercy and the Gate of the Tribes,
is the house (Maskin) of Al Khidr and Iliyas (St. George and
Elias)." (S., 265 ; M. a. D., 380.)
This, the so-called Golden Gate, according to M. de Vogii^ {Ze
Temple de Jerusalem^ p. 68), who judges from the architectural
character of the building, dates from Byzantine times only, and,
in fact, was probably completed as late as the sixth century a.d.
The denomination of the "Golden Gate" does not occur ap-
parently before the thirteenth century (Sae\sTilf), and the name
(Porta Aurea) is due to a misunderstanding by the mediaeval
pilgrims, whose knowledge of Greek was rudimentary, of ©u^a
«f>a/a, "the gate called Beautiful," mentioned, in Acts iii. 2, as
the spot where St. Peter healed the lame man. The site of this
miracle, which must, from the context, have been performed near
one of the inner gates of the Temple, the early pilgrims and the
Crusaders, proceeding in their usually arbitrar>' manner, saw fit to
locate at this Byzantine structure.
* See the illustration facing p. 177.
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JERUSALEM. 185
Mukaddasi's "Gate of the Birkat Bani Israil" (5) must be
the easternmost gate in the north wall of the Haram Area,
which Ndsir (see p. 176) calls the Bib al Abwib (the Gate of
Gates) (v.), and which, since Crusading days, has always been
known as the Bib al Asbit (the Gate of the Tribes). Suy^ti
writes of this gate as follows : " Bib al Asbit (the Gate of the
Tribes) is in the hinder (or northern) part of the Haram Area, not
far from the house of Al Khidr and Iliyas (St. George and Elias).
In the work called FadAil Bait al Mukaddas (the * Excellences of
the Holy City '), by the Hifidh Abu Bakr al Wdsiti the Khatib,
there is mention made of the Bab Maskin al Khidr (the Gate of
Al Khidr's house) as standing here ; but the author of the Muthtr
al Ghirdm gives no indication of any such gate having existed,
although he mentions the house of Al Khidr when enumerating
the saints who entered and sojourned in the Holy City. The
author of the Kitab al Uns^ on the authority of Shahr ibn Jaushab,
states that the house of Al Khidr is in the Holy City, at a spot
between the Gate of Mercy and the Gate of the Tribes ; and he
goes on to say that Al Khidr was wont to pray every Friday in
five different mosques — namely, in the Mosque of Makkah, and
the Mosque of Al Madlnah, and the Mosque of Jerusalem, and
the Mosque of Kuba (two miles south of Al Madinah), and on
evefy Friday night in the Mosque of Sinai." (S., 266 ; M. a. D.,
381.)
From the preceding paragraph it naturally follows that the Gate
of the Tribes (Bab al Asbat) mentioned by Ibn al Fakih and
Ibn 'Abd Rabbih (pp. 161, 164), also the gate of this name men-
tioned by Mukaddasi (6), and (iv.) described by Nisir (see p. 176)
as opening in the north wall west of the " Gate of Gates," must
be identified with the gate, now and ever since Crusading times
called Bab al Hittah (the Gate of Remission). SuyQti, as will
be seen, applies to this (northern) gate (writing in 1470) the
legendary account which Nasir (in 1047) related anent the more
ancient Bab Hittah at the south-west corner of the Haram Area.
Suyuti writes : " Bab Hittah (the Gate of Remission) is so called
because the children of Israel were directed to enter their house
of prayer thereby, saying, * Remission, O Lord, for our sins.
The following is given on the uthority of 'Ali ibn Sallim ibn
1 86 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
'Abd as Sallam, who was told by his father that he had heard Abu
Muhammad ibn 'Abd as Sallim state as follows — namely, that the
Brazen Gate,* which is in the (Aksa) Mosque, is the (celebrated)
Bib al Hamal al Ausat (the middle Ram Gate), and is of the
workmanship of the Chosroes ; and that the brazen gate which
closes the (main) gateway t of the Haram Area is the Gate of
David, through which he was wont to pass, going from Sion to
Solomon^s Market-place ; while, lastly, the gate of the gateway
known at present (in 1470) as the Bab Hittah(Gate of Remission)
was formerly at Jericho, which city having come to ruin, the gate
was transported from thence to the Noble Sanctuary." (S., 267 ;
M. a. D., 381.)
The Hashimite Gates mentioned by Mukaddasi (7), and possibly
the gate of the same name (but noted in inversed order) given by
Ibn 'Abd Rabbih (see p. 164), most probably correspond to the
gate (iii.) said by Kasir (p. 176) to lead to the Cloisters of the
Sufis, and to open in the north wall west of his (Nasir's) Bab al
Asbat. It would, therefore, correspond with the modem Bab al
'Atm (Gate of the Darkness), which Suydti notes was, in his day
(as at the present time), also called " Bab Sharaf al Anbiya (the
Gate of the Glory of the Prophets). It is that now, further,
called Bab ad Dawidariyyah. J It opens from the northern side
of the Haram Area," (S., 267 ; M. a. D., 382.)
Mukaddasi's Bab al Walid (8) (mentioned, but in different
order, by Ibn 'Abd Rabbih) is possibly the present Bab al
Ghawanimah (the northernmost in the west wall), of which Suydti
speaks in the following terms. That, as he states, it was anciently
called the Gate of Abraham does not, however, correspond with
what follows in Mukaddasi, where the next gate (lying to the
south, presumably, of the Bab al Walid) is called the Bab Ibrahim.
Possibly, however, the names had become interchanged, as we
have ahready seen was the case in other instances. SuyQti's
description is as follows : " Bib al Ghawdnimah (the Gate of the
• See p. 99. t The present Bflb as Silsilah.
t The Dawid&riyyah is the house of the DawidAr — more correctly the
v&t-d&r — or Secretary, a Persian word signifying ** he who carried the ink-
L" It is also spelt Duwaidariyyah.
JERUSALEM. 187
Men of the Family of Gh^nim*) is that adjoining the Lieutenant's
Palace (the Dar an Niyibah). It is the first (or northernmost) on
the western side of the Haram Area. Anciently, it is said, this
gate was called Bab al Khalil (the Gate of Abraham * the Friend ')."
(S., 267 ; M. a. D., 383.)
Mukaddasi*s Bab Ibrahim (9), if the foregoing identification be
accepted, would then correspond with the Bab as Sakar (Gate of
Hell), which Nasir (ii.) states is the only one opening, in his
day, in the west wall to the north of the Bdb DaQd. (See
p. 176.) This is apparently the modern Bab an N&dhir (the Gate
of the Inspector), of which Suyiiti writes to the following effect :
** Bdd an Nadhir (the Gate of the Inspector) is a gate that is said
never to have been restored. Anciently, it was called Bab Mikiil
(the Gate of Michael) ; and, according to report, it is the gate to
which Gabriel tied the steed Al Burak on the occasion of the
Night Journey." (S., 267 ; M. a. D., 383.)
South of this gate, in the present western wall of the Haram
Area, is one built, presumably, since Saladin's days, since no
notice occurs of it in the more ancient writers. SuyQti speaks of
it by the name it bears at the present day. He writes :
" Bab al Hadid (the Iron Gate) is one that has been rebuilt (or
recently built). Anciently, it was called after ArghQn al KSmili,+
who founded the Madrasah (or college) of the ArghOniyyah,
which lies on the left hand as you go out through it." (S., 268 ;
M. a. D., 383.)
Mukaddasi's "Gate of the Mother of Khilid " (10) (called
Dar Umm Khalid, of the House of Khalid's Mother, by Ibn al
Fakih) is probably the modern Bab al Kattanin (the Gate
of the Cotton Merchants' Bazaar) ; or it might possibly be
the gate to the north of this, called the Bab al Hadid, just
described; but this latter identification is the less likely of
the two. Suyfiti writes of the first-mentioned gate : " Bab al
Kattinin (the Gate of the Cotton Merchants) is one of those that
has been restored. Al Malik an Nasir ibn Kala'On was the prince
* Descendants of Shaikh Ghftnim ibn 'AH, who was born near NAbulus in
562(1167), and died in 632 at Damascus. Saladin made him chief of the
Kh&nkah Salilhiyyah, the Derwish house founded by him at Jerusalem.
t Lieutenant of Syria. He died in 758 (1357).
i88 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
who first built it; but it afterwards fell into complete ruin and
disuse. When the late Niib (Lieutenant) of Syria, Tankiz an
Ndsiri,* built the colonnade which runs all along the western wall
of the Noble Sanctuary, and the SClk al Kattanin (the Cotton
Market), he rebuilt, at the same time, this gate with the high
portal, seen here at the present day." (S., 268 ; M. a. D., 238.)
Immediately to the south of the above comes the Gate known
at the present day as Bib al Mutawaddi (the Gate of the
Ablutions), or Al Matarah (Gate of Rain). This is a gateway
opened since Crusading time, and which Suy^iti speaks of under
the name of the Gate of the Reservoir. He writes : " Bad as
Sikkdyah (the Gate of the Reservoir) is said to be an ancient
Gate. It had fallen to ruin of recent years, but when the late
'Ala ad Din Al Busirf constructed the tank for the ablution, which
he gave the people, he rebuilt, too, this Gate. May it not be
allowed to fall again into decay !" (S., 268 ; M. a. D., 383.)
lastly comes Mukaddasi's Bab DaQd (11), the Great Gate of
David, by which Nasir (i.) begins his enumeration on entering the
Haram Area. It is now known as the Bib as Silsilah (the Gate
of the Chain). The adjoining Bab as Salim (Gate of Peace) is
that alluded to by Mukaddasi (see p. 174) in his preface as
the Bab as Sakinah, and described under the same name (i.^i)
by Nasir (see p. 180) as having a hall and place of prayer
with many Mihrabs. Of these last, no traces remain at the
present day. These two Gates Suydti speaks of in the following
words : " Bab as Silsilah (the Gate of the Chain), and the Bib as
Sakinah, stand side by side. The Bab as Silsilah was anciently
called the Bab DaCld (David's (Jate). Bab as Sakinah (the Gate
of the Shechinah or Divine Presence) opens near the Gate of the
Madrasah (or College), called Al Baladiyyah; and close by it
also is the Southern Minaret. The Royal College, called Al
Madrasah al Ashrafiyyah, lies to the north of the same." (S., 268 ;
M. a. D., 383.)
The following table shows in a concise manner the proposed
identifications of the various Gates of the Haram Area :
* Tanktz al Hisftmi or An N&siri was Lieutenant of Syria under Sultan An
N&sir Muhammad ibn Kalft'On. Tankiz died 741 (1340).
t He died in 1291 a.d. See M. a. D., p. 606.
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190 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
THE COLONNADES.
The colonnades running along the inner side of the boundary
walls of the Haram Area would appear to have stood, in the early
Muslim days, very much in the same positions which they now
occupy. Our earliest notice of them is in Mukaddasi, who says
(see p. 99) that "on the right hand" (that is, along the West
Wall) ran colonnades, as also " at the back " (that is, along the
North Wall) of the Haram Area were colonnades, the ceilings of
which are described as studded with mosaics.
The East Wall of the Haram Area, overhanging the Widi Jahan-
num, and in which stands the Golden Gate, is stated to have no colon-
nades along it. Neither was there any colonnade along the portion
of the South Wall extending from the south-east angle (aboye the
Cradle of Jesus) to the Eastern Wall of the Aksa. From these
particulars it is evident that in Mukaddasi's days the Haram Area,
as far as the lateral colonnades are concerned, showed exactly
the appearance to be seen at the present day. Mukaddasi also
states the reasons (p. 99) why the Aksd was not placed sym-
metrically in the centre of the South Wall of the Haram Area.
The Persian traveller, Nasir-i-Khusrau (1047), gives us more
exact details of these colonnades, which agree very exactly with
what Mukaddasi (985) has described. Along the West Wall
Nasir states that to the right (south) of the Gate of David ran
two great colonnades, each with twenty-nine marble pillars (sec
p. 176). The ^>o colonnades I understand to refer, the first, to
that running from the Gate of David to the Gate Bab al Hittah
(the present Bab al Magharibah) ; the second, from this last Gate
down to the south-west angle, where it joined the colonnade of
forty-two arches on the South Wall. (See Plan facing p. 150,
/fy a and g.) To the left of the Gate of David, northwards up
to the north-west angle, was a long colonnade of sixty-four arches.
The Gate of David (the present Gate of the Chain) had beside it
another Gate called the Bib as Sakinah (the Gate of the Shechinah,
or Divine Presence), which led to a hall with a small mosque
adjacent, in which were many oratories. (See p. 180.) Of this,
apparently no traces remain at the present day; and Mukad
JERUSALEM, 191
dasi, sixty years before Ndsir, makes no mention of it as having
existed in his time. The North Wall of the Haram Area, which
in Mukaddasi's days had colonnades roofed in mosaic work, had
two sets of colonnades when seen by Nasir. From the Gate at
the north-east angle (the present Bdb al Asbdt), which Nisir
names the Bdb al Abwib, westwards, to the next Gate, called by
him the Bib al Asbat (at present the Bib Hittah), was "a colon-
nade, with arches that rested on solid pillars." (Plan facing p. 150,
at /) And westward of this Gate again, presumably extending as
far as the north-west angle, and therefore joining the colonnade
along the West Wall, were two colonnades (see p. 177, and Plan,
at e and d)^ one beyond the other, in or near the westernmost of
which was the " large and beautiful Dome " of 2^chariah (Plan, W),
of which, bw'9jpr, no traces remain at the present day.
_Tfi[^'lto«^^U of the Haram Area, overhanging the Wadi
Jahaipium, had no colonnade; and from the south-east angle,
along the South Wall, " for a space of 200 ells (or 400 feet)," to
the east wall of the Aksa, was (Nisir states), as at present, a bare
wall The only colonnade mentioned by Nisir, of which no
mention is found in Mukaddasi, is that of " forty-two arches "
running along the South Wall, west of the Aksa, from the
western wall of the Mosque to the south-west angle of the Haram
Area, where it joined the colonnade of the West Wall. (Plan, g,)
This colonnade occupied the ground afterwards covered by the
Armoury of the Templars. (See p. 107.)
After Nasir's visit came the century of the Crusades, and
then Saladin's restorations. Our next authority is Mujir ad Din
in 1496. He describes the colonnades he saw, and gives the
dates of their building or restoration, as will be found in the
following paragraphs : " The colonnades that go along the West
Wall inside were all built during the reign of Al Malik an Nisir
Muhammad ibn Kala'iin (a.d. 1310-1341). The colonnade going
from the Maghdribah Gate to the Gate of the Chain was built in
713 (1314); that running from the Minaret at the Gate of the
Chain to the Gate of the Inspector in 737 (1336) ; that from the
Gate of the Inspector to the Bab al Ghawdnimah in 707 (1307).
The colonnades along the north wall were erected at the time of
192 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
the foundations of the respective buildings they flank." (M. a. D.,
376.) Since Mujlr ad Din's days the colonnades must have been
frequently repaired ; but, as seen at the present day, they are, to
all intents, identical with those here described in 1496. (See
Plan facing p. 172.)
DIMENSIONS OF THE HARAM AREA.
The dimensions of the Haram Area are given by many of the
early authorities, some of whom apparently measured the great
court for themselves, while some merely copied the inscription on
a certain stone in the North Wall — by whom set up is not known
— on which the dimensions are recorded. This stone was re-
discovered by M. Clermont-Ganneau in 1874. The surface
is, unfortunately, much corroded by the weather — this was
apparently the case even as early as the year 1351 — and the
inscription can, at the present day, be only partially deciphered.
According to M. Ganne^u's account, what may be clearly read is,
in translation, the following :
"/« f/ie name of Allah the Compassionate^ the Merciful^ the
length of {the Haram Area of) the Masjid is seven hundred and
four-and-***ty ells^ and its breadth four hundred and fize-and-fifty
ells, the ell being the ell of *♦*♦."
In M. Ganneau's opinion, the space for the word representing
the tens, in the enumeration of the length, will only allow of its
having been either eighty or thirty ; thus, in full, 784, or 734.
Further, the specification of the Dhird\ or ell, in M. Ganneau's
opinion, cannot have been " al Malik," or the rryal ell ; because
the space available on the stone will not allow of the five letters of
this word (in the Arabic) having been inscribed here ; also, he
adds that such traces of letters as still remain do not correspond
with the strokes of the Arabic letters in the w^ord " al Malik."
The earliest mention of the exact dimensions of the Haram
Area is found in the account (see p. 162) written by the
Spanish Arab, Ibn ^\bd Rabbih, about the year 913. He
gives no reference to the inscribed stone slab in the North Wall,
but states the length of the Haram to be 784 ells, and the breadth
^5 ells, the ell being "the Imam ell." Good MSS. of Ibn 'Abd
JERUSALEM. 193
Rabbih's work are, however, wanting, and for the word " Imim "
we have only the authority of the Cairo-printed edition to rely on,
and this is far from unimpeachable.
Ibn al Fakih and Mukaddasi, who are of the same century as
the Spanish Arab, only give the dimensions of the Haram Area in
round numbers, namely 1,000 ells by 700; and, according to Mukad-
dasi, the ell was the royal Hashimite ell, which measured about
18 inches in length. At this valuation we get 1,500 feet by 1,050
feet for the length and breadth, the present measurements being,
roughly— length 1,500 feet, by 900 feet for the average breadth.
The Persian traveller Ndsir-i-Khusrau, who visited Jerusalem
in 1047, is the first in so many words to mention the tablet M.
Ganneau has rediscovered in the North Wall. Nisir^s account is
most circumstantial ; and, if the numbers in the Persian MS. of
his Diary could be depended upon (and all the known MSS.
agree in giving the same numbers), his testimony would settle the
point of what was the length originally inscribed on the tablet ;
for, in Nasir's days, the surface of the stone would appear to have
been still undamaged. Nasir's account is as follows :
" The greater length of the Haram Area extends from north to
south; but if the space occupied by the Maksftrah (or Aks4
Mosque) be deducted, the shape of the court is (roughly) square,
with the Kiblah point lying towards the south. Now, it was my
desire to obtain the measurements of the Haram Area, and I
said to myself: First, I will come exactly to know the place in all
its aspects, and see the whole thereof ; and afterwards will I take
the measurements. But after passing some time in the Noble
Sanctuary, and examining it, I came on an inscription upon a
stone of an arch in the north wall (of the Haram Area), not far from
the Dome of Jacob (Kubbat Ya'kOb) (Plan facing p. 150, X) — on
whom be peace ! In this inscription the length of the Haram
Area was set down at 704 cubits (Ars/i), and the breadth at 455
cubits of the royal measure. The royal ell {gez-i-malik) is the
same as that which is known in Khurasan as the Gez-i-Shiigan
(the king's ell), and is equivalent to li (common) cubits (arsh),
or a fraction the less."* (N. Kh., 28, 29, 31.)
* In this passage ^ifz (ell) and arsh (cubit) are again used as synonymous
terms. Sec p. 128.
13
194 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
The next authority, but one of no great weight in this matter,
is Idrisl, who states that the Haram Area measures 200 Ba' (or
fathoms), by 180 Ba', the Ba being "the space between the
extremities of the two hands of a full-grown man when they are
extended to the right and left." (See line's Dictionary, s. v.)
Taking the Bi' at 6 feet, this would only give us 1,200 feet for the
length, and 1,080 feet for the breadth.
The testimony of 'Ali of Herat is of greater weight. He writes,
describing the Haram Area in 11 73: "I read on a stone the
following inscription : * The length {of the Harain Area round) the
Mosque is 700 Royal ells, and its breadth is 455.' This stone is
to be seen built into the north wall of (the Haram Area that
surrounds) the Aksa Mosque." (A. H., Oxf. MS., f. 37,
verso.)
From the close of the twelfth century (a few years before Sala-
din^s reconquest of Jerusalem), when 'Ali of Herat wrote, no other
account has reached us of the dimensions of the Haram Area
until the middle of the fourteenth century, when (in 1355) ^^^
traveller Ibn Batutah describes Jerusalem. His Diary was
written out, many years after his return home, from notes, and
hence it is not surprising to find that he puts the length (north to
south) for the breadth (east to west) of the Haram Area, and ince
versa. Whether he copied the figures from the tablet in the North
Wall is not stated. After a general description of the Mosque
at Jerusalem, Ibn BatOtah continues : " They say there is no
mosque anywhere larger than this. The length of the Haram
Area from east to west is 752 ells of the Uhira' al Malikiyyah.
Its breadth from the Kiblah (south) to the north is 435 ells."
(I. B., i. 121.)
The author of the Muthtr a I GhirCim is the first writer to
mention that the tablet in the north wall, which he read, was, in
his day, rendered somewhat illegible by the weathering of the
stone. This was in 1351, a few years prior to Ibn Batutah s visit
As will be noted, the words recording both the length and the
breadth were, in 135 1, clearly legible, and it was only the speci-
fication of the ell that he could not decipher. The following
passage from the author of the Muthir has been quoted or copied
JERUSALEM. 195
by many subsequent writers, notably by SuyOti in 1470, and by
Mujir ad Din in 1496. The Arabic text (collated from several
MSS. in the Bibliothfeque Nationale at Paris) is printed in the
J. R. A. S., vol. xix., new series, at p. 305. The following is a
translation :
" It is stated by Ibn 'Asakir (died 1176) that the length of the
Haram Area is 755 ells, and its breadth 465 ells, the ell being the
royal ell {Dhira' al Malik). And so also writes Abu'l Ma'ili al
Musharraf in his book. Now, I myself, in old times, have seen
in the northern wall of the Haram Area, above the gateway which
adjoins the Duwaiddriyyah, and on the inner side of the wall, a
slab on which was inscribed the length and the breadth of the
Haram Area, and it differed from what these two authorities have
stated. And what was inscribed on this slab was : Length 784 eiis^
breadth 455 ells. The inscription, further, gives the indication of
the ell used ; but I am not sure whether this is the ell mentioned
above (which is the royal ell) or some other, for the inscription
has become indistinct. The Haram Area was measured in our
days with a rope, and along the eastern wall it measured 683 ells,
and along the western wall it measured 650 ells, while in the
breadth (that is, along the northern and the southern walls) it
measured 438 ells. These measurements being exclusive of the
width of the outer walls.'*
It is to be noted that the author of the Muthir fails to state
what particular ell was the one used in the measurements made in
his days.
Mujir ad Din, who quotes the above (M. a. D., 251), states in a
subsequent page (Cairo Text, p. 377) that he, himself, in the year
1496, measured the Haram Area twice over to get the figures
exact. The ell was the workman's ell, that commonly in use in
his day, the length of which is equivalent to about 2\ feet
Mujir ad Din's measurements are the following :
" length : From the South Wall at the Mihrab DiOd, to the
back of the colonnade on the North Wall near the Gate of the
Tribes, is 660 ells. This is not counting the width of the outer
walls. Width : P>om the Eastern Wall, where this overhangs the
tombs that are outside the Gate of Mercy, to the back of the
13—2
196 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Western Colonnade below the Chambers of the Madrasah Tan-
kiziyyah^ is 406 ells."
At the >*aluation given above, 660 workman's ells would equal
1,485 feet, and 406 ells, 913I feet.
The following list gives in chronological order a summary of
the abo\'e measurements. WTien it is remembered that since
Muslim days the South Wall of the Aksa Mosque (and therefore
also of the Haram Area) has always occupied the position it does
at the i>resent day : that the same may be said of the " Cradle of
Jesus *' in the south-east comer : that Mukaddasi as early as 985
mentions iho Hirkat Bani Israil, and therefore that the north-east
angle cannot have changed its position since the ninth century ;
and Analh\ that the liates in the West Wall, many of them date
fium the first centuries of the Hijrah--it must be concluded that
iho UHimiari^^s of the Haram Area cannot have been much
changcv) rfmv the vbys of the Khalif Abd al Malik at the close
of the s^^wnth ix^nturv of our era. The variation in the figures is
\KhiUIc$* in ivArt due to the error of the copyists ; in part also to
the xAticty vxf cU us^\U which ranged between the early Hishimite
nwAl cH \>f I J f^vt, the later ro>*al ell of about 2 feet, and the
w\\rinuuV cU ot' the fifteenth <x^ntur>% which measured about
Vtv \h\V n>i\ Al Vaklh, in clK 1.000 by 700.
,^>^ V 11^^ AKl KaMnh, ** in Imam ells" 784 by 455-
^^x MwUvKUm, *Mn rvnal llashimite ells,'* 1,000 by 700,
\ ^i» N^Mi-k Khuxiau, Insiription on North Wall, "m royal
i»xi Ulv^t. ttHskx««v»«cnt in Bd" Oa'hom), 200 by 180, equiva-
S. 'V<» ^^ *'^"**'- bxs*r>ptK»n on North Wall, "in royal
^^^ ,ir\hv \\va«v x»x vi\Mi\l by the author of the Afu/Air, "in
^»K hw N»*w ttH"**tt«««»wnl : Eastern Wall, 683 ells;
JERUSALEM. I97
Western Wall, 650 ells ; breadth, 438 ells. (Specification of ell
not given.)
1355- Ibn BatCltah, "in royal ells," 752 by 435. (length and
breadth interchanged in error.)
1496. Mujir ad Din, from his own measurements, in workman's
ells (of about 2 J feet), 660 by 406 (equivalent to 1,485 feet and
9^3 J feet).
1874. M. Clermont Ganneau's reading of the inscription in the
North Wall, length, 784 or 734; breadth, 455. This in ells that,
according to his reading, cannot have been royal ells.
THE TANKS AND POOLS.
The rock under the greater part of the Haram Area is, in
various places, honeycombed with tanks used for storing water.
They are mentioned by many of the earlier writers. These
reservoirs during the Middle Ages were fed by an aqueduct,
bringing water from " Solomon's Pools ' in the Wadi Urtas, near
Hebron, which aqueduct was originally constructed by Pontius
Pilate (Josephus, Ant, xviii. 3, § 2). Of the water-cisterns of the
Noble Sanctuary, Nasir gives the foUowmg account :
" The roofs of all the buildings in the Haram Area are covered
with lead. Below the ground-level are numerous tanks and water-
cisterns hewn out of the rock, for the Noble Sanctuary rests every-
where on a foundation of live rock. There are so many of these
cisterns that however much rain falls, no water flows away to
waste, but all is caught in the tanks, whence the people come to
draw it. They have constructed leaden conduits for carrying
down the water, and the rock cisterns lie below these, with covered
passages leading down thereto, through which the conduits pass to
the tanks, whereby any loss of water is saved, and impurities are
kept therefrom.
" At a distance of three leagues from the Holy City, I saw a great
water-tank (at Solomon's Pools), whereinto pour all the streams
that flow down from the hills. From thence they have brought
an aqueduct that comes out into the Noble Sanctuary. Of all
parts of the Holy City this is where water is most plentiful. But
in every house also, there is a cistern for collecting the rain-water
*^ PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
—for other than this water there is none — and each must store the
rain which falls upon his roof. The water used in the hot baths
and other places is solely from the storage of the rains. The
tanks that are below the Haram Area never need to be repaired,
for they are cut in the live rock. Any place where there may
have been originally a fissure or a leakage, has been so solidly
built up that the tanks never fall out of order. It is said that
these cisterns were constructed by Solomon — peace be upon him !
The roofing of them is like that of a baker's oven {tanner). Each
openmg is covered with a stone, as at a well-mouth, in order that
nothing may fall therein. The water of the Holy City is sweeter
than the water of any other place, and purer ; and even when no
rain falls for two or three days the conduits still run with water,
for though the sky be clear, and there be no trace of clouds, the
dew causes drops to fall."* (N. Kh., 39.)
The great cistern, which is in part excavated under the Aksd
Mosque, goes by the name of Bir al Warakah, the Well of the
Leaf. To account for the name, a strange tradition is recounted
(1470) by SuyQti, and copied by Mujir ad Din, and many later
writers, which in substance reproduces the account given by Yikfit
(1225) in his Geographical Dictionary under the heading of A I
Kalt, Yakut's version will be found translated in chapter vii.,t
and may be compared with what is given here from Suy<iti.
**Now as to the tradition about the leaves (of Paradise), there
are many and various^ accounts thereof. In the first place, from
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Maryam, through *Uta>yah ibn Kais, comes the
tradition that the Prophet said : * Verily a man from among my
people shall enter Paradise, walking upon his two feet (and come
l>ack again), and yet shall live.' Now during the Khalifate of
*Omar, a caravan of men arrived at the Holy Cit}- to make their
prayers there. And one of them, a man of the Bani Tamfm,
named Shuraik ibn Hab&shah, went off to get water (from the well).
And his bucket falling down into the well, he descended and found
a door there opening into gardens, and passing through the door
into the gardens, he ^^•alked therein. Then he plucked a leaf from
one of the trees, and placing it behind his ear, he returned to the
• See p. 87, note. t See p. 292.
JERUSALEM, 199
well and mounted up again. And the man went to the Governor
of the Holy City, and related to him of what he had seen in those
gardens, and how he had come to enter therein. Then the Governor
sent men with him to the well, and they descended, many people
accompanying them, but they found not the door, neither did they
attain to the gardens. And the Governor wrote to the Khalif
'Omar concerning it all, recalling how it was reported on tradition
that one of the people of Islam should enter the Garden of Paradise,
and walk therein, on his two feet, and yet live. 'Omar wrote in
answer : * Look ye to the leaf, whether it be green and do not
wither. If this be so, verily it is a leaf of Paradise, for naught of
Paradise can wither or change ; and it is recorded in the aforesaid
tradition of the Prophet that the leaf shall not suffer change.'
" Another version of the tradition runs as follows : Shuraik ibn
Habashah at TamimI came into the Holy City to get water for
his companions, and his bucket slipped from his hand, so he
descended (into the well) to fetch it uj). And a person called to
him in the well, saying, * Come thou with me,' and, taking him by
the hand, he brought him into the Garden of Paradise. Shuraik
plucked two leaves, and the person then brought him back
to where he had first found him. Then Shuraik mounted up out
of the well, and when he rejoined his companions, he told them
of all that had happened. The affair reached the ears of the
Khalif 'Omar, and it was Ka'ab who remarked how it had
been said (by the Prophet) a man of this people of Islam shall
enter the Garden of Paradise^ and yet live^ adding : * Look ye
to the leaves ; if they suffer change, then are they not the leaves
of Paradise, and if they change not, then must they verily be of the
leaves of Paradise.' And 'Utayyah asserts that the said leaves
never after did suffer change. According to another tradition
(coming from Al Walid), a certain Abu-n-Najm was Imam (leader
of prayer) to the people of Salamiyyah, many of whom were of the
desert tribes. And some of these people told him how they had
themselves been well acquainted with Shuraik ibn Habashah
when he was living at Salamiyyah. And they were wont to inquire
of him concerning his entrance into the Garden of Paradise, and
what he saw therein, and of how he had brought leaves there-
200 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
from. And these people continued : * We inquired further
whether there yet remained by him any one of the leaves which he
had plucked there ; and when he answered us affirmatively, we
asked to see the leaf, and the man called for his Kurin, and took
from between its pages a leaf that was entirely green, and gave it
into our hands. When we had returned it to him, after laying it
over his eyes, he placed it back again between the pages of
his Kuran. And when he was at the point of death, he enjoined
that we should put this leaf on his breast under the shroud, and his
last words were to conjure us that this should exactly be done.*
Al Walid continues : I inquired of Abu-n-Najm whether he had
hoani a description given of the le;if ? He replied : * Yes ; and it
was like the loaf of a ix^ach tree (Duriikin\ of the size of the
jvilm of a hand* and [x^inleii at the tip.' Suyuti adds : Now the
nuHUh of iho Well of iho Leaf is in the Aksa Mosque, on the left
kuul as wHi onUT by iho dvx^r tuoing the Mihmb." (S., 270. The
rti>l inulmon tN vvpi^\l by M. a. 1X> 36S.)
Uo>k1on tho lUuioi^irvHUul waloManks of the Haram, there were
0\uv wlobu^twl |svls v>f water in the Holy City. Mukaddasi,
»« v>>^Nx v^uu^ '" I'hctv ts water in lerus;ilem in plenty. Thus it
^x a vNv^^^uu^M vuu\^x that ;tv'!* /> /c.»//4i.r injertisakm but where
Ks» w^k ;:<*" .\aA'. • »*'V W» ."V (V.' /*> Praytr ; and few are the
hsS^xvNx ^Nat hs^w^ iK^ oustortv^ one or more. Within the city are
^^^^v ,^»\\U UU^In tMU\oU\ the I'^irkat Hani Israil, the Birkat
\V»Ut»\U5V a»Ki tho l^ukat 'l\xU. lt\ the vicinity of each of these
a^^ U*\^v a^ui U^ thv^^n Kwvl the wator-<^hannels from the streets.
(^^ ^Sv^ MvvxvlW \u\^ thctv ar\^ twenty underground cisterns of
\xW >^»A\ a»Kt iMv a^v t\^w quarters of the city that have not
^vv^Uk s*x^^*vv vhvH^^h tW \\><«onis of these last is only the rain-
w.uv* V^^ vhav>vx iuiNV tMu fuw iho streets. At a certain valley,
.asH»V a xVVjkV Unv^« vNv^ Hvxlv V^iy. ihoy have gathered together
\hs^ w^^W^v ^^s^ ^^Mvk^ iMv twv^ IKvK into which the torrents of
\hv v\*>^^^ ^'*^»^^ '^'^' *^^^'^^^ ^^^^^^' ^^^'^^ reser^•oirs there are
sKm^kX Uo^^t*^ ^h>^ waM to Ihi^ CHty. which are opened during
* V x^N**>V»i »>^ v^N^^ ^v^ ^^^ ^^' ^^^^^^"^ ""'^^''' ^^"^ Haram Area, and
wvhssw *v^ v^M ^^avw'' vMuk.» 10;.)
^v ^^^^v v^« l>WW thtxv iKKtls. mentioned by Mukaddasi
JERUSALEM, 20I
as within the city precincts, is copied by succeeding writers, who
make no attempt at any identification of the two last mentioned.
The first, the Pool of the Children of Israel, is the well-known
tank called by the same name at the present day, which lies outside
the north-east corner of the Haram Area. (See plans facing pp.
150, 172.) The traditional origin of its name is thus recorded by
'Ali of Herat :
** The Birkat Bani Israil is to the north of the Haram Area.
They say that Bukht Nasar (Nebuchadnezzar) filled it with the
heads of the Children of Israel that he slew." (A. H., Oxf.
MS., f. 39 V.)
The Birkat Sulaiman and the Birkat 'lyad do not exist under
these names at the present day. The Birkat Sulaiman is, doubt-
less, the mediaeval Pool of Bethesda, the site of which has recently
been discovered (see P. E. F. " Quarterly Statement," 1888, p. 115)
near the Church of St. Anne.* Tradition ascribed the digging of
both this pool and the Birkat Bani Israil to King Solomon. (See
P. P. T. Bordeaux Pilgrim^ p. 20, and Citiz de JherusaUm^ p. 25.)
The Birkat lyad was called after 'lyad ibn Ghanm, a celebrated
Companion of the Prophet, who was with the Khalif 'Omar at the
capitulation of Jerusalem, and, according to Mujir ad Din
(M. a. D., 231), built a bath in the Holy City. He died a.h. 20
(641). The i)ool anciently called by his name is probably the
present Birkat Hammam al Butrak, the Pool of the Patriarch's Bath,
not far from the Jaffa Ciate, very generally identified with the Pool
Amygdalon of Josephus and with the Biblical Pool of Hezekiah.
Suytiti, in 1470, whose account is copied by Mujir ad Din
(M. a. D., 409) writes as follows : "In regard to the pools that
are in the Holy City, on the report of Damrah from Ibn Abi
Sudah, it is related that a certain King of the Kings of the
Children of Israel, named Hazkil (Hezekiah), constructed six
pools for the Holy City, namely, three within the city, which are
the Birkat Bani Israil, the Birkat Sulaiman, and the Birkat 'lyad,
and three without the city, which are the Birkat Mamila and the
two Birkats of Al Marji'. .\nd these he made to store the water
for the use of the people of the Holy City." (S., 274.)
• See the Plan of Jerusalem facing p. 83.
202 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
With regard to the pools outside the city here alluded to, the
Pool of Mam ilia lies a short distance west of the Jaffa Gate of
Jerusalem, while the Pools of Al Marji' are those known as
Solomon's Pools, some miles from Hebron, referred to above
in the descriptions of Mukaddasi and others. (See p. 197.)
Mujir ad Din, writing in 1496, adds that in his days the two
Birkats of 'lyad and Sulaiman could no longer be identified, the
names being unknown to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (M. a. D.,
409.)
THE CHURCH OF RESURRECTION AND OTHER CHRISTIAN
SHRINES.
T/te Church of the Holy Sepulchre. — In their descriptions of
Jerusalem, Muslim writers very naturally give but scant space to
the mention of Christian edifices. The great Church of the
Resurrection, however, founded by Constantine about the year
335, ruined by the Persian Chosroes in 614, and restored by
Modestus in 629, had been left untouched when, in 637, 'Omar
took possession of Jerusalem ; and, as has been noted on a
previous page, was, in Mukaddasi's days, " so enchantingly fair,
and so renowned for its splendour," as almost to rival in beauty
the Dome of the Rock and the Great Mosque at Damascus.
(See p. 117.)
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is mentioned as early as
the year 943 a.d. by the historian Mas'iidi. The Muslims, from
the earliest times, hav^e called this church Kanisah al Kumctmah
— " the Church of the Sweepings," or " of the Dunghill " —
Kumdmah being a designed corruption of Kaydmah, the name
given to the church by the Eastern Christians, this being the
Arabic equivalent of Anastasis — "the Resurrection." The im-
posture, which is still called the Miracle of the Holy Fire, is first
noticed by the Christian pilgrim, Bernard the Wise, in 867.
Mas'Cidi's testimony, therefore, some eighty years later, that the
miracle took place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre of the
Christians, a well-known building, perfectly distinct from the
Dome of the Rock (which last Mr. Fergusson would have us
believe was, at that period, known as the Holy Sepul.hre), serves
JERUSALEM. 203
to overturn from its foundations the theory that Constantine's
basilica is the Muslim Dome of the Rock. Mas'Qdi was sceptical
as to the miraculous origin of the fire. His account is as
follows :
" On the fifth day of the (Syrian) month Tishrin i (October), is
the festival of the Kanisah al Kumamah (the Church of the
Sepulchre) at Jerusalem. The Christians assemble for this festival
from out all lands. For on it the fire from heaven doth descend
among them, and they kindle therefrom the candles. The
Muslims also are wont to assemble in great crowds to see the
sight of the festival. It is the custom at this time to pluck olive-
leaves. The Christians hold many legends there anent ; but
the fire is produced by a clever artifice, which is kept a great
secret." (Mas., iii. 405.)
Another passage from the same author is curious as showing
what were the churches in the hands of the Christians in
Jerusalem in a.d. 943. After relating the history of the reign of
Solomon, Mas'Adi concludes his chapter with the following
paragraph :
" It was Solomon who first built the Holy House, which same
is now the Aksa Mosque — may Allah bless its precincts ! When
he had completed the building thereof, he set about building a
house for his own use. This last is the place that, in our own
day, is called the Kanisah al Kumamah (the Church of the
Resurrection). It is the largest church in Jerusalem belonging
to the Christians. They have also in the Holy City other greatly
honoured churches besides this one— as, for example, the Kanisah
SihyQn (the Church of Sion), of which David has made mention
(in the Psalms) ; and the church known as Al Jismaniyyah, This
last, they say, encloses the tomb of David." (Mas., i. 1 11.)
Al Jismaniyyah is the Arabic corruption of the name Geth-
semane. The original Hebrew name has the meaning of Garden
of the Clive-prcss ; while Jismaniyyah^ in Arabic, signifies " The
place of the Incarnation^^ and is in allusion, therefore, to a
different circumstance in the Gospel history. Mukaddasi, writing
in 985, gives no description of the Church of the Sepulchre, only
alluding to it incidentally. (See pp. 98, 117.)
204 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
There is some doubt as to the exact year in which the mad
Khalif of Egypt, Hakim, ordered the celebrated destruction of
the Church of the Sepulchre. Western authorities generally place
this event in the year loio a.d. The chronicle of Ibn al Athir
notes it as an occurrence of the year of the Hijrah 398 (1008).
He writes : " In this year Al Hakim-bi-amr-Illah, the Lord of
Eg>'pt, ordered the demolition of the Church of the Kumamah,
which is the church in the Holy City (of Jerusalem) called
generally by the (Christians) Al Kayamah (the Anastasis). In
this church, according to the belief of the Christians, is the spot
where the Messiah was buried ; and on this account it is visited
by them, coming in pilgrimage from all parts of the earth. Al
Hakim also commanded the other churches throughout his
dominions to be likewise pulled down, and so it was done." (Ibn
al Athir, ix. 147.)
Makrizi, however, an authority of no less weight than the above,
states that it was in the year 400 a.h. (igig) that Al Hakim
'' wrote ordering the destruction of the Church of the Kumamah,"
(the text is given in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe^ vol. i., p. 60
of the Arabic), and this corresponds with the date generally given
by Western writers. Mujir ad Din, on the contrary, repeats Ibn al
Athir's date. He ^Mrites : ** During the year 398 (1008), the
Khalif Hakim ordered the Kumamah to be destroyed. The
church, however, was allowed to be rebuilt during the reign of his
son, Al Mustansir, by the King of Rum." (M. a. D., 269.) The
King of RQm here mentioned is, according to one account, the
Emperor Constantine Monomachus, who, about the year 1048,
had the church rebuilt under the superintendence of the Patriarch
Xicephorus. Other accounts state that the restoration took place
under the Emperor Michael IV., the Paphlagonian, who obtained
the pri\'ilege of Al Mustansir on the condition of setting free five
thousand Muslim captives.
In the year 1047, Jerusalem was vnsiteil by the Persian pilgrim
NSsir-i-Khusrau, who has left the following description of the
great church as it stood before the alterations effected by the
^ders. Nasir A\Tites :
the Holy City (of Jerusalem), the Christians possess a
JERUSALEM. 205
church which they call Bai'at-al-Kumamah (which is the Church
of the Resurrection), and they hold it in high veneration. Every
year great multitudes of people from RQm (the Greek Empire)
come hither to perform their visitation ; and the Emperor of
Byzantium himself even comes here, but privily, so that no one
should recognise him. In the days when (the Fatimite Khalif)
Al Hakim-bi-amr-IUah was ruler of Egypt, the Greek Caesar had
come after this manner to Jerusalem. Al Hakim, having news of
it, sent for one of his cup-bearers, and said to him, * There is a
man of so and such a countenance and condition whom thou
wilt find seated in the Mosque (J^mi') of the Holy City ; go thou,
therefore, and approach him, and say that Hikim hath sent thee
to him, lest he should think that I, Hakim, knew not of his
coming ; but let him be of good cheer, for I have no evil intention
against him.' Hakim at one time ordered the Church (of the
Resurrection) to be given over to plunder, which was so done,
and it was laid in ruins. Some time it remained thus ; but after-
wards the Csesar of Byzantium sent ambassadors with presents
and promises of service, and concluded a treaty in which he
stipulated for permission to defray the expenses of rebuilding the
church, and this was ultimately accomplished.
" At the present day the church is a most spacious building, and
is capable of containing eight thousand persons. The edifice is
built, with the utmost skill, of coloured marbles, with ornamenta-
tion and sculptures. Inside, the church is everywhere adorned
with Byzantine brocade, worked in gold with pictures. And they
have portrayed Jesus — peace be upon Him ! — who at times is
shown riding upon an ass. There are also pictures representing
others of the Prophets, as, for instance, Abraham, and Ishmael,
and Isaac, and Jacob with his sons— peace be upon them all !
These pictures they have overlaid with a varnish of the oil of
Sandaracha {SandarAs, or red juniper) ; and for the face of
each portrait they have made a plate of thin glass, which is set
thereon, and is perfectly transparent. This dispenses with the
need of a curtain, and prevents any dust or dirt from settling
on the painting, for the glass is cleaned daily by the servants
(of the church). Besides this (Church of the Resurrection)
2o6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
there are many others (in Jerusalem), all very skilfully built ; but
to describe them all would lead into too great length. In the Church
(of the Resurrection) there is a picture divided into two parts,
representing Heaven and Hell. One part shows the people
of paradise in Paradise, while the other shows the people of hell
in Hell, with all that therein is ; and assuredly there is nowhere
else in the world a picture such as this. There are seated in this
church great numbers of priests and monks, who read the Evangel
and say prayers, for both by day and by night they are occupied
after this manner." (N. Kh., 59-61.)
In 1099 the Crusaders gained possession of Jerusalem, and
deeming the old Church of the Resurrection to be too insignifi-
cant a building for the great purpose of the Shrine of Clrist's
Tomb, they enlarged the edifice by adding a nave and aisles
to the then existing rotunda. These additions were apparently
completed in the first half of the twelfth century. In 1154
Idrisi, quoting, doubtless, from the accounts brought home to
Sicily by Christian pilgrims, wrote the following description of the
church as it then existed :
" When you enter (Jerusalem) by the Jaffa Gate, called Bib al
Mihrab, which, as aforesaid, is the western gate, you go eastwards
through a street that leads to the great church known as tlie
Kanisah al Kayamah (the Church of the Resurrection), which
the Muslims call Kumamah (the Dunghill). This is a church to
which pilgrimage is made from all i)arts of the Greek Empire,
both from the eastern lands and the western. You enter (the
church) by a gate at the west end, and the interior thereof
occupies the centre space under a dome, which covers the whole of
the church. This is one of the wonders of the world. The church
itself lies lower than this gate, and you cannot descend thereto
from this side. Another gate opens on the north side, and
through this you may descend to the lower part of the church by
thirty steps. This gate is called Bab Santa Maria.
" When you have descended irto the interior of the church you
come on the most venerated Holy Sepulchre, It has two gates,
and above it is a vaulted dome of very solid construction, beauti-
fully built, and splendidly ornamented. Of these two gates, one
JERUSALEM, Tffj
is towards the north, facing the Gate Santa Maria, and the other is
toward the south, facing which is the Bab as SalQbiyyah (the Gate
of the Crucifixion). Above this last gate is the bell-tower of the
church. Over against this, on the east, is a great and venerable
church, where the Franks of KQm (which is the Greek Empire)
have their worship and services. To the east (again) of this
blessed church, but bearing somewhat to the south, is the prison
in which the Lord Messiah was incarcerated : also the place of the
Crucifixion. Now, as to the great dome (over the Church of the
Resurrection), it is of a vast size, and open to the sky. Inside the
dome, and all round it, are painted pictures of the Prophets, and
of the Lord Messiah, and of the I-ady Maryam, his Mother, and
of John the Baptist. Over the Holy Sepulchre lamps are
suspended, and above the Place (of the Grave) in particular
are three lamps of gold." (Id., 6.)
The mention of the boll-tower, called in the Arabic Kanbindr
(Campanarium), would go to prove the tower of the Church of
the Resurrection to be older than M. de Vogii^ supposes, judging
it on architectural grounds only, in his E}^lises de la Terre Sainte
(p. 207). The great south portal of the church, the only one
at present in use, and immediately to the north of which stands
the bell tower, is the one doubtless here called the Gate of the
Crucifixion. It is noteworthy that in Idrisi's days the church had
three entrances, the above-mentioned gate to the south ; one
opposite, opening north (the Gate of Santa Maria) ; and, lastly,
the West (iate, from which you could not descend into the body
of the edifice. The two latter gates no longer exist. The
" C'hurch of the Greeks " must be the present Catholicon, lying
immediately east of the Rotunda of the Sepulchre, and to the
present day belonging to the Greek community. It forms the
western half of the Church of the Crusaders.
.Some years later than Idrisi, 'Ali of Herat, in 1173, wrote a
description of the Holy Places of Palestine, from the purely
Muslim point of view. Of the Church of the Resurrection he gives
the following short notice, written a few years before Saladin's
recovery of the Holy City :
" The Church of the Kumimah is one of the most wonderful
2o8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
buildings of the world. In it is the tomb which the Christians
call Al Kayamah (Anastasis), and this because they believe that
the Resurrection of the Messiah took place here. But the truth is
that the place is called Al Kumamah (the Dunghill) because it was
of old a dung-heap, and lay outside the city, being the place
where they cut off the hands of malefactors and crucified thieves,
as, too, is mentioned in the Evangel — but Allah alone knows the
truth. The Christians have in this place the rock which they say
was split, and from beneath which Adam rose up — because it
stood under the place of the Crucifixion, as they relate.* They
have also here the Garden of Joseph, surnamed As Siddik (the
Truthful), which is much visited by pilgrims. In this church
takes place the descent of the (Holy) Fire. Now, verily, I myself
did sojourn at Jerusalem for some season during the days of the
Franks, in order to understand their ways and the manner of the
sciences." (A. H., Oxf. MS., f. 41, recto and verso.)
In 1 187 Saladin expelled the Crusaders from the Holy City, and,
according to some accounts, pillaged and did considerable damage
to the Church of the Resurrection. In 1192 the knights of the
Third Crusade were allowed by Saladin to visit the Holy Sepulchre,
and the Bishop of Salisbury obtained permission for two Latin
monks to remain there and conduct the services of the church.
The account which Yakiit, writing in 1225, gives of the church
proves that in his day the building had recovered from the
reported pillage at the date of Saladin's conquest. YakQt, as will
be seen, repeats the account given by 'Ali of Herat ; he, however,
adds some remarks of his own, and gives a curious notice of the
Miracle of the Holy Fire :
"The Kumamah is the great church of the Christians at
Jerusalem. It is beyond description for beauty, and for its great
riches and wonderful architecture. It stands in the middle of the
city, and a wall surrounds it. There is here the tomb which the
Christians call Al Kayimah (the Anastasis), because of their
belief that the Resurrection of the Messiah took place here. In
* This is the well-known medieval legend. See Palestine Pilgrims' Text,
Abbot Danielf p. 14. The rent in the rock is still shown. According to tradi-
tion, Adam was buried below the rock on which the Crucifixion afterwards
took place.
JERUSALEM, 209
point of fact, however, the name is Kumamah, not Kaydmah, for
the place was the Dunghill of the inhabitants of the city, and
stood anciently without the town, being the place where they cut
off malefactors' hands, and where they crucified thieves. But
after the Messiah had been crucified on this spot, it came to
be venerated as you now see. This is all related in the Evangel.
There is here a rock which they say was split and Adam rose from
it, for the Crucifixion took place on the summit of the same.
The Christians have also in this spot the Garden of Joseph, the
Truthful — peace be upon him ! — and visitation is made thereto.
In one part (of the church) is a lamp, on which they say fire
descends from heaven on a certain day and kindles the wick.
" Now, on this matter a certain person who was in the public
service — and he was a man of the companions of the Sultan, to
whom it was not possible for the Christians to refuse admittance,
and he had stayed in the church to see how the affair w*as accom-
plished— related to me the following as of his experience : On
one occasion, said he, the descent of the fire was delayed by
the priest, in whose charge it was to see to it, and he turned to
me and said : * Verily thy attending on us is a matter against the
precept of our law.' I inquired of him wherefore. Said he :
* Because we appear before our companions as doing a thing that
should be kept hid from one like thee. It were therefore to be
desired that thou shouldst leave us and go out' Said I to him :
* Of necessity will I now sec what thou art about to do ; for behold,
I have found in a book of magic what is written therein, how ye
bring a candle near, and then on a sudden hang it up in this place,
which the people neither seeing nor knowing, it is considered by
them a miraculous act, and one deserving of all belief.' Here
ends the account." (Yak., iv. 173-174.)
othp:r christian shrines.
It will be convenient at this place to insert such short notices as
are found in the early Muslim writers of the other Christian
shrines which they describe in Jerusalem.
The (iarden of Gethsemane, called Al Jismaniyyah in Arabic
(see above, p. 203), is mentioned by Mas'udi as early as the year 943.
14
2IO PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Writing in 1154, Idrisi has the following account of the same
spot : " Leaving the (Aksa) Mosque (and crossing the Haram
Area) you come, on the eastern side, to the Bab ar Rahmah (the
Gate of Mercy, the Golden Gate), which is now closed, as we have
said before ; but near to this gate is another, which is open. It is
called Bab al Asbat (the Gate of the Tribes), and through it there
is much coming and going. When you have passed out by the
Gate of the Tribes, you reach the limits of the archery-ground,
and find there a large and very beautiful church, dedicated to the
I^dy Mary, and the place is known as Al Jismaniyyah. At this
place also is her tomb, on the skirt of the Mount of Olives (Jabal
az ZaitQn). Between it and the (iate of the Tribes is the space of
about a mile." (Id., 8.)
The next mention that occurs of the Tomb of the Virgin is that
given by 'Ali of Herat. His work was written in 1173, while the
Crusaders still had possession of Jerusalem ; but the paragraph on
the Tomb of the Virgin would appear to have been altered at a
subsequent date, for it describes the building as it was transformed
after Saladin's reconquest of the Holy City in 1187. ^Ali of
Herat writes : " The Tomb of Maryam is in the Wadi Jahannum.
You descend (to the tomb) by si x-and- thirty steps. There are
here columns of granite and marble. The dome is supported by
sixteen columns, eight being red, and eight green. The building
has four gates, and at each gate are six columns of marble or
granite. It was originally a church, but is now a Mashhad, or
oratory, dedicated to Abraham the Friend — peace be on him !
'ITiere are here w^onderful remains of columns and other archi-
tectural fragments." (A. H., Oxf. MS., f. 40.)
Ibn BatQtah, who visited Jerusalem in 1355, speaks in the
following terms of the Tomb of the Virgin, and of some other
Christian shrines in Jerusalem : " At the bottom of the said Valley
of Jahannum is a church which the Christians venerate, for here,
they say, is the Tomb of Maryam — peace be on her ! In Jeru-
salem also is another church (namely, that of the Resurrection), to
which the Christians make pilgrimage, and about which they tell
many lies, asserting that the Tomb of Jesus — peace be on Him ! —
is therein. Now, on every pilgrim who makes his visitation to this
JERUSALEM. 21 1
church a certain tribute is levied for the benefit of the Muslims,
and the Christians have to bear humiliations, which they undergo
with much revolting of the heart. In Jerusalem also is the place
of the Cradle of Jesus — peace be on Him ! — where Christians
come to seek a blessing." (I. B., i. 124.)
The Church of Pater Noster and Bethany are spoken of by
Idrisi in 1154. He writes: "On the road ascending the Mount
of Olives is a magnificent church, beautifully and solidly built,
which is called the Church of Pater Noster ; and on the summit
of the mount is another church, beautiful and grand likewise, in
which men and women incarcerate themselves, seeking thereby to
obtain favour with Allah — be He exalted ! In this aforementioned
mount, on the eastern part, and bearing rather to the south, is the
Tomb of Al *Azar (Lazarus), whom the I^rd Messiah raised again
to life. Two miles distant from the Mount of Olives stands the
village from which they brought the she-ass, on which the Lord
Messiah rode on His entry into Jerusalem, but the place is now
in ruins, and no one lives there." (Id., 8.)
The Church of the Ascension (on the Mount of Olives) is
referred to by 'AH of Herat in 1 173 as "the Church of Salik, which
is the one from which the Messiah is said to have ascended into
heaven." (.\.H., Oxf. MS., f. 40.) Ibn BatQtah doubtless alludes
to the same building in the Diary of his visit to Jerusalem in 1355
where he writes : " Beside the Wadi, called Wadl Jahannum, and
to the east of the city on a hill that rises to a certain height (known
as the Mount of Olives), there is a building whence they say Jesus
— peace be on Him I -ascended into heaven." (I. B., i. 124.)
'Ali of Herat, in 1173, mentions another church, which it is
diflficult at the present day to identify. He writes : " At Jerusalem
is the Church of the Jacobites,* in which is the well where they
say the Messiah washed, and where the Samaritan woman received
belief at His hands. The place is much visited, and is held
in great veneration. At Jerusalem also is the Tower {Burj\
of David and his Mihrdb, as is mentioned in the Kuran
(xxxviii. 20)."
* In the Oxford MS., folio 39, v., the name is written * Kantsah al Yngh&kiy-
yah,' a mistake (by the alteration of the diacritical points) for Al Yughdhiyyah,
which is the reading found in M. Shcfer's MS.
14—2
212 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Of the Church of Sion and the adjacent shrines, Idrtsi reports
as follows :
"Now, as to what lies adjacent to the Holy City on the
southern quarter, when you go out by the Bib Sihydn (the Gate
of Sion), you pass a distance of a stone^s throw, and come to the
Church of Sion, which is a beautiful church, and fortified. In it
is the guest-chamber wherein the Lord Messiah ate with the
disciples, and the table is there remaining even unto the present
day. The people assemble here (for the Festival of Maundy-)
Thursday. And from the (^ate of Sion you descend into a ravine
called Wadi Jahannum (the Valley of Gehenna). On the edge of
this ravine is a church called after the name of Peter, and down
in the ravine is the *Ain Sulwan (Spring of Siloam), which is the
spring where the Lord Messiah cured the infirmity of the blind
man, who before that had no eyes. (Joing south from this said
spring is the field (/fak/, Aceldama ?) wherein strangers are buried,
and it is a piece of ground which the Lord bought for this pur-
pose ; and near by to it are many habitations cut out in the rock
wherein men incarcerate themselves for the purposes of devotion."
(Id., 9)
The table in the Church of Sion is mentioned also by 'Ali of
Herat in 1173, who notices the tradition that it came down from
heaven to Christ and His disciples. (A. H., Oxf. MS., f. 40.)
Yakftt (1225) also alludes incidentally to the Church of Sion.
(Yak., iii. 438.)
THE CITY GATES.
The gates in the walls of Jerusalem, though mentioned singly
and incidentally by many geographers, are only fully enumerated
by two Arab authors — namely, Mukaddasi in 985, and Mujir ad
Din in 1496. Between these two dates the Holy City was
in turn besieged by the Crusaders and by Saladin, and the walls
were several times dismantled and rebuilt. It is not, therefore,
astonishing to find that Mukaddasi's gates do not all bear the
same names as those found in Mujir ad Din, which last are those
still open and used at the present day. Mukaddasi writes a.s
Hows :
JERUSALEM, 213
«
"Jerusalem is smaller than Makkah, and larger than Al
Madlnah. Over the city is a castle, one side of which is against
the hillside, while the other is defended by a ditch. Jerusalem
has eight iron gates :
"(i) Bab SihyOn (Gate of Sion).
" (2) Bab at Tih (Gate of the Desert of the Wanderings).
" (3) Bab al Balat (Gate of the Palace, or Court).
" (4) Bab Jubb Armiya (Gate of Jeremiah's Pit).
" (5) Bab Silwan (Gate of Siloam).
" (6) Bib Ariha (Gate of Jericho).
" (7) Bib al WmM (Gate of the Columns).
" (8) Bab Mihrab Dadd (Gate of David's Oratory)." (Muk., 167.)
It is evident, from such of the gates as still bear the same names
as they did in 985, that Mukaddasi follows no order, but that the
names as they at present stand in the MSS. are set down almost
entirely at haphazard. To begin, however, with those about
which there can be little dispute.'"
The Gate of David's Mihrab (8) is that generally known as the
Jaffa or Hebron Gate, called at the present day Bab al Khaltl.
Immediately above it is the castle mentioned by Mukaddasi, which
still exists, and in which is the Mihrdb which gave this gate its
name. David's Mihrab is also shown in the Haram Area. (See
p. 168.) The oratory in the castle, however, is the one referred
to by Istakhri and Ibn Haukal in the following description :
" In the city is the Mihrib of the prophet David, a tall edifice
built of stone, which, by measurement and calculation, I should
say reached a height of 50 ells, and was 30 ells in the breadth.
On its summit is a building like a cell, which is the Mihrab men-
tioned by Allah — may He \ye exalted ! — (in the words of the
Kuran : * Hath the story of the two pleaders reached thee, when
they mounted the walls of David's Mihrdb ?') When you come
up to the Holy City from Ar Ramlah this is the first building that
catches the eye, and you see it above the other houses of the
town. In the Noble Sanctuary, too, are many other venerated
Mihribs dedicated to other of the celebrated prophets." (Is.,
56 ; I. H., III.)
* See the plan of Jerusalem facing p. 83.
214 PALESTINE Uh^DER THE MOSLEMS.
The Sion Gate (i) is the next south of the Hebron Gate, and
is now known as Bab an Nabi Dadd (the Gate of the Prophet
David). The Gate of Jericho (6) is that which the Christians,
for the last five centuries, have called St. Stephen's Gate. The
Gate of Jeremiah's Pit (4) can, from the position of the grotto (or
pit), only be the small gate to the north, called at the present day
Bib as Sahirah, and in old days known as Herod's Gate. The
Gate of the Columns (7) is that more generally known as the
Damascus Gate, though it still bears the older name. In the
times of the Crusaders this was what was known as St Stephen's
Gate, a name in later times transferred to the Jericho Gate.
The remaining of Mukaddasi's gates can only be approximately
identified. The Gate of the Desert of the Wanderings (2) is
probably the "Secret Gate" mentioned by Mujir ad Din as
opening near the Armenian Convent between the Hebron and
Sion Gates. The Siloam Gate (5) can hardly, from its name, be
other than the southern gate, called the Bab al Magharibah (Gate
of the Mogrebins, or Western Africans), which the Franks have
named the Dung Gate. Bib al Balit (the Gate of the Palace, or
Court) (3) is, most probably, identical with Mujir ad Din's Bab ar
Rahbah (the Gate of the Public Square), opening west in the city
wall, and north of the Hebron Gate. In the Cif^z de Jherusalem^
written about the year 1225, the gate which opened here is named
the St. Lazarus Postern. Since Mujir ad Din's days it has been
built up.
Idrisi, writing in 1 154, notes the following city gates :
" Bab al Mihrab (Jaffa Gate) is on the western side ; and this
is the gate over which is the Cupola of David (Kubbat DaQd) —
peace be upon him ! Bab ar Rahmah (the Golden Gate) is on
the eastern side of the city. It is closed, and is only opened at
the Feast of Olive-branches (Palm Sunday). Bab SihyQn (the
Sion Gate) is on the south of the city. Bab 'Amdd al Ghurib
(the Gate of the Crow's Pillar — the Damascus Gate) lies to the
north of the city." (Id., 5.)
The Damascus Gate was called " of the Pillar " on account of
certain ancient columns that had been built into it ; but what the
x)w " may refer to is not known. Idrisi is the only author to
JERUSALEM. 215
mention this name. It will be noted that the Golden Gate, Bab
ar Rahmah (Gate of Mercy), is here mentioned as a city gate.
During the time of the Crusaders there was apparently a right-of-
way across the Haram Area from the Porta Speciosa (Bab DaQd,
or Bab as Silsilah) in the west wall of the Noble Sanctuary to the
Golden Gate on the east. In .Muslim times this was never
allowed.
Writing in 1496, Mujir ad Din enumerates the following city
gates, ten in number :
** On the south side are two gates : ( i ) Bab H^rah al
Magharibah," the Gate of the Mogribins' Quarter — the Prankish
Dung Gate. "(2) Bab SihyQn (of Sion), now known as the B^b
Harah al YahM — that is, of the Jews* Quarter." The Jews'
Quarter in Crusading times was in the north-east part of the city.
From Saladin's time down to the present day it has been in the
quarter mentioned by Mujir ad Din — to the south.
" On the west side are three gates : (3) The small Secret Gate
near the Armenian Convent." This is probably identical with
Mukaddasi's Gate of the Desert of the Wanderings. It is at
present walled up. " (4) Bab al Mihrab, now called Bab al
Khalil," the Gate of the P'riend; />., Abraham — the Hebron or
Jaffa Gate. "(5) Bab ar Rahbah," the Gate of the Public Square;
probably that mentioned by Mukaddasi as the Bdb al Balat, and
identical with the St. Lazarus Postern. It is now closed.
"On the north side are four gates : (6) Bab Dair as Sarb," the
Gate of the Servian Convent. The exact position of this is un-
known, but it must have stood between the Rahbah Gate and the
Damascus (iate. Mujir ad Din, speaking of the street called
Khatt ad Dargah, writes : " It has in it Saladin's Bimaristan (or
hospital), and the Church of the Kumamah (of the Resurrection).
On its west side is the Quarter of the Christians, which extends
from south to north, from the Bab al Khalil to the Bab as Sarb,
and includes the Harah ar Rahbah, the Quarter of the Square."
"(7) Bah al ^AmOd," Gate of the Columns, the Damascus
Gate, anciently the St. Stephen's Gate. "(8) Bab ad Da'iyah
(Gate of the Conduit?), by which you enter the Quarter of the
Bani Zaid." This gate is no longer open, nor is its exact position
2i6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
known, but it must have stood somewhat to the west of the so-
called Herod's Gate. **(9) Bab as Sahirah^" the Gate of the
Plain— Herod's Gate.*
" On the east one gate : (lo) Bab al Asbat," Gate of the Tribes
— the present St. Stephen's or Jericho Gate.
Mujir ad Din adds : " Besides these ten gates, there was
anciently a gate near the Ziwiyah (or Shrine), called after Ibn ash
Shaikh 'Abd '.Allah, over against the citadel (Kala'ah). And again
a gate in the quarter called Harah at Tfiriyyah, which led to
the Maidin of the Slaves (Maidan al 'Abid), outside the Bdb al
Asbat. This gate is now closed." (M. a. 1)., 406.) Mujir ad Din
tells us " that the Harah at T(iriyyah (the quarter of the inhabitants
of TQr, or Sinai) went from the Gate of the Tribes (Bib al
Asbat) up to the north wall of the city;" that is, it occupied all the
north-east quarter of the city. But there is no such gate as that
mentioned, open at the present day in the walls here.
The table on the next page shows the names of the City Gates
at various epochs, beginning at the Jaffa Gate and going north-
ward, and so round the walls back to the point of departure :
* No native authority (as far as I am aware) exists for spelling the name
of this gate, Bdd ez Zahaty^ ** The Floweiy Gate," as Robinson {Researches^
2Dd edit., i. 262), and many after him, have done. Neither is the name
ever written BAb ez Zahn'yc^ "Gate of Splendour," as has been set down in
some of the Memoirs of the Palestine Exploration Fund. However the
present inhabitants of Jerusalem may spell and pronounce the name of this
small gate, which the Franks call ** Herod's Gate," in old times it always was
written As Sdhirah^ that is, " of the Plain," scilicet^ ** of the Assembly of the
Judgment Day," which stretches beyond the city wall north-east from this
Gate. See p. 218.
i°
JERUSALEM
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2i8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
THE KEDRON VALLEY, OR THE WAOt JAHANNUM, AND THE
PLAIN OF THE SAHIRAH.
The valley called by the Jews Ge-Ben-Hinnon — that is, of
Gehenna — was the deep gorge to the ivesf and south-west of
Jerusalem ; the Muslims, however, in adopting the Jewish name,
chose the gorge bounding the Holy City on the east as the valley
which they called VVadi Jahannum. This, in earlier days, had been
known as the Valley of the Kedron, or of Jehoshaphat. In the
Prophet Joel (iii. 2) the verse occurs : " I will also gather all
nations, and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
and will plead with them there for My people, and for My heritage
Israel." This had led the Jews to make the Valley of Jehoshaphat
the scene of the Last Judgment, and the Muslims, in adopting the
Hebrew tradition, and transferring it to their Wadi Jahannum, had
considerably amplified the story. According to these last, the
Bridge As Sirat, dividing heaven and hell, is to stretch across
this valley from the hill of the Haram Area to the Mount of
Olives, while the Plain (As Sahirah), on the northern part of the
mount, is to be the gathering-place of all mankind on the I.ast
Day. The name of As Sahirah appears in later times to have been
extended also to the plain on the city side, .or west of the Kedron
Valley, and therefore immediately to the north of Jerusalem, and
from it one of the city gates, Bab as Sahirah, took its name,
presumably at a period subsequent to Saladin*s reconquest of the
Holy City. Describing all these localities in 985, Mukaddasi
writes as follows :
"Jabal lAiXk (the Mount of Olives) overlooks the Great
Mosque from the eastern side of the Wadi Qahannum). On
its summit is a mosque built in memory of 'Omar, who sojourned
here some days when he came to receive the capitulation of the
Holy City. There is also a church built on the spot whence
Christ ascended into heaven ; and further, near by is the place
called As Sahirah (the Plain), which, as I have been informed on
the authority of (the traditionist) Ibn *Abbas, will be the scene of
the resurrection. The ground is white, and blood has never been
spilt here. Now, the Wid! Jahannum runs from the south-east angle
JERUSALEM, 219
of the Haram Area to the furthest (northern) point (of the city),
and along the east side. In this valley there are gardens and vine-
yards, churches, caverns and cells of anchorites, tombs, and other
remarkable spots, also cultivated fields. In its midst stands the
church which covers the Sepulchre of Mary, and above, overlook-
ing the valley, are many tombs, among which are those of (the
Companions of the Prophet) Shaddad ibn Aus ibn Thabit and
'UbUdah ibn as Samit." (Muk., 171, 172.)
Nisir-i-Khusrau, who visited Jerusalem in 1047, is the first
Muslim writer to speak of the curious edifice in the Kedron
Valley, generally known as the Tomb of Absalom, which at
the present day the Muslims speak of as Tant(irah Fira'iin, or
Pharaoh's Cap. Nasir writes :
" The Aksa Mosque lies at the (south) east quarter of the city,
whereby the eastern city wall forms also the wall of the Haram
Area. When you have passed out of the Noble Sanctuary, there
lies before you a great level plain, called the Sahirah, which,
it is said, will be the place of the resurrection, where all mankind
shall be gathered together. For this reason men from all parts of
the world come hither, and make their sojourn in the Holy City
till death overtakes them, in order that when the day fixed by God
— be He praised and exalted I — shall arrive, they may thus lie in
their tombs ready and present at the appointed place. At the
border of this Plain (of the Sdhirah) there is a great cemetery,
where are many places of pious renown, whither men come to
pray and offer up petitions in their need. Lying between the
mosque and this plain of the Sdhirah is a great steep valley,
and down in this valley, which is like unto a fosse, are many
edifices, built after the fashion of ancient days. I saw here
a dome cut out in the stone, and it is set upon the summit of
a building. Nothing can be more curious than it is, and one asks
how it came to be placed in its present position. In the mouths
of the common people it goes by the appellation of Pharaoh's
House. The valley of which we are speaking is the Wadi
Jahannum. I inquired how this name came to be applied to the
place, and they told me that in the times of the Khalif 'Omar —
may Allah receive him in grace ! — the camp (of the Muslims, who
220 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
had come up to besiege Jerusalem) was pitched here on the plain
called the Sahirah, and that when 'Omar looked down and saw
this valley, he exclaimed : * Verily this is the Valley of Jahannum.*
The common people state that when you stand at the brink of the
valley you may hear the cries of those in hell, which come up
from below. I myself went there to listen, but heard nothing."
(N. Kh., 24-26.)
Ydkdt (in 1225) speaks of the plain called As Sihirah, at
Jerusalem, as the scene of the Resurrection and I^st Judgment,
but gives no identification of its position. (Yak., iii. 25 ;
Mar., ii. 6.)
Mujlr ad Din, in 1496, is the first to apply this name to the
plain immediately to the north of Jerusalem and icesf of the
Kedron Valley ; he, too, is the first to speak of the BSb as
Sahirah, in the city wall of the northern quarter. He writes of
the plain :
" As Sahirah (of old) was the plain which lies to the (north)
west of the Mount of Olives, not far from the Khalif 'Omar's
Place of Prayer. At the present day, however, the Plain of As
Sahirah is that which lies outside the Holy City immediately
to the north. There is here the burial-ground where the Muslims
(of all lands) bury their dead, and it occupies a high position
on the hillside, being called the Cemetery (Makbarah) of As
sahirah." (M. a. D., 412.)
TAe Pool of Siloam and the Well of Job. — In the lower part of
the Kedron Valley are found the 'Ain Sulwan (the Spring of Siloam)
and the Bir AyyOb (the Well of Job). Despite its Arab name of
^ Ain^ the Pool of Siloam is not, properly speaking, a spring, but
merely a tank fed by the aqueduct from the Virgin's Fount (called
'Ain Umm ad Daraj — the Fountain of the Steps), and having an
intermittent supply consequent on the intermittent flow of the
upper spring. It was on the wall of the tunnel connecting the
Pool of Siloam with the Virgin's Fount that, in 1880, the now
celebrated Siloam inscription was accidentally discovered by a
party of Jewish schoolboys.
The Bir Ayy^b, or Job's Well, which the Christians, since the
sixteenth century, have been in the habit of calling the Well of
JERUSALEM, 221
Nehemiah, is probably En Rogel — the Fuller's Spring -mentioned,
in the Book of Joshua (xv. 7), as standing on the boundary-line
between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
Of these two fountains of water, Mukaddasi, in 985, speaks as
follows : " The village of Sulwan is a place on the outskirts of the
city. Below the village is the 'Ain Sulwan (Spring of Siloam), of
fairly good water, which irrigates the large gardens which were
given in bequest ( IVakf) by the Khalif 'Oihman ibn *Affdn for
the poor of the city. Lower down than this, again, is Job's Well
(Blr Ayy(ib). It is said that on the Night of 'Arafat the water
of the holy well Zamzam, at Makkah, comes underground to the
water of the Spring (of Siloam). The people hold a festival here
on that evening." (Muk., 171.)
Nasir-i-Khusrau, in 1047, has the following entry in his Diarj :
** Going southward of the city for half a league, and down the
gorge (of the Wadi Jahannum), you come to a fountain of water
gushing out from the rock, which they call the 'Ain Sulwan (the
Spring of Siloam). There are all round the spring numerous
buildings ; and the water therefrom flows on down to a village,
where there are many houses and gardens. It is said that when
anyone washes from hea'd to foot in this water he obtains relief
from his pains, and will even recover from chronic maladies.
There are at this spring many buildings for charitable purposes,
richly endowed ; and the Holy City itself possesses an excellent
Bimdristan (or hospital), which is provided for by considerable
sums that were given for this purpose. Great numbers of (sick)
people are here served with i>otions and lotions ; for there are
physicians who receive a fixed stipend, and attend at the
Bimaristan." (N. Kh., 26.)
*Ali of Herat, in 1173, writes of the 'Ain Sulwan that "its
waters are like those of the Well Zamzam (at Makkah). They
flow from under the Dome of the Rock, and appear in the
Wadi (Jahannum) which is beside the city." (.A.. H., Oxf. MS.,
f. 39. V.)
YakQt, writing in 1225, quotes Mukaddasi's account already
given, and adds that in his day there was a considerable suburb
of the city at Sulwan and gardens. (Yak., iii. 125, 761.) The
222 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
author of the Marcisid^ who wrote about the year 1300, states
that at his date the gardens had all disappeared, that the water
of Sulwan was no longer sweet, and that the buildings were all in
ruin. (\far., ii. 296.)
Of the Well of Job, SuyOti quotes a curious account taken from
an older author. He writes : " The author of the Kit&b al Uns
gives the following account of the well, which goes by the name
of the prophet Job. He says : I have r^ad a paper in the hand-
writing of my cousin, Abu Muhammad al Kisim — who gave me
permission to make use thereof — which states that he read in a
certain book of history how once the water ran scarce among the
people of the Holy City, and in their need they went to a well in
the neighbourhood, which they descended to a depth of 80 ells.
At its mouth the well was 10 or more ells, by 4 ells across ; and
its sides were lined with masonry of large stones, some of which
might measure even 5 ells, but most of those in the depth of the
well were i or 2 ells only in length. A wonder was it how these
stones had been set in their places. The water of the well was
cold and wholesome to drink, and the people used thereof during
all that year, getting it at a depth of 80 ells. When the winter
came, the water rose more abundantly in the well, till it overflowed
the brink, and ran over the ground in the bed of the Wad!, and
turned mills for grinding flour. Now once (says Abu Muhammad),
when there was scarcity of this water, and of that, too, in the 'Ain
Sulwin, I descended with some workmen to the bottom of the
well to dig there, and I saw the water flowing out from under a
rock, the breadth of which was 2 ells, by the like in height ; and
there was a cavern, the entrance of which was 3 ells high, by i \
ells across. From this cavern there rushed out an extremely cold
wind, which nearly made the lights go out ; and I perceived that
the roof of the cavern was lined with masonry. On entering a
short distance within the cavern, the torches could not be kept
alight, by reason of the force of the wind which blew therefrom.
This well is in the bed of the Wadi, and the cave is in its bed,
too ; and above and all around are high steep hills, which a man
cannot climb, except with much fatigue. This, also, is the well
of which Allah spake to His prophet Job (in the Kurin,
JERUSALEM, 223
xxxviii. 41), saying, ^ Stamp y said we, ^ with thy foot This
{fountain) is to wash with; cool and to drink.^ And so the
account of Abu Muhammad al Kdsim ends." (S., 273.)
The overflowing of the waters of Job's Well is a matter of
almost yearly occurrence, as is here stated, and possibly there
may be some underground channel connecting it with a reserVoir
of water in the upper part of the Gorge of the Kedron.
The Cavern of Korah. — Among the marvels of Jerusalem,
Mukaddasi mentions a great cavern which in his day was ap-
parently connected in the popular tradition with the history of
Korah and his companions in rebellion, of whom mention occurs
in the Kuran (xxviii. 76-81) under the name of Orun. Mukad-
dasi writes :
" There is at Jerusalem, without the city, a huge cavern. Ac-
cording to what I have heard from learned men, and also have
read in books, an entrance here leads into the place where lie the
people slain by Moses. But there is no surety in this ; for ap-
parently it is but a stone quarry with passages leading therefrom,
along which one may go with torches." (Muk., 185.)
CHAPTER VI.
DAMASCUS,
Description by Mukaddasi in 985 a.d. — The Great Mosque — Mosaics — City
Gates— Other accounts — The rivers of Damascus —Villages round the
City — The Ghautah or Plain, of Damascus— The various water-courses —
The Hill of Jesus — Ibn Jubair's description of the City and Mosque in
1184 — The ascent of the Great Dome — The two descriptions of the
Clepsydra — Ibn Batutah's description in 1355— Shrines — Suburbs —
Traditions — Burning of the Mosque by Timur.
Damascus, called in Arabic Dimishky or Dimashk^ is probably the
most ancient city of Syria, having kept its name unchanged through
all ages. Damascus fell into the hands of the invading Muslims
in the year 635, almost immediately after the great battle on the
YarmOk, or Hieromax River in the Hauran (see p. 54), which
sealed the fate of Byzantine dominion in Syria. The Khalif Omar
had named Abu 'Ubaidah commander-in-chief of the Arab army,
and, at the siege of Damascus, he took up his jx)sition before
the western city gate, leaving Khalid, the victor on the YarmQk,
commander of the troops before the eastern gate. Khilid stormed
the quarter of the city near which he lay encamped, but on entering
the town, found that the Damascenes had already capitulated
to Abu 'Ubaidah, who was peaceably taking possession of the
western quarter. The city, therefore, was treated as one that had
in part capitulated, and in part been taken by storm ; and in con-
sequence, during the first few years of the Arab dominion, the
eastern part of the great Church of St. John was left to the
Christians, while the Muslims turned the western half into a
mosque, both Christians and Muslims, it is said, entering their
respective places of worship by the same gate.
DAMASCUS. 225
About the year 66 1 Damascus was made the seat of Government
by the Khalif Mu'dwiyah, the founder of the dynasty of Omayyah,
and, under his fourth successor, Al VValid, the Great Mosque
was built on the ruins of the Church of St. John, which in its turn
had been raised on what had originally been the site of a heathen
temple. Damascus remained the capital of the Muslim Empire
till 750, when the Omayyad Dynasty was overthrown by the
Abbasides, who before the end of this century founded Baghdad,
and transferred the capital city of Islam from Syria to Mesopo-
tamia and the banks of the Tigris. By the absence of the
Khalif and his Court, Damascus must have lost much of its
splendour. The Great Mosque, however, still remained in all
its glory, and this is well described in the following passages,
which are translated from Mukaddasi*s work :
" Damascus is the chief town of Syria, and was the capital of
the sovereigns of the House of Omayyah. Here were their
palaces and their monuments, their edifices in wood and in brick.
The rampart round the city, which I saw when I was there, is
built of mud- bricks. Most of the markets are roofed in, but there
is one among them, a fine one, which is open, running the whole
length of the town. Damascus is a city intersected by streams
and begirt with trees. Here prices are moderate, fruits and snow
abound, and the products of both hot and cold climes are found.
Nowhere else will be seen such magnificent hot baths, nor such
beautiful fountains, nor people more worthy of consideration.
" The city is in itself a very pleasant place, but of its disadvan-
tages are, that the climate is scorching and the inhabitants are
turbulent. Fruit here is insipid, and meat hard ; also the houses
are small, and the streets sombre. Finally, the bread there is
bad, and a livelihood is difficult to make. Around the city, for
the distance of half a league in every direction, there stretches the
level Plain (of the Ghutah). In a certain book that I found in the
library of 'Adud ad Daulah, it is said that there are two cities,
which are the brides of the earth — namely, Damascus and Ar Ray
( Rhages) ; and Yahya ibn Aktham states that there are in the
world three places of perfect delight — namely, the Vale of Samar-
kand, the (GhQtah) of Damascus, and the Canal of Ubullah (below
'5
226 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
REFERENCES TO THE PLAN OF THE GREAT OMAYYAD
MOSQUE AT DAMASCUS.
A. B4b al Barid, Gate of the Post.
B. B&b Jairdn, also called Bab as Sa'&t by Ibn Batdtah.
C. Gate called at the present day B&b az Ziyftdah, Gate of the Addition ; or
B&b as Surmayatiyyah, Gate of the Shoemaker's Bazaar. By Mukaddasi
(985) named BAb as SA'At, Gate of the Hours.
D. Gate called at the present day Bab al 'Amarah ; called B&b al Far&dis, the
Gale of the Gardens, by Mukaddasi and Idrfsl ; and Bftb an NAtiB37tn,
Gate of the Confectioners, by Ibn Jubair, or BAb an N&tifftniyy!n.
E. M&dhanat al Gharbiyyah, the Western Minaret.
F. M&dhanat 'IsA, Minaret of Jesus ; or the While Minaret.
G. M&dhanat al 'Ar{is, the Minaret of the Bride.
H. The Great Mihryb, near which is the ancient gateway, now closed, sur-
mounted by the Greek inscription, and which opened into the Church of
St. John.
I. The great Dome of Lead, or Dome of the Eagle.
J. Shrine said to contain John the Baptist's head.
K. Dome of the Treasury, at one time called the Dome, or the Tomb of
A
'Ayishah.
L. Dome of the Fountain, or the Water-cage.
M. Dome of the Hours, or the Dome of Zain al 'Abidin.
*"*r * ,■ f ■' '"'
DAMASCUS. 227
Baghdad). Damascus was founded by Dimask, the son of Kini,
the son of Milik, the son of Arfakhshad (Arphaxad), the son of
Sam (Shem), five years before the birth of Abraham ; Al Asmal,
however, asserts that its name is to be derived from the word
Dimashkfiha, meaning * they hastened to its building.' Such as I
know myself among its gates are : Bab al Jibiyah, Bib as Saghir
(the Small Gate), Bib al Kab!r (the Great Gate), Bib ash Shark!
(the Eastern Gate), Bib Tflmi (the Gate of St. Thomas), Bib an
Nahr (the Gate of the River), and Bib al Muhimaliyyin (the Gate
of those who make Camel-litters).
"The Mosque of Damascus is the fairest of any that the
Muslims now hold, and nowhere is there collected together greater
magnificence. Its outer walls are built of squared stones, accurately
set, and of large size ; and crowning the walls are splendid battle-
ments. The columns supporting the roof of the Mosque consist
of black polished pillars in a triple row, and set widely apart. In
the centre of the building, over the space fronting the Mihrib
(towards Makkah), is a great dome. Round the court are lofty
colonnades, above which are arched windows, and the whole area
is paved with white marble. The (inner) walls of the Mosque, for
twice the height of a man, are faced with* variegated marbles ; and,
above this, even to the very ceiling, are mosaics of various colours
and in gold, showing figures of trees and towns and beautiful
inscriptions, all most exquisitely and finely worked. And rare are
the trees, and few the well-known towns, that will not be found
figured on these walls ! The capitals of the columns are covered
with gold, and the vaulting above the arcades is everywhere orna-
mented in mosaic. The columns round the court are all of white
marble, while the walls that enclose it, the vaulted arcades, and
the arched windows above, are adorned in mosaic with arabesque
designs. The roofs are everywhere overlaid with plates of lead, and
the battlements on both sides are faced with the mosaic work.
"On the right (or western) side* of the court is the treasure-
house (Bait Mil) raised on eight columns, finely ornamented, and
the walls are covered with mosaic. Both within the Mihrib, and
around it, are set cut-agates and turquoises of the size of the finest
* The visitor is supposed to stand facing the Great Mihrftb, H.
15—2
228 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Stones that are used in rings. Beside the (great) Mihrab, and to
the left (east) of it, there is another, which is for the special use of
the Sultan. It was formerly much dilapidated ; but I hear now
that he has expended thereon five hundred Dinars (;^25o) to
restore the same to its former condition. On the summit of the
Dome of the Mosque is an orange, and above it a pomegranate,
both in gold. But of the most wonderful of the sights here worthy
of remark is verily the setting of the various coloured marbles, and
how the veining in each follows from that of its neighbour ; and it
is such that, should an artist come daily during a whole year and
stand before these mosaics, he might always discover some new
pattern and some fresh design. It is said that the Khalif al Wal!d,
» in order to construct these mosaics, brought skilled workmen from
Persia, India, Western Africa, and Byzantium, spending thereon
the whole revenues of Syria for seven years, as well as eighteen
shiploads of gold and silver, which came from Cyprus. And this
does not include what the Emperor of Byzantium and the Amirs
of the Muslims gave to him in the matter of precious stones and
other materials for the mosaics.
"The people enter the Mosque by four gates — namely. Bib
Jairiin, Bab al Faradis, Bab al Band, and Bab as Sa'it. Bab al
Barid (the Gate of the Post) opens into the right-hand (or west
side of the court). It is of great size, and has two smaller gate-
ways to right and to left of it. The chief gateway and the two
lesser ones have each of them double doors, which are covered
with plates of gilded copper. Over the great and the two smaller
gateways are the porticos, and the doors open into the long colon-
nades going round the court, which are vaulted over, the arches of
the vault resting on marble columns, while the walls are covered
(with mosaics) after the manner that has already been described.
The ceilings here are all painted after the most exquisite designs.
In these colonnades is the place of the paper-sellers, and also the
court of the Kddi's (or Judge's) lieutenant. Thus the Gate Al Barid
opens between the main-building (the covered part of the Mosque)
and the court. Opposite to it, and on the left-hand side (or east),
is the Bab JairQn, which is similar to the Gate Al Barid just
described, only that its porticos are vaulted over in the breadth.
DAMASCUS, 229
To this gate you ascend by steps, on which the astrologers and
other such people are wont to take their seat. Bib as Sa'at (the
Gate of the Hours) is in the eastern* angle of the covered part (of
the Mosque). It has double doors, which are unomamented, and
over it is a portico, under which the public notaries and the like
take their seat. The fourth gate is called B4b al Faridis (the
Gate of the Gardens), also with double doors. It is opposite the
Mihrib, and opens into the colonnades (on the north side of the
courtyard), between the two additions {Az Ziyddatain) which have
been built here on the right and the left. Above it rises a minaret.
This has recently been constructed (or repaired), and is ornamented
(with mosaic work) in the manner already described. Before each
of these four gates is a place for ablution, of marble, provided
with cells, wherein is running water, and fountains which flow into
great marble basins. In the Mosque is a channel which they open
once every year, and from it water gushes out, flooding the whole
floor of the Mosque to about an ell deep, and its walls and area
are thus cleansed. Then they open another conduit, and through
it the water runs off. From the Sultan's palace, which is behind
the Mosque, and is called Al Khadra (the Green Palace), are
gates leading into the MaksOrah (which is the Sultan's place of
prayer), and these are plated with gold.
"The Omayyad Khalif 'Omar ibn 'Abd al Aziz, it is said,
wished at one time to demolish the Mosque, and make use of its
materials in the public works of the Muslims ; but he was at last
persuaded to abandon the design. I have read in some book
that there was expended on this Mosque the value of eighteen
mule-loads of gold." (Muk., 156-160. The order of the para-
graphs in our translation has, in some instances, been transposed.)
In regard to the mosaic work, some fragments of which may
still be seen at the present day on the walls of the Mosque, the
following note, written on the margin of one of the MSS. of
Mukaddasi, is worth translating :
** Mosaic is composed of morsels of glass, such as are used for
the standard coin-weights ; but they are yellow in colour, or gray,
black, red, and mottled, or else gilt, by laying gold on the surface,
* Probably a inistAkt for '* western."
230 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
which is then covered by a thin sheet of glass. They prepare
plaster with Arabian gum, and lay it over the walls ; and this they
ornament with the mosaics, which are set so as to form figures
and inscriptions. In some cases they cover the whole surface
with the gold-mosaic, so that all the wall seems as though it were
built of nothing but pure gold." Mosaic is called in Arabic
Fashfashah or Fusaifusd^ a corruption of the Greek -vj/^^o; ; for
the Muslims were in this, as in many other arts, the pupils of the
Byzantines, and borrowed their technical terms from the Greek.
The two main gates of the Mosque — Bab Jairiin, opening east ;
and B4b al Bartd, opening west — bear the same names now that they
did in the earliest days of Islam. But there is some confusion in
the names of Mukaddasi's two last-mentioned gates — that is, Bab as
Si'it and Bib al P'aridis. The plan of the Mosque, given by the
Rev. J. L. Porter in the first edition of Fk^e Years in Damascus
(London, 1855), is here reproduced. There is no gate opening
at the present day into "M/r easiem^^ angle of the Mosque. In the
western portion of the south wall is the gale for which A. von
Kremer (Topography of Damascus, in vol. v. of the Zeitschrift
Acad, fViss.y Wien, 1854) gives three names — viz., Bab as
Surmayatiyyah (of the Shoemaker's Bazaar), or Az Ziysldah (of
the Addition), or As Sa'it (of the Hours). Bab az Ziyidah is
the name by which this gate is generally known at present This
cannot be the gate which Mukaddasi calls Bab al Faradis, for
that, he says, lies "opposite the Mihrab," and opens into the
colonnades through the recent additions {Ziyadatain), although it
must be confessed that this last word recalls the name of the
present Bab az Ziyadah (Gate of the Addition). Mukaddasi's
Bib al Faradis, however, from its position, must be the modem
Bib al 'Amirah, which opens north, and is immediately east of
the present Midhanat al 'Ariis (the Minaret of the Bride). This
last would, therefore, be the recently-constructed minaret of
Mukaddasi ; but that here, again, is a doubt, for this is the most
ancient minaret of the Mosque, having been built by the Omayyad
Khalif al Walid. Perhaps, however, for "constructed" we should
understand " restored," and the Arabic may bear this interpreta-
tion. Mukaddasi's Bab al Faridis (Gate of the Gardens), which
DAMASCUS, ajl
were on the Barada River to the north, is further identical vdth
the B4b an Natifiyyin (Gate of the Confectioners) mentioned by
Ibn Jubair (see below, p. 252), by whom, also, the south gate
(Mukaddasi's Bkh as Sa'at) is invariably spoken of as the Bab az
Ziyddah. The gates leading from the Mosque to Mu*awiyah*s
Palace of the Khadra would appear to have opened through the
original south door of the Church of St. John, long since closed,
but over the lintel of which may be read to the present day the
well-known inscription in Greek : * T/iy kingdom^ O Christy is an
everlasting kingdom^ and Thy dominion endureth throughout all
generations,^* This was, doubtless, the gate of entrance used by
Muslims and Christians alike, till the time of Al Walid's rebuilding
of the Mosque.
The city gates, seven in number, enumerated by Mukaddasi,
may, for the most part, be easily identified. Bib Jdbiyah, called
from the suburb of that name, is al the western end of the
" Straight Street," at the eastern end of which is Bab ash Sharki,
the East Gate. During the siege of Damascus, according to
Biladhuri, Khalid lay before this East Gate, while Abu 'Ubaidah's
camp was at the Bab Jdbiyah. (Bil., 121,) Bab as Saghir, the
Small Gate, lies at the south-western angle of the city wall. At the
present day the name is generally corrupted into Bab ash Shaghtir,
from the suburb of the name lying near it. Mukaddasi's B4b al
Kablr, the Great Gate, is, presumably, what is otherwise called, in
both ancient and modem days, Bab Kaisan. It opens at the
south-eastern angle of the city wall. Between B5b Kaisin and
Bab as Saghir, says Biladhuri, lay the army under Yazid ibn Abi
Sufiyan during the great siege. After passing B4b ash Sharki, Bib
Tiima (Gate of St. Thomas) is at the north-east angle ; and here,
during the siege, were the troops under the Arab general 'Amr
ibn al 'As, in later years the conqueror of Egypt. Bib an Nahr
(the River Gate) must have opened on the Baradi, and is probably
the Bab al Faradis, mentioned by Biladhuri as the site of Shurah-
bil's camp at the siege. It opens immediately to the north of the
Great Mosque. Bib al Mahimaliyyin, the Gate of the Camel
Litter-makers, is probably the Bib al Faraj mentioned by Ibn
* Psalm cxlv. 13. The words *0 Christ * being interpolated.
232 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Jubair (see below, p. 254), or else the modem B4b al Had5d,
which, in Ibn Jubair's days, was called Bib an Nasr. Bib as
Salim, or As Salamah, the Gate of Safety, which is first mentioned
by Idrisi (see below, p. 239), opens on the river, in the north
wall, between the Bab TQmi and the Bab al Faradis.
During the century preceding Mukaddasi, we have several short
notices of Damascus. One of the earliest is found in the Road
Book of Ibn Khurdadbih, who wrote in 864. According to his
view " Damascus is (the fabled city of) I ram of the Columns
{/rdm dJidt al \4fnftd\ The city is said to have been in existence
before the days of Noah — peace be on him ! — and it was from
Jabal Lubnan (the Lebanon) that Noah set forth in the ark,
which came to rest again on Mount Al JCidi in the Kurd country.
When the children of Noah had multiplied, they abandoned the
caves {Sardah) made by King NimrOd ibn Kush, who was the
first of the kings in the earth ; and he reigned over the Jews, who
are the People of the Law." (L Kh., 71.)
Wk{ibi, in 891, writes :
" Damascus is the capital of Syria. Its river is the Baradi.
Abu Ubaidah, in the year 14 (635), gained possession of the city
by capitulation, entering by the Bab al Jabiyah ; while Khilid
stormed the Bab ash Sharki. Damascus was the seat of the
ancient Ghassanide kings. It contains also relics of the Jafnide
princes. It was the capital of the Omayyads ; and (the (ireen
Palace called) Al Khadra of Mu'iwiyah, which was the seat of
his Government, is here. The Mosque, the finest in Islam, was
built by the Khalif al Walid " (Yb, 113.)
In the epitome of Ibn al Fakih, the following notes are found
on Damascus. The tenor of them has been copied by many
subsequent writers :
" Damascus has six gates ; these are: Bdb al Jabiyah, Bab as
Saghir, Bab Kaisin, Bib ash Sharki, Bab TOma, and Bib al Faridis.
All these existed from the days of the Greeks. When the Khalif
al Walid had the intention of rebuilding the Mosque at Damascus,
he sent for the Christians of Damascus, and said to them : * We
purpose to add your church to our Mosque ; but we will give you
a place for a church elsewhere, and wheresoever you will.'
DAMASCUS. 233
" And the Christians sought to turn him from it, saying :
* Verily it is written in our books that he who shall destroy this
church shall choke to death.'
" But Al Walfd cried out : * Verily I will be the first to destroy
it.' So he went up into the church, and there was a yellow dome
there, and this he destroyed with his own hand. And the people
pulled down other portions, as he set the example. After this he
increased the size of the Mosque by the double. When the
church had thus been destroyed, the King of Riim (Byzantium)
wrote to the Khalif, saying : * Verily thou hast destroyed the
church which thy father did purpose to preserve. Now, if thou
didst right, thy father then did wrong ; and even if he did wrong,
was it for thee to set thyself in opposition to him ?'
" Al Walid did not know what to answer, but took counsel
of the people, and sent to A I 'Irak even for advice in the matter.
And the poet, Al Farazdak, said to him : * O, Commander
of the Faithful, answer in the words of Allah — be He exalted and
glorified ! — An^f (remember) David and Solomon^ when they gave
judgment concerning a field when some people's sheep had caused
a waste therein : and We were loi/nesses of their judgment. And
We gave Solomon insight into the affair ; and oh both of them We
bestmved wisdom and knowleds^eJ (Kurdn, xxi. 78, 79.) So
Al Walid wrote to the King of R{im this verse for an answer,
and received no reply.
" Al Walid spent on the building of the Mosque at Damascus
the land-tax {K ha raj) of the Empire during seven years. He
finished the building thereof in the space of eight years. The ac-
counts of the expenditure were brought in to him on the backs of
eighteen camels, but he ordered them all to be burnt. There is pray-
ing space for twenty thousand men in this Mosque, and there are six
hundred golden chains for suspending the lamps. Of Zaid ibn
Wjlkid, it is related that the Khalif al Walid made him overseer
for the building of the Mosque at Damascus, and he discovered
there a cave, the fact of which was made known to Al ^^'alid. By
night the Khalif descended thereinto, and, behold, it was a beautiful
chapel, 3 ells long, by the like across, and within lay a chest,
inside of which was a basket, on which was written : This is the
234 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Head of John ^ the son of Zacharias. And after they had examined
it, Al Walid commanded that it should be placed under a certain
pillar in the Mosque that he indicated. So it was placed beneath
this pillar, which is now inlaid with marble, and it is the fourth of
those on the eastern side, and is known as 'Am{id as Sakasik, the
Pillar of Humility. At the time the head was laid here, 2^id,
aforesaid, states that he saw the same, and that the hair and flesh
thereon had nowise suffered decay.
"The Minarets {Maidhanah) which are in the Damascus Mosque
were originally watch-towers in the Greek days, and belonged to
the Church of John. When Al Walid destroyed this church, and
turned the whole Area into a Mosque, he left these in their old
condition. He who was afterwards the Khalif Mu'awiyah built the
Khadra (Palace) in Damascus during the Khalifate of 'Othman, and
while he himself was Governor of Syria." (I. F., 106-108.)
From Mas'iidi's great historical work, entitled 'J he Meadows
of Gold^ written in the year 943 a.d., some interesting notes on
Damascus are to be gleaned :
"The Khalif Mu'awiyah lies buried at the gate called Bab as
Saghir ; this tomb is still, in the present year, 332 a.h., much
visited. Over it stands a building, which is opened every Monday
and Thursday." (Mas., v. 14.)
" In the year 87 (706) the Khalif al Walid began the construction
of the Great Mosque at Damascus. When he had begun to
build, they found in the court of the Mosque a tablet of stone, on
which was an inscription in Greek, which none of the learned
could read, till it was sent to Wahb ibn Munabbih, who pronounced
that it had been written in the days of Solomon, the son of David;
and Wahb read it. The Khalif al Walid gave orders to set an
inscription in gold on lapis lazuli in the court of the Mosque, and
it ran as follows : Allah is our Lord, and we worship none but
Allah, The servant of Allah, A I J Valid, the Commander of the
Faithful, hath ordered the building of this Mosque, and the destruc-
tion of the church which was here in former days. Set up in Dhu4-
Hijjah of the year ^1,'*' These words, written in gold, may be seen
* Not a trace of this inscription is to be seen at the present day. Con-
cerning Wahb ibn Munabbih, see p. 142.
DAMASCUS, 235
in the Mosque of Damascus in these our own days, in the year
332 A.H." (Mas., V. 361.)
Concerning Jair^in, after whom the eastern gate of the Mosque
is named, Mas'Odi supplies the following information :
"Jairiin was the son of Sa'ad, son of 'Ad, and he came to
Damascus, and made it his capital. He transported thither a
great number of columns of marble and alabaster, and constructed
thereof a lordly edifice, which he called /ram dhat al ^AmM^ or
Iram of the Columns. In our own days, in the year 332 a.h., this
same edifice is to be seen in one of the markets at the Gate of the
Great Mosque, called Bib JairCin. This Palace of JairCin was
a wondrous building. Its gates were of brass. Part of it
remains as it was, and part is incorporated in the Mosque."
(Mas., iii. 271.)
The geographer Istakhri, whose work was re-edited by Ibn
Haukal in 978, gives the following account of Damascus. Ibn
Haukal's work, it will be noted, is almost contemporaneous with
the long description already quoted from Mukaddasi :
" Damascus (Dimishk) is the name of the province ; and its
capital, called by the same name, is the most glorious of the cities
of Syria. It lies in an extensive plain, with mountains round it,
and water in plenty is on every hand. Trees and fields are
continuous on all sides. This plain is called the Ghiitah ; it
extends a march across, by two marches in length, and nowhere in
all Syria is there a more delightful place. The waters of Damascus
take their rise at a spot under a church, known by the name of Al
Fijah, to which place also descends the stream from 'Ain Baradi
in Jabal Sanir. And all along its banks are numerous springs.
The spring of water at Fijah is an ell deep, by a fathom across.
Below this spot there branches off a great canal, which the Khalif
Yazid, son of Mu'dwiyah, had dug. This is so deep that a man
may plunge into its waters. Below this, again, there branch off
(the two canals of) the Nahr al Mizzah and the Nahr al Kanit (or
Kanawat). The main stream leaves the gorges at a place called
An Nirab. This is said to be the place alluded to in the words
of the Kurin (xxiii. 52): *And we prepared for both (Mary
and her Son) an abode in a lofty hill, quiet, and watered with
^36 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
springs.' Below this gorge is the main stream of the Baradi
river. In the middle of the city of Damascus a bridge crosses the
river, for the stream is very broad, and so deep that a rider cannot
ford it. Below the city, again, the river waters all the villages
of the GhQtah. But from above, the water is conducted into all
the houses and streets and baths of the city.
" Now, as to the Mosque at Damascus, there is none to equal it
in all Islam, and on none other has so much been spent. The
walls and the dome, which is above the Mihrab near the MaksQrah,
were built by the ancient Sabaeans, for this was their place of
worship. After them it came into the hands of the Greeks, and
they also held their worship there. From them it passed to the
Jews, and the kings who were idolaters. In their day was slain
John, the son of 2^charias, and they set up his head above the
Gate of the Mosque, which is called the Bab Jairiin. And after this
the Christians conquered the city, and in their hands it became a
church, wherein they were wont to worship. Now, when Islam
came, and the place passed into the power of the Muslims, they
turned it into a mosque, and over the Gate JairQn was set the
head of Al Husain ibn 'Ali (grandson of the Prophet), in the very
place where had been set the head of John the son of Zacharias
of old. When it came to the days of the Khalif al Walid, the son
of 'Abd al Malik, he built (the Mosque), laying down the pave-
ment in marbles, facing the walls with variegated marble, and
setting up marble pillars of various colours ; and the keystones (of
the arches) and the capitals of the columns he overlaid ^^ith gold.
The Mihrab also was gilt everywhere, and set with precious stones,
while the ceiling was of wooden beams likewise gilt All round
the ceiling ran an inscription on a gold background, and this con-
tinued round all the four walls of the Mosque.
"It is said that there was spent on this Mosque the whole
revenue of Syria for two (five or seven)* years. The roof of the
Mosque is of leaden plates. When they wish to cleanse the
Mosque they let in water, which flows over the whole of the floor,
and before it is drawn off* it has spread out into all the comers,
for the area is perfectly level In the time of the Omayyads, the
Kharaj (or revenue from the land-tax) of Syria was 1,200,000
♦ Other MSS.
DAMASCUS. 237
Dinars (another MS. gives the amount as 1,800,000 Dinars —
^600,000 or ;^90o,ooo). The violent and insurgent ways of the
Damascenes are owing to the influence of their Star, which is the
sign of I-^o, and it has this effect when in the ascendant. The
Damascenes are always revolting against their governors, and they
are treacherous by nature. Leo in the ascendant is also the Star
of Samarkand, Ardabil, Makkah, and Palermo." (Is., 59, 60;
I. H., 114-116, and copied in part by A. F., 230.)
Idrisi, writing in 1 1 54 from the accounts he obtained of home-
coming travellers, or read in books — for, as above noticed (p. 7), it
would not appear that he had ever himself travelled in Syria —
gives a most glowing account of Damascus and the great plain in
which the city lies. He writes :
" Damascus is the most beautiful city of Syria, the finest in
situation, the most temperate in climate, the most hurnid in soil,
having the greatest variety of fruits, and the utmost abundance of
vegetables. The greater part of the land here is fruitful, and the
most portion rich. Everywhere is seen the plain country, and the
houses are high built. Damascus has hills and fields, which last are
(in a plain) called the Ghautah (or CihQtah). The Ghautah is two
marches long, with a breadth of one march ; and in it are farmsteads
that resemble towns ; such are Al Mizzah, Dirayi, Barzah, Harasti,
Kaukaba, Balas, Kafar SCisiyyah, and Bait Ilahiyd, in which last is
a mosque nearly as large as that of Damascus. From the western
gate of Damascus goes the Wadi al Banafsaj, the Valley of Violets,
the length of which is 12 miles, and the breadth 3 miles. It is
everywhere planted with various sorts of fruit-trees. Five streams
run through it, and in every one of its domains are from one to
two thousand inhabitants. The Ghautah, too, is covered with
trees and crossed by rivers, and its waters ramify and spread into
all its orchards and farms. There are grown here all sorts of
fruits, so that the mind cannot conceive the variety, nor can any
comparison show what is the fruitfulness and excellence thereof,
for Damascus is the most delightful of all God's cities in the whole
world. The waters of the Ghautah come down in part from 'Ain
al Fijah, which is a spring up in the mountains. The waters
burst out high in the mountain-flank like a great river, making a
frightful noise and a great rushing, which you may hear from afar.
238 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
The water floA^-s down from hence to the village of Abil, and from
here attains the city. But before it comes to the city there branch
off from it many well-known canals, such as the Nahr Yazid, Nahr
Thaurah, Nahr Barada, Nahr Kanit al Mizzah, Nahr Binas, Nahr
Sakt, Nahr YashkOr, and Nahr *Adiyah. The water of the river
of Damascus is not used for drinking purposes, for into its stream
open the conduits that carry away the filth of the city, and the
pipes from the wash-houses and the smaller waterways. The
water of the river ramifies through all the city, and over its main
stream is a bridge which the people cross, as likewise is the case
by the other canals we have mentioned. From the riverside go
the markets, and water is conducted to all parts of the city, entering
the houses and the baths and the markets and the gardens.
" In Damascus there is the Mosque, the like of which building
exists in no other place of the earth, nor is any more beautiful in
proportion, nor any more solidly constructed, nor any more
securely vaulted, nor any more wonderfully planned, nor any
more admirably decorated with all varieties of gold mosaic work,
and enamelled tiles, and polished marble. The Mosque stands in
a quarter of the city called Al Mizib. He who approaches it by
the side of the Bab JairOn ascends thereto by large and broad
steps of marble some thirty in number, while whoso would enter
the Mosque from the side of the Bab al Band, or from the Khadra
passage-way, or from the Kasr (Castle), or from the Golden Stone
(I/a/ar adk Dhahab\ or the Bab al Faradis, enters on the level of
the ground and ascends no steps. There are in the Mosque many
remains of past ages, such as the walls, and the dome, which is
above the Mihrdb near the MaksQrah. They say that this dome
was built by the Sabaeans, it having been their place of prayer ;
after whom it passed into the hands of the Greeks, who celebrated
therein the rites of their religion ; and after them it passed to
certain kings who were idolaters, and then it served as a house for
their idols. It then passed to the Jews, and in their days John,
the son of Zachariah, was put to death, and his head was placed
above the Gate of the Mosque, called the Bab Jairfin. Next the
Christians took the city, and, entering into possession, in their
hands the edifice became a church, wherein they performed their
services. I-^stly came Islam, conquering the city, and the Muslims
DAMASCUS, 239
turned it into a Jami' Mosque. Now, when it came to the days of
the Khalif al Walid, the son of 'Abd al Malik, of the House of
Omayyah, he built the Mosque, and laid the floor in marble, and
gilded the arches and the capitals, and erected a golden Mihrib
(or niche), and set into all the walls jewels of various kinds. And
all under the ceiling ran an inscription, which went round the four
walls of the Mosque, of most beautiful workmanship and most
elegant characters. It is said that this Khalif covered the outer roof
with plates of lead, firmly joined together, and of most durable
construction. Water was brought into (the Mosque) through
conduits of lead, and when it was necessary to cleanse the
Mosque, they opened the water-pipes, and in a most convenient
manner flooded the whole of the Mosque court. They say that
the Khalif al Walid, aforementioned, expended on the construction
of the Jami' Mosque the revenues of Syria for two whole years.
" Damascus has been rebuilt since the days of Islam. In
ancient times there stood on the place it now occupies a town
called Al Jabiyah. This was in the days of ignorance (before
Islam), and Damascus was subsequently built in its place. The
city has various gates ; among others, Bab al Jabiyah. Before this
gate there are lands that are everywhere built over with houses, for
a distance of some 6 miles in the length, and 3 miles in the
breadth, and the whole of this space is covered with trees and
houses, among which meander streams of water. Of other gates
are Bab TCima (Gate of St. Thomas), Bab as Salimah, Bib al
Faradis — over against which last is the convent known as Dair
Murran — and lastly, Bab as Saghh.
** The City of Damascus contains all manner of good things,
and streets of various craftsmen, with (merchants selling) all sorts of
silk and brocade of exquisite rarity and wonderful workmanship —
all this, such that the like exists nowhere else. That which they
make here is carried into all cities, and borne in ships to all
quarters, and all capital towns both far and near. The manu-
facture of the Damascus brocade is a wonderful art. It some-
what resembles the best of the brocades of the Greeks, and is like
to the cloths of Dastawa (in Persia), and rivals the work of Ispahan,
being preferred for workmanship to the broideries of Nishipur
for the beauty of the unvariegated raw-silk woof. Further, the
249 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Damascus work is better than the best of the (Egyptian) cloths
from Tinnis, and the embroideries of Damascus take the prize of
the most precious of stuffs, and of all beautiful things. You cannot
equal them in any sort, nor set to them their like.
** Within the City of Damascus there are many mills on the
streams, and the wheat ground there is of extremely good quality.
Also there are various kinds of fruits, which for sweetness you will
not find the like elsewhere ; and it would be impossible to describe
the abundance and the excellence and the lusciousness thereof.
The inhabitants of Damascus have most plentiful means of liveli-
hood, and all they require. The craftsmen of the city are in high
renown, and its merchandise is sought in all the markets of the
earth ; while the city itself is the most lovely of the cities of Syria
and the most perfect for beauty." (Id., 12-15.)
'Ali of Herat, who wrote in 11 73, mentions among the places
worthy of visitation at Damascus, the Hill (Ribwah), near Jabal al
Klsiyiin,* where Christ and the Virgin Mary dwelt ; also the
Cavern of Blood, where Cain slew Abel. AH this has been
copied into Yakiit (see below, p. 259). At a place called Mash-
had al Akdam, south of Damascus, is shown a sacred foot-
print, and near it the Tomb of Moses ; but this last, as 'Ali
remarks, is not authentic. In the court of the Damascus Mosque,
the small edifice known as the Treasury {Bat/ al Mdl) was
pointed out in his day as being the Tomb of 'Ayishah, the
Prophet's favourite wife. (A. H., Oxf. MS., ff. 16, 24.)
In the year 11 84 Damascus was visited by the Spanish Arab
Ibn Jubair. He has devoted a large section of his Diary to a
description of all the wonders of the city, which he duly visited
during his sojourn there. These he enumerates and describes in
the rhetorical style so much affected by the writers of this period.
A full translation of his Diary would be tedious and occupy too
much space ; and in the following rendering of the original Arabic,
while everything of interest has, it is hoped, been preserved, the
* The name of Jabal Kasiyun, the hill overhanging Damascus on the north-
west, is said to be a corruption of Mons Casitis. It should be noted, however,
that no classical geographer speaks of a Mons Castus in the neighbourhood of
Damascus.
DAMASCUS, 241
pompous phraseology has been considerably condensed. The
caravan with which Ibn Jubair travelled reached Damascus in
July, 1184 (Second Rabi' a.h. 580), and they stopped at a
place called Dar al Hadith, lying to the west of the Jarai* Mosque.
After speaking of the beautiful gardens, the excellent climate, and
other such matters which have caused the city to be called the
Bride of the Earth, Ibn Jubair notes that to the east extends the
plain of the Ghautah, green and beautiful to see, the whole country
round being a perfect Paradise of Earth. His description of the
Great Mosque is as follows :
"Of the wonders of the Jarai' Mosque of Damascus is that no-
spider spins his web there, and no bird of the swallow-kind
{Khuttaf) alights thereon. The Khalif al Walid was he who began
to build the Mosque. He applied to the King of the Greeks at
Constantinople to send him twelve thousand men of the artificers
of his country, at the same time threatening him with chastise-
ment if he delayed. But the King of the Greeks did as he was
commanded with all docility, and many embassies went from the
one Sovereign to the other, even as is related in the books of
history. Then the Khalif began, and brought to a close, the
building of the Mosque. And all its walls were overlaid with the
mosaic work called Al Fusai/uSih With this ornamentation they
depicted in varied colours all manner of objects, such as trees,
making the semblance of their branches hanging down, all worked
into a pattern. Also there were interlaced scrolls of mosaic,
whereon were depicted various novel and wonderful subjects most
astounding to behold ; so that, on account of the brilliancy and
splendour, those who came were fain to cover their eyes. The
sum expended on the building of the Mosque — ^according to the
authority of Ibn al Mughli al Asadi, in his work descriptive of
the building — was four hundred chests, each chest containing
28,000 Dinars, the sum total coming to 11,200,000 Dindrs.*
" It was the Khalif al Walid who took possession of that half
of the Mosque which was still in the hands of the Christians, and
threw the two portions into one. For in early days the building
* Above five and a half millions sterling. The figures are doubtlcio
imaginary, and some difierent readings occur in the MSS.
16
242 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
was divided into two portions — one half — and it was the eastern
— belonged to the Muslims, and the other half — namely, the
western — to the Christians. And this by reason that Abu
'Ubaidah ibn al Jarrih had (during the siege) entered the city on
the west quarter, and had reached the western side of the church,
and here had made a capitulation with the Christians; while, in
the meantime, Khdlid ibn al Walid had taken the eastern part of
the city by assault, and had from this side arrived at the eastern
wall of the church. The eastern portion (of the Church of St.
John) thus came by conquest into the hands of the Muslims, and
they had made of it a mosque ; but the western half, where the
treaty of capitulation had been granted, had remained to the
Christians, and was their church until the time when Al Walid
took it from them. He would have given them another church in
exchange ; but the Christians would not agree, and they made objec-
tion to the act of the Khalif, and forced him to take their church
from them by force, and he himself began the work of demolishing
the building. Now, it had been said that he who should pull
down this church would become mad ; but, none the less, Al
Walid made haste to begin, crying out, * Let me be mad ; yea,
mad in the work of God !' and so began to pull down the walls
with his own hands. Then the Muslims hastened to his aid, and
very soon the whole was demolished. Afterwards, during the
days of the Khalif 'Omar ibn *Abd al 'Aziz, the Christians laid
a petition before the Khalif on this matter, and they brought
forth the treaty which was in their hands, in which the Companions
(of the Prophet who were present at the siege) had agreed to
leave the western portion to them entirely. 'Omar would fain
have given the Mosque back to the Christians, but the Muslims
were of a mind to prevent him. So the Khalif gave the Christians
in exchange for their consent to its remaining to the Muslims a
great sum, and with this they went away content. It is said that
the first who raised the Kiblah wall at this spot was the Prophet
H(id— peace be on him ! — so, at least, says Ibn al Mughli. Ac-
cording to the authority of the traditionist Sufiyan ath Thiiri, one
prayer said in this Mosque is equivalent to thirty thousand prayers
said elsewhere.
DAMASCUS. 243
** We shall now proceed to enumerate the measurements of the
Mosque, and to give the number of gates and windows therein.
The measure of it in the length, from east to west, is 2co paces
{khatwah\ which is equivalent to 300 ells; and the measuie
thereof in the wndth, from the Kiblah to the middle (of the north
wall), is 135 paces, which is 200 ells. Its area in Maghribi
Marja's* is 24 Marja*s. And this is also the measurement of the
Prophet's Mosque (at Al Madinah) ; except that in this last the
length is in the direction from north to south, not east and west,,
as at Damascus. The aisles (balcitah) of the (Main-building of the)
Mosque adjoin the southern side of the court, and are three in
number, running from west to east. The breadth of each aisle is
18 paces — each pace counting as li ells — and the said aisles are
supix)rted on sixty-eight columns. Of these, fifty-four are pillars
(that stand alone), while eight, are pilasters of gypsum, and two
are built of marble, and are set into the wall which divides the
aisles from the court. The remaining four columns are made of
most exquisite marble set in with coloured stones in mosiac, each
stone of which might be coveted as a ring-stone. Some of the
Mihrabs (prayer-niches), and other buildings in the widest of the
naves, are also most beautifully ornamented and proportioned.
Such, for instance, is the Dome of I^ad {Kubbat ar Kasds\ and
the Dome which is over the Mihrib. The piers under this are
16 spans {shibr) broad, and 20 spans across; while between each
of the piers is a space measuring 1 7 paces in the length, and in
the breadth 13 paces. Each of these piers measures 72 spans in
perimeter.
"All round three sides of the court is a colonnade {baldt).
On the eastern, western, and northern sides its breadth is 10 paces.
The number of its columns is forty-seven, of which fourteen are
pilasters of gypsum, and the remainder are free-standing. The
breadth of the court, exclusive of the portion roofed over on the
south and on the north, is 100 paces. The roofs of the Mosque
buildings, externally, are all covered with sheets of lead. The
most magnificent sight in this Jami' Mosque is the Kubbat ar
* The Marja was a land-measure in use throughout Spain and the Western
Lands, and contained about seven square yards of superficies.
16 2
244 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Rasas (the Dome of Lead), which is above the Mihrab in the
centre of the building. Its summit towers high in the air, of a
wonderful circumference ; so that it would seem as though it were
a great temple. A central nave is below it, going from the
Mihrab to the court; and over this nave (as seen from the
interior) are three domes — namely, the dome which is close to the
Mosque wall towards the court ; the dome which is over and
adjacent to the Mihrab ; and the dome which is below (that is,
forming the inner skin of) the Kubbat ar Rasas, rising between
the other two. The Great Dome of Lead thus broods over the
void; and, as you approach, you perceive an admirable effect.
And the people have likened it to a flying Eagle (Nasr) — the
Dome itself being as the head ; the aisle below being the breast ;
the half of the wall of the right aisle, and the half to the left,
being the two wings of the Eagle.* The width of this main aisle
leading towards the court is 30 paces. The people are wont to
name this part of the Mosque An Nasr— * the Eagle ^ — on
account of this likeness. From whatever quarter you approach
the city you see this Dome, high above all else, as though sus-
pended in the air. The Mosque is situated on the northern side
of the city. The number of gilt and coloured glass windows
(called Shamasiyyah) in the Mosque is seventy-four. In the inner
dome, which is below the Dome of Lead, are ten. In the dome
which is close to the Mihrab there are, together with those in the
adjacent wall, fourteen such windows. In the length of the wall
to the right of the Mihrab, and to the left of it, are forty-four.
In the dome adjacent to the wall of the court are six. In the
back of the wall towards the court are forty-seven windows.!
** There are in the Mosque three MaksQrahs (or railed-in
spaces). The Maksiirah of the Companions (of the Prophet) —
Allah accept them ! — was the first Maks(irah ever constructed in
Islam, and it was built by the Khalif Mu'awiyah. Opposite the
Mihrab thereof, on the right of him who faces the Kiblah point,
* The Great Dome is itself known at the present day as the Kubbat an Nasr,
the Dome of the Eagle.
t Makinj; altogether 121, not 74 ; the last 47 are presumably not counted
as in the Mosque.
DAMASCUS, 245
is the Iron (late. Mu'awiyah used to enter the Maks(irah
through this, going to the Mihrab. Opposite the Mihr&b, on the
right, is the Place of Prayer of Abu-d Darda- Allah accept
him I Behind the Maksdrah was the Palace of Mu'iwiyah.
This, at the present day, is the Great Bazaar of the Coppersmiths,
and it lies contiguous to the Kiblah (or south) wall of the
Mosque. There is no bazaar to be seen anywhere finer than
this, and none greater in length and in breadth. At the back of
this bazaar, again, and not far off, is the Cavalry House (D^r al
Khail)y which dates from the same early epoch. It is, at the
present day, let out to tenants, and is the place where the
cloth-makers work. I'he length of the Maksiirah of the Com-
panions aforementioned is 44 spans, and its breadth is half its
length. Near by it on the west, in the middle of the Mosque, is
the New Maksfirah which was built at the time when the half of
the original edifice, which had been a church, was incorporated
into the Mosque after the manner previously related. In this Mak-
sCirah is the Pulpit of the Friday-Sermon, and the Mihrab of the
public-prayers. The Mihrdb of the Companions was originally
in the centre of that portion of the church which belonged to
the Muslims, and there was a wall of separation, which started
from where the Mihrab now stands in the New MaksOrah.
When the whole of the church was made into a Mosque, the
MaksArah of the Companions thus came to be on one side in the
eastern part -, while the New Maksi^rah was erected in the middle
of the Mosque, where stood the wall of separation before the two
halves were united into one area. This New Maksiirah is larger
than that of the Companions. Further to the west, facing
the wall, is another Maksiirah. It goes by the name of Al
Hanafiyyah ; and those of the Hanafite sect assemble here for
holding their lectures, and this is their praying-place. Opposite to
it is a chapel (Zdiviyah), built all round with lattices of wood, as
though it were a small Maks(irah. On the eastern .side, also, is a
second chapel of a like appearance, and resembling a Maksdrah.
It was erected as a place for praying in by one of the Turkish
Amirs of the State. It lies close up against the eastern wall.
" There are in the Mo.sque many other similar chapels,
246 PALESTINE, UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
which the scholars {Tdlib) use as places wherein to sit and copy
(the Kurin) and for lectures, and for private assemblies ; and they
are among the advantages this Mosque offers to students. In the
wall of the Main-building of the Mosque, towards the court, which
is surrounded by the colonnades, there are, on the south side of
the court, twenty doors, set one beside the other in the length
thereof The upper parts of these are ornamented in plaster that
is stamped out, even as is the work in the windows ; and the eye
beholding the row of them will deem them a most beautiful sight.
As to the colonnades that surround the Court on the other three
sides, namely, north, east, and west, these are supported on
columns, and above the columns are round arches resting on
smaller columns, and these go all round the Court. This Court
is one of the finest sights that can be seen. There is always therein
a concourse of the people of the town, for they come here to meet
and take their pleasure of conversation every eventide. You may
see them there coming and going, from east to west, from the Bab
Jairfin to the Bab al Barid, walking and talking.
" The Mosque has three Minarets. One is at the (south) western
side. It is like a high tower resembling a spacious dwelling
divided into chapels. These are locked off, for the Minaret is
inhabited by Maghribin anchorites. The topmost of the chambers
was the retreat of Abu Hamid al Ghazzali — Allah have mercy on
him ! — and at the present day it is inhabited by a certain anchorite
called Abu 'Abd Allah. The second Minaret is on the (south)
eastern* side, and is of the same description with the last. The
third is on the northern side, rising above the gate called Bab an
Ndtifiyyin (the Gate of the Sweetmeat-sellers). In the Court of
the Mosque are three Cupolas. The one in the western part is
the largest of the three. It stands on eight columns of marble,
and rises like a bastion, and is ornamented with mosaic, and all
kinds of coloured stones, so as to resemble a flower-garden for
beauty. Over it is a leaden dome, like a great round oven-top.
They say it was originally the Treasury of the Mosque, for be it
known the Mosque possesses great wealth, and has lands producing
various crops, the rent equalling in amount, as I have been told,
* The MS. read " western " in error.
DAMASCUS, 247
to about 8,000 Dinars Syrian per annum (^^4,000), which is
15,000 Dinirs Mfiminiyyah, or thereabouts. The second Cupola
is smaller, and stands in the middle of the Court It is hollow
and octagonal, built of marble blocks fitted most wonderfully
together. It is supported on four small columns of marble, and
under it is a round grating of iron, in the centre of which is a
copper spout, from which pours a water -jet that first rises and then
falls again, as though it were a silver wand. The people are
accustomed to put their mouths thereto, at the side, and drink
therefrom. It is very beautiful, and is called the Water Cage
{^ifs al MA), The third Cupola stands on the eastern side. It
is supported on eight columns, like the large cupola (to the west),
but it is smaller.
" On the northern side of the Court is a great gateway leading
into a large Mosque, in the centre of which is a court. There is
here a tank of marble, large in size, and through it water is con-
tinually flowing. An octagonal basin of white marble, which
stands in the middle of the tank is supported on sculptured
columns, and the water is brought from the tank up into the basin.
This Mosque is called Al Kallisah (the Lime Furnace).* On
the eastern side of the Court (of the Great Mosque) is another
gateway leading to a most beautiful Mosque, most magnificently
planned and built, which the Shi'ahs say is the shrine (or Mash-
had) of the Khalif 'Ali ; but this is one of the most extraordinary
of their inventions.
" Another of their wonderful stories is what is related of a chapel
in the western part (of the Mosque Court). At the angle, where
the northern colonnade joins the western, is this chapel, which is
covered above by a veil, and there is a veil also in front hanging
down. They say this is the place of 'Ayishah (the wife of the
* The Kallasah was the Chalk -pit or Lime-kiln to the north of the Mosque,
uriginally ihe place where ihe lime was burnt that was used in the building.
In 555 (1160) Sultan Nur ad Din Zanki built a college on this ground, and
called the edifice Al Kallas.ih. It was burnt down in 570 (1174), together
with the Madhanat al 'Arus (the Minaret of the Bride) of the Great Mosque
near it. Saladin afterwards rebuilt the Kall&sah. and himself was buried to the
north of the building, in a mausoleum which still exists. See Quatrem^re,
Sultans Mamlouks^ ii. 287.
248 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Prophet), where she was wont to sit and listen to the Traditions.
Thus 'Ayishah, as well as 'Ali, is found commemorated in Damas-
cus. Now as to 'Ali, there may be some authority for the attribu-
tion, for it is reported that he was seen by a person in a dream,
praying here in the very place where the Shi'ahs have built their
shrine. But as for the place that is called after 'Ayishah, there is no
authority for it, and we have only mentioned it as being celebrated
in the descriptions of the Great Mosque. Now the Kallisah
Mosque is most beautiful, both within and without, and there are
mosaics of gold, worked as has been before described. The
building has three domes side by side. The Mihrab is one of the
wonders of Islam for beauty, admirably built, and is gilded
throughout. In the centre part of this Mosque are several smaller
Mihrabs along the wall. These are set round with little pillars of
a twisted pattern, and it is as though the twist had been made in
a turning-lathe, and nothing can be seen more beautiful. Some
are red, as though of coral. The renown of the Kiblah (Niche)
of this Mosque, and also of its domes and its windows that are
gilt, and coloured, is beyond report.
" But to return to the Great Mosque. In the eastern angle of
the New MaksQrah, in the Mihrab, there is a great treasure-
chamber, in which is kept one of the copies (of the Kuran) that
belonged to the Khalif 'Othman. This is the copy that was sent
into Syria (to Mu'iwiyah, at the time of *Othman's murder). This
treasury is opened every day at prayer-time, and the people gain a
blessing by touching the book, and by looking at it, and many go
there so to do.
" Now the Great Mosque has four gates. The southern gate is
called Bab az Ziyadah (the Gate of the Addition).* There is a
great hall, broad, and with mighty columns leading from it. In
this are the shops of the bead-sellers, and the like trades, and it is
a fine sight to see. From it you go into the Dar al Khi»il (the
old Cavalry House aforementioned) ; and on the left, as you go
out through this gate, is the Bazaar of the Coppersmiths. In the
old time this was the Palace of the Khalif Mu'awiyah, and was
called Al Khadra (the Green Palace). The eastern gate of the
* As at present, see p. 231.
DAMASCUS. 249
Mosque is the largest of all the gates, and is called the BAb Jairfin.
The western gate is called the Bab al Barid (the Gate of the
Post). The northern gate is called the Bab an Nitifiyyin (the
(iate of the Sweetmeat-sellers). To east and to west and to north
of these gales are broad halls, and each of these leads to one
of the great gateways which were (in ancient times) the entrances
into the church, and these halls remain standing even to this
present day.
" The finest of these halls is that which adjoins the Bab Jairfin
(or eastern gate of the Mosque). You go out from this gate into
a long and broad portico, in the front part of which are five door-
ways, arched over, and there are six tall columns here. To the
left hand of this is a large and finely-built oratory (Mash-had) in
which was kept the head of Al Husain, before it was transported
to C'airo. Opposite to this is a small mosque called after the
Khalif 'Omar ibn Abd al 'Aziz. In the oratory there is running
water. In front of the portico (of the Bab JairCin) are steps
whereby you go down to the hall. This last is like a great fosse,
and leads to a gateway of mighty elevation, with sides unwalled,
but set all round with columns that are like palms for height, and
like mountains for firmness. On either side of this hall are set
columns, among which are the rows of shops occupied by the
perfumers and the like. Up above is a second row of shops and
chambers for letting, and from these you can look down into the
hall. All round and about, above this, is the terrace roof, where
the occupiers of the chambers and the shops pass the night (in the
summer heats). In the centre of the hall is a large tank rimmed
round with marble ; and over it is a dome that is supported on
marble columns. Round this dome, up above, is a border of lead
that is very broad, and the dome is open to the sky. In the
middle of the marble tank below, is a spout of brass which throws
up water with great force, and it rises into the air for a man's
height or more. All round it are smaller spouts which throw up
water also, so that the whole looks like the branches of a silver
tree, and is most beautiful to watch.
"On your right hand, coming out of the Bab Jairdn, in the wall
of the portico fronting you, is a gallery, which has the form of a
250 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
great archway, and set round it are arches of brass, in which open
small doors, in number according to the number of the hours of
the day. Through the working of a piece of mechanism, when
one hour of the day is passed, tliere fall two weights of brass from
the mouths of two falcons fashioned in brass, who stand above
two brazen cups, set one under each of the birds. One of the
falcons is below the first of the doors, and the second below the
last of them. Now the cups are perforated, and as soon as the
balls have fallen, they run back through a hole in the wall
to the galler}'. The falcons appear to extend their necks
when holding the balls, leaning towards the cups, and to throw
the balls off with a quick motion, so wondrous to see that one
would imagine it was magic. With the falling of the two balls
into the two cups, there is heard a sound (as of striking) a bell :
and thereupon the doorway, which pertains to the hour that has
elapsed, is shut with a brass door. A similar action goes on for
each of the hours of the day ; and when all the hours of the day
are passed, all the doors are shut. When all the (day) hours are
passed, the mechanism returns to its first condition. For the
hours of the night tkey have another mechanism. It is this — in
the bow of the great arch, which goes over the (small) arches
(with the doors), just mentioned, arc twelve circles cut out in the
brass, and over each of these openings, in the wall of the gallery,
is set a plate of glass. This is all so arranged as to lie behind the
doors (for the day-hours) above mentioned. Behind each glass is
a lamp-glass, in which is water set to run for the space of one hour.
When the hour is past, the light of the lamp, coming down,
illumines the glass, and the rays shine out of the round opening
in front of it, and it appears to the sight as a red circle. This
same happens to each circle in turn, till all the hours of the night
are passed, and then all the circles have red light in them. There
are eleven workmen (belonging to the Mosque) who attend to this
gallery, and keep the mechanism in order, and see to the opening
of the doors, and the running back of the weights into their prop)er
places. This (piece of mechanism) is what the people call Al
Mikaniyyah.*
* The reading of the word is uncertain, it is probably an Arabic corruption
of M;/x'»»'»/, a machiiu.
DAMASCUS, 251
"The hall that is before the Western Gate (of the Mosque,
called -Bib al Barid) has in it the shops of the greengrocers and
perfume-sellers, and there is here the market where they sell
flowers. At its upper end is a great gate, to which you ascend
by steps, and it has columns that rise high in the air. Below the
steps are two water-tanks, round in shape, one lying to the right and
one to the left. Each water-tank has f\ye spouts which pour the
water into a long trough made of marble. The hall at the North
(Jate (of the Mosque, called Bab an Nitifiyyin) has in it a chapel
{Zdwiyah) that stands on a platform, which is set round with a
wooden lattice, and it serves as a house for the school-teachers.
To the right, in going out of the hall, is a Cloister {KMnikah)
built for the S(ifis. In its midst is a cistern. They say this
Cloister was of old the palace of the Khalif 'Omar ibn *Abd al
Aziz ; but we shall return to this matter later. The cistern in the
centre of the Cloister has water running through it, and there are
here latrines with running water in the cells. On the right hand
as you go out (of the Great Mosque, by) the B4b al Barid, is the
Madrasah of the Shafi'ites. In its centre is also a cistern with
water nmning therein, and there are likewise latrines here, with
water running through them as above described. In the court
(of the Great Mosque), l)etween the cupolas aforementioned, are
two columns set some distance apart, and on both are stands of
brass of considerable height, and made of lattice-work, cut out in
the most beautiful manner. These are lighted up on the middle
night of the month of Sha'ban, and they shine as though they
were the two Pleiads. The concourse of the people of the city
here on the above-named night is even greater than is seen here
on the night at the close of the fast-month of Ramadin.
" There are round the Mosque four water-tanks, one on each
side, and each water-tank is like a great palace set round with
chambers for latrines, with water running in each. In the length
of the court there is also a tank of stone, and down all its length
are a number of spouts (for the ablution). One of the water-tanks
aforesaid is in the hall of the Bib JairQn, and it is the largest of
the four, and there are here over thirty chambers (for the ablu-
tion). And besides this great tank there are here two large
252 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
cisterns, one lying at a distance from the other, and the circum-
ference of each is about forty spans, with the water spouting in
each. The second great tank is in the hall of the Bab an Nati-
fiyyin, opposite the school. The third is on your left as you go
out of the Bab al Barid ; and the fourth on your right going out
of the Bab az Ziyadah. These are all of great convenience to
strangers. Further, in all parts of the city are found water-tanks
in all the streets and bazaars for the convenience of all comers.
Of the oratories and monuments of Damascus is the shrine of
the Head of John (the Baptist), the son of Zakariyyah. The
head is buried in the Mosque in the south aisle, facing the right-
hand corner of the Maksfirah of the Companions. There is over
it an ark of wood, set round with columns, and above hangs a
lamp of crystal, concave in shape, like the lid of a pot It is not
known whether this is of 'Jrak, or of Tyrian glass, or perchance it
is of some other ware.
" Among other celebrated sanctuaries of Damascus is the birth-
place of Ibrahim (Abraham). This is shown on the hillside of
Jabal Kasiy^n at a village called Barzah. Barzah is a fine village,
and the mountain is a blessed one from all time, for the prophets
have all ascended it to pray thereon. Jabal Kisiy(in lies to the
north of the city, and about a league distant. The birthplace (of
Abraham) is a cave, long and narrow, and they have built a
mosque and a high minaret over it. Abraham used to view the
stars from the cave, also the sun and the moon, as is mentioned in
the Kuran (chapter vi., verses 76-78). There are seventy thousand
prophets buried here, and the burial-grounds lie all round. In
Jabal Kasiy(in, and lying west about a mile or more from the cave
of the birthplace (of Abraham), is a cave called the Cave of Blood,
because above it in the mountain is seen the blood of Abil (Abel),
whom his brother Kabil (Cain) slew. The mark of the blood
comes down through half the mountain as a red streak, and looks
like a road in the hillside. There is a mosque here. This is the
place from which Kabil went and sought his brother to slay him,
and afterwards he carried his body into the cave. Here, it is
said, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Lot, Job, and the Prophet
(Muhammad) all made their prayers. There is a fine mosque
DAMASCUS. 253
built over this place, to which you ascend by steps. It is like a
round gallery, and a trellis- work of wood goes round it, and there
are chambers here for visitors to sojourn in. It is opened -every
Thursday, and lighted up, as also is the cave below. On the
summit of the mountain is a cave called after Adam, and there is
a building here too. Down at the foot of the mountain is the
cave called the Cave of Famine, for seventy prophets died there
of hunger. They had one loaf among them, and they kept passing
it from one to another, none eating of it. A mosque is built over
this place.
" At the summit of the mountain, and above all the gardens, and
lying west of the city, is the hill mentioned in the Kuran (chapter
xxiiL, verse 52) as the place where the Messiah dwelt with His
mother. It is one of the most beautiful of places. It resembles
a high castle ; you ascend to it by steps. The dwelling-place (of
the Virgin) is a small cave like a little chamber. Opposite is the
place, as it is said, where Al Khidr (Elias) prayed. It has small
iron gates ; also a mosque built near by, and a tank most beauti-
ful to behold with the water pouring down into it. The water
falls over a water-wheel placed in the wall, and flows into a fine
marble basin below. Behind it are latrines with running water.
This hill lies above the gardens before mentioned, through which
the water therefrom runs, forming brooks. The water divides
into seven streams, each going its own way ; the largest of these
is called Thaura. It rises above the hill, and has made a channel
in the hard rock, forcing its way through a place like a tunnel. A
strong swimmer can plunge in above, and come out below, swim-
ming right under the hill. To do this, however, is very dangerous.
These gardens below the hill lie in the lands to the west of the
city, and they are most beautiful to see. To the west of the city,
also, is a cemeter}', where many celebrated people are buried of
the Companions of the Prophet and others. The Mash-had called
after *Ali is here.
'' The Tombs of the Khalifs of the Omayyads are said to be
those lying opposite (the city gate called) the Bab as Saghir, close
to the cemetery aforementioned. There is over them at the
present day a building which is used for travellers to sojourn in.
254 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Among the celebrated Oratories, also, is the Masjid al Akdam
(the Mosque of the Footprints). It lies at a distance of two
miles from the city, and to the south, beside of the high-road
going down to the Hijjaz and Egypt. In this Mosque is a small
chamber in which is an inscription, stating that a certain one of
the Companions saw in sleep the Prophet, who told him that this
was the tomb of the brother of Moses. A hillock of red sand
may be seen on the high-road not far from this place, and it lies
between (the villages of) Ghaliyah and Ghuwailiyah. The people
say the light never fades from this blessed place, where is the
tomb aforesaid. Now, as to the Footprints, they are on a stone in
the road, with a sign-post pointing thereto, and you find a foot-
mark on each stone. The number of these Footprints is nine.
They are said to be the marks of Moses' feet ; but Allah alone
knows the truth of this.
" Damascus city has eight gates : i. Bab Sharki, the Eastern
Gate. It has beside it the White Minaret (or tower), on which they
say Jesus — peace be on Him ! — will descend when He comes in
glory ', for He will descend at the White Tower (or minaret) to
the east of Damascus. 2. Bab Tfimi (Gate of St. Thomas), next
the former. It also opens in the eastern quarter. 3. Bib as
Salamah, next thereto. 4. Bib al Faridis, to the north. 5. Bab
al Faraj, next thereto. 6. Bab an Nasr, to the west. 7. Bab al
Jabiyah, likewise to the west. 8. Bab as Saghir, opening to the
south-west. The Great Mosque of Damascus lies somewhat in
the northern part of the city. The various quarters lie all round,
and are of great extent, except in the north, and in what lies to
the south, where the houses cover a smaller area. The town has
a long shape ; its streets are narrow and dark. The houses are
built of mud and reeds, one story above another, for which
reason fire catches them swiftly. They are all three stories high,
and this is necessitated by the great number of the population ;
for there are amassed here in Damascus the inhabitants of three
towns, and it is the most populous city in the world. Its beauty
is all external, not internal. There is in the city a church belong-
ing to the Greeks, and by them greatly venerated. It is called
Church of Mary (Kanisah Maryam), and, except the (Church
DAMASCUS. 255
at) Jerusalem, there is none other held in such esteem by them.
It is finely built, and contains many wonderful pictures. The
place is in the possession of the Greeks, and no one molests them
therein.
'* Damascus has about twenty Madrasahs (colleges), and there
are here two hospitals (or Maristans) — the old and the new. The
new is the larger and better built of the two. It has revenues
amounting to about 15 Dinars (j^'j los.) a day. There are
physicians to attend the sick, and the expenses of food and
medicines are provided. The old Maristan is on a like footing,
but more people go to the new. The old Maristan is situated to
the west of the Mosque. One of the finest colleges in the world
is the Madrasah of Nfir ad Din — Allah's mercy be on him ! In
it is his tomb — may Allah illumine it ! It is a palace among
I^alaces. Water runs through it, and falls into a tank. There are
also in the city many cloisters belonging to the S(ifis. The
greatest that we saw is that known as Al Kasr, very high built,
and beautiful. Damascus possesses a castle (Kal'ah) where the
Sultan lives, and it stands isolated in the modern quarter of the
city. It is close over against the gate called Bab al Faraj, and
in it is the Sultan's Mosque. Near the castle, outside the
town towards the west, are two Maidans (horse-courses) that are
like pieces of silk-brocade rolled out, for their greenness and
beauty. The river flows between the two Maidans, and there is
a grove of jwplar trees extending beside them most beautiful to
behold. The Sultan is wont to go out there to play the game of
Mall {^s Satvaiijah)^ and to race his horses ; and nothing can be
pleasanter to see than this. Every evening the Sultan's sons go
out there to shoot with the bow, and to race, and to play Mall.
In Damascus, too, are nearly one hundred Hammam's (hot-baths),
both in the city and in the suburbs ; and there are nearly forty
houses for ablution where water always flows ; and nowhere is
there any town more convenient to the stranger.
*'The markets of Damascus are the finest in the world,
and the best organized. Especially so are the Kaisariyyahs,*
* The word KaisAriyyah denotes a bazaar for merchants, or a building, like
a Caravanserai for the storing of merchandise. It is derived from the Greek
2S6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
which are built high like hospices, and closed by iron gates like the
gates of a castle. Each KaisSriyyah stands isolated, and at night
it is shut off. There is also a market called the Great Market,
which extends from the Bab al Jabiyah to the Bab ash Sharki (all
along the Straight Street) There is here a small house that his
become a place for prayer. In the south part of it is a stone on
which they say Abraham broke the idols which his fiather had
brought to market to sell. The Palace of the Khalif *Omar ibn
'Abd al 'Aziz is to day a Cloister for the Sfifis. It stands near
the Hall of the North Ciate (of the Great Mosque), called Bdb
an Natifiyyin. *Omar bought the ground, and built the palace,
and ordered that he should be buried in it, and that they should
recite prayers there.
" And now as regards the ascent to the top of the Dome of
the Great Mosque, which rises erect in the midst of the building.
Verily the entrance to the same, and into the interior where is the
inner dome — like a sphere within a larger sphere — is from the
Mosque. We ascended thereto, with a number of friends, at early
dawn, on Monday, the i8th day of the First Jumadi. We went up
by a ladder in the western colonnade that goes round the court,
at a place where had been a tower in former days, and walked
over the flat roof of the Mosque. The roof is covered with large
sheets of lead (as aforementioned), the length of each sheet being
4 spans, and the width 3 spans. After passing over the flat roof
we came to the Dome, and mounted into it by a ladder set there ;
and doing so it almost happened that we had all been seized with
dizziness. We went into the round gangway, which is of lead,
and its width is but of 6 spans, so that wc could not stand there,
fearing to fall over. Then we hastened on to the entrance into
the interior of the Dome, passing through one of the grated
windows which open in the lead-work ; and before us was a
wondrous sight. We passed on over the planking of great wood
beams which go all round the inner and smaller dome, which is
Kmffappia^ in the sense of the Copsarian (market) ; and the word was only in
use in those Arab countries which were of old subject to the Byzantines r.^. ,
.Syria, Egypt, and Morocco. In the further East — Baghdad and Persia — the
term was not employed.
DAMASCUS, 257
inside the outer leaden Dome, as aforesaid, and there are here two
arched windows, through which you look down into the Mosque
below. From here the men who are down in the Mosque look as
though they were small children. This dome is round like a sphere,
and its structure is made of planks, strengthened with stout ribs of
wood, bound with bands of iron. The ribs curve over the dome,
and meet at the summit in a round circle of wood. The inner
dome, which is that seen from fhe interior of the Mosque, is
inlaid with wooden panels, set one beside the other, touching.
They are all gilt in the most beautiful manner, and ornamented
with colour and carving. Of these wooden panels which cover
the interior of the dome, the length of each is not less than
6 spans, with a breadth of 4 spans ; but to the eye below they
twinkle like points, and seem to be only one or two spans across,
on account of their great height from you. The Great Leaden
Dome covers this inner dome that has just been described.
It also is strengthened by wooden ribs bound with iron bands.
The number of these ribs is forty-eight, and between each rib is a
space of 4 spans : the whole most wonderfully arranged. The
ribs converge above, and unite in a centrepiece of wood. The
circumference of the leaden Dome is 80 paces, which is
260 spans. Under the Double Dome is the aisle called the
Eagle (An Nusr), stretching out, and roofed over, leading towards
the Maksurah. This part is all ceiled over, and ornamented
with plaster-work, with numberless wooden beams, let in, and
with the arches below. The piers supporting the Double Dome
are let into the walls. And in these walls are stones, each of
which weighs a full Kantar (or about 325 lbs.), and these elephants
could not move. Most wonderful is it how they were raised to
their present high place, and this by human power only, and how
man's strength was capable thereof. The Great Double Dome
rests on a circular base built of mighty blocks, above which rise
short and thick pilasters built up of large stones of a very hard
kind ; and between every two pilasters is pierced a window.
Thus the windows extend all round the circle under the dome.
This Double Dome appears like one dome to the eye from below;
for the one is inside the other, and the outer dome only is of lead.
17
258 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Of the wonders of the place it is that we saw no spiders in the
framework of the domes, and they say there are none here at all.
Also no birds of the species of swallows ever enter the Mosque.
This Dome of the Damascus Mosque is the finest in the world,
except, maybe, the Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem, which is said
to be the most beautiful." (I. J., 262-297.) Ibn Jubair did not,
unfortunately, visit Jerusalem.
Yikdt, writing in 1225, devotes many pages of his great Geo-
graphical Dictionary to the subject of Damascus. Besides the
chief article, there are numberless minor notices scattered up and
down the voluminous work, wherever, in the alphabetical arrange-
ment, mention occurs of some one of the Damascus mosques or
gates or other monuments. Much that is mentioned is copied
from earlier geographers, what is new matter is epitomized in the
following pages :
" Damascus," says Yakfit, "called Dimishk, or Dimashk, is the
capital of Syria, and it is the Garden of the Earth. The city
was, some say, so called because it was said DimashM^ * they
hastened,* in its building. Damascus is sometimes referred to in
poetry by the name Jillik. According to some this is the name of
all the districts taken together of the Ghautah. According to
others, Jillik is the name of a certain village in the Ghautah,
where, it is said, there was the statue of a woman, from which
water poured forth; or else again Jillik is the City of Damascus
itself." (Yak., ii. 104 ; Mar., i. 261.)
" Damascus was founded by Dimashik, son of Kani, great-grand-
son of Sim (Shem), son of NQh, or some say by Buytitasf. It was
founded at the end of the year 3145 of the Creation. The age of
the world is, they say, to be of 7,000 years. Abraham the Pnend,
was born five years after its founding. Others say Damascus
was built by JairQn ibn Sa'ad ibn 'Ad, grandson of Shem, who
called it I ram dhat al 'AmQd (I ram of the Columns). The pro-
phet Hfid dwelt here, and he built the wall to the south of the
Jdmi' Mosque. Another tradition is that Al 'Azar, Abraham's
servant, built Damascus. By another tradition Dimashik, Filastin
(Palestine), Ailiyi (i^^lia, Jerusalem), Hims and Al Urdunn (the
Jordan), were all sons of Iram, son of Shem, son of Noah.
DAMASCUS, 259
" Adam, they say, lived at Bait Anat, and Eve at Bait lAhyk ;
Abel (Habil) at Mukrd with his flocks, and Cain (Kabil) at Kan!nah
in the midst of his fields. All these places lie round Damascus.
At the place in the Jdmi* Mosque, now occupied by the gate called
the Bdb as Sd'at, is a large stone, whereon in ancient days Cain
and Abel laid their offerings. If these were accepted (of the Lord)
fire was wont to descend to consume them, but if they were not
acceptable (the offerings) remained untouched. Now Abel had
come with a fat ram of his flock, and he placed it on the stone,
and the fire came down and burnt it up. Then came Cain, with
wheat of his crops, and placed it also on the stone, but it remained
in its (unburnt) condition. So Cain envied his brother, and he
followed him to the mountain, which overlooks the plain of
Damascus, and is now known as Jabal Kisiyfin ; and he wished
to slay him, but did not know how to accomplish the deed. Then
Iblis (Satan) came to him, and took up a stone and began to
strike his head therewith. And when (Cain) saw this, he took a
stone and struck therewith the head of his brother Abel, and thus
slew him there on Jabal Kasiyfin. I, YakQt, have seen there a
stone on which was a mark like blood, and the people of Syria say
that this is the stone with which Cain slew Abel, and that this red
mark that is on it is the mark of Abel's blood. In front of the
stone is a cave, which is good to visit It is called the Cave of
the Blood from this reason ; and I, myself, have made visitation
there, on the slope of the mountain called Jabal Kisiydn. Ac-
cording to some, Damascus was the site of Noah's dwelling-place,
and he took the wood for the ark from the Lebanon Mountains.
Further, he entered into the ark at the place called *Ain al Jarr, of
the Bika' District. Some say that Abraham, too, was born at a
village in the Ghautah of Damascus, called Barzah, lying in the
Jabal Kasiyfin. According to a tradition of the Prophet, Jesus —
peace be on Him I — will descend (on the I^st Day) upon the
White Minaret to the east of Damascus, which is in the Mosque
l>eside the Eastern Gate, called Bab ash Sharki.
"Wonderful is the water-supply of Damascus, and the public
fountains are innumerable. The suburbs without the walls are
equal to the town itself in extent. Damascus was first conquered
17 — 2
26o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
in the month Rajah of the year 14. Khibd stormed through the
Eastern Gate, and met Abu 'Ubaidah, who had made a capitula-
tion with the inhabitants, and had entered the city in company
with the other commanders through the three Western Gates of
the city. The Mosque of Damascus verily is the most beautiful
building in the world. It was built by the Khalif al Walid ibn
'Abd al Malik, who was much addicted to the building of mosques.
The building was begun in the year 87, or 88 as some say. Now,
when it was Al Walid's intention to build it, the Khalif brought
together the Christians of Damascus, and said to them, * We wish
to increase our Mosque by your Church, that is to say, the Church
of Yuhanna Qohn), and we will give you another church where-
soever ye will ; or if ye will, we will double you what would be the
price of the land.' But the Christians refused, and they brought
the Treaty of Khalid ibn al Walid, and the promise (he had given
them). And they said further : * Verily, we have found in our
books that if any demolish this (Church) he shall choke to death.'
Then cried out Al Walid unto them : * I am he who will be the
first to demolish it !' And standing up, he began to demolish the
yellow cupola which was above the place where he sat, and the
Muslims round him did the like. Thus the Khalif increased the
size of the Mosque as he had desired. And so much material
was gathered together for the building that it was inipossible to
use it all, and the expenditure of monies was thus lightened unto
him. The Khalif al Waltd built four gates to the Mosque. To
its east, Bab JairQn ; to its west, Bab al Barid ; to its south, Bab
az Ziyadah ; with the Bab an Natifdniyyin (or Gate of the Syrup-
sellers) lying opposite thereto. And the Bab al Faridis (the Gate
of the Gardens) was in the hinder part to the south.
" Ghaith ibn 'Ali al Atmanizi relates that Al Walid ordered
them to search down in the fosse for the ancient foundation of the
walls of the original building. And while they were digging they
discovered a wall of masonry running in the direction of the fosse
and along it. They reported to Al Walid of this, and informed
him of the solidity of the masonry of this wall, asking for permis-
sion to build (the Mosque wall) upon it. But the Khalif answered :
* I should agree thereto were I indeed assured in the matter of the
DAMASCUS. 261
solidity thereof, and of the firmness of its foundations ; only I
cannot be convinced of the solidity of this wall until ye have dug
down along its face till ye reach moisture. If then it be found still
firmly based, I am content that ye build on it, otherwise leave it
side.' So they dug on down along the face of the wall, and found
a gate, over which was a slab of granite, on which was cut an
inscription. Every endeavour was made to get this read, till one
was found who told them that the writing was in the Greek tongue.
Now the interpretation of this inscription, which was on the face
of the (slab) was as follows :
" After the world hath renewed its youth^ the signs having been
manifested of what is to come to pass, it is necessary there be a
renewal thereof ; even as have foretold those aged in life and stricken
in years. And the ivorship of the Creator of created things shall be
instituted here, when the loiter of horses commands the building of
this Temple of his own monies ; and this shall be after the passing
of seven thousand and nine hundred years since the days of the
People of the Column, And if the builder live to enter therein,
the building will be named as the best of acts. And so to ye all.
Peace !
**Now the * People of the Columns' {Ahl al Ustutvan) were a
sect of the ancient philosophers who Hved of old at Ba'albakk.
**They relate that Al Walld spent on the building (of the
Mos(iue) the revenues of the Empire for seven years. And when
they brought him the accounts of what had been sjjent on it,
carried on the backs of ten camels, he ordered that all should be
burnt, and would not look at any of them, saying : * These sums
we have laid out for Allah's sake, and verily we will not take any
count of them.' Of the wonders of the Most^ue it may be told
that if a man were to sojourn here a hundred years, and pondered
each day on what he saw, he would see ever>' day something he
had not seen in former days, namely, of the beauty of the work-
manship and choice things set here. They relate that the total of
the price of the cabbages that the workmen ate (during the building)
was 6,000 Dinars (^^3,000). Now at one time the people
murmured at the great sums that the Khalif expended, saying
that he had taken the public treasure of the Muslims, and had
262 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
spent it on what was not worthy of the spending. Then the
Khalif went into the pulpit of the Mosque, and spake to them,
*>^yij^g> * It hath come to me that ye say so and such things ; now
verily in your Treasury there is a sum equivalent to eighteen years'
revenue, to which ye have none of you contributed a single grain of
com.' And the people kept silence hereafter, and said naught. It is
said the work lasted nine years, and that during this time 10,000
men worked daily at the cutting of marble. There were (in the
Mosque) 600 chains of gold. When the whole was finished Al
Walld ordered that it should be roofed with lead. And they
brought lead from all lands to accomplish this, but at the last a
piece (of the roofing) remained, for which they could find no lead,
except some that belonged to a certain woman, and she refused to
sell it except for its weight in gold. And the Khalif commanded
them to buy it of her, even though it were (at the price of) double
the weight in gold. And they did so. But when she was to
receive the price, she said : * Verily I had imagined our master
was a tyrant in accomplishing this, his building ; but now I have
seen his justice, and I bear witness to you before Allah of the
same.' And she returned to them the price. When Al Walid
knew of this he commanded that they should inscribe on the (lead)
plates which she had given, the words, * T/iis belongs to A/iah,
ordering further that they should not set them among those that
bore his name. It is said they spent on the ornament of the
Vine, that is on the Kiblah side of the Mosque, 70,000 Dinars
" Mdsa ibn Hammid al Barbari relates that he saw in the
Mosque of Damascus an inscription in gold on the glass (of the
window), where was written the Chapter (cii. of the Kuran),
being the words, * The desire of increasing riches occupieth you,
till ye come to the grave,' with the verses that follow down to the
end of the chapter. And he saw a red jewel that was set in the
letter K that formed part of the word A I Makdbir (* the grave '),
one of the words of that verse of the Kuran, and he inquired the
reason thereof. It was told him that Al Walid had a daughter
to whom this jewel had belonged, and that when she died,
her mother had ordered that this jewel should be buried with
DAMASCUS. 263
her in her grave. But the Khalif gave command on the matter,
and they set it in the K of the word Makdbir of the verse afore-
said. And he aftenivards assured the girFs mother that he had set
it in * the grave/ and she was confounded and silent when she saw
what had been done. A certain writer of past times states that
the Mosque was originally built with two rows, of .marble columns,
one above the other, the lower row being large columns, and
those above being smaller ; and the space between the two rows
was filled by pictures representing every town and tree in the
world in Mosaic of gold and green and yellow. Over the Kiblah
side of the Mosque is the dome called Kubbat an Nasr (the Eagle's
Dome), and there is nothing in all Damascus finer or higher than
the sight to be obtained from it. Now the Mosque of Damascus
continued in the splendour and magnificence we have described
until there befell the fire of the year 461 (1069), when much of its
beauty was destroyed.
"Of old times, when 'Omar ibn 'Abd al Aziz came to the
Khalifato (in the year 717 a.d.), he said: 'I consider the wealth
that is in the Mosque at Damascus to be of excess, and if it were
expended on other matters it would be more fitting. Verily, that
which may be spared should be taken and returned to the public
treasury. And I will strip off these marbles and mosaics, and 1
will take away these chains, setting in their stead ropes.' Now the
people of Damascus were greatly perturbed thereat ; and at this
same time it so happened that there arrived at Damascus ten
ambassadors from the king of the Greeks, and they begged per-
mission to enter and visit the Mosque. Permission was granted
them to enter by the Bdb al Barid, and a certain attendant was
sent to accompany them who knew their tongue, in order to listen
to their words, and report what they should say to 'Omar, they
knowing nothing thereof. The envoys passed through the court
until they came in front of the Kiblah, and they raised their eyes
to look at the Mosque. Then their chief began to hang his head,
and his colour became yellow, and when his companions inquired
of him the reason, he replied, ' Verily, I had told the assemblies
of the people of RQmiyyah (Byzantium) that the Arabs and their
power would remain but a brief space ; but now, when I see what
264 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
they have built, I know that of a surety their (dominion) will
reach to length of days.' When 'Omar heard report of this, he
said, * I now perceive that this your Mosque is a source of rage
to the infidels,' and he desisted from doing what he had intended
therein. And 'Omar had before this studded the Mihrab with
jewels of great price, and he afterwards hung up here lamps both
of gold and of silver.
" In the Jami' Mosque is the chapel (Zawiyah) of Al Khidr
(Elias). There is also preserved here the head of Yahya ibn
Zakariyya (John the Baptist), also the Kuran of 'Othman the
Khalif. According to some, the Prophet HOd is buried here;
but of this there is question. Under the great dome of the
Kubbat an Nasr are two columns of variegated-coloured marble,
which they say are of the Tabernacle of Bilkis (Queen of
Sheba) ; but Allah alone knows best the truth. The western
minaret of the Mosque is that where Al Ghazzali (the great theo-
logian) used to pray. They say this minaret was of old a fire-
temple, and that a flame of fire rose from it into the air. The
ancient people of the Hauran made their worship here. The
eastern minaret is called Al Manarahal Baida (the White Minaret),
and upon it they say that Jesus, Son of Mary — peace be upon
Him ! — will descend (at the Judgment Day).* There is shown
here a stone which they say is a fragment of the rock which Moses
struck, and from which there flowed forth twelve springs. They
relate further, that the minaret on which Jesus — peace be upon
Him ! — will descend is that which stands near the Kanisah
Maryam (Mary Church) at Damascus. In the (court of the)
Mosque, the westetn cupola, known as the Treasury, is, they say,
the tomb of 'Ayishah (the wife of the Prophet) ; but her tomb is
in reality at the Baki' Cemeter>' (at Al Madinah). At the south
gate of the Jami', called the Bab az Ziyadah, is hung up a i)iece
of a lance, said to have been that of Khalid ibn Al Walid. At
Damascus, also, are the tombs of MahmCid ibn Zanki ; also of
Saladin, namely, in the Kallasah Mosque near the Jami' (besides
many others too numerous to mention)." (Yak., ii. 587-597.)
The story of the complaint laid before the Khalif 'Omar ibn
* The same tradition is given of the minaret at the eastern city-gale. See
pp. 254, 259.
DAMASCUS. 265
*Abd al 'Aziz by the Christians of Damascus (see above, p. 260)
is somewhat differently related in the Chronicle of Ibn al Athir.
He writes :
'* When 'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz came to be Khalif, the Chris-
tians complained to him of the wrong done to them ; but the
Khalif retorted on them, * Most certainly what lay outside the city
was taken by assault, and yet we gave back to you one of your
churches there. We will, therefore, now destroy the church of
Tiima (St. Thomas), for was it not taken by assault ? and we will
turn it into a mosque.* Then the Christians answered him, * Nay,
rather in fear of this, we give up to thee the great Mosque, and do
thou leave us in peaceful possession of the church of Tdmd.* '*
(Ibn al Athir, v. 5.)
Oimashki, writing about the year 1300, has the following :
** Damascus is called also Jillik and Al Khadra (the green), and
Dhat al 'AmQd (the Columned). The mosque here is one of the
wonders of the world. On the middle night of the month of
Sha'aban they light in it twelve thousand lamps, and burn fifty
Damascus Kintars- weight of olive-oil, and this not counting what
is consumed in the other edifices, such as the colleges, mosques,
tombs, convents, cloisters, and hospitals. The walls of the
Mostjue are faced with marble after the most exquisite manner
ever seen, and above are mosaics in coloured glass and gold and
silver. The length of the Mosque from east to west is 282 ells,
and the width is 220 (or 210) ells. The roof is covered with
sheets of lead. Damascus consists in reality of three towns.
First there come the palaces, gardens, and orchards in the Ghutah,
sufficient to form a large town by themselves ; then, second, are
the underground water-courses ; and third, the houses of the city
itself The gardens of Damascus numlxir one hundred and
twenty-one thousand ; all are watered by a single river which
comes down from the country near Az Zabaddni, and the Wadi
Barada. The springs coming down from the heights above the
Wadi and the waters from the 'Ain al Fijah come together and
form a single river called the Barada, which below divides into
seven streams, each called by its own name.
"The first is the Nahr Yazid, which was dug by the Khalif
266 PALESTINE (JNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Yazid ibn Mu'dwiyah, and called after him. The second is the
Nahr Thaurah, which was dug by one of the kings of the Greeks
of that name. The third is the Nahr Balniyas (or B^nas), dug by
Balniyas (Pliny) the Greek philosopher, and called after him.
The fourth is the Nahr al Kanawat (of the Water-conduits).
These last two flow to the outer districts of the city, and there
divide up into small water-courses and underground channels
serving the baths and places for ablution. The fifth is the Nahr
Mizzah, being called after the village of Al Mizzah, which is also
called Al Manazzah (meaning the Pure), on account of the salubrity
of its climate, the purity of its water, the beauty of its palaces,
the excellence of its fruits, and the abundance of its roses and
other flowers. It is here they make the celebrated rose-water of
Damascus; and this rose-water of Al Mizzah is exported to all
the countries of the South, such as the Hijjaz, and beyond to
India and China. As an example of the price this rose-water
fetches in the market, it is reported that the chief Kadi of the
Hanifites, with his brother Al Hariri, possessed a plot of land
called Shaur az Zahr (the Flower-garland) measuring no, paces by
75, and they sold of its crop 20 Kintars-weight (of rose-leaves) for
22,000 Dirhams (or about 6,500 lbs. for ;^88o) in the year 665
(1267) ; but nothing equal to this has been heard of since.
" The sixth river is the Nahr Darayya ; its upper course is an
affluent (of the Barada), and below, it divides (from the Barada
again). Darayya is a village with very rich crops and lands.
There are here the tombs of Abu Muslim al Khaulani, and of
Abu Sulaiman ad Darani. The seventh river is the Baradd itself,
the main stream of which runs down the bed of the VV^adi. It
receives affluents in its upper course, and below there branch from
it all the six abovementioned rivers ; and these rivers again
divide up into channels and water-courses that irrigate all the
lands of the Ghutah, so that there is no part of its territory where
the water does not attain. The irrigation continues night and
day, and according to fixed measures and lines, and the volume
of water neither increases nor decreases. The main stream of
the Barada continues on eastward of the city, watering villages
and domains and lands, both fertile and barren, till it ultimately
DAMASCUS. 267
falls into the lake to the east of Damascus in the district of
'Adhra, in which are many reeds. Another river (of Damascus)
is called Al A'waj, and it also falls into this same lake. It
becomes a large river at the time of the melting of the snows,
when many small streams join it." (Dim., 193-198.)
Abu-l Fidd, wTiting a few years after Dimashki, gives the follow-
ing description of the lake lying to the east of Damascus, into
which the rivers drain :
" Buhairah Dimashk (the lake of Damascus) lies to the west,
or rather north-west, of the city in the Ghautah ; the overflow of
the Barada, and of the other streams, falls into it. In the winter
this lake spreads out, so that the people (on its banks) have no
need to use the irrigation-canals ; in the summer the waters shrink
up. It has lowlands full of reeds, which form a useful and cele-
brated hiding-place from the enemy." (A. F. 40.)
The same author continues : " Muhallabi says that he found on
one of the pillars of the Mosque at Damascus an inscription,
which set forth the following : DdmaskiyHs built this House to the
God of Gods Ziytish. And he adds, DamaskiyQs is the name of
the king who built the city, and Ziyfish (Zeus) is translated into
Arabic by Al Mushtari (Jupiter)." (A. F., 230.)
The traveller Ibn BatQtah spent some months in Damascus
during the year 1326. He gives in his Diary a long description
of the city and its chief monuments, inserting copious quotations
from Ibn Jubair and previous writers. The more important
passages only are here translated, and these show us what the
Mosque was in the fourteenth century, just before its destruction
by fire at the time of Timur's conquest :
"The Mosque of Damascus was first built by Al Walid ibn
'Abd al Malik, and artificers were sent from the King of Ar R(im
for the purpose. Originally it was a church, which the Muslims
took from the Christians by force. The Mosque was ornamented
with mosaics in gold, and in various colours, called Fusaifasah.
The length of the Mosque from east to west is 200 paces, which
is 300 ells : its width from the Kiblah to the north side is
135 paces, or 200 ells. Of windows of coloured glass there are
to the number of seventy-four to be seen. The Main-building of
268 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
the Mosque consists of three naves, going from east to west, and
the width of each nave is i8 paces. The naves are supported by
fifty-four pillars, and by eight piers of plaster-work set in between ;
also by six piers of marble, which are of various colours, and have
on them representations of prayer-niches of divers sorts. Above
the building rises the I^ad Dome {Kubbat ar Rasds), which
stands before the Mihrdb. It is also called Kubbat an Nasr,
the Eagle's Dome ; for it is as though they likened the Mosque in
plan to a flying eagle, the dome being its head. This is one of
the most wonderful constructions in the world. On whatever side
you approach the city you see the Dome of the Eagle, as it were,
in the air, soaring above all the other buildings of the city.
** Round the Court of the Mosque are three colonnades —
namely, to west, and to east, and to north. The width of each of
these colonnades is lo paces. There are in (each of) these
(colonnades) thirty-three columns and fourteen piers. The width
of the courtyard is loo ells. It is one of the pleasantest places
to see, and the people of the city meet here to talk and walk of
an evening. In the court are three cupolas. The cupola to the
west is the largest ; it is called Kubbat 'Ayishah (the Dome of
'Ayishah), the Mother of the Faithful. It is supported by eight
marble columns, which are ornamented with mosaic work in
various colours. The dome itself is covered with lead. They say
the revenues of the Mosque used to be kept there. They told
me, further, that the revenues of the corn-lands, and that derived
from other possessions of the Mosque, amounted yearly to 20,000
gold Dinars (;^io,ooo). The second cupola lies in the eastern
part of the Mosque court. It is similar to the first, but smaller.
It is supported by eight marble colunms, and is called the Kubbat
of Zain al ^\bidin. The third cupola is in the centre of the court-
yard. It is small and octagonal, of marble and very wonderfully
built. It is supported on four pillars of white marble. Below it
is a grating of iron, in the middle of which is a spout of brass
from which comes water, throwing itself out like a silver rod.
They call this the Water Cage {Kafs al M(i), and the people are
fond of putting their mouths thereto to drink of its water. To
the east of the courtyard is a gate which leads into a beautiful
DAMASCUS, 269
mosque called Mash-had 'Ali ibn Abu Talib — ^may Allah accept
him ! Opposite this, on the west side (of the courtyard) where
the two colonnades, the northern and the western, meet together,
is a place where they say *Ayishah was wont to recite the traditions
of the Prophet.
"In the southern part of the Mosque is the Great Maksdrah
in which the Imam (or Leader of Prayer) of the Shafi'ites officiates.
In its eastern angle, and opposite the Mihrib, is the Treasury,
where is kept the copy of the Kuran which was sent to Damascus,
having belonged to the Khalif 'Othman. This building is opened
every Friday after the hour of prayer, and the people crowd here
to see it. To the left of the MaksQrah is the Mihrib of the
Companions (of the Prophet), which the historians say was the
first Mihr^b erected in Islam. Here the Imam of the Malikites
•
officiates. To the right of the Maks(irah is the Mihr^b of the
Hanifites where their Imam officiates. Adjacent to this, again, is
the Mihrab of the Hanbalites where their Imam officiates. The
Mosque has three minarets. The one to the east was built
originally by the Greeks. The entrance to it is from inside the
Mosque. In its basement are the cells for ablution where those
attached to the Mosque are wont to go. The second minaret,
which is that on the west, is also of the building of the Greeks.
The third minaret is on the north side, and this minaret was built
by the Muslims. There are attached to the Mosque seventy Criers,
to Prayer {Muadhdhin). In the eastern part of the Mosque is a large
MaksCirah (or place railed off), wherein is a cistern of water. It
belongs to the people of Zaila' (on the Red Sea), who are negroes.
" In the middle of the Mosque is the tomb of Zakariyyi
(Zacharias, father of John the Baptist) — peace be upon him ! There
is here a cenotaph placed crosswise between two columns, which
is covered with a black silk cloth, on which is embroidered in
white letters the words : O ZakariyyA^ verily we announce to thee
{the bifth of) a son— his name shall be John ( Yahya), (Kur^n,
xix. 7.) They say the southern (outer) wall of the Mosque was
built by the Prophet HQd — peace be upon him !-~and that his
tomb is there. I saw it, however, again at a place in Yaman in
Arabia.
270 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
" The Mosque has four gates. The southern gate is called Bib
az Ziyidah. Above it is kept a piece of the lance which bore
Khalid ibn al Walid's standard. This gate has a great hall before
it, in which are the shops of the old-ironware merchants and
others. From thence you go to the Cavalry House {Z>dr al
Khail). To the left, as you go out (of the Bab az Ziyddah), are
the shops of the coppersmiths. This is their gi eat bazaar, and it
extends all along the southern outer wall of the Mosque, and is
one of the finest bazaars in Damascus. Where this bazaar now
stands was formerly the Palace of the Khalif Mu'awiyah, and the
houses of his people. This palace was called Al Khadrd. The
Abbasides pulled it down, and turned the place where it stood
into a bazaar. The east gate of the Mosque is the greatest of all
the gates. It is called Bab Jairftn. It has a great hall before it,
from which you go out into a long and splendid colonnade, in the
front part of which are five gates, each of which has five high
columns. On the left of this (colonnade) is a great Mash-had
(oratory), in which was kept the head of Al Husain ; and opposite
thereto is a small mosque, called by the name of the Khalif 'Omar
ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz. Here there is running water. In front of the
colonnade are steps by which you descend to the hall. This last
is like a great fosse, adjacent to which is a very high gateway,
which is supported by columns (as large as) huge palm-trunks.
On either side of this hall, too, are columns. Above and on the
top of these is a gallery going all round about, in which are the
stalls of the cloth-merchants and others. Above these, again, are
galleries in which are the shops of the jewellers and book-sellers,
and the makers of the wonderful glass vessels. In the open square
adjacent to the first gate are the stalls of the chief notaries. Of
these stalls two belong to the Shafi'ites, and the rest to the notaries
of the other three orthodox sects. Every stall holds five or six
notaries, and those who are deputed by the Kadi (judge) to
solemnize marriages. The rest of the notaries live elsewhere in
the town. Near these stalls is the Bazaar of the Paper-makers,
where they sell writing-paper and pens, reeds and ink. In the
middle of the hall aforementioned is a large round marble tank,
over which is a dome (pierced in the centre, and) open to the
DAMASCUS. 271
sky, which is supp>orted on marble columns. In the centre of
the tank is a brass spout, from which is thrown up a column of
water into the air for higher than a man's height. This is called
the Fountain (A/ Fawwarah\ and is very wonderful to see.
" To the right hand going out of the Bab JairQn, which is also
called the B^b as Si'it, is a gallery, in which is a great arch.
Under this is a row of smaller arches, in which open doors equal
in number to the hours of the day. The doors are coloured on
the inside green, and on the outside yellow. When one hour of
the day has elapsed, the inner side, which is green, turns round
and shows outside ; while the green (that was before) outside is
(now) within. They say that on the inside of the gallery there is
someone who attends to turning these doors round with his hand
when each hour has elapsed.
** The western gate (of the Mosque) is called the B^b al Barid.
To the right hand as you go out by it is the Madrasah of the
Shafi'ites. This gate has a hall, in which are the shops of the
chandlers and the booths of the fruit-sellers. Above it is a door
to which you ascend by steps, and this door has high columns
(before it). Below the steps, to right and to left, are two basins
of water that are circular in shape. The northern gate of the
Mosque is called Bab an Natifdniyyin (the Gate of the Sweetmeat
sellers). On the right hand as you go out by it is the Cloister
(Khanikah) called Ash Shami aniyyah, in the centre of which is a
water-cistern, and a place for the ablution served by running
water. They say this was of old the Palace of the Khalif 'Omar
ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz. At every one of the abovementioned four gates
of the Mosque are places for the ablution, in which altogether are
some hundred cells, with running water in plenty in each.
" Of other places worthy of note are the D^r al Khitabah (the
House of the Friday Sermon), which you enter by the Iron Gate
opposite the MaksQrah. This was the gate through which
Mu'dwiyah used to pass (to his Palace of the Khadri). The
chief Kddi lives here now. Among the sanctuaries we must
mention the Mash hads (or oratories) of 'Ali and Al Husain, the
Mosque Al Kallasah, and the Mash-hads of Abu Bakr, 'Omar,
and 'Othman. The city gates of Damascus are eight in number.
272 PALESTINE, UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Among these are B?b al Far^dis, Bab al Jdbiyah, Bab as Saghir ;
and between the two last lies the spot where are seen many tombs
of the Companions and others, also the tomb of the Khalif
Mu^dwiyah, and of Bilil (the Prophet's Crier to Prayer), and of
Ka'ab al Ahbar. At the opposite side to the Bab Jabiyah is the
Bab Sharki, the eastern gate, with the cemetery lying beyond."
Among other places mentioned by Ibn BatOtah are As Salihiyyah,
the northern suburb, under Jabal Kdsiy(in. Also the Tomb of
DhO-l Kifl, the prophet, and the Cave of the Blood of Abel ; also
Ar Rabwah (the Hill) behind Jabal KasiyQn, which was the habi-
tation of Mary and of Jesus. " There is a beautiful view from
here," he says, " as also from the Orator)' of Al Khidr. The
village of An Nairab lies at the foot of The Hill, Ar Ribwah. Al
Mizzah, called also Mizzah of Kalb, after the tribe of Kalb ibn
Wabrah, lies to the south of Nairab." (I. B., i. 198-236.)
The Great Mosque at Damascus (as Yakijt mentions, see above,
p. 263) must have been seriously damaged by the fire which took
place there in the year 1069, during a riot between the Fatimites
and the Shi'ahs. It was, however, shortly afterwards restored, and
such as the building then was, we have it described in the diaries
of the two travellers, Ibn Jubaij (1185), and Ibn BatQlah (1355).
In the year 1400 the great conqueror Timur-Leng took possession
of Damascus, and during the Mongol occupation of the city the
Great Mosque was set on fire and burnt almost to the ground.
The historian Abu-1 Mahasin says the fire was actually lighted by
Timur's orders ; Ibn KhaldQn, on the other hand, asserts that the
mishap occurred during the taking of the city by assault ; while
the author of the Za/ar Ndmah assures us that the fire was
accidental, and that Timur made every jjossible effort, but in vain,
to have it extinguished. In Tiniur's camp at this time was the
celebrated Bavarian traveller Schiltherger. The account of his
voyages has been published by the Hakluyt Society, and from his
pages the following quotation, giving some account of the fire, is
of importance, as being the testimony of an eye witness, though
one much prejudiced against Timur :
" Then Tamerlin stormed the City (of Damascus), and took it
by assault. And now soon after he had taken the City, came to
DAMASCUS, 273
him the Geit, that is as much as to say a Bishop, and fell at his
feet, and begged mercy for himself and his priests. Tamerlin
ordered that he should go with his priests into the Temple (mean-
ing the Great Mosque) ; so the priests took their wives, their
children, and many others, into the Temple for protection, until
there were thirty thousand young and old. Now Tamerlin gave
orders that when the Temple was full, the people inside should be
shut up in it. This was done. Then wood was placed around
the Temple, and he ordered it to be ignited, and they all perished
in the Temple." (From TAe Bondage and Travels of Johann
Schiltberger^ 1396 to 1427, p. 23; Hakluyt Society's publica-
tions.)
18
CHAPTER VII.
LEGENDS AND MARVELS,
Ar Rakim and the Cave of the Sleepers — Zughar (Zoar, Segor), the Cities of
Lot, and the Legend of Lot's daughters—^/ Kalt and the Well of ihe
Leaf— Urim and tlie Ancient Temple — *Ain al Jdrah and the Menhir —
Ba^albakkzxi^ the Great Stones — Bait Lahm (Bethlehem) and the Basilica
of Constantine — An Ndsirah (Nazareth) and the Wonderful Tree.
AR RAKiM AND THE CAVE OF THE SLEEPERS.
The stor)' of " The Companions of the Cave " is one that from
earliest times has proved a favourite with the Muslims. This
probably was in the beginning due to the fact that the Prophet had
used the incidents connected with the legend of the Seven Sleepers
of Ephesus to illustrate one of the didactic chapters of the Kuran.
The Christian legend will be found related at length in the Acta
Sanctorum of the Bollandists, under date of July 27 (Tomus vi.,
P* 375 5 de S, S, Sept em Dormientibus),
Briefly, the account there given is, that in the year 250 a.d.,
during the reign of the Emperor Decius, there lived at Ephesus
seven young men, brothers, and ardent Evangelists, whose names, as
recorded in the Roman martyrolog}', w^ere Maximilianus, Marcus^
Martinianus, Dionysius, John, Serapion, and Constantinus. In
order to escape the persecution then directed against the Chris-
tians, these youths hid themselves in a cave in Mount Ca^lian. On
being discovered by their persecutors they were walled up in the
cave, and there took sleep in the Lord. In the year 470, in the
days of the Emperor Theodosius, their bodies were discovered, and
ultimately were brought to the Church of St. Victor, at Marseilles,
where they now lie.
The legend was apparently of Syrian origin. It has given its
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 275
name to the eighteenth chapter of the Kurdn, of which the
following verses are the most important :
" Fers^ 8. Hast thou reflected that the inmates of the Cave and
of Ar Rakim were one of our wondrous signs ?
" Fers^ 9. When the youths betook them to the cave they said,
* O, our Lord ! grant us mercy from before Thee, and order for us
our affair aright/
" Vigrsg 10. Then struck we upon their ears (with deafness) in
the cave for many a year. . . .
" Ferse 1 6. And thou mightest have seen the sun when it arose,
pass on the right of their cave, and when it set, leave them on the
left, while they were in its spacious chamber.
" Fers^ 1 7. And thou wouldst have deemed them awake, though
they were sleeping ; and we turned them to the right and to the left.
And in the entry lay their dog with paws outstretched. Hadst
thou come suddenly upon them, thou wouldst surely have turned
thy back on them in flight, and have been filled with fear at them.
" Frrs^ 18. So we awaked them that they might question one
another. Said one of them, * How long have ye tarried here ?*
. . . They said, * Your Lord knoweth best how long ye have tarried ;
send now one of you with this your coin into the city, and let him
mark who therein hath purest food, and from him let him bring you
a supply; and let him be courteous, and not discover you to anyone.
" F<grs^ 19. *For they, if they find you out, will stone you or
turn you back to their faith, and in that case it will fare ill with
you for ever.'
" Fersg 20. And thus we made their adventure known to (their
fellow-citizens), that they might learn that the promise of God is
true. . . .
" Ferse 21. Some say, they were three; their dog the fourth ;
others say, five ; their dog the sixth ; guessing at the secret ; others
say, seven ; their dog the eighth. . . .
" Fers^ 24. And they tarried in their Cave three hundred years,
and nine years over."*
* Quoted from the Rev. J. M. RodwelPs translation of the Kuran. Accord-
ing to the Christian tradition, the youths entered the cave under the Emperor
Dccius and awoke in the days of Theodosius. This gives some 220 years,
which does not agree with the 309 years of the Kurau.
18—2
276 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Scattered up and down the volumes of Yakut's great Geo-
graphical Dictionary, under various headings, are many curious
details relating to the legend of the Seven Sleepers, and these
may with advantage be brought together for purposes of com-
parison with accounts, derived from other early Muslim writers, of
rej>orted visits to the Cave.
Starting with the verses of the Kurin, before quoted, where the
Cave and Ar Rakim are mentioned, the Muslims were much
exercised in their minds as to what signification should be attached
to the word Ar Rakim, According to one account (Yakut, ii. 805),
Ar Rakim was said to be " a tablet of lead on which were in-
scribed the names of the Men of the Cave, and their history, and
the date of their flight." The authority of the great traditionist,
Ibn *Abb4s, is, on the same page, given in support of the view
that Ar Rakim was the name of the Cave, which, it is further
stated, "lay between *Amtiriyyah (Amorium) and Nikiyah (Nicaea).
being ten or eleven days' journey from Tarsus." " Other authori-
ties, however," says Yak(\t, " hold Ar Rakim to be either the name
of the Village where the youths lived, or of the mountain in
which the Cave was to be found." " Or," says Yak(\t, in another
article, "Jairim is said to be the name of the Cave of the
Sleepers." (Yik., ii. 175.)
The same Ibn 'Abbis (Yak., ii. 805) further states that the
names of the Seven Sleepers were these : " Yamlikhi (Jamblichus),
Maksimilind (Maximilianus), Mashilini (Marcellus ?), MartdnOs
(Martianus), DabriyQs (Dionysius? or Demetrius?), Sirabiyftn
(Serapion), and AfastatiyOs (Exustadianus ?). The name of their
dog being Kitmir, and of the king from whom they fled Dakiyanfis
(Decianus, a mistake for Decius)." The name of their city is given
very correctly (Yak., ii. 806) as AfasOs (Ephesus) \ Ar Rakim being
here mentioned as the name of the Cave, and Ar Rass the name
of the Village where the youths dwelt. In a previous article, how-
ever (Yak., i. 91), we find another spelling: " Abases, a ruined
city of the country of the Greeks, from which the Companions of
the Cave came. It is said to be the City of Dakiydnds, and it
lies near Abulustain. There are many wonderful remains here."
Two pages further on (Yzlk., i. 93) Abulustain is given as "a
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 277
celebrated city in the Greek country, near to which is Ar
Rakim."
Abulustain, near Ephesus, is. the place at the present day
called Al Bustin. Y^kQt apparently has taken this notice of
Abulustain from 'Ali of Herat, for a similar account is to be found
in his work. (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 86 v.) In the last volume
of Ydkiit (iv. 1040), "Yanjalds" (evidently a Greek name) is
stated to be the name of the mountain in which lay the Cave of
the Sleepers, but some doubt is expressed as to where the moun-
tain was situated.
Besides the neighbourhood of Ephesus, YakQt localises the
legend in two other places, namely, in the trans-Jordanic Province
of the Balkd, and in Spain. In the latter country, YakQt writes
(vol. ii. 125 and 806), "some say the Cave and Ar Kaktm are to
be found at Jinan al Ward (the Gardens of the Rose), in Anda-
lusia, adding that Tulaitalah (Toledo) is the City of Dakiy^nQs —
but God knows best.** Of Ar Rakim, in the Balka, a curious
story relating to a cave to be seen there in the tenth century is
given by Mukaddasi. The earliest notice of Ar Rakim, how^ever,
is found in the work of Istakhri, who wrote a generation before
Mukaddasi ; his account is as follows :
" Rakim or Ar Rakim is a town on the confines of the BaM
Province. It is small, and its houses are entirely cut out in the
rock. Their walls, even, are all of the live rock, so that each
appears to be of but a single block of stone." (Is., 64, copied by
A. K, 227.)*
* Ar Rakim has often l)een identiHeil with Petra or Wa:ll M11S&, near Mount
Hor, on ihe hypothesis that the name represents the ' Arekem * of Josephus
(*Antiq.,' iv. 4, § 7 ; and iv. 7, § 1). This identiHcation, however, which
originated with A. Schuliens in the last century (see his * Vita Saladini,' Index
Geographicus, s.v. Errakimum)^ an 1 has been constantly copied by writers
up to the present day, was very justly, shown to be impossible by Robinson, in
his Biblical lUsearches (ii. 653). Mukaddasi's account confirms this by placing
Ar Rakim three miles from 'Amman. Further, Ibn al Alhtr ('Chronicle,'
xi. 259) slates that Ar Rakim lies two days* march north of Kaiak, on the
road )>etween Damascus and that fortress. Neither of these indications will
allow of Ar Rakim l)eing identitied with Petra (Wadi M{ksi) lying two days'
march south of the Dead Sea. Tiie confu»iun no doul>t arose from the fact
that there were in Ilel>rew times two Raklms, as is proved by the notices given
278 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
The following is the accoum of the cave given by Mukaddasi :
" In the village of Ar Rakim, which lies about a league distant
from *Ammin, and on the border of the desert, is a cavern with
two entrances — one large, one small — and they say that he who
enters by the larger is unable to leave by the smaller, unless he
have with him a guide. In the cave are three tombs, concerning
which Abu-1 Fadl Muhammad ibn MansOr related to me the fol-
lowing tradition of the Prophet, and his authority was Abu Bakr
ibn Said, who said that 'Abd Allah, the son of the Khalif 'Omar,
was wont to relate the story, he himself having heard it from the
mouth of the Prophet — the grace of Allah be upon him, and His
peace ! Thus he spoke : * While three men once were walking
together, heavy rain overtook them, and drove them into a cavern
of the mountain, and of a sudden there fell, from the mountain
above, a rock which blocked up the mouth of the cave, and
behold they were shut in. Then one of them called to the other,
saying, " Now, mind ye of such good deeds as ye have done, and
call on Allah thereby, beseeching Him, so that for the sake thereof
perchance He may cleave this rock before us." Then one of
them cried aloud, saying, " Allah ! of a truth have not I my two
parents who are old and feeble, besides my children, of whom I
am the sole protector ? And when I return to them, I do milk
the kine, and give first of the milk to my two parents, even before
giving of it to my children. Now, on a certain day, when I was
at forced labour, I came not to them until it was night, and found
my parents slumbering. Then I milked the kine, as was my
wont, and I brought of the milk and came and stood near by
unto them, but feared awaking them from their sleep ; and
further, I dared not give of it to the children before the setting of
it before my elders, although the children, in truth, were in distress
for want thereof. And thus I remained waiting till the breaking
of the dawn. Now, since Thou knowest well how I did this
thing from fear of Thy face, so therefore cause this rock to cleave
before us, that through the same we may perceive the sky."
Then Allah caused a cleft to split in the rock, and through it they
in the Talmud (cf. Neubauer's Geographie du Talmud)^ namely, * Rekem of
Ga*aya ' and * Rekem of Hagra,' the latter being Petra.
LEGENDS AND MARVELS, 279
perceived the sky. Then the second one cried aloud, and said,
" Allah ! was there not the daughter of my uncle, whom I loved
passionately, as only man can love? And when I sought to
possess her, she would refuse herself to me, saying that I should
bring her a hundred pieces of gold. Then I made effort, and col-
lected those hundred pieces, bringing them to her ; but even as I
was entering to possess her, she cried aloud and said, * O servant
of Allah, fear Him, and force me not, except in lawfulness.' So I
went from her. And now, verily, as Thou knowest that I did even
this from the fear of 'I'hy face, so therefore cleave unto us again
a portion of this rock." And Allah vouchsafed to cleave thereof
another cleft Then the last man cried aloud, and said, ** Allah !
did I not hire a serving-man for the customary p)ortion of rice ?
And when his task was accomplished, he said to me, * Now give
10 me my due.' And I gave to him his due; but he would not
receive it, and despised it. Then I ceased not to use the same for
sowing till, of profit, I became p)ossessed of cattle and of a neat-
herd slave. And after long time, the man came to me and said,
* Fear Allah, and oppress me not ; but give to me my due.* And
I, answering him, said, * (to thou, then, to these cattle and their
herdsmen, and receive them.' Said he again, * Fear Allah, and
mock me not I' And I answered him, * Verily, I mock thee not.
Do thou take these cattle and their herdsmen.' So he at last,
taking them, did go his way. And now, since Thou knowest how
I did this thing in fear of Thy face, do Thou cause what of this
rock remaineth to be cleft before us." Then Allah caused the
whole rock to become cleft before them.' " (Muk., 175.)
The tradition here given is evidently a somewhat disguised
version of the story of the Cave of the Sleepers mentioned in
the Kuran. Mas'Odf, writing in 943, remarks on the history of
the Companions of the Cave and Ar Rakim : " There is consider-
able difference of opinion among people as to the Companions of
the Cave and of Ar Rakim. Some there are who hold the Com-
panions of the Cave to be the same as the Companions of Ar
Rakim, and say that Ar Rakim is but the name of the Com-
panions of the Cave that were written (Rakatna) on a tablet of
stone over the door of the cavern. Others say the Companions
28o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
of the Cave are quite distinct from the Companions of Ar Rakim."
(Mas., iii. 307.)
Of visits to the reputed Cave of the Sleepers in the Greek
territories there are several accounts quoted by Yikftt, and other
writers. The earliest is said to have taken place about the year
II A.H. (632) ; next in chronological order is the account found
in Mukaddasi of a visit in the year 102 (720) ; a third visit, men-
tioned in YakCit, is set down to have taken place in the reign of
the Khalif al Wathik, about the year 845 a.d.
The first account is as follows :
" *Ub^dah ibn as Simit relates as follows : ' Abu Bakr as Siddik
despatched me the year he became Khalif (a.h. 11, a.d. 632) to
the King of RQm (Greece) to exhort him to receive Islam, or else
to declare him war.*
" 'Ubidah continues : * We journeyed until we entered the
country of the Greeks, and when we were approaching Constanti-
nople, there appeared before us a red mountain in which the}'
said were the Companions of the Cave, and Ar Rakim ; so we
turned aside to a monastery, and inquired of the people thereof
concerning them, and they pointed out a passage in the mountain.
Then we told them that we wished to see the (Companions of the
Cave). They said, " Give us somewhat," and we gave them
Dinars. Then they entered the passage, and we entered after
them, and there was herein a door of iron which they opened,
and they brought us to a mighty chamber {bait) hollowed in the
mountain, in which were thirteen men lying on their backs, as
though they were asleep. They all were covered from head to
foot with dust-gray cloaks and shirts. We could not discover
whether their clothes were of wool or of hair, or of what other
material ; but the texture was harder than brocade, and crackled
from the thickness and the excellence of the stuff. We saw that
most of them had on boots {khufaf) reaching up to the middle of
the leg, but some were shod with sandals (ni'd/) sewn together.
Both the boots and the sandals were of excellent sewing, and the
leather was such as the like I have not seen elsewhere. We un-
covered their faces, one after the other, and lo ! in all was the
complexion of healthful bloom, and of red blood (in the cheeks),
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 281
as is the appearance of a living man. Of some (the hair) w.os
turning gray, and some were in their youth with black hair ; some
had flowing locks, and some were shaven. Their stature was that
of ordinary Muslims. When we came to the last of them, we
beheld that his head had been cut off with a sword-stroke, and it
was as though it had been struck off that very day. We inquired
of those who had conducted us hither what they did with these
men. They replied, it was their wont to come in here on the
festival-day of (the Companions of the Cave), when the people of
the country would assemble at the gate of the cave, coming in
from all the towns and villages around; and that then, during
some days, they would stand the dead men upright in order to
clean them, and shake the dust from their cloaks and shirts ; also,
they pared their nails, and cut their moustaches, and after this
they laid them down once more in the position in which we now
saw them/
" * Then we inquired of our guides as to who these men had
been, and what had been their office, and how long they had lain
in this place. The guides answered us they had found in their
Books that these men had lain in this place since four hundred
years before the coming of the Messiah — peace be upon Him ! —
and that they had been prophets, sent at a certain time, and that
they knew naught more of their condition but this.'
"Says the writer, \\bd Allah (YakQt), the poor servant (of
God) : * All this have I copied from the work of a man of trust,
but Allah alone knows if it be true.' " (Yak., ii. 806.)
A somewhat similar account to the above is also given by
Mukaddasi, but with the difference that the visit he narrates took
place some ninety years later than the date quoted for Yakut's
narrative, and naturally the " narrator " is not the same. Mukad-
dasi, after stating that Tarsus was in his day (985) in the power of
the (jreeks, continues :
" As regards the Cave (of the Seven Sleepers), the city to which
it belongs is Tarsus ; and further, here is the tomb of Dakiyinds,
and in the neighbourhood is a hill, on which is a mosque, said to
have been built above the cave. The jurisprudist Abu 'Abd-AUah
Muhammad 'Omar al Bukhiri related to us, quoting the words of
282 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Abu Talib al Yamani, who held it by a chain of authorities, that
Mujdhid ibn Yazid had reported, saying, *I went forth with
Khdlid al Baridi in the days when he went on an embassy to the
Emperor (at Constantinople), during the year of the Flight 102
(720), and beside us two there went no other Muslims. After we
had visited Constantinople, we set out to return by 'AmQriyyah
(Amorium), and thence, in the course of four nights, we reached
Al I^dhikiyyah (Loadicea Combusta), which had been destroyed
by fire. From thence we came on to Al Hawiyyah, which lies in
the midst of the mountains, and it was here told us that in this
place were some dead men, who they were none knew, but there
were guards set to guard them. And the people caused us to
enter a tunnel, some 50 ells deep and 2 broad, having lamps with
us, and behold, in the middle of this tunnel was an iron door, it
being a hiding-place for their families at times when the Arabs
make their incursions against them. At this spot were ruined
buildings of great extent, in the midst of which was a hole in the
ground, some 15 ells across, filled with water, and from here one
could perceive the sky. The cavern from this place entered the
bowels of the mountain, and we were conducted to a spot right
under Al Hawiyyah, where was a chamber some 20 ells deep. In
this were thirteen men, lying prostrate one behind the other, each
wearing a cloak. I was unable to see whether this was of wool
or of hair, but the cloaks were gray in colour — dust-coloured vest-
ments— which crackled under the touch like parchment. In
ever}' case the garments, which were fringed, veiled the face of
the wearer, and covered his limbs. And some wore boots up to
the middle, of the leg, and some sandals, while others had shoes ;
but everything was perfectly new. On uncovering the face of one
of them, I perceived that the hair of his head and of his beard
had remained unchanged, and that the skin of his face was
shining, the blood appearing in his cheeks. It was as though
these men had laid themselves down but a moment before, for
their limbs were supple as are the limbs of living men, and all
were still in their youth, except certain of them whose locks had
begun to turn gray. And behold, one of them had had his head
cut off, and inquiring of the people of the matter, they answered,
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 283
saying, " When the Arabs came down on us, and took possession
of Al Hawiyyah, we gave them information concerning these (dead
men), but they would not believe us, and one of the Arabs struck
the head off this body."
" * The men of Al Hawiyyah further related to us that at the
commencement of each year on their feast-day the people
assemble in this cavern, and, raising each of these corpses one
by one, they cause them to stand upright. Then they wash them,
and shake the dust off their clothes, and arrange their garments.
Moreover, these dead men are not allowed afterwards to fall or
sink down, but are laid out by the people, after the manner we
saw, on the ground ; and they pare their nails three times in the
year, for these do continue to grow. Then we inquired the
explanation of these things, and concerning their origin ; but the
people replied that they knew nothing about the matter, only
adding, "We call them prophets."'
** The before-mentioned Mujahid and Khalid further state that
they themselves concluded that these men must he the Com-
panions of the Cave (mentioned in the Kuran) ; but Allah alone
knows." (Muk., 153.)
The third account is quoted by YakOt. This visit is stated to
have taken place rather more than a century after the one
described in the pages of Mukaddasi :
*'It was the Khalif Al W^thik (a.h. 227-232; .vd. 842-847)
w^ho sent Muhammad ibn MOsa al Munajjim (the Astrologer) to
the countries of the Greeks to discover the Companions of the
Cave and Ar Rakim. This Muhammad, the astrologer, reports
of his journey as follows :
" * And we reached the country of the Greeks, and, lo ! before
us was a small mountain, the base of which was not more than
1,000 ells (round). In its side is a passage ; and you enter by
this passage, and pass through a tunnel in the ground for the
distance of 300 paces, when you arrive at a portico (rtwdk). This
is in the mountain ; it is supported by columns cut out of the
rock. In the rock are numerous chambers (da//), and among
them one with a tall doorway, of man's height, closed by a stone
gate. It is here the dead men lie. There was one in attendance
284 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
who guarded them, and with him were eunuchs. The guardian
would have turned us aside from seeking to see the dead men ;
for he said that of a surety he who went down to seek them
would receive some bodily injury. But by this dissimulation he
sought rather to keep the advantage of the visitation to himself
(and his people).
" * Then said I to him, " Give me but a sight of them, and
thou shalt be free (of all blame in the matter)." And so ascending
with great pain a rough way, and accompanied by one of my
young men, I beheld these (dead men). And, lo ! (their bodies;
had been rubbed with unguents, the hair being soft in the hand,
and their limbs anointed with aloes, and myrrh, and camphor to
preserve them. Their skin clave to the bones — for I passed my
hand over the breast of one of them — and 1 found the hair
thereof rough. The garments were strong (of texture).
" * After that (we had returned) the guardian presented us with
food, and besought us to eat ; but when we took thereof and
tasted it our stomachs revolted from it, and vomited it up again.
It was as though a villainy had been attempted, and that (the
guardian) had sought to kill us— or certain of us, at least — in
order to justify the words of dissimulation used in the presence of
the king when saying that the Companions of Ar Rakim would
surely work us evil. Then said we to the (guardian), " Wne
had imagined they would have been living men, with the
semblance of those who are dead ; but behold these (men) are
not of this sort !" And we left him, and went our ways.' "
(Yak., ii. 805.)
Referring to the various accounts of the Cave of the Seven
Sleepers, Al Birfini, who wrote in 390 (a.d. 1000), has some
pertinent remarks, which I quote from Professor Sacliau's excellent
translation of the text,* where, in the chapter on the festivals of
the Syrian calendar, and under date of the 5th of Tishrin L
(October), we find the following :
" Commemoration of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, who are
mentioned in the Kur^n. The Khalif Al Mu*tasim had sent
• Translation of the AthAr al BAkiyah^ p. 285. Oriental Translation Fund^
1879.
LEGENDS AND MARVELS, 285
along with his ambassador another person, who saw the place of
the Seven Sleepers with his own eyes, and touched them with his
own hands. This report is known to everybody. We must,
however, observe that he who touched them — />., Muhammad
ibn MQsa ibn Shitkir — himself makes the reader rather doubt
whether they are really the corpses of those seven youths or other
people— in fact, some sort of deception. *Ali ibn Yahya, the
astronomer, relates that, on returning from his expedition, he
entered that identical place — a small mountain, the diameter of
which at the bottom is a little less than 1,000 yards. At the
outside you see a subterranean channel, which goes into the
interior of the m )untain, and passes through a deep cave in the
earth for a distance of 300 paces. Then the channel runs out
into a sort of half-open hall in the mountain, the roof being
supported by perforated columns ; and in this hall there is a
number of separate compartments. There, he says, he saw
thirteen people, among them a beardless youth, dressed in woollen
coats and other woollen garments, in boots and shoes. He
touched some hairs on the forehead of one of them, and tried to
flatten them, but they did not yield. That their number is more
than seven — which is the Muhammadan — and more than eight —
which is the Christian tradition — is, perhaps, to be explained in
this way, that some monks have been added who died there in
the same spot . . ."
A few words may be added in conclusion regarding the names
of the Seven Sleepers as given in the authorities quoted in the
Acta Satictotum of the Bollandists (Tomus vi. Julii, p. 375 et
seq.\ and in the Bibliotheca Orientalia of Assemani (vol. i., p. 335
ei seq.).
The legend of the Seven Sleepers is first referred to in Western
literature by Gregory of Tours i^De Gloria Martyrum^ vol. i., 9,
caput 95), according to whom they were seven in number, their
names being Clemens^ Primus^ Lcttus^ Theodoras^ Gaudens^
Quiriacus (or Cyriacus\ and Innocentius, In the official list of
the Roman Acta Sanctorum the names appear in I^tin as
MaximianuSy Constantinus^ Maichus, Serapiotiy Martinianus^
DionysiuSy Johannes, In Greek the first two figure as Maximilianus
286 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
and Constantinianus respectively; while Exacitstodianus replaces
Malchus^ 2Si^ JamblUhus Serapion, of the Roman list.
In Assemani (Bibl. Or.^ i. 336) we find a list taken from the
writings of Dionysius, the Jacobite patriarch, who gives the number
as eight, their names being Maximiliantis, Jamblichus, Serapion,
MartinianuSy Johannes, Exustadianus, Dionysius, and Antoninus.
The following are the names, serpen in number, from two other
Marty rologies, as given in the Acta San: tor um (loc, cit., p. 376) :
Russian : Maximilianus, Dionysius, Amulichus, Martinus,
Antoninus, Johannes, Mcircellus.
Ethiopian (as given by Jobus Ludolfus, Calendarium ^thiopi-
cum, p. 436) : Arshaledes, DiomedeSy Eugenius, Dimatheus,
Bronatheus, Stephus, Cyriacus.
The list given by the Arab traditionist, Ibn * Abbas (cited
above, p. 276), is, doubtless, somewhat corrupt. In Eutychius
(edited by Pocock, vol. i., p. 390 of the text) the names appear
as MaksimycLn^s, Amllkhus, DiyAnfis, Afartiniis, DiyiintsiyHs,
Antwiiyus, Yuhannd.
The variety in the names would appear to have struck the
Martyrologists as requiring some explanation. In the Acta
Sanctorum (Joe, cit., p. 376) the opinion of the anonymous Greek
author of a MS. in the Medicean Library is quoted, as also that
of Boninus Membritius. These are both of the opinion that the
variants were due to the fact that the individuals are cited, in one
account, under their original Pagan names, and, in another, under
the names they subsequently received in baptism.
ZUGHAR* AND THE CITIES OF LOT.
The town of Zughar, so frequently mentioned by early Arab
historians, is the Segor of the Crusading Chronicles, situated at
the southern end of the Dead Sea. Whether or not this occupies
the site of the Biblical Zoar of Lot is a point on which certainty
is hardly to be obtained after the lapse of so many centuries, and
when taking into account the extreme paucity and obscurity of
the topographical indications afiforded by the Book of (lenesis.
It has, however, been stated! that the Arab geographers place
* Also spelt Sughar, and Suknr.
t Notably by Dr. Selah Merrill, East of the Jordan, p. 233 et seq.
LEGENDS AND MARVELS, 287
Zughar at the northern end of the Dead Sea, near Jericho ; and
on this authority the Zoar of Lot has been identified with Tell
esh Shaghur, not far to the east of the Jordan Ford. The Arab
geographers are, however, unanimous in placing Zughar at the
southern extremity of the Dead Sea, and in this they may be taken
to confirm the tradition preserved by Josephus (who is followed
by Eusebius and Jerome in the Onomasticon)^ who speaks of the
Dead Sea as stretching from Jericho on the north to Segor on the
south.
The misapprehension of the texts of the Arab geographers is,
doubtless, due to a confusion of the two Ghaurs. For it must be
borne in mind that the valley leading south from the Dead Sea to
the head of the Gulf of 'Akabah is known to the Arabs as the
Ghaur (see above, p. 31), and hence bears the same name as
that applied by them to the Jordan Valley running up north from
that lake. To the Arab mediaeval writers, Zughar, the City of
I^t, was as well known a place as Jerusalem or Damascus. It
was the most noted commercial centre of the south country, and
the capital of the Province of Ash Sharah (Edom), being com-
parable even to Basrah, the Port of Baghddd, for the extent of its
commerce.
To sum up the indications detailed below, Zughar lay near the
Dead Sea, one or two days' march from Jericho, three days' from
Jerusalem, one from Ma*ab (near Karak), and four from the head
of the Gulf of 'Akabah. From all of which it is impossible that a
town opposite Jericho, across the Jordan Ford, can be intended.
To set the matter of the position of Zughar beyond a doubt,
however, the testimony of Abu-1 Fida may be quoted, who gives
the latitude of the town. For the case in point, the latitude and
longitudes given in the Arab geographers —though not exact pos-
sibly as to the number of degrees and minutes — are worthy of
reliance for fixing the comparative position of places. The figures
to be quoted prove that Zughar lay south of the middle of
the Dead Sea, while Jericho, of course, lay north of this point.
The latitude in the Arab geographers was reckoned, as with us,
south to north, beginning at the equator ; the longitude, west to
east, beginning at the Fortunate Isles in the Atlantic.
288 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
These are the figures given in Abu-1 Fida (text, pp. 39, 48) :
North Lat.
West Long.
Zughar . •
. 30" and a fraction
. S7r
Central point of the Dead Sea
. 31^ •
• 59°
Jericho
. ^^i'"* and a fraction
. 564°
Baisan
. 32r ^
• 58°
Hence Zughar lay about one degree of latitude souf/i of Jericho.
The curious tradition (see p. 290) preserved in YakOt connecting
Zughar and 'Amman with the two incestuous daughters of I^t, is
derived from Rabbinical sources, amj)lifying the account given in
the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Genesis concerning the orig'n
of Ammon and Moab. The two daughters of Ix)t are called in
the Aramaic writings Rabbetha^ the Elder, and Se'irta^ the Younger,
which in the Arabic have become Bubbah, or Rabbah^ and Sughar
or Zughar. I'he name Rubbah is sometimes writen by mistake
Rayyah (by the omission of a diacritical point),* but that this is
not the true reading is proved by its position in the alphabetical
arrangement of Yakut's Dictionary, where the article * Rubbah '
occurs in the section of Rb, not in Ry.
In regard to the names of the Cities of the Plain preserved by
Mas'fid! and Yakiit, it is worthy of note (in view of a possible
identification of the site with some existing ruin), that Gomorrah
figures as 'Amfira, with the initial letter ^Ain in place of Ghain ;
thus preserving the transcription found in the Hebrew text where
we have Amorah — the pronunciation of Gomorrah having been
adopted into our Bible from the Greek Septuagint version. t
Though Zughar was such a large and well-known town during
all the Middle Ages, no traces apparently remain of it at the pre-
sent day ; at any rate, none have been described by modem tra-
vellers, who have visited the southern shores of the Dead Sea.
The same remark has also to be made regarding any remains of
the other Cities of I^t mentioned by the Arab geographers.
Our first description of Zughar is the account given by Istakhri
and Ibn Haukal, in the latter half of the tenth century a.d. :
* See in the Index, s.v, *Rabbah.*
t A full discussion of Scgor, Sodom, and Gomorrah will l>e found in a paper
by M. Clermont Ganneau in the Quarterly Statement of the Palestine Explora^
Hon Fumi^ 1^86, p. 19.
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 289
" Zughar is a city of heat lying in a hot country situated very
near the desert, but it is full of good things. They grow here
much indigo, which, however, for dye purposes, does not come up
to that of Kabul. The trade of the place is considerable, and its
markets are greatly frequented.
** In Zughar there is a species of fresh date called Al Inkili,*
the equal of which you will not find in Trik or elsewhere for
sweetness and beauty of appearance. It is saffron coloured and
of exquisite quality, and four (dates) go to a span length '' (or " to
a pound." I. H.).
" The Country of Lot's People {Diydr Kaum LUt) is that known
as the Overturned, or the Accursed. There is here neither seed
sown, nor milch kine grown, nor herb nor plant of any kind. It
is a black plain strewn over with stones all of about equal size.
Apparently these are the * Marked Stones ' (mentioned in the
Kuran, ix. 84^ which were^ cast down on the people of Lot. On
most of these stones there is what looks like the impress of a seal;
and they resemble in appearance cheeses, and are extraordinary
for their size and roundness." (Is., 64; I. H., 124, copied by
A. F., 228.)
Mas'Qdi, writing in 943 A.D., notes that "the Cities of Ix)t's
People were in the Jordan Territory in the Province of Filastin,
There were five cities, of which the capital was Sadiim. The
name of each of their Kings in turn was Bari', as mentioned in
the Pentateuch."t (Mas., iii. 222.)
**The five cities of Lot were called Sadfim, 'AmArd (Gho-
morrah), Adm^td (Admah), Sahara (Zoar), and Sabftri (Zeboim)."
(Mas., i. 85.)
Of Sughar, Mukaddasi writes, in the tenth century : " The
people of the two neighbouring districts call the town Sakar (that
is. Hell) ; and a native of Jerusalem was wont to write from here
to his friends, addressing. From the lower Sakar (Hell) unto those
in the upper Firdfis (Paradise). And verily this is a country that
is deadly to the stranger, for its water is execrable ; and he who
• Inkild dates are, perhaps those the ancients knew by the name of XiroXaoi.
Sec Mover's PhiTPticfa, iii. 1, 234.
t Gen. xiv. 2 : * These made war with Bera, King of Sodom.*
19
290 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
should find that the Angel of Death delays for him, let him come
here, for in all Islam I know not of any place to equal it in evil
climate. I have seen other lands that were stricken by the plague
but none so badly as this, not even the land of Jurjan (in Persia).
Its people are black-skinned and thick-net. Its waters are hot,
even as though the place stood over Hell-fire. On the other hand,
its commercial prosperity is like Busrah (the port of Baghdad) on
a small scale, and its trade is very lucrative. The town stands on
the shore of the Overwhelming I^ke (the Dead Sea), and is, in
truth, a remnant of the Cities of I^t, being the one that was saved
by reason that its inhabitants knew nothing of the abominations
practised in the other cities. The mountains rise up near, and
overhang the town." (Muk., 178 : copied by Yak., iii. 396.)
" Between Palestine and the Hijjaz, that is, between Ar Ramlah
and Wailah, are the stones which were cast at the people of Lot.
They lie along the Pilgrim Road, being striped, and of size both
large and small." (Muk., 185.)
The tradition of Lot's Daughters, given by Yak^it, is repeated
twice, and then again referred to in his article on 'Amm^n (see
Part II.). Zughar is also connected with other Muslim legends,
namely those relating to the events that announce the Day of
Judgment
Yikiit's account is as follows :
" Zughar is a village in the Eastlands of Syria on the borders of
the Stinking I^ke (the Dead Sea). The Lake is called after it
Bahr Zughar. It is near Al Karak. Zughar was the name of the
Daughter of Lot who dwelt at this place, and from her the town
was called. It lies three days' march from Jerusalem on the
Hijjaz border, and they have much arable land here. Zughar is
mentioned in the Tradition of the Spy, called Al Jass&sah^ which is
a Beast lying in the Isles of the Sea who spies for news and carries
it to the Antichrist, who is called Ad DaJJctL She is also called
*the Beast of the Earth.' The spring, 'Ain Zughar, will sink down
in the End of Days, and this is one of the signs of the Resurrection-
"A man of the people of Tamim ad Dari relates that he and
his companions were driven to a certain island in the sea by a
contrary wind, and they found there a Beast. They inquired^
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 291
* Who art thou ?' The Beast answered, * I am she who spies/
Then said they, * Give us news.' But she replied, * If ye want
news, then turn to this Monastery, where is a man who hath desire
to see you/ So the men went to him, and he said, * Verily ye
must inform me, and give me news/ Said he, continuing, *What
doth the Lake of Tabariyyah ?* They replied, * It laves its
borders/ Said he, * What doth the Palm of 'Ammin and that of
Baisan?' They replied, *The people thereof gather the fruits/
Said he, * What doth the Spring of Zughar ?' They replied, * The
people thereof drink of it' Then said he, * Had it been dry, I
had broken my truce, and trod under my feet all the water-stations,
all except those at Makkah and Al Madinah alone/ And this
Zughar is that which is beside the Stinking Sea/'
" Ibn 'Abbis further relates : When the people of Lot perished.
Lot fled with his daughters, intending to go to Syria. But the eldest
of his daughters, who was called Rubbah, died first, and she was
buried at a spring which was called after her 'Ain Rubbah. Then
after this the younger died also, and her name was Zughar, and
she was buried near a spring, which was called after her 'Ain
Zughar.
" This valley (in which Zughar lies) is most unhealthy, and its
people only continue to dwell there because it is their native place.
They are afflirted in most years with the plague, and it kills the
greater number of them." (Yik., ii. 934 ; Mar., i. 514.)
** The name of Zughar, according to the same authorities, is
also spelt Sugharvjidi SukarJ^ (Ydk., iii. 396 ; Mar., ii. 159.)
Of the other cities of the plain mentioned by YSkftt are the
following :
" Dadhfima, one of the villages of the People of Lot" Possibly
the Biblical Admah. (Yak., ii. 516 ; Mar., i. 381.)
'Am^ira (Gomorrah) said to be " a Hebrew word, and one of
the Cities of I^t's people." (Yak., iiL 594.)
" SadOm (Sodom), is one of the cities of I^t's people. SadQm,
however, says Al Madiinf, is the city of Sarmin, of the Halab
(Aleppo) District, and is a well-known and populous place. There
is an edict in force here, that whosoever commits fornication, there
is taken from him a fine of four Dirhams/' (Yak., iii. 59 ; Mar.,
ii. 18.)
19 — 2
292 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
" Sabwiyaim (Seboim). One of the cities of the people of Lot."
(Yik., iii. 367 ; Mar., ii. 146.)
Finally, under the heading of Ar Rubbah, or Ar Rabbah, the
tradition oT Lot's Daughters is given again by YakQt in the follow-
ing words :
" Ar Rubbah is a village on the side of the Ghaur, lying between
the lands of the Jordan and Balka Provinces. According to the
tradition related by Ibn *Abbis : When lAt (Lot) fled from his
home, he had with him his two daughters, one of whom was called
Rubbah and the other Sughar. And the elder of them died, that
is Rubbah, near a spring, and was buried there. And they called
the spring after her 'Ain Rubbah, and built over it a town called
Rubbah. And Zughar, the younger daughter, died at ^\in Zughar,
which was in like manner called after her." (Yak., ii. 752 ; Mar.,
i. 460.)
Among later accounts of Zughar the following note by Dimashki,
written about the year 1300, is the only one worth translating:
" Zughar lies in the district of As Safiyah in the Ghaur. There
grows here a kind of date like those called Al Barani and Al Izid
in'Mk." (Dim, 213.)
Besides those already given, the following notes of distances
between Zughar and the neighbouring towns are worth inserting, as
tending to prove that this city lay at the soufA end of the Dead Sea :
Zughar to Riha (Jericho), two days. (Is., LH., Id.)
To Jabal ash Sharah, one day. (Is., I.H.)
And to the further limit of the same, two days. (Id.)
Zughar to Kdwus, one march. (Muk.) 'i o Maab, one march.
(Muk.)
To Wailah, four marches. (Muk.)
THE WELL OF THE LEAF.*
** Al Kalt,'* writes YakOt, " is a place in Syria where there is a
well called Bir al Kalt.
" The tradition concerning this well is as follows : Hisham ibn
Muhammad reports that Ibn 'Abd ar Rahman the Kuraishite
elated to him the following, which he received from the wife of
* See also p. 198.
LEGENDS AND MARVELS, 393
Shuraik ibn Habashah an Numairi. Said she : * We set out with
the Khalif 'Omar ibn Al Khattab in the days when he went (from
Al Madinah) up to Syria, and we halted at a place called Al Kalt.
1 hen my husband, Shuraik, went to draw water, and he let fall his
bucket in (the well of) Al Kalt, and could not get it again because
of the press of men. And one said to him, " Put it off till the
night-time." So when the evening was come he descended into
(the well of) Al Kalt, but did not return. The next day 'Omar
wished to set out on the march, but I went to him and told him
of my husband's being missing, and he tarried during three days,
but on the fourth was preparing to depart, when, behold, Shuraik
appeared. The people inquired of him, " Where hast thou been?"
But he (answered not, and) went before *Omar. And in his hand
he held a leaf, but the face of the leaf was hidden, for the back
curled over and hid it. Said he, " O Commander of the Faithful!
verily T found in the (well of) Al Kalt a way, and one met me
coming, and took me to a land the like of which is not among
your lands, with gardens the like of which is not among the gardens
of this world. And I asked that he would give me something,
but he replied that this was not the time for such things. But I
took this leaf, and behold, it is as the leaf of a fig-tree." Then
'Omar called to Ka*ab al Ahbar* and said, " Hast thou not
found in thy (Jewish) Books, that a certain man of our people
should enter Paradise and yet return again alive ?" Said he, " Yea
verily, and if he be among these men, I will point him out unto
thee." Said 'Omar, " He is even among these men." So (Ka'ab)
looked at them and pondered, and said, "This is he." And
('Omar) proclaimed that the dress of the Bani Numair should
henceforth be green (as it is) even to this present day.' Here
ends the account." (Yak., iv. 157 ; Mar., ii. 439.)
Crim and the ancient temple.
" Urim,*' says Yakut, *• is the name of each of four villages
belonging to Halab (Aleppo) Province. These are, tJrim al
Kubra (the Great), Xjrim as Sughra (the Little), tJrim al Jauz (of
the Nut), and Lrim al Bardmakah (of the Barmecides).
* Concerning this personage see note to p. 142.
294 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
" In Urim al Jauz is a marvellous sight. For there is here a
building which was in ancient times a Temple, and the people of
the neighbouring villages were used to see shining in it a light as
of a white fire, hut when they approached thereto it disappeared,
and they could see nothing. It has been related to me by certain
persons in Halab that on this building were once three tablets of
stone with inscriptions, in ancient writing, to be interpreted as
follows. On the tablet facing south it was written :
" God is One / this edifice 7uas completed three hundred and twenty-
eight years before the coming of the Messiah — peace be upon Him !
" On the tablet that was over the doorway was written :
" Peace be on him who hath completed this edifice,
" And on the tablet to the north was written :
" This is the light of the East^ beloi^ed of God, which came to us
in the days of A I Bar bar, in the days of reneived conquest^ in the
days of the King Jndwiis and Inas of tlu Sea wlw came to the House.
And Kalasas, and Kdstirus, and Balcibiyd, On the 12th of the
month Ilt'il, of the date above mentioned. May peace continue ei'en
unto the latter end of the World and the time of righteousness,'^
(Yak., i 401 ; Mar., i. 102.)
'ain al jarah, and the menhir.
'Ain al Jarah, according to Yikut, is a domain near Halab
(Aleppo). He continues :
" Abu 'Ali at TanOkhi al Husain. ibn Bint Gh^ilam al Babaghi
has related to me (Yak At) the following account, which he further
wrote down for me in his own hand, certifying to the truth
thereof :
" There was (said he) in the neighbourhood of Halab a domain
called 'Ain Jarah, and between this place and Al Haunah,
which some also call Al Jaumah, was an upright stone, as might
be for a boundary between the two domains. Now, whenever a
quarrel fell out between any of the inhabitants of these two
Tiains, the people of Al Haunah were wont to proceed and
V down this standing stone. As soon, however, as the stone
fallen, the women-folk of the two domains would come out
cly and in all their ornaments, but as though deprived of
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 295
their reason ; and they would seek to commit fornication, neither
were they to be restrained in the madness that possessed them by
any sense of shame. To prevent this the men would hasten to
the stone and set it up again as it was before, standing erect and
firm; after which the women would return to their houses, regaining
the discrimination of matters such as are abhorrent to commit.
** Says the writer (Yikftt) : I inquired at Halab for this domain,
and they told me of it, and they mentioned that there was near
by, in a ravine like a torrent bed, a standing column ; what this
had been was not known ; neither had these people any knowledge
of this story that had been related unto me, to the effect that
when the stone was thrown down, the women (of the districts)
would become possessed by erotic desires. *Ain al Jirah is a
celebrated domain, and one that is well known to all the inhabit-
ants of Halab." (Yak., iii. 760; Mar., ii. 295.)
The story of the Menhir, near 'A in Jarah, is curious if true.
The present village of the name lies north-west of Aleppo, near
the road to Iskandariin.
ha'albakk (heliopolis).
Ya'kflbi, in the ninth century a.d., writes " Ba'albakk is one
of the finest towns in Syria. It has magnificent st<.ne buildings;
and there is also a wonderful spring, from which issues a copious
river. Within the town are both gardens and orchards. Many
Persians are settled here." (Yb., 112, 114.)
"The stones of Ba'albakk," says Ibn al Fakih, "are one of
the wonders of Syria. There are here stones, the smallest of
which measures 1 5 ells ; while the largest of them, a single stone
in the wall, measures 10 ells (15 feet) in the height, by 15 ells
(22 feet) in the breadth, and 45 ells (67 feet) in the length."*
(I. F., 118.)
Mas'Adi, in 943, writes : " At Ba'albakk, in the Province of
I )amascus, in the district of Sanir, is the Temple of Ba'al. The
ancient Greeks chose this piece of ground, lying between the
• According to Baedeker {Syria, p. 499), ibe three largest stones in the west
wall of the Temple measure 64, 63}, and 62 feet in lenf^th, by 13 feet in thick-
ness ; what the breadth is cannot be seen.
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';,".'/}', /../'^f .v^;..:«;i« -. 2', \',A.:.- hi' r :r. w'ioih. W .;;o* v.'v
•r.f'/ ./', '.'.' *o/,;. ;j.v: ;/4 . /:-, s'.vi throjjjh r.:o>: or" :hc :un:>*-x
^ Ui */.« r /' ? i.';*f *;.« ^'/i*. n ;jr*j ifiills and water- wheels. The pLuc
Su\-. ut'it,/ * t*,\/:^ '. ./-.fijjf.i %'*;g<;uition. ancl qiiantiti<:s r»r fruit. The
l/fit^v :; o'/*tV,*fff /.ith j(r;iifi:s, and there are trees that ^ive all <iort;>
oi i*U\Ai fruiif., V; th;il |irovisions are cheap. At IJa'albakk are
I If iwf-A wouiU-iin\ edi fires and ruins, which are everywhere
Mt4 /I lot t\u'ir magnificence and the solidity of their con-
'I hen: are esjKTially two wonderful buildings that
In-i (ft/ Mal'ahain)^ one the larger, the other the smaller.
JT, it in H.'ii(l, was Iniilt in the days of Solomon, the son
/, mm\ it Ih tiifist wondrous to look on. There are in it
u\' thr Irn^ili of lo « iihits, some more, some less. And
IM iilmt /I )f:irl thai is I mill up on high columns, and most
296 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Jabal Lubhan (I^bahon) and the Jabal Sanir, for the building of
their temple, as being a choice place for their idols. The temple
consists of two edifices, one larger than the other ; and in both of
them arc sculptures, most marvellously cut in the stone, such as
you will not find the like of executed elsewhere, even in wood.
For the height of the roof, the hugeness of the stones, the length
of the columns, and the breadth of the porticos, are not more
wonderful than is the building as a whole." (Mas., iv. 87.)
Istakhri and Ibn Haukal write : " Ba'albakk, in the Damascus
Province, is a city lying on the hill-slope. All its edifices are of
stone, with castles {KusUr) of stone built with high columns. In
all Syria there is no place more wonderful to see, or with greater
buildings." (Is., 61 ; I. H., ti6.)
In Mukaddasi we read : " Ba'albakk is an ancient and fortified
, city. Within the ramparts are cultivated lands, also many ruins.
Grapes are in abundance. Like the other cities of the Province
of Damascus, Ba*albakk is prosperous and pleasant, being situated
in the lands bordering on the Nahr al Maklfib (the river Orontes).
Ba'albakk is noted as being the coldest place in Syria. It is
celebrated for the sweetmeat called Malban." (Muk., 160, 179,
and 181 ; see above, p. 20.)
Idrisi's account in 1 154 is the following : " Ba*albakk is a fortified
town on the mountain fiank. It is surrounded by aVall of fortifi-
cation, built of stone that is 20 spans ( ' hibr) in width. Water runs
through the town, and passes also through most of the houses.
On the river near the town are mills and water-wheels. The place
has many crops, luxuriant vegetation, and quantities of fruit. The
presses overflow with grapes, and there are trees that give all sorts
of edible fruits, so that provisions are cheap. At Ba'albakk are
the most wonderful edifices and ruins, which are everywhere
celebrated for their magnificence and the solidity of their con-
struction. There are especially two wonderful buildings that
were theatres (al MaVabain)^ one the larger, the other the smaller.
The larger, it is said, was built in the days of Solomon, the son
of David, and it is most wondrous to look on. There are in it
stones of the length of to cubits, some more, some less. And
there is also a part that is built Up on high columns, and most
LEGEXDS ASD MARVELS. 2q;
yt
astonishing to behold. The smaller theatre is, for the greater
part, fallen into ruin, and its glories are of the pasL lliere is
standing at the present time but a portion of its wall, of the
length of 20 cubits. It rises to a height above the floor of
20 cubits, and there are in it> construction but seven stones, one
stone being at the bottom, and two stones lying thereon, and four
stones l)eing placed on the two. In this town of Raallxikk are
all sorts of other wondrous buildings." (Id.. 15.)
\'akut speaks in general terms of the wonderful remains at
Ba'albakk, consisting of palaces with marble columns : '' The
city," he sa\-s, "lies 12 leagues distant from the sea-coast, and
3 da>*s from Damascus. Baa/ was the name of an idoL and
/ia^^ is its neck, or the thin part of its body. They say Haal-
liakk formed the dowr>* of Queen Balkis (of ShebaV and that
Solomon s palace here was the one built on columns. Ba'albakk,
at the Muslim conquest, capitulated after I>amascus was taken.
Jabal Sanir belonged to Baalbakk. The (ireeks built an idol
temple here. Baal was the idol of the people, to whom the
Prophet Iliyas (Elias) was sent lliere are two temples here —
one larger, one smaller — filled with wonderful sculptures car\ed in
the stone as though it were wood, and high columns." (Yak,,
i. 672, 675 ; Mar. i. 162.)
"Baalbakk," writes Diniashki, "is a ver\* ancient citv, with
remains of the times of Abraham, Moses, Solomon, and the
Oreeks. There are here columns reaching a height of 40 ells,
not counting the bases, which are buried under ground. The«e
are held together above by great blocks of stone, going from
capital to capital. In the Cast'e of Ba'albakk are two towers, in
the wall of which are three great stones, each stone measuring
36 paces in length, and nearly twice a man's height in thickness,
and as broad as the walls themselves. In the castle is a well
called Bir ar Rahmah (the Well of Mere)) ; and they say there is
never water in it so long as peace lasts, but when a siege takes
place, and terrors l)egin, it fills with water, which supplies the
people till peace is made, when the water again disapftears."
(Dim., 199.)
Abu-1 Fida, i^Titing in 1321, a few years later than Dimashki,
298 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
says : " Ba'albakk, in the Damascus Province, lies among the
hills. It is a very ancient city, having walls and a strong fortress
very well built. It possesses trees, and streams, and springs, and
is filled with good things. Muhallabi says that of old it was a
very beautiful city, being the place of sacrifice of the Sabaeans.
One of their temples, which was held in high honour, was here.
From Ba'albakk to Az Zabadani is i8 miles." (A. F., 255.)
Ba'albakk was visited in 1355 by Ibn Batdtah. He describes
it as **a fine city, surrounded by gardens and orchards that
almost equal those of Damascus. There are here cherries called
Habb al Mulftk (King's Cherries), such as are found nowhere else.
There is, too, a kind of Dibs (molasses), called after Ba'albakk,
which is a syrup made from raisins, and they add thereto a
powder which makes it harden. Afterwards they break the pot
in which it is made, and it remains all of one piece. From it is
made a sweetmeat called Ai Halwah, by putting in pistachios and
almonds. This sweetmeat is named also Al Mulabban. They
call it also Jald al Faras {Penis equi). They make in Ba'albakk
stuffs for clothes, also wooden platters and spoons. These last
are made to fit one inside the other, in nests, to the number of
ten." (I. B., i. 185.)
BAIT LAHM (bKTHLEHKM).
"The village of Bait Lahm lies 6 miles to the south of
Jerusalem. It is the birthplace of Jesus, and there is shown here
in the church a portion of the palm-tree from the fruit of which
Mary ate. This is much venerated, and is preserved with every
care." (Is., 57 ; I. H., 112; copied by A. F., 141.)
"Bait Lahm," says Mukaddasi, "is a village about a league
from Jerusalem, in the direction of Hebron. Jesus was born
here, whereupon there grew up here the palm-tree (mentioned in
the Kurdn, xix. 25) ; for although in this district palms are never
found, this one grew by a miracle. There is also a church (the
Basilica of Constantihe), the equal of which does not exist any-
where in the country round." (Muk., 172.)
The traveller Ndsir-i-Khusrau visited Bethlehem in 1047. He
writes in his Diary : " At the distance of a league from the Holy
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 299
City is a place belonging to the Christians, which they hold in
greatest veneration ; and there are always numerous pilgrims of
their people who come hither to perform the visitation. The
place is called Bait al Lahm (Bethlehem). The Christians hold a
festival here, and many will come for it all the way from Rfim (or
the Greek Empire). The day I myself left the Holy City I
passed the night at Bethlehem." (N. Kh., 53.)
Idrisi, in 1154, gives the following account of Bethlehem,
derived probably from Christian pilgrims whom he met in Sicily :
" Bait Lahm is the place where the Lord Messiah was born, and
it lies 6 miles distant from Jerusalem. Half-way down the road
is the tomb of Rachel (Rdhil), the mother of Joseph and of
Benjamin, the two sons of Jacob — peace upon them all ! The
tomb is covered by twelve stones, and above it is a dome vaulted
over with stones. At Bethlehem is a church that is beautifully
built, of solid foundation, spacious, and finely-ornamented even
to the uttermost, so that nowhere among all other churches can
be seen its equal. It is situated in a low-lying piece of ground.
I'he gate thereof is towards the west, and there are (in the
church) marble columns of perfect beauty. In one angle of the
choir (ill Haikat)y towards the north, is a cave wherein the Lord
Messiah was born. It lies below the church, and in this cave is
the manger wherein the Messiah was found. As you go out from
Bethlehem, you see towards the east the Church of the Angels,
who told the good news of the birth of the Ixrd Messiah to the
shepherds." (Id., 9.)
" Between Jerusalem and Bethlehem," writes *Ali of Herat,
" is the tomb of Rahil (Rachel), mother of Joseph. Bait Lahm
is the name of the village where Jesus was bom. There are here
the tombs of David and Solomon — peace be on them both I
There is also a church most wonderfully built with marble, and
gold mosaics, and columns. The date of its building is more
than 1200 years ago,* as is shown by an inscription on a wooden
beam, which has not suffered damage even down to our own days.
There is here the place of the palm-tree mentioned in the Kurdn,
* The B.i&i1ica was built by Constantine about 330 A. D.
joo PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
also the Mihrab of the Khalif 'Omar, which has in no wise been
damaged by the Franks." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 41 v.)
" Bait I^hm," writes Ydkfit in the thirteenth centur)', " is the
place where Jesus was born.* It is a town near Jerusalem.
There are fine markets here. There was here the palm-tree men-
tioned in the Kuran. Palms do net come to maturity in these
regions, and this one is an exception. It is mentioned in the
Kuran, and gave dates to Mary when she fied into Egypt, being a
miracle vouchsafed to her — s^o runs the legend. There is here a
Church, the like of which is none other in the country round.
When the Khalif 'Omar was come to Jerusalem, a monk of Bait
Lahm approached him and said, * I would obtain mercy of thee
for Bait I^hm.' Said 'Omar, *I know nought of the place, but
would fain see it.' When 'Omar was come there, he said to the
people, * Ye shall have mercy and safe conduct, l)ut it is incum-
bent upon us that in ever}' place where there are Christians
we should erect a mosque.' The monk answered, * There is in
Bait I^hm an arched building {Haniyyah\ which is built so as to
be turned towards your Kib^ah ; take this, therefore, and make of
it a mosque for the Muslims, and do not destroy the church.' So
'Omar spared the church, saying his prayer in that arched building,
and made of it a mosque, laying on the Christians the service of
lighting it with lamps and keeping the building clean and in
repair. The Muslims have never ceased to yisit Bait Lahm
(in pilgrimage), and go to this arched building to make their
prayers therein, one generation after the other, which same is the
building of 'Omar. It is well known by this name down to the
present day, for the Franks (Crusaders) changed nought when
they took the country. They say there are here the tombs of
David and of Solomon — peace be on them I" (Yak., i. 779 ;
Mar., i. 187.)
* It is, perhaps, not uninteresting to note that Yakut also speaks of Ahnss,
in Egypt, to the west of the Nile, and not far from Fustat (old Cairo), as the
place where the Messiah was said to have been born. '* Mary, furthtr, remained
there till He was grown and then set out for Syria." (Yak., i. 409; Mar., i. 105.)
The palm-tree mentioned in the Koran, xix. 25, was, writes Yaki^t, shown here.
LEGENDS AND MARVELS. 301
NASIRAH (NAZARETH).
Mas^fidi in 943 writes :
" It is said that the Messiah lived at a village called Nisirah,
which is in the district of Al LajjQn (Legio, Megiddo) of the
Jordan Province ; also that the Christians (An Nasraniyyah) are
called so from this place. I myself have seen in this village a
church greatly venerated by the Christians. There are here sarco-
phagi of stone, in which are dead men's bones, and from out these
flows a thick oil, like syrup, with which the Christians anoint them-
selves for a blessing." (Mas., i. 123.)
"An Ndsirah," writes 'Ali of Herat in 11 73, "is the city in
which is the house of Maryam, daughter of *Amran, and from here
she came. The Christians are called after this place. Jabal SA'ir
is near by." (A, H., Oxf. MS., folio 31.)
" An Nasirah," says Yakftt, " is a village lying 1 3 miles distant
from Tabariyyah. Here was born the Messiah 'Isa (Jesus), the
.Son of Maryam — peace be upon Him ! — and from the name ot
Nasirah comes the name of the Nasariyyah (Nazarenes, or Chris-
tians). But the people of this place cast dishonour upon Maryam,
saying that from all time no virgin had ever borne a child. They
have there an orange tree, after the likeness of a woman. This
orange-tree has two breasts, and what resembles hands and feet,
and the nether parts also are as those of a woman ; also the
government of this place is with the women. The orange-lree is
(as a holy relic), procuring blessings to the people from Heaven,
and none of the people of Nazareth reject participation therein.
The j)eople of Jerusalem, however, deny all this, and say that the
Messiah was born in Bethlehem, of which fact they have manifest
relics among them. Further, they say that His mother took Him
and went to dwell in this village (of Nasirah). I, YakQt, may add
that the text of the Evangel is that 'Isa (Jesus) — peace be upon
Him ! — was born in Bethlehem ; but that Yflsuf, the husband of
Maryam, feared the wiles of Harudus (Herod), King of the
Magians ; and he came to know in a dream that he must carry his
Son down into Egypt for a time, until it should be again com-
manded him to return with the child And so it was that it might
302 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
be fulfilled what the Lord had made known by the tongue of the
Prophet when He spake, * Verily, I will call my Son out Egypt/
So Joseph remained in ^gypt till Hdriidus was dead; then he
received in a dream the order to return to the land of the Bani
Israil. He arrived at the Holy City, but feared to remain there,
it having been the place of dwelling of Hdrftdus ; then it was
revealed to him again in a dream that he should depart into Al
Jalil (Galilee), and he went there, and settled in the town called
Nasirah.'' (Yak., iv. 729 ; Mar., iii. 190.)
" An Nisirah," says Dimashki, " belongs to the Safad Province.
It is a Hebrew city, and was called Si'ir (Seir). Here the Messiah
appeared, it being also the place where the angels announced His
birth to Mary. It is a well-known place of pilgrimage for the
Christians, and is mentioned in the Pentateuch. Jabal as Sa'Jr
(Mount Seir, mentioned in the Kurin) is the mountain of Nazareth.
The people of Nazareth were those who first became Christians.
The Arab population of Nazareth were Yamanite tribes, while
those of Kafar Kanna were Kaisites." (Dim., 212.)
CHAPTER VIII.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS.
Ar Ramlah^ founded by the Khalif Sulaiman— The White Mosque. Hebron :
The Tombs of the Patriarchs— Visits to the Cave of Machi^lah— Inven-
tion of the Tomb of Joseph. Acre ('Akkah) : Construction of the Port
by Ibn Tuian. Tiberias (Tabariyyah) : The Thermal Springs and Baths
— The Tomb of David.
AR KAMLAH.
" The capital of the Province of Filastin ; it was founded by the
Khalif Sulaimdn. The inhabitants of Ludd (Lydda) — the former
capital — were removed hither, and Lydda fell to decay. It has a
small river, the water of which the inhabitants drink ; the river
Abu Futrus is 12 miles off. The population of Ar Ramlah obtain
also their drinking-water both from wells and from cisterns, where
they store up the rains. The population of Ar Ramlah is mixed
Arabs and Greeks, also Samaritans." (Yb., 116.)
"The Khahf al Walid," says Biladhuri, "made his brother
Sulaiman Governor of the Province of Filastin, who took up his
residence at Lydda. Sulaimdn subsequently founded the town of
Ar Ramlah, and made it his capital. The first building raised
here was his palace (kasr)^ and the house called Ddr as Sabbaghin
(the House of the Dyers). In this last he constructed a huge
cistern to serve to store water. Then Sulaimdn planned the
Mosque, and began to build it, but he succeeded to the Khalifate
before it was completed.
" Others of the Khalifs after him continued the building. The
Khalif *Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz finished it, but only after having
diminished the original plan, and he said, *The people of Ar
304 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Ramlah should be content with the size thereof to which I have
diminished it.* Now when SulaimHn was building his own palaces,
he gave leave to the people to build houses for themselves also,
and so they did. And he dug for the people of Ar Ramlah the
water-channel called Baradah, and he also dug wells for sweet
water.
**Sulaiman appointed as his secretary to oversee the expenses
of his buildings in Ar Ramlah and for the Jami' Mosque a certain
Christian of Lydda called Al Batrik ibn an Nakah (or Al Bakah).
Ar Ramlah had not existed before the days of Sulaiman, and the
place was all sandy (as the name Ar Ramlah shows). The Dar
as Sabbagh came afterwards by inheritance to the Abbaside Salih
ibn *Ali ibn 'Abd Allah ibn al * Abbas, for it was taken with their
other possessions from the Bani Omayyah. Now the Bani
Omayyah had spent much money on the wells of Ar Ramlah,
and the water-channels, after Sulaiman 's days, and when the
Abbasides came to reign, they also spent large sums thereon —
and so from one Khalif on to another. So matters stood until
the days of the Khalif Al Mu'tasim-billah, and he gave a per-
manent decree for these expenses, and in order to save the con-
tinual petitions there anent, commuted the grant into an annual
charge to be defrayed by the tax-farmers, and to be accounted for
by them." (Bil., 143, repeated by I. F., 102, and copied into
Yak., ii. 817.)
*• Ar Ramlah," says Mukaddasi in the tenth century, " is the
capital of Palestine. It is a fine city, and well built ; its water is
good and plentiful ; its fruits are abundant. It combines manifold
advantages, situated as it is in the midst of beautiful villages and
lordly towns, near to holy places and pleasant hamlets. Com-
merce here is prosperous, and the markets excellent. There is
no finer mosque in Islam than the one in this city. The bread is
of the best and the whitest. The lands are well favoured above
all others, and the fruits are of the most luscious. This capital
stands among fruitful fields, walled towns, and serviceable hospices.
It possesses magnificent hostelries and pleasant baths, dainty food
id various condiments, spacious houses, fine mosques, and broad
ids. As a capital it possesses many advantages. It is situated
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 305
on the plain, and is yet near both to the mountains and the sea.
There grow both fig-trees and pahns ; its fields need no irrigation,
and are by nature fiiiitful and rich. The disadvantages, on the
other hand, are that in winter the place is a slough of mud ;'
while in summer it is a powder-box of sand, where no water flows,
neither is anything green, nor is the soil humid, tior does snow
ever fall. Fleas here abound. The wells are deep and salt, and
the rain-water is hoarded in closed cisterns — hence the poor go
thirsty, and strangers seek water in vain. In the baths a fee has
to be paid before the servants will turn the water-wheels. The
city occupies the area of a square mile ; its houses are built of
finely-quarried stones. The best known among its gates are the
Gate of the Soldier's Well {£>ard Bir al 'Askar\ the Gate of the
'Annabah Mosque, the Gate of Jerusalem, the Gate of Bila'ah,
the Lydda Gate {Darb Ludd\ the Jaffa Gate {Darb Y&fA), the
Egypt Gate {Darb Misr), and the D^jftn Gate. Close to Ar
Ramlah is the town of Ddj(in, with its mosque. It is inhabited
mostly by Samaritans. The chief mosque of Ar Ramlah is in
the market, and it is even more beautiful and graceful than that
of Damascus. It is called Al Abyad (the White Mosque). In
all Islam there is found no finer Mihrdb than the one here, and
its pulpit is the most splendid to be seen after that of Jerusalem ;
also it possesses a beautiful minaret, buill by the Khalif Hishim
ibn 'Abd al Malik. I have heard my uncle relate that when this
Khalif was about to build the minaret, it was reported to him ^
thar the Christians possessed columns of marble, at this time lying
buried beneath the sand, which they had prepared for the
Ctiirfch of BaFah. 'Thereupon the Khalif Hisham informed the.
Christians that either they must show him where these columns
lay, or that he would demoirsh' their church at ^.ydda,. and employ
its columns for the building cff his mosque. So the Christians
pointed out where they had buried their columns. They are very
thick, and tall, and beautiful. The covered portion (or main-
building) of the mosque is flagged with marble, and the court
with other stone, all carefully laid together. The gates of the
main-building are made of cypress-wood and cedar, carved in the
inner parts, and very beautiful in appearance." (Muk., 164.)
20
306 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
In his introductory chapter, Mukaddasi writes :
** If Ar Ramlah had only running water, the town would be,
without compare, the finest in Islam ; for it is a pleasant and a
fine city, standing between Jerusalem and the frontier towns,
between the Ghaur of the Jordan and the sea. Its climate is
mild ; its fruits are luscious ; its people generous — being, however,
also rather foolish. It is the emporium for Egypt, and an excellent
commercial station for two seas." (Muk., 36.)
Most of the gates mentioned by Mukaddasi may be easily
identified. Regarding the Gate of the 'Annabah Mosque, it is to
be noted that the village of 'Annabah lies west of Ar Ramlah.
in St. Jerome's Onomasticon it is mentioned under the name of
Anab, which was also called Betho Annaba.*
The Gate of Ar Ramlah, called Darb Bila'ah, and the village
of Bali'ah, mentioned in the above account, refer probably (but
the reading is somewhat uncertain) to the Biblical '^Baalah.
which is Kirjath Jearim " (Joshua xv. 9). This place has been
identified with the modern Kari'at al 'I nab (see Part II.), where
may still be seen the ruins of the Church of St. Jeremiah, possibly
the one alluded to by Mukaddasi.
The next account of Ramlah is from the Diary of Nisir-i-
Khusrau, who visited the city in 1047. He writes :
" Sunday, the day of the new moon of the month of Ramad^
(March 1), we came to Ramlah. From Caesarea to Ramlah is
8 leagues. Ramlah is a great city, with strong walls built of
stone, mortared, of great height and thickness, with iron gates
opening therein. From the town to the sea-coast is a distance of
3 leagues. The inhabitants get their water from the rainfall, and
in each house is a tank for storing the same, in order that there
may always be a supply. In the middle of the Friday Mosque,
also, is a large tank ; and from it, when it is filled with water,
anyone who wishes may take. The area of the moscjue measures
200 paces by 300 paces. Over one of its porches is an inscription,
stating that on Muharram 15, of the year 425 (December 10,
* See further on the two places called Be-^/w Annaba and Beth Annabam iii
the Palestine Exploration Fund Special Papers, p. 250.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 307
1033), there was an earthquake* of great violence, which threw
down a large number of buildings, but that no single person
sustained any injury. In the city of Ramlah there is marble in
plenty, and most of the buildings and private houses are of this
material ; and, further, the surface thereof they do most beautifully
sculpture and ornament. They cut the marble here with a tooth-
less saw, which is worked with ' \fakkah sand.' They saw the
marble not in the cross, but in the length — as is the case with
wood — to form the columns ; also, they cut it into slabs. The
marbles that I saw here were of all colours, some variegated,,
some green, red, black, and white. There is, too, at Ramlah a
particular kind of fig, than which no better exists anywhere, and
this they export to all the countries round This city of Ramlah,
throughout Syria and the West, is known under the name of
FilastSn, the name of the province being transferred to its capital
town." (N. Kh., 21.)
"Ar Ramlah,'* reports Idrlsi, "is a fine and populous town,
having markets, and much merchandise and traffic." (Id., 4.)
Y^kCit repeats the account given by Bilidhuri and Ibn al Fakih
(already quoted) of the foundation of Ar Ramlah by Sulaimin,
son of the Khalif 'Abd al Malik, and of his buildings there.
After stating that Sulaimin also laid the plan of the mosque, and
began to erect it, he continues :
" The immediate cause of the building of the mosque there
was this. A certain scribe of the name of Ibn Batrik demanded
of the people of Ludd that they should give him a certain house
that stood near the Church (of Lydda), in order that he might
turn it into an abode for himself. But the people refused it him.
Then said he, * By Allah, then will I pull down that other !* —
meaning the church. And so it came about, for at this time
Sulaiman was saying to- himself, * Behold the Commander of the
Faithful that was — namely, 'Abd al Malik — did build in the
Mosque (or Haram Area) of the Holy City a Dome over the
Rock, and thereby obtained fame to himself; and, further, the
• This earthquake is mentioned by the Arab annalists, who state that a third
of Ramlah was thrown down, the mosque in particular being left a mere heap
of ruins. See p. loi.
20 — 2
3o8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Khalif Al Walid hath built a mosque in Damascus, and obtained
fame thereby unto himself also — why should not I, too, build a
mosque and a city, and transport the people thither?' So he
founded the city of Ar Ramlah, and built the mosque there ; and
this was the cause of the ruin of the city of Ludd (and of the
church there). Now, when Al Walid was dead, Sulaiman had
become Khalif. The land round these parts was sand, but
Sulaimin laid out the plan of the new city, and turned a place in
the town of Ar Ramlah that had belonged to the Dyers into wells
of sweet water ; for, be it known, Ar Ramlah did not exist before
the days of this Sulaiman. And he gave leave to the people to
build, and they built in the city ; and Sulaiman dug for them the
water channel which went by the name of Baradah. He dug
also wells of sweet water." The account goes on as given above,
p. 304, after which Yaktit continues : ** The drinking-water of the
people now (1225) is from wells that are brackish. Those who
are rich have a cistern, and lock it up. It may be noted that
most towns that have cisterns possess good fruits and a fine
climate (since there is no stagnant water). Saladin freed Ar
Ramlah in 583 (1187), but laid the town in ruins, fearing the
Franks should master the place a second time ; and it has
remained in a state of ruin down to the present day." (Yik ,
ii. 817 ; Mar., i. 483.)
Yakut states that " *Askar is the name of one of the quarters of
Ar Ramlah." (Yak., iii. 674; Mar., ii. 258.) The name is men-
tioned also by Mukaddasi, and from it the (iate of Ramlah, called
Darb Bir al 'Askar, probably took its name. (See above, p. 305.)
Abu-1 Fidd gives a summary of parts of the above, but adds
nothing new. (A. F. 241.)
Ramlah was visited by Ibn Batutah in 1355. He speaks of it
as : " A large town. There is here the Jami' al Abyad (the White
Mosque). They say that in the Kiblah part three hundred pro-
phets lie buried." (I. B , i. 128.)
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 309
HEBRON.
The Arabs gave this town the name of Masjid Ibrahim, or the
Mosque of Abraham, and also knew it as Habra, and Habriin.
" Masjid Ibrahim/' write Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, in the eighth
(^entury, " h'es to the south of Bethlehem. In the Mosque, where
Friday prayer is said, are the tombs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
They lie in a row, and beside each of these is placed the tomb of
his wife. This city lies in a valley between hills. It has many
trees round it. The trees here — as also in other hilly parts of
rilastin — are chiefly olive and fig-trees, also sycamores, vines and
carobs. Other species are of rare occurrence." (Is., 57 ; I. H. 1 13*)
Mukaddasi, writing in 985, says :
" Habra (Hebron) is the village of .Abraham, the Friend of Cjod.
Within it is a strong fortress, which, it is said, is of the building of
the J inns, being of great squared stones. In the middle of this
place rises the Dome, built of stone—and since the times of Islam
— which covers the sepulchre of Abraham. The tomb of Isaac
lies forward, within the main-building of the Mosque, while that
of Jacob is in the building at the back. Near by to each of these
prophets lies his wife. The garden round has become the mosque-
court, and built in it are the rest-houses for the pilgrims, which
thus adjoin Sanctuary. Thither also has been conducted a small
water-channel. All the country round Hebron, for the distance of
half a stage, is filled with villages and vineyards, and grounds
bearing grapes and apples ; it is even as though it were all but a
single orchard of vines and fruit-trees. The district goes by tl)e
name of Jabal Nusrah. Its equal for beauty does not exist else-
where, nor can any fruits be finer. A great part of them is sent
away to Egypt and into all the country round. At times, here,
apples of good quality will .sell at a thousand for the Dirham (ten
pence), and the weight of a single apple occasionally will attain to
the equivalent of a hundred Dirhams (between ten and eleven
ounces). In the Sanctuary at Hebron is a public guest-house,
with a kitchener, a baker, and servants appointed thereto. These
])resent a dish of lentils and olive-oil to every poor pilgrim who
arrives, and it is even set before the rich if perchance they desire
3IO . . PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
to partike of it. Most men erroneously imagine that this dole is
of the original Guest-house of Abraham, but in truth the funds
come from the bequests of a certain (Companion of the Prophet)
Tamim ad Dirl, and others It so being, in my opinion it were
better to abstain from receiving these alms (lest the money have
been unlawfully gained). Also there was once an Amir of Khu-
rasan— may Allah have confiimed his dominion ! — who assigned
to this charity a thousand Dirhams yearly (or ^40) ; and further,
Al 'Adil, the Shar, the Ruler of Ghurjistan, left great bequests to
this house. At the present day, in all Islam, I know of no charity
or almsgiving that is better regulated than is this one ; for those
who travel and are hungry may eat here of good food, and thus is
the custom of Abraham continued, for he, during his lifetime,
rejoiced in the giving of hospitality, and, after his death, Allah —
may He be exalted ! — has thus allowed the custom to be per-
petuated ; and I myself, Mukaddasi, in my travels, have thus
been a partaker, so to speak, of the hospitality of the Friend of
God." (Muk., 172.)
Nisir-i-Khusrau visited Hebron in 1047. The account in his
Diary is as follows :
" From Jerusalem to Hebron is six leagues, and the road runs
towards the south. Along the way are many villages with gardens
and cultivated fields. Such trees as need little water, as, for
example, the vine and the fig, the olive and the sumach, grow^ here
abundantly, and of their own accord.
" The people of Syria, and the inhabitants of the Holy City,
call the Sanctuary (or Mash-had at Hebron) Khalil (that is, * the
Friend' of Allah, Abraham) — His blessing be upon him! — and
they never make use of the real name of the village, which name
is Matliin.* This Sanctuary has belonging to it very many villages
that provide revenues for pious purposes. At one of these villages
is a spring, where water flows out from under a stone, but in no
great abundance ; and it is conducted by a channel, cut in the
ground, to a place outside the town (of Hebron), where they have
* Hebron in the early Arab annals is given as divided into four quarters or
villages : HabrOn, Mart Am, Bait 'AinQn, and Bait Ibrahim. Matldn is doubt-
less a corruption of the second of these names.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 311
constructed a covered tank for collecting the water, so that none
may run to waste, and that the people of the town, and the pil-
grims, may be able to supply their wants. The Sanctuary {Mash-
had) stands on the southern border of the town, and extends
towards the south-east.* The Sanctuary is enclosed by four walls,
built of squared masonry, and in its upper part (the area) measures
80 cubits long by 40 cubits across.! The height of the (exterior)
waPs is 20 cubits, and at their summit the width of the walls is
2 cubits. The Mihrib (or niche) and the Maks(irah (or enclosed
space for Friday-prayers) stand in the width of the building (at
the south end). J In the Maksftrah are many fine Mihribs. There
are two tombs occupying the Maks(irah, laid so that their heads
lie towards the Kiblah-point (south). . Both these tombs are
covered by cenotaphs, built of squared stone as high as a maa
That lying on the right hand (to the west. Plan, J) is the grave of
Isaac, son of Abraham ; and that on the left (or to the east,
Plan, I) is the grave of his wife (Rebecca) — peace be upon them !
Between the two graves may measure the space of about 10 cubits.
I n this part of the Sanctuary the floor and the walls are adorned
with precious carpets and Maghribi matting that is more costly
than brocade. I saw here a piece of matting, serving as a prayer-
rug, which they told me the Amir al Juyflsh (or Captain-General),
in the service of the Sultan of Egypt, had sent hither ; and they
said that at Cairo this prayer-rug had been bought for thirty gold
* The exact orientation of the quadrangle is fifty degrees true bearing, and
consequently the great Mihr&b of the Kiblah-pointlies almost exactly south-east.
t The exact dimensions externally of the Haram walls, as measured by their
Royal Highnesses Prince Albert Victor and Prince George of Wales, during
their visit in 1882, are 197 feet by ill feet. N&sir's measurement is some-
what under the real size. The average height externally of the ancient (or
Herodian ?) walls is 40 feet, or 20 cubits, as stated in the text.
X The present building, known as the Church, dates from the time of the
Crusaders. The building Nasir saw has disappeared. The late Mr. Fergussoo
states in his book on The Holy Sepulchre and the Temple at Jerusalem^ p. 137
(Appendix J), "I ascertained with certainty that there was nothing inside the
enclosure older than the Crusades. The Gothic building which occupies the
whole of the southern end was certainly erected either in the last half of the
twelfth or the first half of the thirteenth century." The *' Maksdrah " of N&sir
is probably the same building as the '^ Dome " mentioned by Mukaddasi. See
P-309.
312 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
KEFERENCKS TO THE PLAN OF THE SANCTUARY AT HEBRON
AT THE PRESENT DAY.
A. Entrance to the Western C.ive.
B. Entrance to the Eastern Cave.
C. Hole in the floor, leading to a chamber.
I). Hole in the Wall, opening inio the Western Cave.
E. Dome.
F. (Ireek Inscription.
G. Arabic Inscription, on a pier.
H. (Ireek Inscription, on the wall.
I. Cenotaph of Rel)ecca.
J. ,, of Isaac.
K. Mimbar, or Pulpit.
L. Reading-desk.
M. Cenotaph of Sarah.
N. ,, of Abraham.
O. ,, of Leah.
P. ,, of Jacoli.
Q. Tomb of Joseph.
R. Door leading to the same.
.S. Window opening into the same.
T. Pier.
U. Minaret.
V. Minaret.
W. Vestibule.
X. Entrance Gate.
.514 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Maghribi Dinars (or about j^is)- Now, the same quantity of
ROmi (or Greek) brocade would not have cost so much, and the
equal of this mat I never saw elsewhere.
" Leaving the Maksfirah, you find in the court of the Sanctuar>'
two buildings. Facing the Kiblah-point (south), the one lying
on the right hand (or to the west. Plan, N), contains the tomb of
.Abraham, the Friend of Allah — His blessing be upon him ! This
building is of such a size as to allow of there being within it
another building, which you cannot enter, but which has in its
walls four windows, through which the pilgrims, when standing
round it, may look and view the tomb that is within. The walls
and the floor of this chamber are covered with brocade stuffs, and
the cenotaph is made of stone, measuring 3 ells (in length), with
many silver lamps and lanterns hung above it. The other edifice,
lying on the left hand as you face the Kiblah (or on the eastern
side. Plan, M), has within it the Tomb of Sarah, the wife of
Abraham — peace be upon him ! Between the two edifices is the
passage-way that leads to both, and this is like a hall, and here
also are suspended numerous lamps and lanterns.
" After passing by these two edifices, you come to two other
sepulchral chambers lying close one to another. That to the^
right (or on the west side, Plan, P), contains the Tomb of the
Prophet Jacob — peace be upon him ! — and that to the left (or east
side. Plan, O), the Tomb of his wife (Leah). Beyond this again
are other buildings, where Abraham — the blessing of Allah be
upon him ! — was wont to dispense his hospitality ; but within the
Sanctuary there arc these six tombs only. Outside the four walls
(of the Sanctuary) the ground slopes away, and here on the (west)
side (Plan, Q) is the sepulchre of Joseph, the son of Jacob — peace
be upon them both ! — over whose gravestone they have built a
beautiful dome. On this side, where the ground is level — that is,
beyond the sepulchre of Joseph, and the Sanctuary — lies a great
cemetery, whither they bring the dead from many parts to be
buried.
" On the flat roof of the Maksdrah, in the (Hebron) Sanctuary,
they have built cells for the reception of the pilgrims who come
hither : and the revenues of this charity are considerable, being
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 315
derived from villages and houses in the Holy City. They grow at
Hebron for the most part barley, wheat being rare ; but olives are
in abundance. The pilgrims, and voyagers, and other guests (of
the Sanctuary) are given bread and olives. There are very many
mills here, worked by oxen and mules, that all day long grind the
flour ; and, further, there are slave-girls who, during the whole day,
are baking the bread. The loaves they make here are each of
them of a Mann weight (or about three pounds), and to every
person who arrives they give daily a loaf of bread, and a dish of
lentils cooked in olive-oil, also some raisins. This practice has
been in usage from the days of (Abraham) the Friend of the
Merciful — peace be upon him ! — even down to the present hour ;
and there are some days when as many as five hundred pilgrims
arrive, to each of whom this hospitality is offered
" It is said that in early times the Sanctuary (at Hebron) had
no door into it, and hence that no one could come nearer to (the
tombs) than the outer porch, whence, from outside, they per-
formed their visitation. When, however, the (Fatimite Khalif)
Mahdi came to the throne of Egypt (in a.d. 918), he gave orders
that a door should be op)ened (into the Sanctuary), and he pro-
vided utensils and carpets and rugs, besides causing many (con-
venient) edifices to be built. The entrance-door of the Sanctuary
is in the middle of the northern wall, and is four ells above the
ground. On either side of it are stone steps, one stair¥ray for
going up, and one for coming down ; and the gateway is closed
by a small iron door." (Kh., 53-58.)
It is worthy of note that the only doorway that pierces the
Haram walls at the present day is that found at about the centre
of the eastern wall. As, however, the Kiblah point is really south-
east— though Nasir always speaks of it as south — the long wall of
the Haram on the left-hand (facing the Kiblah) is, in truth, the
north-east wall, and a door in it might be said to face north, for
north-east.
In 1099 Hebron came into the hands of the Crusaders, and
was bestowed a year later by Godfrey de Bouillon in fief on
Gerhard d'Avennes.
Idrist, writing in 1 154, has the following account :
3i6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
"Masjid Ibrl^him lies about i8 miles to the south of Beth-
lehem. It is a village that has become a city. In its mosque are
the tombs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — peace be upon them !
- -and over against each is the tomb of his wife, as a companion
thereto. The town lies in a valley between the hills, possessing
trees of all sorts, such as olives and figs and sycamores, and
many kinds of fruits." (Id , 9.)
'AH of Herat, writing in 11 73, fifteen years before Hebron was
retaken by Saladin, gives the following account of what he himself
saw at Hebron some years before, while the town was still in the
hands of the Crusaders. 'Alis account has been copied by Yakut
(Yak., ii. 468) ; the present translation is made from the text of
the Oxford Manuscript of 'Ali's work (folios 43-45).
" At Hebron, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah are buried, as
also, it is said, are Adam, Noah, and Shem.
'* When I was at Alexandria in the year 570 (1175 A.D., other
MSS. gi/e A.H. 575), I heard a book read in the presence of the
Shaikh Hafiz Abu Tahir as Salafi, but the name of the author of
the work has now escaped me. And by mischance all my books
were taken from me by the Franks, at the time of the battle of
Khuwailifah, when they fought under the command of Al Inkit^
(Richard Cceur de Lion), the King of the Franks. His mes-
•sengers came to me afterwards, and promised the return of what
had been seized, and even the double of it should be given me ;
but he desired as a condition that I should go and join him, and
that I would not consent to do. All this took place in the year
588(1^^92).
" In the work above mentioned, the author states that a certain
man, being of a mind to make his visitation at Hebron, gave large
sums in presents to the guardians (of the shrine), and had asked
one of them, who was a Greek, whether it were not possible for
him to take him down to see the (body of the) Patriarchs -on
whom be j^)eace ! The man replied that at that time it was not
possible, but that if he would wait till the press of pilgrims was
over, that he could then do it. And so (when the time of the
pilgrimage) was passed, the guardian raised up a stone flag (in the
floor of the Mosque), and taking a lamp with him, he and the
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 317
Other descended some seventy steps to a spacious cavern. The
air here was blowing freely, and there was a platform on which
lay extended (the body of) Abraham — peace be on him ! — clothed
in green garments, and the wind as it blew tossed about his white
locks. At his side lay Isaac and Jacob. And the guide went on
with him to a wall in the cavern, telling him that behind the
wall lay Sarah, and he had in intention to show him what was
beyond the wall, but lo ! a voice cried out, saying, * Beivare^ for it
is the Haram P The narrator added that he returned, and came
up by the way he had gone down.
" I have read in the books of Moses that Al Khalll (Abraham,
the friend of God) bought a piece of ground from Afrfin ibn SOhir
al Haithi (Ephron, the son of Sochar the Hittite) for 400 Dirhams
of silver, and buried therein Sarah. Such is the account in the
Pentateuch, but Allah alone knows the truth.
" And I, ^Ali of Herat — may Allah pardon me my sins ! — do
relate the following of my own experience :
** I went to Jerusalem in the year 567 (1172), and both there
and at Hebron I made the acquaintance of certain Shaikhs, who
informed me that [in the year 513 (11 19)]* during the reign of
King Bardawil (Baldwin H.) a certain part over the Cave of
Abraham had given way, and that a number of the Franks had,
by the King's permission, made their entrance therein. And they
discovered (the bodies oQ Abraham and Isaac and Jacob — peace be
upon them ! — their shrouds having fallen to pieces, lying propped
up against a wall. Over each of their heads were napkins [or
lamps], and their heads were uncovered. Then the King, after
providing new shrouds, caused the place to be closed once more.
And this was in the year 513 (i 1 19).
"The Knight BabOn (other MS. BirOn), who dwelt in Bait l^hm
(Bethlehem), and held a high position among the Franks, on
account of his knightly deeds and valour, related to me that he
had entered this cave with his father. And he saw Abraham the
friend and Isaac and Jacob — peace be upon them I — and their
heads were uncovered. Now I said to him, * What was thy age
• Ihe words in s(|uare brackets [ ] are inserted from Vflkut's text, and are
not found in the Oxford MS.
Ill ■uji^:^-. ^^^.u.:\ '
318 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
at this time?' and he answered, 'Thirteen years.* Further, he
told me that the Knight Jufr! (Geofrey) ibn Jarj (George) was one
of those whom King (Baldwin) commissioned with the renewal of
the Patriarch's garments, and with the rebuilding of such of the
edifice as had given way, and further, that this Jufri was still alive.
Subsequently I inquired after him, but was told he had died a
short time before. Now I, 'Ali of Herat, do say, verily and of a
truth, I myself have thus seen one who himself saw Abraham and
Isaac and Jacob — peace be upon them all I"
In confirmation of 'Ali's account of the opening of the Cave of
Machpelah, the following note is to be found in Ibn al Athir's
Chronicle under the year 513 (11 19;, that is, in the very year
mentioned by *Ali :
" In this year was opened the tomb of Abraham, and those of
his two sons Isaac and Jacob, at a place near the Holy City.
Many people saw the Patriarchs. Their limbs had nowise been
disturbed, and beside them were placed lamps of gold and of
silver."*
Yikdt, besides quoting much of the above narrative from *Ali
of Herat, gives the following traditional account of the early
history of Hebron :
" Habrfln is the name of the village near Jerusalem where
Abraham is buried ; and Abraham's name, Al Khalil (the Friend),
has taken the place of the name Habrdn. The town is also called
Habra. The building here was erected by Solomon. According
to Ka'ab al Hibr,t the first who died and was buried here was
Sarah ; and Abraham, wishing a place to bury her in, bought this
spot near Habra for 50 Dirhams, and in those days the Dirham
was worth 5 Dirhams of the present time. Sarah was thus buried
here, and subsequently Abraham, Rebecca, Isaac, Jacob, and
Leah (Li'y^ or Iliyah). Solomon, by Divine revelation, and directed
* All the extant notices of visits to the sepulchres of the Patriarchs of
Hebron arc brought to|jciher and discussed by Comte Riant, in a paper in
vol. ii., p. 41 1, of the An hives di P Orient Latin, 1S84. On Hebron in general,
the note given by M. Quatremere in the Appendix (p. 239) in vol. i., part 2, of
his Histoire lies Sultans Mamlouks (one of the most useful of the Oriaital
Tnifislation Fund publications), may with advantage be consulted.
t On this personage see p. 142.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 319
by a light from heaven, began to build at Ar Rimah, a village on
a hill overlooking Habri ; then God said, * Not here, for behold
the light in the heavens, is it not above Habri, above the cave ?*
So Solomon built over the cave the enclosure now seen there. In
this cave was the tomb of Adam, and behind the enclosure is that
of Joseph. Joseph*s body was brought hither by Moses, having
at first been buried in the middle of the Nile. The cave is under
the earth, the enclosure is above and around it, most strongly
built.
" Hebron was given in fief by the Prophet to (his Companion)
Tamim ad Dari and his family. There are named in the deed,
Bait 'AinQn, Habrdn, Al Martfim, and Bait Ibrihim. These and
all their dependencies were granted to Tamim.^' (Yik., ii. 194 ;
Mar, i. 284.)
Abu-1 Fida gives a short account of Hebron, but adds nothing
to the foregoing. (A. F., 241.)
The traveller Ibn BatOtah visited Hebron in 1355, and we find
in his Diary the following notice of the place :
" The (Haram) Mosque at Hebron is built of hewn stone, and
one stone is 37 spans (shibr) in length. The Haram is said to
have been built by Solomon, aided by the J inns. Within is the
holy cave, where are the tombs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ;
opposite lie the tombs of their wives.
** To the right of the Mimbar (pulpit), and close to the southern
outer wall, is a place where you may descend by solidly-built
marble steps, leading to a narrow passage, and this opens into a
chamber paved with marble. Here are the cenotaphs of the
three tombs. They say that the bodies lie immediately adjacent
(beneath), and that hereby was originally the passage down to the
blessed dave. At the present time, however, this (passage) is
closed. To this (first chaml>er) I myself descended many
times. '^
Next follow proofs that these are the real tombs, quotations
being given from the Hadith^ or Traditions of the Prophet. Ibn
Hatutah adds that the tomb of Joseph is also seen in the mosque
at Hebron. (I. B., i. 114, 115.)
Ishak al Khalili (of Hebron), who wrote in 1351, records the
320 . PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
following on the tombs of the patriarchs. His account has been
copied verbatim by later writers, notably by SuyQti in 1470 (see
J. R. A. S., new series, vol. xix., p. 290), and by Mujir ad Din in
1496 (Cairo Text, p. 41) :
"Muhammad ibn Bakran ibn Muhammad al Khatib, who was
Preacher of Abraham *s Sanctuar>*, has reported as having heard
Muhammad ibn Ahmad, the grammarian, relate the following,
which is given in his own words : * Once I went with the Kddi
Abu 'Amr 'Othman ibn Ja'far ibn Shadhan to visit the tomb of
Abraham — upon him peace I We had sojourned there for the
space of three days, when, on the fourth, the Kadi approached
the inscription which is facing the tomb of Rebecca, Isaac's wife,
and ordered it to be washed, that the writing thereon might be
made clear ; and he set me to copy all that was on the stone, in
exact facsimile, on a roll of paper that we had brought. And
after this he returned to Ar Ramlah, where he brought together
men of all tongues, in order to read what was thereon ; but no
one was able to interpret it. But all agreed that the same was in
the language of the ancient Greeks ; and that if any there were
who knew how to read it, it would be a certain Shaikh of Aleppo.
So the Kadi Abu '.Amr sent expressly to this Shaikh, requesting
his presence at Ar Ramlah ; and when he had arrived, he caused
me also to be present. And behold he that was come was a very
ancient man ; and this Shaikh from Aleppo dictated to me as
follows, being the translation of what I had co])ied : /;/ f/if dirim
and adored Name^ the sublime^ the mii^hty\ the well-directing^ the
strongs the powerful ! Verily the mound which / <• facing this is the
Tofnb of Rebecca^ the ivife of Isaac, and that which lies near thereto
is the Tomb of Isaac. The great mound over against this is the
Tomb of Abraham the Friend, and tJie mound wiiich faces it on the
eastern side is the Tomb of Sarah his wife. The further mound,
which lies beyond that of the Tomb of Abraham the Friend^ is the
Tomb of Jacob, and the mound adjoining it is the Tomb of Iliya
(Leah), Jacob's wife. And Esau icrote this with his oivn hand.
" * Further,* Muhammad ibn Bakrdn speaks of another manu-
script, and that the copy of the inscription cut on the above-
* This second account is omiUcd by SuyQti.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 321
mentioned stone, lying to the east, stated that the head of Adam —
peace be on him ! — lay below it. The interpretation of the inscrip-
tion was as follows : In the divine and adored Name^ the high^ the
mighty^ the victorious^ the strong, the puissant 1 This mound ivhich
lies near this inscription is the Tomb of Rebecca, the wife of Isaac^
and the mound thereto adjacent westiuards is the Tomb of Isaac,
The great mound which lies on the opposite side, and corresponding
thereto, is the Tomb of Abraham, and the mound which is facing
this to the east thereof is the Tomb of his wife Sarah, The mound
that lies farthest off, but in a line with the Tomb of Abraham tlie
Friend, is the Tomb of Jacob, and the mound adjacent thereunto and
to the east thereof, is the Tomb of his wife Iltyd — the benediction of
Allah and His mercy and His blessing be upon them all ! for purity
lieth in His grace.^
" These, then, are the two accounts. Muhammad ibn Bakr^n
al Khatib notes that the name of (Leah) Jacobus wife is ih*ya, but
that in some books her name is written Laya (or Liyd), and she is
known also as Lika, but Allah alone knows the truth ! The Kadi
mentioned in the first account — Abu 'Amr 'Othman ibn JaYar ibn
Shadhan — was a judge of high renown, and well known. The
narrator of the account, however, was not certain as to the exact
name of this Abu 'Amr's father. I have reason to believe that
he was 'Othman, son of Muhammad ibn Shadhdn. He was Kadi
(judge) of Ar Ramlah during the Khalifate of Ar Radi-billah, in
the year 320 and odd (a.d. 932), and during the following years.
He is an authority for traditions, which he held at many hands ;
and a great number of very learned traditionists cite him for their
warranty.
" The Hafiz Ibn *Asakir writes : In a certain book of traditions
I read and copied the following : Muhammad ibn Bakrdn ibn
Muhammad al Khatib — who was Preacher of the Masjid of
Abraham the Friend (of Allah)— states as having heard it from
Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn Ja^afar al Anbari, who him-
self had heard Abu Bakr al Askaf i give the following account ;*
* With me it is of a surety that the tomb of Abraham is at the spot
* This is an amplified version of the account $;iven by *Ali of Herat. See
p. 315.
21
322 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
now shown as the same, for I have looked on the tomb and seer
his body with my own eyes. And it was after this manner : I had
expended great sums, amounting to nearly 4,000 dinars, on the hoi)
place and its guardians, hoping thereby to obtain favour of Allah —
may He be exalted ! — and I wished also to convince myself of the
exactitude of what was reported concerning (Abraham's tomb)
So when the hearts (of the guardians of the holy place) were wor
by all that I had done there — in the way of pious deeds anc
generous giving, and in the making of presents, and honourabb
entreating of them, and other such bounties — I proposed to gel
at the root of the truth which my heart desired to know. So, or
a certain day, I said to the guardians, when we were all assemblec
together, *' I would fain ask of you to conduct me to the door o
the cave, that I may descend therein and be a witness for mysel
(of the tombs) of the prophets. The benediction of Allah anc
His mercy be upon them I" The guardians answered me, " Wt
would certainly agree to do this for thee, for thou hast put u:
greatly in thy debt ; but at this present time the matter is im
possible, for travellers are constant in arriving. But do thou hav<
patience till the winter shall have come." So when the month o
the second Kanun (January) was entered, I went to them again
but they said to me, " Remain with us yet awhile until the snov
falls." So I remained with them t'll the snow fell. Now, whei
the travellers had ceased coming, the guardians brought me U
where there is a stone which lies in the floor between the tomb o
Abraham the Friend and that of Isaac — peace be on them both
— and they raised this slab, and one of them, a man of the nam
of Sa'lftk, a just man, who did many pious works, prepared t
descend to guide me. So he descended, and I with him an<
following him. We went down seventy-two steps, until we cam
to a place on the right, where we ?aw, as it were, a great bit
built of black stones — even like a merchant's stall in the bazaar-
whereon was the body of an aged man, lying on his back, lon^
bearded and hairy of cheek, with clothes of a green colon
clothing him. Said Sa'luk to me, "This is Isaac— peace be o
him ! ' Then we went a little further, and came to a yet larg<
bier than the first, and upon it, extended also on his back, lay a
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 323
aged man, the hair on his breast already whitened with age, and
his head, and beard, and eyebrows, and eyelashes white also.
He was clothed in green garments also, which covered his body
and also the greater part of the bier, and the wind blew about his
white locks to right and to left. Said Sa'lOk to me, "This is
Abraham the Friend," and I threw myself upon my face glorifying
Allah — may He be praised and magnified ! — for what He had
vouchsafed to me. Then we continued on yet again, and came
to a smaller bier, on which lay an old man, with a face much
browned by the sun, and a thick beard. On his body there were
green clothes, which covered him. Said Sa'lQk to me, "This
is Jacob, the Prophet — on him be peace !" Then we turned to
go to the right, as though to go to the Haram.'
"At this point, says Muhammad al Anbari, Abu Bakr al
Askafi certified to me that his story must end. So I arose from
beside him, the time of the visit, and of his telling me of all this,
having drawn to a close. But at my next leisure I went to the
Masjid Ibrahim (Hebron) ; and, coming to the Mosque, inquired
for Sa'liik. Said they to me, * In an hour he will be here.' And
when he came, I went to him ; and, sitting down beside him,
began to tell him part of the story (I had heard from his friend
Abu Bakr). But he looked on me with an eye that would have
denied all knowledge of the circum.stances referred to by me.
Then I turned towards him to gain his favour, and showed him
that I was free of evil intent, for that Abu Bakr al Askafi was as
my paternal uncle ; so he at length began to incline to me. And
I said to him, * O Sa'lOk, by Allah I when ye did turn as though
to go towards the Haram, what happened, and what was it that ye
saw ?' And he said to me, * But did not Abu Bakr tell thee
thereof?' But I answered, * I desire to hear of it from thee.*
Then said he, * We heard, as coming from out near the Haram, a
voice of one crying : Vepart ye from the Haram ! and Allah have
. mercy on you I And we both fell down, and lost all sense. After
a time, coming to ourselves again, we arose, but despaired of life,
and our companions (above) had despaired of seeing us also ever
again.*
" The Shaikh further told me that Abu Bakr al Askafi lived
21 — 2
324 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
on but a few days after he had related to him this account,
and Sa'Kik, too, died shortly after — Allah have mercy on them
both !"
Suydti in 1470 quotes, as already stated, the whole of the above
account He gives, at the commencement of his thirteenth
chapter, the following tradition, which is doubtless derived from a
Rabbinical source :
" It is reported by Ibn 'Asakir, on a chain of tradition going
back to Ka'ab al Ahbar, that the first person who died and was
buried at Hebron was Sarah ; . . . then Abraham himself died,
and was buried at her side ; then Isaac's wife, Rebecca, died, and
was buried there, and later Isaac himself was buried beside his
wife. When Jacob died, he was buried at the mouth of the cave,
and when his wife Lika (Leah) came also to die, she was buried
beside him. Then the sons of Jacob met together, and also Esau
and his brethren, and they said, * Let us leave the entrance of the
cavern open, so that when any die he may be buried therein.*
But afterwards a dispute arose among them, and one of the
brothers of Esau — or, as some say, one of the sons of Jacob —
raised his hand and struck Esau a blow that caused his head to
fall off, and it rolled into the cave. And they carried away his
body and buried it without the head, for the head remained within
the cave.* And the cave they closed by a wall. Then over each
grave they erected a monument, inscribing on each severally, T/iis
is the tomb of Abraham^ This i^ the tomb of Sarah, and so forth,
after which they all departed, closing the gates." (S., 289 ;
M. a. D., 41.)
Mujir ad Din, who wrote in 1496, inserts all the foregoing in
his work. He further made very careful measurements of the
Hebron Sanctuary, and has left a detailed description of the
buildings there, as they stood at the close of the fifteenth centur}'.
Descriptions of the Hebron Haram at the present day correspond
very closely with this account, proving that since the time of Mujir
ad Din no very extensive alterations have taken place.
Nisir-i-Khusrau, as early as 1047, notices the Sepulchre of
* This is the Rabbinical tradition, found in the Babylonian Talmud. Sotah^
i. 13-
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 325
Joseph, " on the west side " of the Harani at Hebron. Of the
first discovery of this sepulchre — said to have taken place in the
early part of the tenth century a.d. — Mujir ad Din gives an
account, of which the following is a translation :
" The tomb of Joseph is in the plot of ground lying outside
Solomon's enclosure (the Haram). It stands opposite the tomb
of Jacob, and is near that of his forefathers Abraham and Isaac.
Now Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al Khalanji states that he was requested
by one of (the Khalif *) Al Muktadir's women, Al 'Ajflz by name,
who was sojourning at the Holy City, to proceed to the place
where, according to the tradition, Joseph was buried, and having
discovered the sepulchre, to erect over it a building. So Al
Khalanji set forth with workmen, and they found the place where,
according to tradition, Joseph was buried, namely, outside the
enclosure (of Solomon), and opposite the tomb of Jacob, and
they bought the field from its owner, and began to lay it bare.
In the very place indicated by the tradition they came on a huge
rock, and this, by order of Al Khalanji, was broken into. They
tore off a portion, ' and,' says Al Khalanji, * I being with the
workmen in the trench when they raised up the fragment, lo ! here
lay (the body of) Joseph — peace be upon him ! — beautiful and
glorious to look on, as he is always represented to have been.
Now, first there arose from the place an odour of musk, following
it, however, came a strong wind ; so I caused the workmen to set
down into its place again the fragment of rock, to be as it had
been before.'
'*And afterwards," Mujir ad Din continues, "they built over
this place the Dome which can be seen there to this day, in proof
that the tradition is a true one, and that the Patriarch is -buried
beneath. This Dome stands without the walls of Solomon's
Enclosure, and to the west of it, being within the Madrasah (or
college), called after Al Malik an Nasir Hasan,t which at the
present day is called Al Kala'ah (the castle). You enter it
through the gate of the Mosque which opens towards the market,
and leads to the Eunuch's Spring ('Ain at Tawashi). It is a place
* He reigned from 908 to 932 a.d.
t One of the Mamldk Sultans of Egypt. He was assassinated in 762 (1361).
i*fi ru isttNi' rsiii:K nii: Moslems,
null It h\'n\initril (l>v |>ilj;iiins, who arc shown) here the grave (of
|\iM')>)u. Oiu* o! thi* ^uanhans ot" llolm>n, Shihah ad Din
Vhnud al Va^hmini* l>y name, piouvil a gateway in the western
wall ol \\\w llaiaui, which is^ Solon)on*s I'nclosuro, and this
o|vns o|»|»\»sUv* to (ho t\Mnh of our lord Jo>oph. He also set a
*viu»taph \»\iM this lower l\Mnh, to mark the same, and to he
Muulai to !h\»v' that au' aluwv* the other i; raves of the Tatriaahs
that he m the Movjue ^or Maram^ of Ahraham. This was done
vhniuvi the ivuin \*? Sultan l^arkuk."* v^^- *^- '^^ ^M-^
Ot Munt a\l Pins ^ieseisi^tion auvl measurements of ti'.e
Uehuvt S.\ne;;uu\ '.n h:s \^\\n da\» the rolk^wi:>;; :ra:i<:a::on c!vcs
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326 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
much frequented (by pilgrims, who are shown) here the grave (of
Joseph;. One of the guardians of Hebron, Shihib ad Din
Ahmad al Yaghmuri* by name, pierced a gateway in the western
wall of (the Haram, which is) Solomon's Enclosure, and this
opens opposite to the tomb of our lord Joseph. He also set a
cenotaph over this lower tomb, to mark the same, and to be
similar to those that are above the other graves of the Patriarchs
that lie in the Mosque (or Haram) of Abraham. This was done
during the reign of Sultan Darkuk."t (M. a. D., 64.)
Of Mujir ad Din's description and measurements of the
Hebron Sanctuary in his own day, the following translation gives
the substance of the text printed in the Cairo edition (p. 56 etseg.).
The letters in brackets refer to the plan facing p. 312 :
" Hebron Sanctuary : measurements within the walls of
Solomon's building.
" The length from north to south, measuring from the back of
the Mihrab near the Mimbar (K) to the further end of the shrine
in which is the grave of Jacob (P), is 80 ells of the workman's ell
— less about J or !4 of an ell.
" The breadth from east to west, measuring from the wall at
the entrance-gate to the back of the western colonnade {riwdk) in
which is the window (s/iabhak) leading to the sepulchre of Joseph
(S), is 41 ells, plus about J or J an ell — the ell being that used by
the workmen of our day.
" The thickness of the wall on all sides is 3^ ells. The number
of the courses in its construction is fifteen in the highest portion,
which is that near the gate of the Kala'ah at the south-west corner
(near l)j, and the height of the wall here from the ground — not
including the part i)uilt by the Greeks, which lies above Solomon's
wall — is 26 ells. Among the stones used in Solomon's wall, there
is one near the Tabl Khanah (Drum House), the length of which
is II ells. The height ('(int) of each of the courses of Solomon's
walls is about i )| ells. There are two minarets that rise from the
walls, one at the south-east angle (V), and the other at the north-
west angle (U), and these are beautifully built.
* Governor of Jerusalem arid Hebron in 796 (1394).
t The Mamliik Sultan of Egypt who reigije«l 784 So i (1382- 1399).
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 327
** As regards the description of the buildings, inside the walls
there is a vaulted building (the Church) occupying about half,
namely, the southern portion (of the area), and extending north-
ward. It dates from Greek times. It consists of three aisles,
and the middle aisle is higher than those that lie to the east
and west of it. The roof is supported on four well-built piers.
At the end of the middle aisle of this vaulted building is the
Mihrab, and beside it is the Mimbar (pulpit) of wood, made in the
reign of the Fatimite Khalif al Mustansir-billah, or order of Badr
al Jamali, in 484 (1091). It was brought here from Ascalon in
Saladin's time.
** In this part (/>., the Church) are the tombs of Isaac, near the
pier beside the Mimbar (on the western side, at J); the tomb of
his wife Rebecca is opposite beside the eastern pier (at I). This
main-building (the Church) has three doors opening into the court
of the Mosque. The middle door leads into the Sanctuary of
Abraham. 1 his is a vaulted chamber of marble, with four walls.
On its western side is the cell (N) in which is the tomb of
Abraham, and corresponding on the east is the tomb of Sarah (M).
1 he second doorway (of the main-building), which is on the east,
and near the great entrance-gate in Solomon's wall, is behind
Sarah's tomb. The third doorway, to the west, is immediately
behind Abraham's tomb ; it leads into the colonnade. This gate*
was built by Shihab ad Din al Yaghnulri, who also pierced the
window in Solomon's wall opening into the place of Joseph's tomb,
and this during the reign of Sultan Barkuk in 796 (1394).
" In the northerxi part of the enclosure of Solomon is the grave
of Jacob (P) lying on the western side, and in a line with Abraham's
tomb. Opposite this (O) on the eastern side is the tomb of his
wife Lika (Leah). The Court of the Mosque between the tomb
of Abraham and that of Jacob, is uncovered to the sky. The
domes over the patriarch's tombs are said to have been built in
the times of the Omayyad Khalifs."
All the above, written in the year 1496, tallies exactly with the
present descriptions of the Hebron Sanctuary. (Cf P.E.F.
Memoirs, iii. 337.)
* Now closed.
328 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
'akkah or 'akka (acre).
" A city on the coast of the Jordan Province." (Yb., 115.)
Mukaddasi, writing in 985 a.d., gives the following interesting
description of the city :
"'Akka is a fortified city on the sea. The mosque here is very
large. In its court is a clump of olive-trees, the oil from which
suffices for the lamps of the mosque, and yet besides. This city
had remained unfortified until the time when Ibn TftlCln (the
Ruler of Egypt) visited it, coming from Tyre, where he had seen
the fortifications and the walls which are there carried round so as
to protect the harbour. Then Ibn TdlQn wished to construct at
'Akka a fortification that should be as impregnable as that of Tyre.
From all provinces artificers were brought together ; but when the
matter was laid before them, all averred that none in these days
knew how the foundations of a building could be laid in the water.
Then one mentioned to Ibn Tdlftn the name of my grandfather,
Abu Bakr, the architect, saying that if perchance any had know-
ledge in these matters, it would be he alone. So Ibn Tdlftn
wrote to his Lieutenant in Jerusalem commanding that he should
despatch my grandfather to him ; and on his arrival they laid the
affair before him. * The matter is easy,' said my grandfather :
* let them bring such sycamore beams as be large and strong.'
These beams he set to float on the surface of the water, as a pro-
longation of the town walls (seawards), and he bound them one to
the other ; while towards the west he left the opening for a mighty
gateway. And upon these beams he raised a structure with stones
and cement. After every five courses he strengthened the same
by setting in great columns. At length the beams became so
weighted that they began to sink down ; but this was little by
little, and finally they rested on the sand. Then they ceased
building for a whole year, that the construction might consolidate
itself, after which, returning, they began again to build. And
from where it had been left off, continuing, my grandfather made
a junction between this and the ancient city walls, bringing the
new work right up into the old, and causing the two to join
together. Across the western gate of the port he built a bridge,
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS, 329
and every night when the ships had come within the harbour they
drew across the water-gate a chain, even as was the case at Tyre.
It is reported that my grandfather received for this matter the
sum of r,ooo Dinirs (;^5oo), besides robes of honour, horses, and
other gifts, and his name was inscribed over the work. Now,
before this harbour had been made the enemy were wont to take
advantage of the ships lying here to do them grievous damage."
(Muk., 162, 163.)
This account is quoted verbatim by Yakfit (Yik., iii. 707, 708,
and Mar., ii. 271, in epitome), who adds that the inscription naming
Abu Bakr the architect still existed in the thirteenth century, when
he wrote. The method of building described, with stone-pillars
used, as * through-bonds,' is one much used in later centuries by
the architects of the Crusaders. The remains of the double mole
forming the inner harbour at Acre may still be seen, though at the
present day these are almost entirely under water. (See Mems.
of S. of W. P., vol. i., 160.)
Our next account of Acre is written by the Persian Pilgrim
Nasir, who visited the city in 1047 :
" After leaving Tyre, we travelled 7 leagues, and came to the
township of 'Akkah, which, in official documents, is named
Madinat 'Akkah. The city stands on an eminence, the ground
sloping, but in part it is level ; for all along this coast they only
build towns where there is an elevation, being in terror of an
encroachment of the waves of the sea. The Friday Mosque at
Acre is in the centre of the town, and rises taller than all the other
edifices. All its columns are of marble. To the right hand, out-
side the Mosque, and towards the Kiblah (south) is the tomb of
the Prophet Salih* — peace be upon him I The court of the
Mosque is partly paved with stone, and the other part is sown
with green herbs, for they say it was here that Adam — peace be
upon him ! — first practised husbandry. I made a measurement of
the city ; its length is 2,000 ells, and its breadth 500 elk. Its
walls are extremely strong; to the west and south lies the sea.
* According to the Kuran (vii. 71), Salih was the prophet sent to convert
the tribe of Thamiid. He is variously identified with the Pelcg of Genesis
xi. 16, or the Salah of verse 12 of the same chapter.
330 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
On the southern side is what is called the Mini (or port). Now,
most of the towns upon this coast have a Mina, which same is a
place constructed for the harbouring of ships. It resembles, so to
speak, a stable, the back of which is towards the town, with the
side-walls stretching out into the sea. Seaward, for a space of
about 50 ells, there is no wall, but only chains, stretching from
one wall's end to the other. When they wish to let a ship come
into the Mind, theyslack the chains until they have sunk beneath the
surface of the water sufficient to let the ship pass over them (into
the harbour) ; then they tighten up the chain again so as to prevent
any strange vessel coming in to make an attempt against the ships.
" Outside the eastern city gate, and on the left hand, is a spring,
to which you descend by twenty-six steps before reaching the
water. This they call the 'Ain al Bakar (the Ox Spring), relating
how it was Adam — peace be upon him I — who discovered this
spring, and gave his oxen water therefrom, whence its name of the
Ox-Spring.
" When you leave this township of Acre and go eastwards, you
come to the mountain region (of Lower Galilee), where there are
various places of martyrdom of the prophets — peace be upon
them I — and this region lies aside from the road of him who would
travel to Ramlah. . . . Here I went and visited the tomb of
'Akkah, who is the founder of the city of Acre, a very pious and
great personage." (N. Kh., 12-14.)
In 1 104 King Baldwin and the Crusaders took Acre. Idrisi,
writing in 1 154, but from the descriptions given him by other
travellers, remarks :
" 'Akkah is a large city, spaciously laid out, with many domains
• round it. The city has a tine and safe port. The population is
of mixed (nationality and religion)." <Id., 12.)
The next account is by 'Ali of Herat, who wrote in 11 73. He
gives the following account of the celebrated Ox Spring, a site held
sacred by Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, and a favourite
place of pilgrimage of those days. I'he Crusaders ultimately
turned the eastern part of the Mosque they found here into a
church.
"There is here (says *Ali of Herat) the 'Ain al Bakar, from
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 331
whence came forth the oxen wherewith Adam ploughed the earth.
Over this spring is a Mashhad (or oratory) dedicated to 'Ali ibn
Abu Talib (son-in-law of the Prophet). This the Franks wished
to turn into a church. And they set here (one day) a guardian
who was to superintend the building thereof and serve the place.
But on the morrow he came and said, * I have seen (in my sleep)
a person who spake, saying, / am *A/i ibn Abu Tdlib ; say now to
thy people that they shall leave this place to be a Mosque^ for other-
wise will I destroy thee.' But when the guardian told his country-
men this they would not believe his words. And they set another
in his place ; but when the morrow came behold they found this
man dead. So the Franks abandoned their purpose, and it has
remained a Mosque even to the present time.. They say that the
tomb of Salih is to the south of the Jami* (Mos<iue), but the truth
is othen^ise. The tomb of Wkk, or 'Akkah, from whom the city
is named, is also in the neighlx)urhood.'* (.\. H., Oxf. MS.,
folio 32.)
Our next account of Acre is from the Spanish .Vrab Ibn Jubair,
who visited the city in 1185, a couple of years before the place
was retaken by Saladin. The following is a translation— somewhat
condensed — of those paragraphs of his diary which describe the
town :
** That night we stopped at one of the farmsteads, about a league
distant from 'Akkah. The head man there — who was the inspector
of the affairs thereof for the Muslim landlord, and on l>ehalf of
the Franks also, for whatever the farmers did there in the matter
of cultivation— invited us as guests, and gave hospitality to all the
people of the caravan, lx)th great and small, lodging us in a broad
galler)* in his house and setting food l)efore us. We remained
there that night and the next day entered '.Akkah. And they
brought us to the Diwan (l)ogana, Custom-house) which is a Khan
prepared as the hahing-jilace of caravans. Before the gate is a
carpeted platform on which sit the secretaries of the Diwan on the
part of the Christians, Inrfore desks of elx>ny ornamented with
geld work. 1 hese w rite in Arabic, and talk the language also, and
their head is the Sahib ad Diwan (Chief of the Customs), and they
take note of all that passes l)efore them.
332 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
a > A
'Akkah is the chief of the Frank cities of Syria, the great port
of the sea, and the great anchorage for their ships, being second
only to Constantinople. It is the meeting-place of Muslim and
Christian merchants of all lands. The place is full of pigs and of
crosses. The Franks took it from the Muslims in the first decade
of the sixth century (of the Hijrah). They turned the Mosque
into a church, and the Minaret into a bell-tower. But Allah has
granted that a part of the Jami' Mosque should still remain un-
desecrated in the hands of the Muslims, and here, as strangers,
they assemble to pray. Near the Mihrab of this is the tomb of
the Prophet Salih — peace be upon him ! In the eastern part of
the town is the spring called 'Ain al Bakar (the Spring of the Ox),
it being that from which Allah caused the ox to come forth for
Adam — peace be on him ! The descent to the spring is by polished
steps ; and over it stands a Mosque, the Mihrab of which remains
in good condition. To the east of it the Franks have built a
Mihrab (or oratory) for themselves, and Moslems and infidels
assemble together to make their prayers. But the place is in the
hands of the Christians, and by them is much honoured. We
stayed in ^Akkah two days, and then went to Sftr (Tyre)." (I. J.,
306, 307.)
" The towns of 'Akkah and SClr have no gardens (immediately)
surrounding them ; they stand in a flat country and along the
shore of the sea. The fruits are brought into the town from the
gardens that are in the neighbourhood. Both towns possess broad
lands lying on the flanks of the mountain chain along the coast,
and these are occupied by farmsteads. Their produce is brought
into those cities ; and these lands are extremely rich. To the east
of 'Akkah and at the further end of the town is a Wddi, down
which flows a torrent of water, and on its banks, near the sea
(mouth) is a stretch of land than which none can be seen more
beautiful. No Maidan (or race-course) for horses can be finer.
The (Christian) Lords of the town go there evening and morning,
and the soldiers, also, for exercise." (I. J., 313, 314.)
'Akkah, according to Yakftt (Yak., iii. 707-709), is the most
beautiful of the coast towns, and belongs to the Jordan Province.
He next quotes Mukaddasi, and continues : " The Khalif
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 333
Mu'iwiyah of old gained great glory by conquering 'Akkah and
the coast towns. He refortified both 'Akkah and S(ir before he
_. set out to conquer Cyprus. After his days the fortifications of
'Akkah fell to ruin, and they were restored by the Khalif Hisham,
the son of *Abd al Malik, and were the Frontier Fortresses of the
Jordan Province. All the artificers of the land (of Syria) lived here.
Then Hisham moved them all to Tyre, where they remained till
about the Khalif Al Muktadir's day (ad. 908-932), when they
were all dispersed on the coming of the Crusaders.
" The Franks besieged 'Akkah by land and by sea in 497
(i 104), and took it, slaying many. The city remained in their
hands till Saladin retook it in 583 (1187); but the Franks (under
Richard Coeur de Lion) came against it again, and laid siege and
dug a ditch, even though Saladin came and encompassed them
without, and laid siege to the besiegers during the space of three
years. None the less, at last the Franks again took 'Akkah
from the hands of the Muslims in 587 (1191), and made captives
of nearly three thousand Muslims; so the city remains still in
their hands to the present day."
Thus far Yak (It, who wrote in 1 225. The author of the Mardsid,
who epitomized his work about the year 1300, adds :
"'Akkah was retaken from the Franks in 690 (1291) by Al
Malik al Ashraf ibn Kaladn (the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt),
who made great slaughter of all the Christians here." (Mar.,
ii. 271.)
Yakftt (Yak., iii. 758) and the author of the MarAsid (Mar.
ii. 294) also mention the " Ox Spring," noting that it is held in
veneration by Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike, and give the
stor>' of Adam's ox. YakQt adds that many other strange tradi-
tions are related of this spring.
A cursory notice of Acre is given by Dimashki (Dim., 2F3),
which adds nothing, however, to the foregoing. Abu-1 Fidi,
writing in 1321, after a notice of the Ox Spring, continues :
"'Acre is a beautiful city. The people have their drinking-
water from an underground channel which comes into the town.
There is a fine and spacious port, and artisans are numerous here.
At the present day Acre is in ruins, having Ijeen brought back
334 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
into the hands of the Muslims from the Franks in the year 690
(1291), and I myself was present at its capture, and had booty
therefrom." (A. F., 243.)
In 1355 Acre was visited by the traveller Ibn BatCitah, who
reports (I. B., i. 129) the city to have been in ruins when he
visited it, '* though formerly it was the Frank capital of Syria.'*
He mentions cursorily the 'Ain al Bakar, and the Mosque of the
Prophet Salih.
TABARIVVAH (tIBERIAS).
The capital of the Jordan Province.
" Tabariyyah lies on the lake of the same name," writes Ya'kubi,
" and is surrounded by hills. From the lake runs out the Jordan.
At the city of Tiberias are hot springs, which bubble up and never
fail summer or winter. They carry the hot water into the baths
by conduits, and thus the people have no need of fuel for heating
their water." (Yb., 115.)
Istakhri's account is as follows : '* The chief town of the
Urdunn (Jordan) Province is Tabariyyah. It stands on a fresh-
water lake 12 leagues long, by from 2 leagues to 3 leagues across.
There are hot springs which flow out near the city, rising about
2 leagues away ; but even when the water reaches the town —
although from the length of the conduit it has somewhat cooled —
it is still so hot that skins thrown into it have the hair removed,
and it is impossible to use the water (for bathing) until (cold
water) has been mixed with it. This water is what is generally
employed in the hot baths and the (mosque) tanks (for ablution).
At Tabariyyah they use (for drinking purposes) the water of the
lake." (Is., 58; I. H., 113.)
" Tabariyyah," writes Mukaddasi, " is the capital of the Jordan
Province, and a city of the Valley of Kin'an (Canaan). The
houses stand between the mountain and the lake. The t'jwn is
narrow, hot in summer, and unhealthy. It is nearly a league in
length, but has no breadth. Its market-place extends from one
city gate to the other, and its graveyard is on the hill-slope.
There are here eight natural hot baths, where no fuel need be
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 335
used, and numberless basins besides of boiling water. The
mosque is large and fine, and stands in the market-place. Its
floor is laid in pebbles, set on stone drums, placed close one to
another. Of the people of Tiberias it is said that for two months
they dance, and for two more they gorge ; that for two months
they beat about, and for two more they go naked ; that for two
months they play the reed, and for two more they wallow. The
explanation of this is that they dance from the number of fleas,
then gorge off* the Nabak fruit ; they beat about with fly-laps ^to
chase away the wasps from the meat and the fruits, then they go
naked from the heat ; they suck the sugar-canes, and then have to
wallow through their muddy streets. Beyond the lower end of
the Lake of Tiberias is a great bridge,* over which lies the road
from Damascus. The people drink the water of the lake. Around
its shores are villages and palm-trees, and on its surface are boats
which come and go. The water from the baths and the hot
springs flows into the lake, and strangers dislike the flavour of its
waters for drinking. The lake swarms, none the less, with fish,
and the water is light of digestion. The mountains, which are
steep, overhang the town." (Muk., 161 ; quoted at length by
Vak., iii. 510.)
Mukaddasi continues on another page : " Near Tiberias are
boiling springs, which supply most of the hot baths of that town.
.\ conduit goes to each bath from the springs, and the steam of
the water heats the whole building, whereby they have no need of
artificial firing. In an outer building they-set cold water, which,
in certain proportion, has to be mixed with the hot by those who
wish to bathe ; and this same also serves in the (mosques) for the
ablution. Within this district are other hot springs, as at the place
called Al Hammah (the Thermal Waters). Those who suffier from
the scab, or ulcers, or sores, and other such-like diseases, come to
bathe here during three days, and then afterwards they dip in the
water of another spring, which is cold, whereui)on — if Allah
vouchsafe it to them — they become cured. I have heard the
^' Either the Jisr al Majami', or the bridge, at present in ruins, close to the
southern end of the lake, called Jisr as Sidd.
336 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
people of Tiberias relate that all around these springs, down t
the time of Aristotle, there were bath-houses, each establishmei
being for the cure of a specific disease, and those who wei
afflicted thereby sojourned here and bathed for their cure. Ari
totle, however, demanded of the king of that time that these bat]
houses should be pulled down, lest thereby men should beconr
exempt from recourse to physicians. That there are here sever
different waters, with various medicinal properties, would appej
to be a certain fact ; for every sick person who comes here no
is obliged each one to immerse himself completely in the (mixec
waters, in order to insure that he shall get to that which, i
particular, may heal his special disorder. Among the village
near Maab, also, there is another hot-spring, called Hammah
(Muk., 185.)
The springs here mentioned must be those of Gadara, t
Amatha, in the Yarmuk Valley, near the present town 1
Umm Keis.
Tiberias was visited by Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047. He writes ;
his Diary :
" Leaving Irbil we came down a valley, at the further end '
which were visible the lake and the city of Tabariyyah upon tl
shore of the same. The length of the lake (of Tiberias) I wou
estimate at 6 leagues, and its breadth may be 3 leagues. Tl
water of the lake is sweet and of good flavour. The town lies c
the western shore. The waters from the hot springs near by, ar
the drainage- water of the houses, all flow into the lake ; and y
the population of the city, and of the places along the shore <
the lake, do, none the less, all of them drink of the waters therec
' I heard that once upon a time a certain governor of the city gai
' i orders that they should prevent the refuse of the city and tl
f sewage from draining thus into the lake. But (after his orde
' j were carried out) the water of the lake itself became fetid, so i
■ i to be no longer fit for drinking ; and on his ordering that tl
sewers should again be allowed to open therein, the lake-wat
became once more sweet as aforetimes. The city has a stror
wall that, beginning at the borders of the lake, goes all round tl
town ; but on the water side there is no wall. There are numbc
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. j^r
less buildings erected in the "very water, for the bed of the lake in
this part is rock ; and they have built pleasure-houses that are
supported on columns of marble, rising up out of the water. Ilie
lake is very full of fish.
" The Friday Mosque is in the midst of the town. At the gate
of the mosque is a spring, over which they have built a hot bath ;
and the water of this spring is so hot that, until it has been mixed
with cold water, you cannot bear to have it poured over you.
They say this hot bath was built by Solomon, the son of David —
peace be upon them both !— and I myself did visit it. There is,
too, on the western side of the town of Tiberias a mosque known
as the Jasmine Mosque (Afasjid i- Ydsmin). It is a fine building,
and in the middle part rises a great platform {dukkdn\ where they
have their Mihrabs (or prayer-niches). All round those they have
set jasmine-shrubs, from which the mosque derives its name. In
the colonnade, on the eastern side, is the tomb of YCisha' ibn NGn
(Joshua, the son of Nun) ; and underneath the great platform
aforesaid are shown the tombs of the seventy prophets — peace be
upon them ! — whom the children of Israel slew. In the town of
Tiberias they make prayer-mats of reeds, which sell in the place
itself for five Maghribi Dinars (or over ^£2) a-piece. On the west of
the city rises a mountain, upon which has been built in hewn
stone a castle ; and there is here an inscription in Hebrew
characters, stating that, at the time it was cut, the Pleiades stood
at the head of the zodiacal sign of the Ram. The tomb of Abu
Hurairah (the Prophet's Companion) lies outside the city, towards
the south ; but no one can go and visit it, for the people who live
here are of the Shi'ah sect, and as soon as anyone comes to make
the visitation, the boys begin a tumult, and raise a disturbance
about him that ends in stone-throwing, wherefrom injuries arc
received.'' (N. Kh., 16.)
The castle here mentioned is probably the remains of Herod's
Castle, now called Kasr Bint al Malik (the Palace of the King's
Daughter), lately visited and described by Herr Schumacher in
the P. E. F. Quarterly Statement for April, 1887.
Abu Hurairah, one of the Prophet's Companions, whose tomb
Nasir was unable to visit, died, in a.h. 57 (677), at 'Aklk. His
22
338 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
body, say the historians, was taken into Al Madinah, and buried
in the well-known cemetery of Al Baki\ (Cf. Ibn Khallikan*s
Biographical Dictionary^ translated by I)e Slane, i. 570.) In con-
firmation of Nasir's account, that his tomb was in old times shown
at a village near 'riV)erias, is a stone of 'Ajlun marble, measuring
2 feet 7 inches by 2 feet, lately discovered in this neighbourhood
by Herr Schumacher. It bears on its face an Arabic inscription
to the following effect :
" /// the name of Allah the Compassionate^ the Merciful ! Say :
He is one God — God the Everlasting ! He begetteth not, and He
is not begotten, and there is none like unto Him. * This is the Tomb
of Abu Hurairah, the Companion of the Apostle of Allah : upon
whom be the peace of Allah and His blessing'^
In the place where this stone was discovered, Herr Schumacher
noted traces of an ancient mosque. (P. E. F. Quarterly State-
ment, April, 1887, p. 89.)
"Tabariyyah," according to Idrisi's work, written in 1154, "is
a great city in the Province of the Jordan, and the capital thereof.
It is a beautiful town, lying on the slope of the mountain ; and it
stretches out in the length, for its breadth is small. In length it
is near to a couple of miles. At the base of the town, on its
western part, is a lake of sweet water 1 2 miles long, and the like
in breadth ; and over it sail vessels that carry the crops of the
lands round the lake to the city. It has fortified walls. They
manufacture here the mats called As Samaniyyah; and marvellous
they are, and very little are they manufactured elsewhere in any
of the other towns of this land. In Tiberias are hot baths with
hot water that is not heated with fire. The water remains hot
summer and winter. Among them is the bath called Hammam
ad Damakir ; it is very large, and the water when it first gushes
from the ground is so hot that they scald kid skins and fowls
therein, and you may boil eggs in it. The water is salt Then
there is the Hammam Lulfi, which is smaller than the Hammam
ad Damakir. Its water is hot, but sweet ; and the warm water is
distributed among the houses in the neighbourhood, being used
for washing and other purposes. Of other baths is the Hammdm
• This first paragraph forms the 112th chapter of the Kuran.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 339
al Minjadah. In all Tiberias there is no Hammim that is heated
with fire except only the Small Bath (^/ HammAm as Saghir\ and
this was originally built by a certain one of the Muslim kings in
his private house for his own use, and for Ihe use of his wives, and
his children, and his servants. When he died the bath was thrown
open and given to the people for the public to use, and in it alone
is the water heated with fire.
" To the south of Tiberias are great Hamniams, such as 'Ain
Mauki'in, and 'Ain ash Sharaf (or *Ain ash Sharab), and others,
wherein at all seasons flow out springs of hot water. Sick people
from all the neighbouring countries come to these, such as
those who suffer from lumbago, and paralysis, and rheumatism,
and those with ulcers and the scab ; and they remain in the water
during three days, and then — by the permission of Allah — they
become healed." (Id., 10.)
'AH of Herat has the following notices of places of visitation
lying near Tiberias. The text will be found on folios 27, 28, and
30, of the Oxford MS., and they have been copied by YikQt into
his Dictionar)' :
"To the east of the lake is said to be the tomb of Sulaiman
(King Solomon) ibn DaOd; but the truth is that his tomb is at
Bait I^hm, l)oth he and his father being buried in the cave where
Jesus was born (at Bethlehem). On the east of the lake also is
the tomb of I.ukman, the sage (.'Ksop). At Tabariyyah is the
spring of water which is- called after 'Isa (Jesus), the son of Mary
— peace be upon Him I — and the Church of the Tree (Kanisah ash
Shajarah)^ about which there is a wondrous history concerning
isa ibn Maryam— peace be upon Him I — and the dyers (or
artisans). It is mentioned in the Evangil, and was the first
miracle that He did.
" On the spur of the Mountain of Tabariyyah is the toml) of
Abu Hurairah." (Copied in Yak., iii. 512.)
The story of Jesus and the artisans, or dyers — for the MSS.
vary in the reading of the word — is presumably some apocr\'phal
version of the marriage of Cana.
'Ali of Herat continues: "The Hammam (or hot baths) of
Tiberias are considered one of the wonders of the world. They
22 — 2
340 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
lie at the Gate of Tabariyyah, and beside the lake. Of the
of this we have seen many in other parts of the world. But
which is the real wonder of the world is the Ham mam at a i
in the dependencies of Tabariyyah, and to the east of it
village called Al Husainiyyah, in the Wadi (of the Yarn
Here there are ancient structures said to have been buil
Solomon, the son of David, and one building was origina
temple. The water flows out from the forepart of the buih
pouring forth from twelve openings, and each spring is espec
purposed to cure a special disease. The water is extremely
but is perfectly limpid and sweet to drink." (Copied by Y;
iii. 510.)
" Tabariyyah," writes Yakut, " is a small town on the sho
the lake of that name. It lies three days distant from Damaj
and the like from Jerusalem, and two days from 'Akkah, bein
the Jordan Province and in the Ghaur. The town in shaj
long and nanow, till it attains the slope of a small mountain
by, on which are other buildings. There are hot salt springs 1
over which they have built Hammams, and they use no
Tabariyyah is called after Tabara (Tiberias), one of the G
kings. He built the baths here, for he saw no fuel was nee
hot water gushing out by night and day. Tabariyyah was
conquered by (the Arab commander) Shurahbil in the yes
' (634) by capitulation ; one half of the houses and churches
to belong to the Muslims, the other half to the Christ
I Between Tabariyyah and Baisan is another hot bath called
I Hammah of Solomon, the son of David. They say it cure
kinds of diseases.
"In the middle of the lake is a sculptured stone, wilh u
rows of stones set thereon. It may be seen from afar off.
said by the people of the neighbourhood to be the torn
David." (Yak., iii. 509.)
! "Tabariyyah," writes Dimashki, "in the Safad District,
•'. originally the capital of the Jordan Jund. It is a city th
built along the shore of the lake. The latter is 12 miles ]
, and 6 miles across. The mountains surround it on all s
n Out of the lake runs the Shari'ah (River Jordan), which 1
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS, 341
down to the Lake of Zughar (the Dead Sea). On the shore of
the Lake of Tabariyyah are some springs of extremely hot water,
called Al Hammamdt (the Hot Baths). The water of these
springs is salt and sulphurous, and is very useful in cases of swollen
limbs, dry mange, or for excess of phlegm, and extreme corpu-
lence. They say that the tomb of Solomon, the son of David, is
in this lake." (Dim., 211.)
Abu-1 Fidd gives much of the above in epitome, but adds no
new facts. In his day the city was in ruins, never having re-
covered the siege by Saladin, who took it from the Crusaders in
1187.
Tabariyyah was visited in 1355 by Ibn BatQtah. He speaks of
it as a large and ancient town, now in ruins : ** There are," he
says, "baths here, with bath-houses for both men and women,
and the waters are very hot. T'he I^ke of Tabariyyah is 6 leagues
long, and 3 leagues broad. At labariyyah is the Mosque of the
Prophets. Here also is the tomb of Shu'aib (Jethro), and of his
daughter, the wife of Moses. The tombs of Solomon, YahCida
(Judah), and Ri'^bil (Reuben), are also shown here." (L B.,
i. 132.)
CHAPTER IX.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS {conti9iucd).
Tyre (SCir). Sidon (Saida). Tripoli (Tarabulus, or Atrabulus) : The 01<
and the New Town— The Castles of the Assassins. Hints (Eraessa)
The Talisman ajjainst Scorpions. Hattuih (Hamath) : The Ancien
Castle. Aleppo {W^'oh) : Ibn Butlan*s Description— The Castle. Antiocl
(Antakiyyah) : Christian Churches and Convents— Description by Ibr
lUitlan— The Great Storm of the Year 1050 a.d.- Tradition of Habib ai
Nnjar. Tarsus : The Frontier Fortress, and the Ciarrison.
stfR (tyre).*
" A cn V of the Jordan Province," writes Ya'kdbi. " It is the chie
town of the coast districts, and contains the Arsenal (Z?<lr a,
Sana ah). From here sail the Sultan's ships on the expeditionj
against the Greeks. It is a beautiful place, and fortified. Tht
population is of mixed nationality." (Yh., 115.)
"Sftr in the Jordan Province is one of the most strongly
fortified of the sea-coast towns. It is populous, and its landt
are fertile. They say it is the most ancient of the coast towns
and that most of the Greek philosophers were from it." (Is., 59
I. H., 114.)
Mukaddasi in 985, writes : " Tyre is a fortified town on the sea
or rather in the sea, for you enter the town through one gate only
over a bridge, and the sea lies all round it. The city consists o
two quarters ; the first being built on the terra firma ; while th<
second, (the harbour) beyond this, is an area enclosed by triple
* Tyre, in Hebrew Tsor^ becomes regularly Si\r in Arabic ; while th
Arabic word 7/2r is the name given to Sinai, Tabor, and other conspicuous
mountains or hills. See p. 72.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 343
walls with no earth appearing, for the walls rise out of the sea.
Into this harbour the ships come every night, and then a chain is
drawn across, whereby the Greeks are prevented from molesting
them. Water is brought into the town by means of a vaulted
aqueduct. Tyre is a beautiful and pleasant city. Many artificers
dwell here, and ply their special trades. Between Tyre and Acre
lies a bay of the sea, and thus the proverb says * Acre is opposite
Tyre ; but getting to it you will tire,* that is, travelling all along
the sea-shore." (Muk., 163.)
Tyre was visited by Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047. He writes in his
Diary :
'* Five leagues from Sidon we came to 1 yre, a town that rises
on the shore of the sea. They have built the city on a rock
(which is in the sea), after such a manner, that the town-wall, for
one hundred yards only, is upon the dry land, and the remainder
rises up from out the very water. The walls are built of hewn
stone, their joints being set in bitumen in order to keep the water
out. I estimated the area of the town to l>e a thousand (cubits)*
scjuare, and its caravanserais are built of five or six stories, set one
above the other. There are numerous fountains of water ; the
bazaars are very clean, also great is the quantity of wealth exposed.
This city of Tyre is, in fact, renowned for wealth and power
among all the maritime cities of Syria. The population for the
most part are of the Shi'ah sect, but the Kadi (or judge) of the
j)lace is a Sunni. He is kno>\'n as the son of Abu 'Akil, and is a
good man, also very wealthy. They have erected a Mash-had (a
shrine, or place of martyrdom) at the city gate, where one may
sec great quantities of carpets and hangings, and lamps and
lanterns of gold and silver. The town itself stands on an eminence.
Water is brought thereto from the mountain ; and leading up to
the town-gate they have built arches (for the aqueduct), along
which the water comes into the city. In these mountains is the
valley (of the Battaf), over against this city, and running eastward,
through which, after eighteen leagues, you come to the City of
Damascus." (N. Kh., 11.)
• The word arsA is, I suppose, to be understood. None of the MSS. give
the measure employed.
344 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
In 1 1 24 the Crusaders, under Baldwin II., besieged and took
Tyre, and the Franks afterwards held the city till 1291, when it
was retaken by the Muslims.
"SQr," says Idrisi, in 1154, "is a fine city upon the sea-shore,
where there is a harbour for vessels to moor in, and to sail from.
It is a fortified place, and of ancient date. The sea surrounds it
on three sides, and there is a large suburb. They make here
long-necked vases of glass and pottery. Also a sort of white
clothes-stuff which is exported thence to all parts, being extremely
fine, and well woven beyond compare. The price also is very
high ; and in but few of the neighbouring countries do they make
as good a stuff." (Id., 11.)
Tyre was visited by Ibn Jubair in 1 185. He writes of it in his
Diary in the following terms :
**Tyre is a tow-n that is like a fortress, and it belongs to the
Franks. Its streets and roads are cleaner than those of 'Akka.
Many Moslems live here, and they are unmolested by the Infidels.
The town is smaller than ' Akka. The fortress is wonderfully built
and impregnable. It has two gates only : one on the land side, one
on the sea. The sea surrounds it on all sides save one. On the
land side there are at the entrance of the city three gates, or
may be four (one behind the other), each guarded by a high outer
wall commanding the gate. The sea gate is entered between two
high towers, and then you come into the port, than which there is
none more wonderful among all the maritime cities. Surround-
ing it on three sides lie the city walls, and on the fourth side it is
closed in by a wall with an archway built of mortared masonry,
and the ships come in under this archway, and anchor inside.
Between the two towers, before mentioned, they stretch a mighty
chain which prevents aught going in or out, and the ships can
only pass when it is lowered. At this gate are guards who keep
watch and ward on all who enter and depart. This port of Tyre
is most famous and beautiful. 'Akka has a port like it, but Avhich
does not afford anchorage to such large ships : and the port of
Tyre is far the larger." (I. J., 308.)
The same author continues : ** At the I.and Gate of SQr is a
spring of bubbling water, to which you descend by steps. Wells
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS, 345
and cisterns are numerous within the city, and there is hardly a
house without one." (I. J., 314.^
"Tyre," says YakOt, in 1225, "is a celebrated city, and a
frontier fortress of the Muslims. The city is surrounded on three
sides by the sea, and there is land only on the fourth side where
the roadway is defended by a fortified gate. It stands out in the
sea, as the palm of the hand does from the wrist. The Muslims
first took the city in the days of 'Omar, and it remained in their
hands in perfect prosperity till the year 518 (1124), when the
Franks came against the city and beleaguered and blockaded it,
till it surrendered. The ruler of Egypt had tried to raise the
siege, but the winds were contrary, and perforce he had to sail
back to Egypt. Then they capitulated, and the Muslims all left
the city, and none remained, except beggars, who could not move.
The Franks have fortified Tyre and garrisoned it and rebuilt the
town, and it remains in their hands even to the present day
(1225). Tyre is counted as of the Jordan Province.*' (Ylik.,
"i« 433 j Mar., ii. 171.)
Abu-l Fida adds nothing to the descriptions just given, except
to note that " the city was reconquered by the Muslims in 690
(1291), at the same time as Acre and other coast towns, and was
then laid in ruins, as it remains down to the present day " (that
is, 1 321). (/\. F., 243.)
** Saladin," writes Dimashki, " did not gain possession of Tyre,
for in his days it remained in the hands of the Christians, and
was only retaken by Salah ad Din Khalil, and it was he who laid
it in ruins. In the space of forty-seven days he retook from the
Christians the fortresses of Athlith, Haifa, Iskandar(inah, Tyre,
Sidon, Bairiit, Jubail, Anafah, Al Bathrftn, and Sarfand." (Dim.,
2I3-)
Tyre was visited by Ibn Batfttah in 1355, who found it a
mass of ruins. He writes : ** It was formerly proverbial for its
strength, being washed on three sides by the sea. Of the ancient
walls and port traces remain, and of old there was a chain across
the mouth of the port." (I. B., i. 130.)
346 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
SAIDA (si don).
" A city,'' writes Ya'kftbi in 891, "at the foot of the Lebanon
mountains. The town is entirely peopled by Persians, who were
brought here by the Khalif Mu'awiyah." (Yb., 114.)
"Saida/' writes Mukaddasi, "is a fortified city on the sea."
(Muk., 160.)
Sidon was visited by the Persian traveller Nasir-i-Khusrau, in
1047. ^^ writes in his Diary :
" From BairCit we came on to the city of Saida, likewise on the
seashore. They cultivate here much sugar-cane. The city has a
well-built wall of stone, and four gates. There is a fine Friday
Mosque, very agreeably situated, the whole interior of which is
spread with matting in coloured designs. The bazaars are so
splendidly adorned that when I first saw them I imagined the
city to be decorated for the arrival of the Sultan, or in honour of
some good news. When I inquired, however, they said it was
customary for their city to be thus always beautifully adorned.
The gardens and orchards of the town are such that one might
say each was a pleasance laid out at the fancy of some king.
Kiosks are set therein, and the greater number of the trees are of
those kinds that bear edible fruits." (N. Kh., 11.)
"The town of Saida," reports Idrisi, 'Mies on the coast of the
salt sea, and is surrounded by a wall of stone, that owes its origin
to a certain woman of pagan times. Saida is a large city, where
the markets are thronged and provisions are cheap. It is sur-
rounded by gardens and trees, water is in plenty, and it has broad
outlying districts. The city owns four districts (Iklim), which
lie contiguous to the Lebanon Mountains. The first is the Iklim
of Jazin, through which runs the Wadi al Hirr, which is noted for
its fertility and the abundance of its fruits. The second is the
Iklim as Surbah, which is a fine district. The third is the Iklim
of Kafar Kila. The fourth is the Iklim ar Rami, which is the
name of a river that flows through the hills. These four districts
contain more than 6co domains. The people of Saida drink from
water that is brought down from the mountains by an aqueduct.
In the town is a celebrated spring, for during the spring months
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 347
there grow certain small fish of about the length of a finger, and
some of them are male and some of them are female, having
organs to distinguish between the two. These fish are caught at
the breeding time and dried. When they are to be used, you
take one and scrape it and eat it dry, but should drink water after-
wards, and it acts on a man as a strong aphrodisiac, so that he
can enjoy women as much as he will without suffering from
exhaustion or debility. These fish are small and of the form of
the Gecko lizard. They have fore and hind legs, but small, and
partly hidden. I myself have seen them many times." (Id., 15.)
**Saidd," says YakCit, "is a city on the coast belonging to the
Damascus Province. It lies 6 leagues east of Tyre. Saida is
called after Saidftn, son of Sanaka, son of Kan^an (Canaan), son
of Ntih (Noah). It was during some years in the hands..iif^e
Franks. There are quantities of vegetables grown all round the
town, and the Narcissus flowers ever)'where. In the year 504 (mo)
Ma'dun (Baldwin ?), who was the Lord of Jerusalem, went against
Saida with a large army and conquered it, giving the people
quarter, but harrassing them. It remained in the hands of the
Christians till Saladin took it in the year 583 (1187). (Yak., iii.
439; Mar., ii. 174.)
Abu-l Fida writes : " Saida, on the Damascus coast, stands on
the seaside. It is a small town, but fortified. The road from
Saida to Damascus is as follows : From Saida to Mashghar^ is
24 miles. Mashghara is one of the pleasantest of the towns of
these parts. It has splendid trees and streams, and stands on a
Wadi. From Mashghara to Kamid (al I^uz), which in old times
was the chief town of the district, is 6 miles. From Kamid to
the domain called 'Ain al Jarr is 18 miles; and from *Ain al
Jarr to Damascus is also 18 miles. Total from Saida to Damascus
66 miles." (A. F., 249.)
Sidon was visited by Ibn Battitah in 1355. He speaks of it
as a town full of fruit-trees, the exports being figs, raisins and
olive oil, which are carried to Egypt. (I. B., i. 132.)
348 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
TARABULUS, OR ATRABULUS (TRIPOLi).
** A town," writes Ya'kfibi in 891, "inhabited by Persi;
brought hither by the Khalif Mu'awiyah. The place has a f
harbour, capable of containing a thousand ships.'* (Yb., 114.)
Writing in the year 869, Biladhuri says : " When 'Othn
became KhaHf, and Mu'awiyah w^as first made Governor of Sy
he despatched Sufyan ibn Mftjib al Azdi against Atrabulus, wh
was at that time a city containing Three Towns united into o
Sufyan built a fort in a meadow a few miles distant, calling
Hisn Sufyan, thereby cutting off aid to the city from all si<]
and the people could get no succour either by sea or by lai
Then the people sent to the King of RAm (Constantinop
and he despatched ships, and they escaped to them by nig
and when Sufyan entered the city he found the place emj
Mu'awiyah colonized the place with Jews, and they are those v
live at the harbour to this day. The Khalif 'Abd al Malik rebi
and refortified Tarabulus.' (Bil., 167.)
According to Istakhri : " Tarabulus, or Atrabulus, in 1
Damascus Province, is a city of great plenty, with excellent cr<
and fruits, for the lands are wonderfully fertile. Living is che
It is the port of Damascus, and lies on its coast. The Dam
cenes are in garrison here, as also other men from other parts
the province, and they set out from here on their military expt
tions. The people of Tripoli are not so rough and frivolous
are the Damascenes ; they are given to good works, and 1
listen to the exhortation of the preacher. The lands round
fertile, growing palms and sugar-canes." (Is., 61 ; I. H., 116.)
" Tarabulus," says Mukaddasi, " is a fortified city on the 5
It is a finer town than either Saida or BairCit." (Muk., 160.)
Tripoli was visited by Ndsir-i-Khusrau in 1047. ^^ writes
his Diary :
** From Aleppo to Tarabulus is 40 leagues. The whole nei
bourhood of the town is occupied by fields, and gardens, j
trees. The sugar-cane grows here luxuriously, as likewise era
and citron trees, also the banana, the lemon, and the date. T
were, at the time of our arrival, extracting the juice of the suj
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS, 349
cane. The town of Tripoli is so situate that three sides thereof
are on the sea, and when the waves beat, sea-water is thrown up
on to the very city walls. The fourth side, which is towards the
land, is protected by a mighty ditch, lying eastward of the wall,
across which opens an iron gate, solidly built. The walls are all
of hewn stone, and the battlements and embrasures are after the
like work. Along the battlements are placed balistas (^arrddah\
for their fear is of the (Jreeks, who are wont to attempt the place
in their ships. The city measures 1,000 cubits long, by the like
across. Its hostelries are four and fwt stories high, and there are
even some that are of six. The private houses and bazaars are
well built, and so clean that one might take each to be a palace
for its splendour. Every kind of meat, and fruit, and eatable
that ever I saw in all the land of Persia is to be had here, and a
hundred degrees better in quality. In the midst of the town is
the great Friday Mosque, well kept, and finely adorned, and
solidly constructed. In the mosque court is a large dome, built
over a marble tank, in the middle of which is set a brazen
fountain. In the bazaar, too, they have made a watering-place,
where, at five spouts, is abundant water for the people to take
from ; and the overflow, going along the ground, runs into the
sea. They say there are twenty thousand men in this city, and
the place possesses many territories and villages. They make
here very good paper, like that of Samarkand, only of better
quality. The city of Tripoli belongs to the (Fatimite) Sultan of
I^gypt. The origin, as I was told, of this is that when, a certain
time ago, an army of the infidels from Byzantium had come
against the city, the Muslims from Egypt came and did fight the
infidels, and put them to flight. The Sultan of Eg>'pt has
remitted his right to the land-tax {kJiarAj) in the city. There is
always a body of the Sultan's troops in garrison here, with a
commander set over them, to keep the city safe from the enemy.
The city, too, is a place of customs, where all ships that come
from the coasts of the Greeks, and the Franks, and from
Andalusia, and the Western lands (called Maghrib\ have to pay
a tithe to the Sultan, which sums are employed for providing the
rations of the garrison. The Sultan also has ships of his own
350 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
here, which sail to Byzantium, and Sicily, and the West, to carry
merchandise. The people of Tripoli are all of the Shi'ah sect.
The Shi'ahs in all countries have built for themselves fine
mosques. There are in this place houses like Ribats (which are
caravanserais, or watch-stations), only that no one dwells therein
on guard, and they call them Mash-hads (shrines, or places of
martyrdom). There are no houses outside the city of Tripoli,
except two or three of these Mash-hads." (N. Kh., 6.)
" Atrabulus of Syria,'' according to the report of Idrfsi, " is a
great city, defended by a stone wall, and impregnable. It has
villages, and territories, and fine domains ; and many trees such
as olives, vines, sugar-cane, and fruit-trees of all kinds, and of all
manner of crops a variety beyond count. Coming and going
there is perpetual. The sea embraces the town on three sides,
and it is one of the great fortresses of Syria. All sorts of wares
are brought thither, and of stuffs and merchandise great quantities.
To Atrabulus belong a number of forts and castles which are
garrisoned from this place, and are in the jurisdiction thereof.
Of these are 'Anaf al Hajar, Hisn al Kalamfin, Hisn Abu-1 'Adas,
and ArtAsiyyah (Orthosia). Of chief domains there are four
belonging to Tripoli that are very celebrated. These are the well-
know^n villages of Ash Shafikah, Az Zaituniyyah, Ar Ra'ibiyyah,
with Al Hadath and Amyun.* Belonging to the town are lands
with olive-trees and gardens growing all sorts of fruits and crops
in plenty, laying 4 miles to the south of the town is a fort built
by Ibn Sinjil (Count Raymond of St. (iiles, in 1104), the Frank,
from which he came and conquered Tripoli. This is an impreg-
nable fortress on a height between two Wadis.
" Opposite the city of Tripoli are four islands in a row. The
first of them, and the nearest to the land, is the Narcissus Isle
(An Narjis) ; it is very small, and is unoccupied. Then conies
the Isle of the Column {Al 'Amud\ then Monk's Isle {Ar Rahih\
and then the Isle of Ardhakdn (or Udhakun)." (Id., 17.)
On the margin of one of the MSS. of Idrisi is the following :
" The inhabitants of Tripoli have already removed towards the
tain, and have built another city of the same name at a
* The reading of these names is very doubtful.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 351
place which h'es 4 miles from the sea. All that remains of the
ancient city is the mosque, which is still used. It is called J^mi'
al 'Umari. I myself have stayed there some days when we were
stationed for defence on the coast The people fled from the old
town on account of their fear of the enemy, who used to make
incursions. The new town has no wall, except a short piece
towards the sea. It was built by the Amir Manjak (the Governor of
Tripoli) in the year 768(1366),* during the reign of Sultan Sha'abin."
YakOt adds nothing to the foregoing. (Yak., i. 307 ; iii. 523;
Mar., i. 74 ; ii. 198.)
Tripoli, which was taken by the C'rusaders in 1104, was retaken
by the Muslims under Sultan Kala'iin in 1289.
** Tarabulus," says Dimashki, " is the capital of the Province
of that name. After Sultan Kala'Cin, at the head of the Muslim
army, had retaken Tarabulus, a new city was built on a spur of
the Lebanon Mountains about 5 miles distant from the old town
of Tarabulus, which had been laid in ruins. The new town lies
on the bank of a stream that falls into the sea, and stands partly
on the mountain and partly in the plain, being both on the sea
and near the open country. Water flows into the city from all
sides, and there is an aqueduct on arches which brings the water
from a valley in the mountains. This aqueduct carries the water
at a height of near 70 ells, and is about 200 ells long. The river
aforesaid flows underneath it, watering the lands, and thence flowing
into the sea. There is hardly a house in the town that has not
trees (in its court) in numbers, for the waters flow ever>'where,
coming down from the Lebanon Mountains. In the gardens of
Tarabulus are all kinds of fruits, such as you find nowhere else.
The sugar-cane, and the sycamore, and sage-plants in great
quantities, also the colocassia (A'a/kds). You get here sea-fish
and birds of all varieties, such as you can get in no other single
place." (Dim., 207.)
The same author continues : " Belonging to the Tarabulus
District are the following places : Al Hathrdn (Botrys), a place
concjuered by Al Malik al MansOr (Kala On). It has extensive
lands. Anafah, a well-built, town lying on the coast, and AntartOs.
* See G. Weil, Geschichte der Chalifen, iv. 522.
352 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Hisn 'Arka and Hisn Halba, both with broad lands, and botl
the chief towns of their respective districts. JOn and Rajaliyah
two fortresses dismantled in our own day. Also the town o
Marakiyyah on the coast, an ancient city with extensive lands
JQmah 'Akkar, Jftmah Bashariyyah, and Al Kdrah.
"Of the Tarabulus Districts also are: Al Bukai'ah, where then
is a fortress, and An Na'im. Also the Nusairiyyah Mountains
among which lie about twenty districts, extending from A
I^dhikiyyah and Sahyun towards Al Bath run.
" The castles of the Assassins ( AVAz' ad DiViviyah) belong to th<
districts of Tarabulus. These have been lately built by Kashk
ad Din Muhatnniad, the disciple of 'Ala ad Din 'Ali, who hold
the fort of Al Alamaut in Persia near Kaswin. He is the Chief o
the Assassins, whose sect is celebrated for its impiety. They an
called Ismailians also. Among their castles are Hisn al Khawibi
Hisn al Kahf, where there is a cavern in which Rashid ad Din, i
is said, once took refuge, and now lies buried ; or, as others say, ha
only disappeared, and will appear again according to the belief o
his people. Hisn al KadmQs, where during the months o
TammCiz and Ab numbers of serpents appear in a certain ho
bath. Hisn al 'Ullaikah, Hisn al Mainakah, Hisn ar Rusafah li<
on the spurs of the Taraz (Mountains) towards Damascus. Als<
Hisn Abi Kubais* and Thughr Masyaf. This last is the mothe
fortress of them all. The Assassins chosen are sent out thence t<
all countries and lands to slay kings and great men.'* (Dim., 208.
Abu-1 Fida adds nothing to the above in his description o
Tripoli ; he gives the distance thence to Ba'albakk as 54 miles
to Damascus as 90 miles, and to Antartfts (Tortosa) as 30 miles
(A. F., 253.)
The new town of Tripoli was visited by Ibn Bat(itah in 1355
He describes it as: ** Traversed by water-channels and full 0
gardens. The houses are newly built. The sea lies 2 league
distant, and the ruins of the old town are seen on the sea-shore
It was taken by the Franks, but Al Malik ath Thahir retook i
from them, and then laid the place in ruins and built the preser
town. There are fine baths here." (I. B., i. 137.)
* Bokebeis, of the Crusading Chronicles.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS, 353
HIMS (emessa).
" Hinis/' write^i Va'kQbi, in 8qi, "is one of the largest cities in
Syria. It is situated on a broad river, ihe water of which the
inhabitants drink. The city has many districts round it, among
which is that called Al Bamah." (Yb., 1 11.)
" Hims,*' writes Mas'Adi, " is noted for the personal beauty of its
inhabitants.'* (Mas, i. 125.) "The Empress Helena built here a
church on four piers {ark(ht), which is one of the wonders of the
world.*' (Mas., ii. 312.)
" The streets of Hims were of old paved with flag-stones, and
the same may be noted at the present day." (Bil., 134 ; also
1. f., 1 10.)
" Of the wonders of Hims," says Ibn al Fakih, " is an image which
stands over the gate of the Jami* Mosque, facing the church.
This is of white stone, and the upper part of the image is in the
form of a man, the lower being in the form of a scorpion. If a
scorpion stings a man, let him take clay and press it on the
image, and then dissolve the clay in water and drink it. It will
still the pain, and immediately he will recover. They say this image
is a talisman specially made against scorpions." (I. I«\, no.)
" Hims," writes Istakhri, " is the capital of the province of the
same name. The city lies in a fertile plain ; it enjoys an excellent
climate, and its soil is one of the best in Syria. Its people are
extremely handsome. There are neither scorpions nor snakes in
Hims, and should one enter the place, it dies. Water, trees, and
arable fields are seen everywhere, and most of the village lands are
watered by the rains (not artificially irrigated). There is here a
church, half of which is used as a Mosque, while the other half
belongs to the Christians, and they have here their chapel and altar.
This church of theirs is one of the largest in Syria. The Greeks
have invaded this country during our own days (tenth century),
and ruined many of its lands and villages. The desolation is
gaining everywhere, since these incursions of the Infidels began,
and though the people are seeking to return to their old homes,
the Badawin Arabs eat up their crops, and plunder their land, time
after time. Nearly all the streets and markets of Hims are
23
354 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
flagged or paved with stones." (Is., 6i ; I. H, 117; copied in
part by A. F., 261.)
Mukaddasi, writing in 985, says of Emessa :
"There is no larger city than this in all Syria. There is a
citadel high above the town, which you perceive from afar off.
Most of the drinking-water is obtained from the rainfall, but there
is also a river. When the Muslims conquered this place they
seized the church, and turned the half of it into a Mosque. In the
market place near by is a cupola, on the top of which is seen the
figure of a man in brass, standing upon a fish, and the same is
turned by the four winds. About this figure they relate many
stories, but these are unworthy of credence. This town has
suffered great misfortunes, and is indeed threatened with ruin,
Its men are witless. The other towns of these parts are also
falling to decay, though prices are moderate, and such of them as
are on the coast are well provided with ramparts." (Muk., 156.)
"There is at Hims a talisman — it is the wind-vane, and it
serves against scorpions. For whosoever takes clay and presses it
thereon, by Allah's permission, will obtain a cure for their sting ;
and the cure is effected by the impact of the figure on the vane,
not by the clay alone." (Muk., 186.)
In 1099 Hims was captured by the Crusaders. Idrisi reports
in 1154 :
" Hims, the capital of the Province of the same name, is a fine
town standing in a plain. It is populous, and much frequented
by travellers who come there for its products and rarities of all
kinds. Its markets are always open. The ways of the people are
pleasant ; living with them is easy, and their manners are agree- '
able. The women are beautiful, and are celebrated for their fine
skins. The drinking water is brought to the city by an aqueduct
from a village near Jftsiyyah, about a day's march from the city in
the direction of Damascus. The river Urunt (Orontes), called
also Al Maklub, flows by the gate (of Hims), and there are
gardens one after another along it, belonging to the city, with
trees and many water channels. They bring the fruit from these
gardens into the town. Since the beginning of Islam this has
>een of all cities that which has produced most grapes ; but now
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 355
these gardens are for the most part laid waste. The soil is
excellent for the tilling and raising of crops ; and the climate is
more equable than that of any other town of Syria. There is
here (in Hims) a talisman which prevents the entrance of any
serpent or scorpion, and should one enter through the gate of the
city it immediately dies. For on the summit of a high dome
which is in the middle of the city, is an idol of brass in the figure
of a man, riding, and it turns with every wind that blows. In the
wall of the Dome is a stone on which is the figure of a scorpion,
and when a man is stung or bitten, he lays on this stone some
clay, and then puts the clay on the bite, and immediately he
becomes healed. All the streets and lanes of the city are paved
with blocks of hard stone. The agriculture of the province is
extremely productive, and the cultivated ground needs but very
little rain or irrigation. There is a large Mosque here, it is one
of the largest of all the cities of Syria." (Id., 18.)
Hims was visited in 1185 by the traveller Ibn Jubair who notes
in his diary that he stopped in the Khan as Sabil. He continues :
" It is a fine city standing in a plain, but wanting in water
and trees, shade and fruit ; and abounding in dust Water is
brought to it by a canal from the river 'Asi (the Orontes), which
is about a mile distant. Along the river are gardens. The
people of Hims are noted for their courage and perseverance in
war. Those of Halab rank next to them in this (juality. The
air of Hims is moist, and the breeze pleasant. On the south of
the town is a strong castle. On the east of the town is a cemetery
in which is the tomb of (the Arab General) Khalid ibn Al Walid,
and that of his son, 'Abd ar Rahman ; also the tomb of *Ubaid
Allah, the son of the Khalif 'Omar. The walls of Hims are very
ancient and strong, being built of well laid blocks of black stone,
rhe city gates arc of iron, of great height, and above each of them
is a high tower. There are many fine markets here. Not far
distant is Hisn al Akrad (the Castle of the Kurds),* which is a
strong place, but belonging to the enemy. There is no Maristan
(or hospital) in Hims, and only one Madrasah (or college).*
(I. J., 259.)
• See Part II.
23—2
356 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Yak(it (in 1225) speaks of Hims as **a large and celebrated
town. It is walled, and on the south is a strongly fortified castle
standing on a high hill. Hims lies half way between Damascus
and HaLil). The tombs of Khdlid ibn Al Walid and of other Com-
panions of the Prophet are here. To the west of the road from
Hamah, near Hims, is the Urunt (Orontes river). Hims was
built by the ancient Greeks, and the Olives of Palestine were
of their rearing.* Hims was conquered by Khalid shortly after
Abu'Ubaidah ibn Al Jarrah had taken Damascus. It capitulated
and was ransomed for 71,000 Dinars (^,.)5,5oo: Ibn al Fakih,
p. no, gives the figure at 170,000 Dinars, or ^^85,000). Half
the Church of Yuhanna (St. John) was turned into a mosque.
Of the wonders of Hims is a figure over the gate of its Mosque
beside the church. On a white stone above is the figure of a
man, and below the figure of a scorpion. Anyone who takes
clay of the ground near and presses it on this figure, obtains a
sure antidote against scorpion stings, for if he drink some water
in which this clay is mi.xed he will be immediately cured of the
sting. At Hims is the Mash-had (Oratory of the Khalif) 'Ali ibn
Abu Talib, and there is a column on which is seen the mark of his
fingers, and certain persons have seen him here in sleep. There
is also here the house of Khalid ibn al Walid, and his tomb
therein, although of a truth he died and was buried at Al
Madinah. Near his tomb is that of 'lyad ibn Chanam. Some,
however, say Khalid died at a village about a mile from Hims.
Others say the so-called tomb of Khdlid is that of Khdlid ibn
Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah who built the Kasr (or Palace) at Hims, the
remains of which are still to be seen on the west of the high-road."
(Yak., ii. 334-336 ; Mar., i. 320.)
" Hims," says Dimashki, '* is the capital of the province of
that name, and is an ancient city ; of old it was called SQriya.
Its climate is most salubrious. No scorpions can live here, for
there is a talisman against them. This consists in a Dome, built
without any door. You take a certain clay from one of the hills
of Hims, and rub it on the walls of this Dome, and then leave it
till it dries. This clay is exported to all countries. And when a
* The fact is also stated by Ibn al Fakih, in 903 (I. F., no).
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 357
piece of it is thrown on a scorpion, it kills him. Under all the
houses of Hims are one or two caverns, where there are springs of
drinking water. It is thus a city over a city. Its people are
remarkable for their small wit" (Dim., 202.)
** Hims," writes Abu-l Fida, *'has gardens that are watered by
the Nahr al 'Asi (Orontes). Muhallabi speaks of Hims as the
capital of the J und (province), and as being one of the healthiest
places in Syria, .\bout a mile outside Hims runs the Nahr al
MaklQb (the Orontes). They have beautiful gardens and vine-
yards. It is said that when clothes are washed in the Hims water
no snake or scorpion will harm the wearer until they have been
washed in other water again. The people of Hims are cele-
brated for the beauty of their skin." (A. F., 261.)
Hims was visited by Ibn Batutah in 1355. He speaks of the
fine trees and good markets here, noting that outside the town he
saw the tomb of Khalid, surnamed the Sword of God. " There
is a beautiful J a mi* Moscjue with a tank in its midst. The people
are Arab in race, excellent and noble." (I. H., i. 141.)
HAM.AH (HAMATH, EPIPHANIA).
"An ancient city on a river called Al Urunt (the Orontes)."
(Vb., no.)
" Hamah in the Hims Province,"' write Istakhri and Ibn Haukal,
'*is a small town, but very pleasant to live in, having plenty of
water, and trees, and fields, and fruits." (Is., 61 ; I. H., 116.)
Nasir-i-Khusrau, in 1047, writes in his Diary :
** The city of Hama is well populated ; it stands on the bank of
the river 'Asi (Orontes). This stream is called the 'Asi (meaning
* the Rebel '), for the reason that it flows towards the Greek terri-
tory ; that is to say, it is a Rebel to go from the lands of Islam to
the lands of the Infidel. They have set up numerous water-
wheels on its banks.'* (N. Kh., 5.)
The traveller Ibn Jubair spent some days in Hamah during the
year 1 1 85, and has given a long and rather verbose description
of the town in his Diary. Of this the following is a somewhat
condensed translation :
** Hamah is a very celebrated, ancient, populous and fruitful
city. To the east thereof a great river (the Orontes) runs broadly
3S8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
along its bed, and on it are water-wheels {dfdcib) in great numbers
for irrigating the fields. On the river bank, in the suburb, are
well fitted latrines, with a number of cells through which
water flows coming from the water-wheel. On the other bank of
the river, near the lower town — is a small J ami' Mosque, the
eastern wall of which is pierced (with windows), and above are
arcades through which you get a magnificent view. Opposite the
passage of the river, and in the heart of the town is the Castle-
hill. In the Castle they have their water from the river by a
channel which comes up there, so that there is no fear ever of
thirst. The situation of the city is as though it lay above a low
valley with broad extended lands, from which you go up on both
sides as from a deep ditch to the city itself, which is perched on
the slope of the hillside. Both the ui)per and lower town are
small. But the city walls are high and g(j right round, enclosing
the upper shoulder of the hill. The lower city is surrounded by
walls on its three sides, the fourth being defended by the river.
Over the river is a great bridge built of solid blocks of stone.
This goes from the lower town to the suburb. The suburb is
large, with many Khans, and there are the shops of all manner of
artificers and merchants, where travellers may find all they require,
and so do not need to enter the town. The markets of the
upper town are more numerous and richer than those of the
lower, and they are places of gathering for all manner of mer-
chants and artificers. The upper town has a Jami' Mosque,
larger than the Jami' of the lower town, also three Madrasahs
(colleges). There is a Maristan (or hospital) on the river hank,
opposite the Jami' as Saghir (the Small Mosc^ue). Outside the
city are gardens with trees and places of pleasant resort, on either
side the river bank. The river is called Al 'Asi, 'the Rebel,'
because apparently it runs from below upwards, its course being
from south to north. To the south of Hamah it passes Hims,
and in this southerly direction lies the cemetery of Hamah. On
leaving Hamah (on the way to Hims), after half a stage, we
crossed the river Al *Asi (Orontes) by a great bridge of stone
arches, across which lies the town of Rastan.' (I. J., 257, 258.)
Yiiktit, and the author of the epitome called the Marasid^
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 359
describe Hamah in the thirteenth century as a large town of
the Hims Province, surrounded by a wall, very strongly built.
** Outside this wall is a most extensive suburb, in which are great
markets, and a Mosque that stands above the river Al *Asi. This
suburb, too, has a wall round it, and it extends along the bank of
the river Al ^Asi, where are Na'Qrahs (water-wheels), which water
the gardens and fill the tank of the Jami' Mosque. This suburb
they call As Suk al Asfal (or the Lower Market), for it stands
lower than the town, and the walled town above is called As SUk
al A'la (or the Upper Market). In this suburb also are many
Madrasahs (colleges), which stand on the south bank of the 'Asi.
Beside the city stands an ancient castle wondrously fortified and
constructed. Al Malik al MansQr Muhammad ibn Taka ad Din
'Amr ibn Shahinshah ibn Ayyfib dug a ditch here of 100 ells and
more in length. This castle is part of the ancient town of the
(pre-Islamic) Days of Ignorance, mentioned by the poet Imr al
Kais in his verses. In the year 271 (884) Ahmad ibn at Ta}yib
describes this (castle) from eye-witness as a village with a stone
wall in which were large stone buildings, with the 'Asi flowing in
front of them, watering the gardens and turning the water-wheels,
but it is to be noted that he calls it a village. Beside the Lower
Market also is a castle called Al MansOriyyah. It stands rather
above the suburb, and to the left. In this I^wer Market are
many shops and houses for merchants and bazaars.*' (Yak., ii.
330; Mar., i. 318.)
*' Kurun Hamah (the Horns of Hamah) are two peaks standing
()|)poi:ite each other. They are the summits of a hill overhanging
Hamah." (Yak., ii. 332.)
" Hamah," says Dimashki, in 1300, " is a provincial chief town,
and seat of Government. A fine city, and well fortified, and with
excellent provisions. The Nahr 'Asi flows between the two halves
of the town, and the two are connected by a bridge. Along the
'Asi banks are huge water-wheels called Na'Orah, such as you see
nowhere else ; they raise the water from the river to irrigate the
gardens. The place has many fruits, especially the apricot
{Alishmish) called KafOri Lauzi (camphorated w^ith almond
flavour), which you will see nowhere else." (Dim., 206.)
36o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
** Hamah," says Abu 1 Fida, " stands between the Hims and the
Kinnasrin provinces. It is a very ancient city, and one men-
tioned in the books of the Israelites. It is one of the pleasantest
places in Syria. The greater part of the town to the east and
north is surrounded by the river Asi. There is a very high-built
castle, well fortified. Within the town are mills turned by water,
and all its gardens are watered by water-wheels (Na'firah), and the
water runs through most of the houses. Hamah and Shaisar are
noted above all other towns of Syria for the number of their water-
wheels." (A. F., 263.)
Ibn Batutah passed through Hamah in 1355. After remarking
A
that the river Al 'Asi (Orontes), which runs through the city,
makes it a pleasant town to live in, with its many gardens full of
trees and fruits, he speaks of the large suburb called Al Mansiiriyyah,
with its fine market, and Moscjue, and baths. " In Hamah are
many fruits of excellent qualities, among others the almond-
apricot. Its kernel, when broken, contains an almond. The
water-whccls here are celebrated." (I. B., i. 141.)
HALAB (aLEPPO).
" Halab is the capital of the Kinnasrin district," say Istakhri and
Ibn Haukal, writing in the latter half of the tenth century, a.d.
** It was very ])opulous, and the people were possessed of much
wealth, and commerce throve, for the city lies on the high road
between 'Irak and the Fortresses, and the rest of Syria. But the
(ireeks took the city (under the Emperor Nicephorus),* and its
stone wall was of no avail to it. They ruined the Mosque, and
took away captive all its women and children, and burnt the
houses. Halab had a castle, but it was not a strong place, and
was in no way well built. All the population had fled up to it,
thinking to take refuge therein (from the Greeks), and here most
of them perished with all their goods and chattels. The
remainder, both of the citizens and of the refugees from the
country round, were all taken prisoners. The people of the
district were all put to the sword. This is a sad matter to
* In A.D. 961. The liyzantines held Aleppo for a very short time, and
were unable to reduce the citadel.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 361
hear of, and great was the distress throughout Islam and among
the MusHms. The city had originally five markets, and baths, and
hostels, and quarters and broad squares. But Halab is now like
a prisoner (being in the hands of the Infidels).
**The river of Halab is called Abu 1 Hasan, or Kuwaik (the
river Chalus). The drinking water of the population comes from
this, and there is but little sediment in it. The prices here are
still cheap, for in old days its prosperity was great, and its food
stuffs abundant. Hut now every year the Greeks take from them
tribute, and they tax all the lands and farms. The people of
Halab have made a truce with the (ireeks; but their goods are
not a twentieth of what they were." (Is., 61 ; I. H., 117.)
'* Halab," writes Mukaddasi in 985, **is an excellent, pleasant,
and well fortified city, the inhabitants of which are cultured and
rich, and endowed with understanding. The city is populous,
and built of stone, standing in the midst of its lands. ■ It possesses
a well fortified and spacious castle, provided with water, and here
is the Sultan's treasury. The great Mosque stands in the town.
The inhabitants drink the water of the Kuwaik river, which flows
into the town through an iron grating, near by the palace of
Saif-ad-I)aulah. The castle is not very large, but herein the
Sultan has his abode. The city has seven gates, namely : Bib
Hims (Emessa (late), Bab-ar-Rakkah, Bab Kinnasrin, Bab-al-Yah(id
(C^ate of the Jews), Bab-al-'lrak, Bab Dar-al-Hatikh (Gate of the
Watermelon House), and Bab Antakiyyah (Gate of Antioch).
The Bab-al-Arba*in (Gate of the Forty) is now closed." (Muk.,
155-)
The seven gates mentioned by Mukaddasi, may be identified as
follows : I. The Emessa Gate to the south, is marked as
** Damascus Gate" in the plan given by Russell in his "Natural
History of Aleppo," 2nd ed., 1794. It is at the present day
called Bab al Makam (ibrahini), the Gate of Abraham's Station.
2. Judging from the direction which Rakkah bears from Aleppo
the Rakkah (Jate must be the ** Bab el Hadeed " of Russell, at the
north-east angle of the Wall. 3. The Kinnasrin Gate is at the
southern end of the \\'est Wall. It was built by Saif ad Daulah
ibn Hamdan. 4. Bab al VahQd, the Jews' (iate, is the present
362 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Bib an Nasr, in the middle of the north wall, along which lies the
Jews' Quarter. It was restored by Saladin*s son, Al Malik adh
Dhahir, who changed its name to Bab an Nasr — Gate of Victory.
(See below, p. 366.) 5. The 'Irak Gate, from its name, is most
probably that to the south-east, marked by Russell as " the Gate
of Neereb." In the present plans of Aleppo, a road leaving the
town at the south-east angle runs to the village of "Nerab."
6. The Watermelon House Gate is probably the same as the Bab
al Janan, or, Gate of the Gardens, given by Russell, and also
mentioned by Yakilt and others under this name. It is in the
West Wall, a little to the north of the Antioch Gate. 7. The
Antioch Gate is so called at the present day. It opens about
the middle of the West Wall, to the north of the Bab Kinnasrin,
and between it and the (Jate of the Gardens. The Gate of the
Forty is marked in Russell's plan as " Bab el Urbain." It is at
the north-west angle, of the suburb which lies to the north of
Aleppo, beyond the Bab an Nasr.
The traveller Nasir-i-Khusrau, who visited Aleppo in 1047,
writes in his Diary :
" Halab is in appearance a fine city. It has great walls, whose
height I estimate at 25 cubits (or 50 feet) ; also a strong castle,
entirely built on the rock, which I consider to be as large as the
castle at Balkh. All the houses and buildings of Aleppo stand
close one beside the other. This city is the place where they levy
the customs (on merchandise passing) between the lands of Syria
and Asia Minor, and Diyar-Bakr, and Egypt, and 'Irik, and there
come merchants and traders from out all these lands to Aleppo.
The city has four gates — namely, Bab al Yahfid (the Jews' Gate),
Bdb Allah (the Gate of Allah), Bab al Jinan (the Gate of Paradise),
and BAb Antdkiyah (the Gate of Antioch). The weight used in
the bazaars of this place is the Dhahiri Rati, which contains
480 Dirhams weight (or about 3 J lb.)." (N. Kh., 2.)
The Christian physician Ibn Butlan (see above, p. 6) has
left a description of Aleppo, written about the year 1051 a.d.
This is transcribed by Y«ik(it (Yak., ii. 306-308) in his article on
this city ; and he quotes it from the Risalah (or Epistle) written
by Ibn Butldn to his friend Halal ibn Muhsin. The country at
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 363
this time was ruled by the dynasty of the Bani Mirdas. Ibn
Butlan writes :
** We went from Ar Rusdfah to Halab in four days. Halab is
a town walled with white stones. There are six gates ; and
besides the wall is a castle (to defend it), in the upper part of
which is a mosque and two churches. In one of these was the
altar on which Abraham used to sacrifice. In the lower part of
the castle is a cave where he concealed his flocks. When he
milked these, the people used to come for their milk, crying,
^ Halaba ya lAT — Milked yet, or not? — asking thus one of the
other ; and hence the city came to be called Halab (milked).
" In the town is a mosque and six churches, also a small
Bimaristan (or hospital). The Jurisprudists are of the sect of the
Imamites. The population drink from the water of cisterns that
are filled by the rains. At the city gate is a river called Kuwaik,
which rises in winter, but falls very low in summer. In the centre
of the town is a high palace, which belonged to the mistress of
Al Buhturi (the ix)et). Halab is a town that has but little of
fruit, vegetables, or wine, except what is brought thither from the
Greek countr)\ Of the wonders of Halab we may mention that
in the Kaisariyyah (or bazaar) of the cloth-merchants are twenty
shops for the Wakils (or brokers). These men every day sell
goods to the amount of 20,000 Dinars (;^i 0,000), and this they
have done for the last twenty years. No part of Halab is at all
in ruins. From Halab we went on to Antakiyyah, which is a day
and a night's journey distant."
"Halab," as Idrisi reports, "is the capital of the Province of
Kinnasrin. It is a large town, and very populous, lying on the
high road to 'Irik, and Fars and Khurasan. It has walls of
white stone. The river Kuwaik flows at its gate, which is a
small stream with but little water. Water is led therefrom by
means of underground channels going into the town, and is dis-
tributed through the markets, streets, and houses. The people
of the town drink of this, and make use of it for all purposes.
In the Castle of Halab is a spring of excellent water."
(Id, 25.)
The traveller Ibn J ubair visited Aleppo in 1185. The follow-
364 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEAfS.
ing is an abridged translation of the account given in his
Diary :
" Halal) lies a night's journey from Al Bab and Buza'ah. It
is a place of saintly remains, with a celebrated and impregnable
castle. It was the city of the Hamdanide Princes, whose dynasty
is now passed away. Saif ad Daulah made it as a bride for beauty
of appearance. The castle stands on the hill, whither, in ancient
times, Abraham was wont to retire at night with his flocks there
to milk them (Jialaba) — giving away of the milk in alms. Hence,
as it is said, is the name of Halab. There is a Mash-had (or
oratory) there, much visited by the i^eople. A copious spring of
water rises in the castle, and they have made two cisterns here to
store the water. Round these tanks are double walls. On the
city-side of the castle is a deep ditch, into which the surplus water
runs. The castle has high walls and towers, and the Sultan's
habitation is here. In the town are fine and wide markets,
covered in by wooden roofs. Shady streets, with rows of shops,
lead up to each of the gates of the J ami' Mosque. Very fine is
this mosque, and beautifully paved is its court. There are fifty
and odd doors opening therein. In the court of the mosque are
two wells. The wood-work of Halab is of excellent renown. Ihe
Mihrab (or prayer-niche) of the mosque is very beautiful, with
wood-work up to the roof, ornamentally carved, and inlaid with
rare woods, and ivory, and ebony. The Mimbar (or pulpit) is
also most exquisite to behold. On the western side of the mosque
is the Madrasah (or college) of the Hanafitcs, with a fine garden.
In the city are four or five other Madrasahs like to this one, also
a Maristan (or hospital) Suburbs lie all round the city, with
numberless Khans and gardens. A small river runs out of the
city towards the south (called the Kuwaik).*' (I. J., 252.)
"Halab,' says Yakut, '*is the capital of the Kinnasrin Province.
It has an excellent climate, and is full of good things. It is said
to be called Halab, because Abraham, when he abode here, used
to milk {halaba) his flocks at Halab. Another account is that
Halab, Hims, and Bardha'ah, were three sisters of the Bani
'Amalik (Amalakites), and that each of them founded a city,
which was called after her name.'' (Yak., ii. 304 ; Mar., i. 313.)
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS, 365
" Barawwa (Benjea) was the ancient name of Halab in Syrian,
and the city was built by Batalimyiis ibn I^ghOs (Ptolemy l^agus)."
(Yak., i. 465 ; ii. 305 ; Mar., i. 118.)
" A surname of Aleppo is /^/ Baida, * the White/ because of
the whiteness of the ground in its neighbourhood." ( Ydk., i. 792 ;
Mar., i. 190.)
YakQt next proceeds to give Ibn Huthin's description of Aleppo,
translated above, and continues :
" In the Castle of Halab is the Makam Ibrahim (Station of
Abraham), the Friend. Here there is a chest, in which is a piece
of the beard of Yahya ibn Zakariyya (John the Baptist) — peace
be on him I —which was discovered in the year 435 (1044). Near
the Bab al Janan (the Oate of the (iardens) is the Mash-had (or
oratory of the Khalif) \^X\ ibn Abi Talib, where he was seen by a
person in a dream. Within the Bab al 'Irak is the mosque called
Ghauth (of Succour), in which is a stone, whereon may be seen
an inscription, said to be in the handwriting of the Khalif 'Ali.
Many other celebrated mosques and sanctuaries are here to be
seen. To the south of the (castle) hill is the one Cemetery of
Aleppo, and near it the Makam, which is called the Makam
Ibrahim (the Station of Abraham). Outside the Bab al YahCid
(the Jews' (iate, to the north) is a stone near the road-side, where
vows are put up to Allah, and over it they are wont to pour rose-
water and i)erfumes. Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike make
visitation to this spot ; for it is said that under it is the grave of
one of the prophets. Verily I (YakOt) have visited Halab, and
it was of the best of all lands for agriculture. They cultivate
here cotton, sesame {Samsam)^ water-melons, cucumbers, millet
(Duk/in), vines, maize (Durrah), also apricots, figs, and apples.
They have only the rains to water their lands, and yet they raise
abundant crops, and of such richness as I have not seen in other
lands." (Yak., ii. 308.)
The same author continues :
" The castle of Halab is a wonder to behold, and has become
proverbial for strength and beauty (13th century). Halab lies in
a flat countr}'. In the centre of the city rises a perfectly circular
and high hill, which has been scarped artificially, and the castle
366 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
is built on its summit. It has a deep ditch, which has been dug
sufficiently deep to reach the water springs. Inside the castle is
a reservoir which is filled with pure water. Also within the
castle is a Jami' Mosque, and a Maidan (or race-course), and
gardens of considerable extent. Al Malik adh Dhahir Ghazi, the
son of Saladin, it was who rebuilt this city, and dug the ditch.
" Halab has seven gates at the present day : Bab Arlxi'in (Gate
of the Forty) ; Bab al Yahiid ((Jatc of the Jews), which was
restored by Al Malik adh Dhahir, and renamed Bab an Nasr
(Gate of Victory) ; Bab al Janan (the Gate of the Gardens) ;
Bab Antakiyyah ; Bab Kinnasrin ; Bab al 'Irak ; and Bab as Sirr
(the Secret Postern Gate).'' (Yak., ii. 310.)
" Halab," writes Dimashki about the year 1300, " is a city that
has been laid in ruins by the Tartars. It has a strong fortress
called Ash Shahbii (the Gray, or Gray-white), on account of the
white colour of the stone used. Of old, Halab was the equal
in size of Baghdad or Al Mausil, and its people prided themselves
on their fine raiment and personal comeliness and horses and
houses. The river Kuwaik runs by it." (Dim., 202.)
Abu-1 Fida about the same period remarks :
** Halab in the Kinnasrin province is a large and very ancient
city, with a high-built and strong castle. There is to be seen here
Abraham's Station. Halab has few gardens, though the Kuwaik
river runs by the town. It lies on the road from Tr^k to the
Frontier Fortresses. From Halab to Kinnasrin is 12 miles.
Muhallabi describes Halab as a fine city, with stone walls, well-
built and populous, with an impregnable castle it its centre.
Halab lies 36 miles from Ma'arrah and 15 leagues from BMis.'
(A. F., 267.)
Aleppo was visited by Ibn Batutah in 1355. He speaks of it
as a large and magnificent city, and quotes Ibn Jubair's descrip-
tion. ** Its castle is called Ash Shahba (the Gray), and within it
are two wells with springs of fresh water. Round the castle arc
double walls and towers and a ditch. The Mash-had there is
called the Oratory of Abraham. It is also called halab Ibrahim,
that is to say, the Fresh Milk of Abraham, for he lived here anc
gave the milk of his cattle to the poor. The Kaisariyyah (oi
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS, 367
Bazaar) of Halab is very fine and unique for beauty. It goes all
round the Mosque, and the streets of shops (in the Bazaar) lead
up each to one of the Mosque gates. This Jdmi' Mosque is
one of the finest in the world. In its court is a tank of water, and
all round is a fine colonnade. The Mosque pulpit is a marvel of
ivory and ebony. There are in Aleppo a Maristan (hospital) and
many colleges. Outside the city is a vast plain, where fruit-trees
and vines are cultivtited. There are also gardens on the banks
of the 'Asi (Orontcs, a mistake for the Kuwaik), which flows by
here, passing Halab." (I. B., i. 1 46-1 51.)
ANTAKIVVAH (aNTIOCH).
The earlier Arab writers give the following curious notices of
this city and its neighbourhood.
Biladhuri in 869 relates :
"The road between Antakiyyah and Al Massissah (Mopsuestia)
was of old infested with wild beasts, and people met lions here.
In the Khalif al Walid's days they complained much of this, and
he sent there 4,000 buffaloes — bulls and cows — and these Allah
caused to suffice for the purpose (of satisfying the wild beasts).
Others were sent later also, but these are the first buffaloes that
came into Syria." (Bil , 167 ; also I. F., T13.)
The historian Mas'iidi, who wrote, in 943, his voluminous work
entitled " The Meadows of Gold," notices on several occasions the
remarkable buildings of Antioch, and the natural peculiarities of
the countr)'.
** It is not denied (he says) by men of knowledge that there
are in certain regions of the earth, towns and villages which no
scorpions or serpents can enter. Such are Hims, Ma^arrah, Misr
(Cairo), and Antakiyyah." (Mas, ii. 406.)
" The month of the latter KanOn (January) has thirty-one days.
On the first of the month is the day of the Kalandas (Kalends)
which is a feast-day among the Syrians. At Antakiyyah on the
eve they make illuminations and exhibit the Eucharist {Idshnd),
This takes place generally in the Church of Al Kusiydn, which is
one of the most venerated churches of that city. The Christians
368 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
»
of Antakiyyah, both of great and of low degree, take part in these
rejoicings and diversions, and in the h'ghting of illuminations ; for
in this city of Antakiyyah is their Patriarch, and the day is held
in much honour among them. The Christians call Antioch the
City of God, also the City of the King, and the Mother of Cities,
for Christianity was first shown forth here." (Mas , ii. 406.)
"There is at Antakiyyah the Church of Paul, which is known
also by the name of Dair al Baraghith (the Convent of Bugs) ; it
stands adjoining the city gate called Bab al Faris (the Knight's
Gate). There is also here another church, which they call
AshmQnit, where the Christians kee|> a festival, held high in
honour among them, and this Church was originally in the hands
of the Jews. There are also here the Kanisah Barbara (Church
of Barbara), and the Kanisah Maryam (of Mary), which last is a
round church, and one of the wonders of the world for the beauty
of its construction and its height. The Khalif Al Walid, son of
'Abd al Malik carried off from this church a number of marble
and alabaster columns, of wondrous size, to place in the Mosque
at Damascus. They were transported by water down to the coast
near to Damascus. The greater number of the columns, however,
still remain in the Church at Antioch, as may be seen at the
present day." (Mas., ii. 407.)
"There is at Antakiyyah a building called Ad Dimas (the
Cr>'pt). It stands on the right-hand side of the Great Mosque,
and is built of huge blocks of stone, as though of 'Adite (Cyclo-
peian) days, and it is wonderful to see. On certain of the nights
of summer, the moon's (beams) as she rises each night, shine in
through a different window. It is said that this Ad Dimas is a
Persian building of the time when the Persians (under Sapor, in
A.D. 260) held Antakiyyah, and that it was built to be their Fire
Temple." (Mas., iv. 91.)
"At Antakiyyah, on a hill within the city walls, is an ancient
temple of the Greeks. At this place the Muslims have con-
structed a watch-tower from whence guards, continually posted
here, can spy out any who come by sea or by land from the Greek
country. This temple of old the (ireeks held in great veneration,
and made their .sacrifices therein. It was ruined by Constantine
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 369
•
the Oreat, the son of Helena, who propagated the Christian
religioa The place was at that time filled with idols and statues
of gold and jewels of all kinds. Others affirm that the temple in
question stood in the city of Antakiyyah to the right of the present
Jami* Mosque. This was a great temple also, and the Sabaeans
report it to have been built by SaklabiyAs. At the present day,
in the year 332 a.m., there is at this place the Sdk (or market) of
the armourers and lance-makers. Thabit ibn Kurrah ibn Karani,
the Sabaian of Harran, who went to (the Khalif) Al Mu'tadhid in
the year 289 (902), visited this temple and showed great venera-
tion for the same, and what we have said above comes from him.'
(Mas., iv. 55.)
The geographers Istakhri and Ibn Haukal give the following
account of Antioch during the tenth century. It will be remem-
bered that the citv had come into the hands of the Muslims at the
time of the first Arab Conquest of .Syria in 635 ; in 964 the army
of the Emperor Nicephorus Phocas reconquered Antioch, and it
remained in the power of the Byzantines for the next hundred
and twenty years. Istakhri (951) wrote immediately before the
re-entry of the (ireeks ; Ibn Haukal (978), his continuator, shortly
after. Their account is the following :
"Antakiyyah is the capital of the 'Awasim Province. After
Damascus it is the pleasantest place in Syria. At this present
time it has stone walls, which go round the city and enclose the
mountain (Silphius), that overhangs it. Within this wall are
fields and gardens, and mills and pasture-lands, and trees, and all
manner of pleasure-places, of which the people are very proud.
They say that the circumference of the walls is a day's journey.
'I'here is running water in all the markets, the streets, and the
houses ; and also in the Jimi' Moscjue. The town possesses
villages and farms, with many beautiful and fertile districts. lUit
the enemy (the Greeks) have taken possession of them all. In
point of fact some decrease of prosperity had already taken place
during the last days of the Muslims, but the ruin has increased
since the place came into the hands of the Greeks, who took it
in the year (a.h.) 359. The Rock (as Sakhrah) which is in
Antakiyyah, is known as the Rock of Moses, and they relate that
24
370 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Moses met Al Khidr (St. Elias) in this place.'' (Is., 62 ; I. H.,
119, for the most part copied by A. F., 233, 257.)
The Rock of Moses, according to other authorities, was shown
at Sharwan in Armenia. (Yak., iii. 282.) It may be noted that
the year given as the date of the reconcjuest of Antioch by the
Byzantines, namely, 359, corresponding with 970 a.d., does not
agree exactly with the Western account as quoted in (iibbon's
Decline and Fail (chap. LIL, end), where the event is set down
to the year 964 (ah. 353).
Our next account of Antioch is from the pen of the physician
Ibn Butlan, a Christian Arab, who visited the city in 105 1, and
wrote a description of it in an epistle addressed to a friend at
Baghdad. This epistle is quoted by Yakut, of which the follow-
ing is a translation.
"Says Ibn Butlan, in the epistle he wrote to Abu-1 Hu.sain Hilal
ibn al Muhsin as Sabi, at Baghdad, in the year 440 and odd :
" We left Halab (Aleppo) intent on journeying to Antdkiyyah
(Antioch), and the distance is a day and a night's march ; and we
found all the country between Halab and Antakiyyah iX)pulous,
nowhere ruined abodes of any description. On the contrary, the
soil was everywhere sown with wheat and barley, which grew
under the olive-trees ; the villages ran continuous, their gardens
full of flowers, and the waters flowing on every hand, so that the
traveller makes his journey here in contentment of mind, and
peace and quietness.
" Antakiyyah is an immense city. It possesses a wall and an
outer wall (Jasi/). 'J'he wall has three hundred and sixty towers,
and these are patrolled in turn by four thousand guards, who are
sent to Antakiyyah every year, from the presence of the king in
Constantinople, as warrant for the safe-keeping of the city, and in
the second year they are changed. The ])lan of the city is that of
a semicircle ; its diameter lying along the mountain (Silphius),
and the city wall climbs up over the mountain to its very summit ;
and further, the wall completes the semicircle (in the plain below).
On the summit of the mountain, but within the wall, is a Castle
{Kala'a/i), which appears quite small from the city below, on
account of its distance up; and this mountain shades the city
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 371
from the sun* which' only begins to shine over the town about the
second hour of the day. In the wall surrounding (the city) and
in the part not on the mountain, are five gates.
" In the centre of the city is the church of Al Kusiyan. It was
originally the palace of Kusiyan, the king, whose son, Futrus (St.
Peter), chief of the disciples, raised to life.t It consists of a
chapel {Haikal)^ the length of which is 100 paces, and the
breadth of it 80, and over it is a church (Kan'isa/i), supported on
columns, in which the judges take their seat to give judgment,
also those sit here who teach Grammar and lx)gic. At one of the
gates of this church is a Clepsydra {Firijan\ showing the hours.
It works day and night continuously, twelve hours at a round, and
it is one of the wonders of the world.
" In the uj)per portion (of the city) are five terraces, and on the
fifth of these are the baths, and gardens, where beautiful points of
view are obtamed. You may hear in this spot the murmuring of
waters, and the cause thereof is that the waters run down near
this place from the mountain which overhangs the city. There
are in Antakiyyah more churches than can be counted ; every one
of them ornamented with gold and silver, and coloured glass, and
they are paved in scjuares. In the town is a Bimaristan (or
hospital), where the patriarch himself tends the sick ; and every
year he causes the lepers to enter the bath, and he washes their
hair with his own hands. Likewise the king also does this service
every year to the poor. The greatest of the lords and patricians
vie in obtaining of him permission to wash these poor people,
after the like fashion, and serve them. In this city there are hot
baths, such as you can find the equal nowhere else in any other
town for luxury and excellence ; for they are heated with myrtle
wood {al as), and the water flows in torrents, and with no scant.
* Mount Silphius overhangs Antioch on the south side.
t The church here alluded to must, I imagine, be that dedicated to SS. Peter
and Paul, and built by the Emperor Justinian, where, in lattr times (according
to the traveller Willebrand, of Oldenburg), the Latin Princes of Antioch were
buried. Who is referred to under the name of Kusiyan I have Ik en unable to
discover, neither is there any mention in the Bible of St. Peter having raised a
king's sen to life at Antioch. According to Church tradition, based on
(ial. ii. II et seq.y St. Peter was Bishop of Antioch Inifore goin^ to Rome.
24 — 2
372- PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
In the church of Al Kusiyan are innumerable servants who all
receive their daily rations, and there is an office (d'twdn) for the
expenditure and receipts of the church, in which office are some
ten or more accountants.
'' Some year and a part ago a thunderbolt struck this church,
and the manner of its doing so was most extraordinar}'. Now at
the close of the year 1362 of Alexander, which coincides with the
year 442 of the Hijrah (and 1050 a.d.), the winter rains had been
heavy, and some part of the days of the month Nisan (April) were
already past, when, on the night whose morrow was Saturday, the
13th of Nisan, there came thunder and hghtning such as had
never been known at the time, nor remembered, nor heard of in
the past, 'i'he claps of thunder were oft repeated, and so terrible
as to cause the people to cry out in fear. Then on a sudden, a
thunderbolt fell and struck a mother-of-pearl screen which stood
before the altar in the church of Al Kusiyan, and it split from off
the face of this (screen) of the Christians, a piece like what might
be struck off by an iron pickaxe with which stone is hewn. The
iron cross, too, which was set on the summit of this mother-of-
pearl (screen), was thrown down (by the thunderbolt), and re-
mained on the place where it fell ; and a small piece also was cut
off from the mother-of-pearl. And the thunderbolt descended
through the crevice in the mother-of-pearl, and travelled down to
the altar along a massive silver chain, by which is suspended the
censer;* now the size of this crevice was of two finger- breadths.
A great piece of the chain was broken off, and part of it was
melted, and what was melted of it was found dropped down on
the ground below. A silver crown which hung before the table of
the altar was also thrown down. Beyond the table (of the altar),
and to the west of it, stood three wooden stools, square, and
high, on which were usually set three large crosses of silver gilt,
studded with precious stones. But the night before they had
removed two of the crosses, those on either side, taking them up
• The word given in the text is Ath Thumiyatfln^ evidently not an Arabic
word. In Du Cange {Gloss, Mtdite et Ivfima GracitaiiSy Liidg. Bat.
dclxxxviii., p. 502), the word Oiz/xiaror occurs, said to mean ** Thuribulum "
censer), *'Acerra" (a casket for incense), which is probably the object
ended.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS, 373
to the church treasury, and leaving only the middle cross in its
usual place. Now the two stools on either side were smashed (by
the thunderbolt), and the pieces sent flying over and beyond the
altar, though here there was seen no mark of fire, as had appeared
in the case of the chain, but the stool in the middle remained
untouched, nor did anything happen to the < ross that was set
thereon.
*' Upon each of the four nlarble columns which supported the
silver dome covering the table of the altar was cloth of brocade
wrapping round the column. Each one of these suffered a greater
or less stroke (from the thunderbolt) ; but the stroke fell in each
case on a place (in the cloth) where it had been already worm-
eaten and worn to shreds ; but there was no appearance as though
flame had scorched it, nor as though it had been burnt. The
table (of the altar) was not touched, nor was any damage done to
the altar-cloths upon it : at least, no sign of any such damage was
to be seen. Some of the marl)le (slabs) which were in front (on
the pavement bel6w) the table of the altar were struck as though
by the blow of a pickaxe, and the mortar and lime setting thereof
(was cracked). Among the rest was a large slab of marble, which
was torn from its bed and fractured, and thrown up on to the
s(iuare top of the silver dome covering the table of the altar; and
here it rested, the remaining pieces of the marble being torn from
their bed, and scattered far and near. In the neighbourhood of
the altar was a wooden pulley, in which was a hemp-rope — quite
close to the silver chain which had been broken, and part of it
melted— and (to this rope was) attached a large silver tray, on
which stood the bowls* for the glass lamps. This tray remained
untouched — none of the lamps were overturned, nor aught else
thereon ; neither did any damage happen to a candle that stood
near the two wooden stools (as already mentioned). The greater
part of these wondrous occurrences were witnessed by many who
were in Antakiyyah.
* In the text the word is Firdkh^ which means, literally, *' chickens." The
word, however, has other meanings, as "archway," ** folio of paper," etc, and
must, I imagine, be taken here in the sense of a "bowl ** or other ves.sel »n
which the wick of the lamp was set.
374 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
" Furchcr, outside the city, on the night of Monday, the 5th ol
the month Ab (August), of the year before mentioned, there was
seen in the heavens the likeness of a window, through which light
shone out broad and glittering, and then became extinguished.
The people waited till morning, expecting some event therefrom.
And after a time news came that in the early part of the day oi
that Monday, at the city of Ghunjurah,* which lies in the Greek
country, and is nine days' journey from Antakiyyah, terrible earth-
(luakes had taken place, following one another continuously. The
greater number of the houses (of this city) had been thrown
down, and a piece of ground outside the town had been swallowed
up ; while a large church and a fine fortress which had stood
here had both disappeared, so that no trace remained of either.
From the crevice in the earth extremely hot water had been thrown
up, flowing forth from many springs. It had submerged sevent)
farmsteads. The people fleeing therefrom had escaped for safet)
to the hill-tops and high places around. The water covered the
surface of the ground during seven days, spreading round aboui
the city for the distance of two days' journ-^y. After that time il
disappeared, and the place where it had been became a swamp
A number of those who were witnesses of these events testifiec
thereto, and the people of Antakiyyah reported to me (Ibr
Hutlan) all that I have here set down. They related, further, thai
when the inhabitants had carried up their goods to the hill-tops
the ground rocked so by the strength of the earthquake that th<
chattels came rolling down again to the level earth below.
"Outside the city (of Antakiyyah) is a river called Al Makldbl
« 'I
This Ghunjurah is, I conclude, the town of Ganyra, ihc capital of Faphla
gonia, and the metropolitan see of the province. Yakut does not mentior
Ghunjurah el>ewhere. The ijeographer Kaswini (Wiistcnfcld's edition of th<
text, vol. ii. 368) says that Ghunjurah is a city in the Greek territory, ant
stands on a river called Al Maklftb (the Overturned river) — a name also givei
to the Orontes, a> stated above (p. 59), because it flows from south to north
contrary to the habit of other rivers. This other river Al Maklilb must
however, be the name of one of the atfluents of the Halys, which flows nortl
into the Euxine, on which the town of Gangra is built. Kaswini gives lh(
story of the great earthquake, and inundation, in much the same words a
those found in our text,
t Here the river Orontef.
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 375
(the Overturned), because it takes its course from south to north.
It is of the size of the Nahr 'Isa (in Babylonia). There are along
its banks many mills, and it waters the gardens and grounds (of
the city)/'
** Saith Yakut : So ends what we have transcribed from the
work of Ibn Butlan." (Yak., i. 382-385.)
In 1084 the citadel of Antioch was betrayed by one ot its
garrison, and the city came into the hands of Sulaiman ibn
Xutlimish, the SaljCik Sultan of Iconium. Fourteen years later,
however (in 1098), Antioch was again retaken by the Christians
— namely, by the army of the First Crusade— after a siege which
lasted nine months, and was characterized by many extraordinary
and miraculous events. Under Bohemond and his successors,
Antioch became a C^hristian principality, and remained so for a
hundred and eighty years, until contjuered by Sultan Baibars in
1268.
In 1 154 Idrisi gives the following account of the city :
** Antakiyyah is a city magnificently situated, with agreeable
environs. With the exception of Damascus, there is none that
can equal it, either within or without It has water in plenty
running through its bazaars and road-ways, and into the castles and
through the streets. There is a wall going round both the town
and the gardens ; it is 12 miles in length. This wall is marvellous
and impregnable. It is built of stones, and encloses both the
city and the mountain that overhangs it. Within the city (wall)
are mills, and orchards, and gardens, with vegetables and other
useful growths. The bazaars of the city are thronged, and have
splendid wares exposed here, and all necessar)' goods and needful
chattels. The good things of the place are innumerable, and its
blessings manifold. They make here plain stuffs (not striped),
that are renowned, of the sort known as /ti 'Aitabi (moir^), also
stuffs called Ad Dasiowii, and Al Isfaham, and the like.'*
(Id, 23.)
" In Antakiy}ah," according to 'Ali of Herat, " is the tomb
Habib an Najjir." (Oxf. MS., folio 11, verso,) Yakut, and the
author of the Afarasid, add little to details already given. Yakftt
gives Ibn Butlan's long account, already translated; He further
376 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
states that the city was founded by Antiyukhus (Antiochus), the
second king after Alexander. He mentions a gate called Bib
Muslim (still so called), where Muslim ibn *Abd Allah was slain
when the Greeks tried to retake the city. (Vak., iii. 383.)
** Between Antakiyyah and the sea is a distance of 2 leagues.
Antioch has a port called As Suwaidiyyah (see Part II.), where
the Frank ships lie. The merchandise is carried up to Antioch
on beasts of burden." (Vak., iii. 385.) YakAt next gives in
epitome the history and dates of the various sieges, and says in
conclusion :
" In Antioch is the tomb of Habib an Najjar (the cari>enter),
which is visited from far and wide. Habib is said to have lived
in Antioch, and to have come there from a far city, and preached
to the people, declaring that he was an aposde." (Yak.,
iii. 387.)
Dimashki has the following :
"Antakiyyah is the chief of the coast towns. It was anciently
the capital (of Syria) under the (ireek dominion, and they named
it, in honour, Madinat Allah (the City of God). Antioch is a very
ancient city. It is enclosed by a great wall that embraces four
hills, covered with woods and gardens. Habib an Najjar was a
native of this place, who is mentioned in the chapter of the Kuran
Yd Sin (xxxvi. 26). It is here stated that Habib cried aloud,
saying, * Oh that my people knew how gracious (}od hath been
to me, and that He hath made me one of His honoured ones !'
For this Habib, when he was sent as an apostle to the people of
this city (of Antioch), was not credited by them, and they cut off
his head. 'I'hereupon he took up his head in his left hand, and
then placing it on the palm of his right hand, spoke the words
quoted above. And for three days and nights he walked thus in
I their streets and market-places, reciting these same words."
(Dim., 206.)
Abu-1 Fida (A. F., 257) adds little to the above accounts, from
which he freely quotes. The city was visited by Ibn BatCltah in
^355» who, after a general description, speaks of the great city
wall as already a ruin, having been destroyed when Sultan Baibirs
took the city from the Christians in 1268. He mentions the tomb
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS AND CHIEF TOWNS. 377
of Habib an Najjar, and extols the gardens and the fertility of the
country round, which is watered by the river 'A si (Orontes).
(I. B., i. 162.)
TARsOs.
" A very great and celebrated city," writes Ibn Haukal in 978.
** It has round it a double stone wall, and the garrison is of both
horse and foot soldiers, also munitions and provisions are kept
here, and the water-supply is abundant. The city is extremely
well built and populous, and provisions are cheap. Between this
city and the Oeek territory rises a high mountain range, an off-
shoot of the Jabal Lukkam, which acts as a barrier between the
two worlds (of Islam and Christendom). There are among the
population of Tarsfts many persons of discernment and wisdom,
men of prudence and eminence who understand various matters,
and also possess wisdom and intelligence and watchfulness. It is
stated that there are usually in this city 100,000 horsemen, and
there were very near this number at the time when I (Ibn Haukal)
visited the city. And the reason thereof is this : that from all the
great towns within the borders of Sijistdn, Kirman, Fdrs, Khurasjin
and the Jabal (Media), also Tabaristan, Mesopotamia and Adhar-
baijan, and from the countries of Al 'Irak, Al Hijjiz, Al Yaman,
Syria and Egypt, and Al Maghrib (Morocco), there is no city but
has in Tarsfis a House (Ddr) for its townsmen. Here the (ihazis
(or Warriors of the Faith) from each particular country live. For
when they have once reached Tarsfis they settle there and remain
in garrison. Among them prayer and worship are most diligently
performed, and funds are sent to them, and they receive alms,
rich and plentiful. For there is hardly a Sultan who does not send
here some auxiliary troops ; and men of riches give their aid for
arming and despatching thither the volunteers who have devoted
themselves to this service. In ever)- country where I have been,
the rich and powerful do set apart sums for this purpose, as a tax
on their farms, and fields, and crops, or from their shops in the
market-places. But the warriors in TarsQs come thither only to
perish, and it is as though none arrived : they are lost in the
battles, and it is almost as if none came. It is even as Allah
hath said in the Kuran (xix., 98) : ' Canst thou search out one
378 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
of them ? or canst thou hear a whisper from them ?* " (Is., 64 :
I. H., 122, copied in part l)y A. F., 249.)
"Tarsus," says Biladhuri, **was rebuilt by the Khalifs A!
Mahdi and Ar Rashid, by whom it was refortified and garrisoned."
(Bil., 169, and A. F., 113.)
" The Khalif Al Mamun/'says Mas'udi, " was buried at TarsOs,
on the left-hand side of the Mosque. Tarsus was originally gar-
risoned by 8,000 men. The (jate of the Holy War (Bab al Jihad)
is that from which the expeditions against the Infidels set out."
(Mas., vii. 2 ; viii. 72.)
" Tarsiis," reports Idrisi, *' is a great city with double stone
walls. It has much merchandise, and the population is very
numerous. The lands here are fertile in the extreme. Between
it and the (Ireek territory are the Lukkam Mountains, which rise
as a dividing wall between the two worlds (of Islam and Christen-
dom)." (Id., 25.)
" '1 arsus," wTites \'akut, *' is a city of the Syrian Thughiir (or
Frontier Fortress). It lies 6 leagues from Adhanah. The city
is divided by the river Al l>aradan (Cydnus). The tomb of
A I Mamun is to be seen here. Between the two cities of Tarsiis
and Adana arc the Fanduk (hostelry) of Bugha and the Fandiik
al Jadid (the New Hostelr)). I'arsus has double walls and a
broad ditch, also six gates. This Frontier City of the Muslims
remained in their hands till the year 354 (965), when Nikfftr
(Nicephorus), King of the Greeks, having conquered the Thughiir
(Frontier Fortresses) and Al Massissah, laid siege to TarsOs,
and took it by capitulation. 'I'hen all the Muslims who would,
were allowed to leave the city, taking with them their goods.
Those who remained had to pay the capitation-tax. The Jami\
and other Mos(jues, were destroyed. Nikfur burnt all the
Kuriins ; further, he took all the arms away from the arsenals.
TarsCis and all the country round has remained in the hands of
the Infidels to this day (1.^25) " (Vak., iii. 526; Mar., ii. 200.)
Dimashki (Dim., 214) and .\\m-\ Fida (A. F., 249) add nothing
to the above.
PART II.
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PLACES IS PALESTINE AND SYRIA,
Thk place-names in Syria and Palestine form an interesting
record, bearing the impress of the various nations and creeds that,
during successive epochs, have held dominion in the Holy I^nd.
The Canaan ite and the Hebrew, the Greek, the Roman and the
Byzantine, the Arab and the Turk, all have in turn imposed their
names on the towns they have founded or rebuilt — as a glance
over the following pages will show. But in spite of foreign in-
vasion and settlement, the bulk of the population of Syria always
has been, and is still, Semitic in race, and hence it is natural to
find that the great majority of the place-names are Semitic
(Hebrew, Aramaic, or Arabic) in etymolog)'.
After the Arab conquest in the seventh century, the majority of
the Greek names imposed by the Byzantines (and by their predeces-
sors, the Romans and the Successors of Alexander) fell into disuse,
their places being once again taken by the older Semitic names,
which probably had never fallen into desuetude among the rural,
and therefore purely Semitic, population of the countr}*.
This reversion from the Greek name to the name used in the
Old Testament, is, however, a rule to which there are some excep-
tions, for nothing is more curious than the apparently arbitrary
manner in which, while some of the ancient names are at the
present time fully retained in use, others have completely fallen
into oblivion. Of places which the (ireeks renamed, but of
which the Greek name was, at the Arab concjuest, replaced
by the older Semitic form, are such cities as : 'Akkah (St. Jean
<rAcre), called in Judges Accho, which the Greeks named
l*tolemais ; Baisan, the Biblical Bethshean, which in Cireek was
called Scythopolis ; 'Amman, the Rablxith .Amnion of King
38o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
David's wars, which Ptolemy II. rebuilt and named Philadelphia ;
Bait Jibril, the Betogabra of Josephus, called in Greek Eleuthero-
polis ; and many others.
An exception to the foregoing, as being a place which at the
present day bears a Greek name (slightly corrupted in the Arabic
pronunciation), and of ^hich the ancient Hebrew name is to-day
utterly unknown, is the Biblical Shechem. ever since the Arab
conquest known as Nabulus, from Neapolis, the New Town, built
by the Emperor Titus.
The j)urely Greek place-names that have survived (in an Arabic
form) down to the present day may in general, for their etymology,
be referred to two classes. To the first class belong the names
of towns in Greece which the Macedonians, in memory of their
former homes, gave to their new settlements ; the second class
comprises the names of such towns as the successors of Alexander
founded or rebuilt, and named after Alexander, or some member
of the reigning family of the Seleucidac. To the first of these
categories belong Ar Rastan, Arethusa ; Kurus, Cyrrhus ; Fahl,
Pella ; to the second the many Alexandrias under the Arabicized
form of Al Iskandariyyah and Al IskandarQnah ; and such cities
as Antakiyyah, Antioch ; Al Ladhikiyyah, Laodicea ; Afamiyyahor
Famiyya, Apamea ; and some others.
Bdniyas, Paneas (named from a temi)le to the god Pan) ;
Tarabulus, Tripolis ; and Nabulus, Neapolis, come under neither
of the above categories, but the etymology is not far to seek.
Among the names of Roman origin are such as Al I^jjun, Legio ;
Tabariyyah, Tiberias ; and the many Kaisariyyahs, Caesarea
Palaistina, and others.
Of Arab names that almost letter for letter reproduce the
Hebrew word, only a few need here be cited, for examples meet
the eye on every hand. Ba'albakk, 'Athlith, and other such
words of purely Semitic etymology, must date, without doubt, from
the very earliest ages, though the Hebrew or Aramaic form may
not happen to be found in the Books of the Old Testament
Numberless other examples of the Hebrew name in an Arabic
form occur as etymological examples, proving the extraordinarj
vitality of the ancient pronunciation even in minor details. Sucfc
AL 'ABADIYYAH.—ABIL AS SUK. 381
are Maib, Moab*; Ariha, Jericho;* Yafah, Joppa ; Kadas,
Kadesh ; Azdftd, Ashdod ; 'Afik, Apheca ; Ghazzah, Gaza ; and
'Askalan, Ascalon.
This last (Ascalon) is curious as an exception to the rule that
the guttural aspirate, peculiar to the Semitic languages, and known
as the letter V////, when it occurs in the Hebrew, is represented
by a corresponding 'Ain (or (ihain) of the Arabic, f.g., Arabic
'Ashtara, Hebrew 'Ashtaroth. But Ascalon in Hebrew is spelt
with an initial yl/efi/i (Ashkelon), while in Arabic the name com-
mences with an \4ui ('Askalan).t
This interchange of /1/e/>/i and ^Ain is not, however, unknown
in Arab words, an example occurring in the name Barin, which is
also pronounced Ba'rin (with an 'Ain) ; further, that 'Ain some-
times interchanges with the hard, or the soft, H, is seen in such
examples as Zurrah, for Zura',t and in the name of one of the
gates of the Sanctuary at Makkah, which Yakftt notes is found
written and pronounced either Bab al HazGrah, or Al 'Azfirah
(with initial //a, or 'Ain).
Al 'Abadivvah.— '* a village (of the district) of Al Marj, near
Damascus." (Yak., iii. 599 ; Mar., ii. 231.)
Abawa.— "The name of a place, or of a mountain in Syria.
Mentioned in the poems of An Nabighah." (Yak., i. loi ;
Mar., i. 17.)
'AbbOd.— ** A mountain in Syria." (Yak., iii. 608 ; Mar.,
ii- 234.)
Abil. — "A village of Hims, lying near the city, to the south,
;3nd about 2 miles distant." (Yak., i. 57 ; Mar., i. 4.)
Abil al Kamh (Abil of the Whkat).— ** A village belong-
ing to Baniyas. It lies between Damascus and the sea." (Yak.,
i. 56 ; Mar , i. 4.) This is said to be the Biblical Abel Beth
Maachah of 2 Sam, xx. 14.
Abil as SCk (Abil of thf. Market). — "A large village of
the Ghautah (District round Damascus), in the district of the Wadi
(SQk Barada)." (Yak , i. 57 ; Mar., i. 4.) The ancient Abila, of
the Abilene District, mentioned in St Luke iii. i.
♦ See also p. 397. + See Index, s. v. *Askal&n.
% See Index, s. v. Ba'rin and Zurrah.
382 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Abil az Zait (Abil of the Olivks). — ** In the Jordan Pro-
vince, in the eastern part of Syria. The Prophet despatched an
expedition thither under Usamah. ' (Yak., i. 56; Mar., i. 4.)
The present ruin of Abil, tlie Abila of the Decapolis, lying to the
south of the Vamiiik River, the remains of which have recently
been mapped and described by G. Schumacher, for the P. K F.
A*Bi LIN'.- -Visited by Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047. *• From Dslmiin
we passed south to another village, called A'bilin, where there is
the tomb of Hud -peace be upon him !- which I visited. Within
the enclosure here is a mulberry tree ; and there is likewise the
tomb of the prophet 'Uzair — j)eace be u|)on him .'--which I also
visited." (N. Kh., 15.) Ciuerin considers A'bilin to represent the
ancient Zabulon, destroyed by Cestius. The Muslim prophet
H{ld is the Biblical Eber. He was sent to convert the ancient
'Adites, who, refusing to listen to him, were destroyed by a burn-
ing wind. (Kuran vii. 63.) 'Uzair is Ezra, or Esdras. (Kurin
ix. 30 : "Moreover, the Jews say, * 'Uzair is the Son of God.'")
According to Muslim tradition, Ezra was raised to life aftei he had
been a hundred years dead, and dictated to the Scribes, from
memory, the whole Jewish Law, which had been lost during the
captivity.
Al Abrashivvah. — "A village of Damascus." (Mar., i. 12;
and in Yak., v. 11.)
Abtar. - "A place in Syria." (Yak., i. 87 ; Mar., i. 11.)
A
AbOd. — " A small town in the Filastin Province, near Jeru-
salem. The name is Hebrew, and is become Arabicized." (Ydk.,
iii. 583 ; Mar., ii. 225.)
ADAMf, OR Udam!.- -" A district in Syria belonging to the
Kuda'ah tribe." (Yak., i. 167 ; Mar., i. 36.)
Adhanah (Adana). — *'This city was rebuilt in a.h. 141
(758), and garrisoned by troops from Khurasan (in Persia). HarOn
ar Rashid built the castle (.\1 Kasr) at the Bridge of Adhanah,
over the Saihan (the ancient Sarus), in the year 165 (782). '^
(Bil., 168; copied by Yak., i. 179, and Dim., 214.)
" The city," says Istakhri, " much resembles the one-half of Al
Massissah (Mopsuestia). It stands on the river Saihan, and to
the west of that stream. It is a pleasant city, with fertile lands^
ADHANAH.—ADHRA'AH, OR ADHRfAH. 383
on the road to TarsCis ; well fortified and jjopulous." (Is., 63 ;
I. H., 122 ; copied by A. F., 249.)
" There are here bazaars, and craftsmen," writes Idrlsl, " with
much coming and going. The Saihan River, on which the city
stands, is smaller than the Jaihan (Pyramus) There is across it
a bridge most wonderfully built, and extremely long. This river
flows down out of the (ireek country." (Id., 24.)
"The bridge is of stone, and leads from the town to the
fortress, which is on the side towards Al Massissah, and is like a
suburb. The bridge is an arch of a single span. Adhanah has
eight gates, with walls, and a ditch." (Yak., i. 179.)
" The bridge is 170 and odd ells in length." (Dim., 214.)
Adhanah to Antakiyyah (I.H., Id.) 3 miles : to Al Massissah
(Is., I.H., Id.) I day, or 4 leagues (Vak.), or 12 miles (A. F.) ;
to Tarsils (Is., I.H., Id.), i day, or 18 miles (A. F.).
'Adhra.- '*A well-known village," says Yakut, " of the Ghautah
(District round) Damascus ; or the Iklim Khauldn. Marj *Adhra
(the Meadow of *Adra) is called from it, and thereto you descend
coming from the Ragle's (iorge (Thaniyyat al 'Ukab) whence
you perceive the village on your left. There is a minaret
here. In the Moscjue of the village is a palm-tree." (Yik.,
iii. 625 : Mar., ii. 243.)
Adhra'ah, or Adhri'ah. — "The capital of the Province of Al
Bathaniyyah." (Yb., 113.) This town is identified with the
Edrei of Numbers xxi. 33, the capital of Bashan.
" Adhri'ah," says Mukaddasi, " is a city lying close to the
desert. To it belongs the District of Jabal Jarash (the hill-country
of Gerasa), which lies opi)osite (across the Jordan) to the Jabal
'Amilah. This country is full of villages, and Tiberias owes its
|)rosperity to the neighbourhood of the two districts (of Jabal
Jarash and Jabal 'Amilah)." (Muk., 162.)
In the thirteenth century, according to Yakut (Yak., i. 176), the
city was celebrated for the many learned men who were natives of
the place. (Also Mar., i. 39 ; and A. F., 253.)
Adhra'dh to Damascus (Is., I. H., Id., Yak.), 4 days, or 2 days
(according to Muk.); to Tabariyyah (Muk.), i march; to Az
Zarikd (Muk.), i march ; to 'Amman (A. F.), 54 miles ; to As
Sanamain (.\. F.), 18 miles.
384 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Adhruh. — " The capital of the Province of Ash Sharah
(Edom)." (Yb., 114.)
" Adhruh," says Mukaddasi, ** is a frontier town, between the
Hijjaz and Syria. They preserve here the Prophet's mantle, and
also a treaty given by him, and written on skin." (Muk., 178.)
Yakut couples Adhruh with Al Jarba, a town lying a mile
distant, both of which were conquered during the Prophet's life-
time in A.H. 9. Adhruh capitulated for 100 Dinars of tribute.
(Yak., i. 174 ; Mar., i 39.)
'Adlun, or 'Adhnun. — '* A strong fort on the sea, lying
between Tyre and Sarafand, 20 miles from the latter." (Id., 12.)
Kudamah gives the more ancient spelling, 'Adnun.
" 'Adhnftn," says Yak At, "is a town belonging to Saida
(Sidon), on the Damascus coast."- (Yak., iii. 626 ; Mar.,
ii. 243)
The name is probably a corruption of Ad Nonum — "at the
ninth mile." The^ place is identified with the Ornithopolis of
Strabo.
Afamivvah, OR Famivvah (Epiphania). — "An ancient (ireek
city," says Ya'kClbi, in 891, "now in ruins. It is situated on
a large lake." (Yb., in.)
For the lake, see above (p. 70). In Yakiat's days (thirteenth
century) the town was apparently fortified. The district of the
same name formed part of the Hims Province. The same authority
states that the city was founded by Seleucus, who also built
Ladhikiyyah (Laodicea), Salilkiyyah (Seleucia), and Halab
(Aleppo), six years after the death of Alexander the Great. (Yak.,
i. 322 ; Mar., i. 97.)
"Famiyyah, or Afamiyyah," Yakut continues, "is a large city
in the district (KCirah) of the same name. It lies on the coast-
side of the Hims Province. Afamiyyah was taken by capitulation
by Abu 'Ubaidah in the year 17 a.h. (638) on the stipulated pay-
ment of poll tax {/aziya/i) and land-tax (Kharajy^ (Yak.,
iii. 846; Mar., ii. 333.)
In Abu-1 Fida's time (fourteenth century), Famiyyah formed
^rt of the Shaizar District. " It is also called Afamiyyah, and
i a very ancient town, which has given its name to the district.
AFJK, OR FIK.—AL AH ASS AND SHUBAITH. 385
'I'he ancient city stands on a height. There is here a lake of
sweet water, through which flows the Nahr al MaklQb (the
Orontes)." (,\. F., 263.)
Afik, or FtK. — "A town, near which is the celebrated Pass
{^Akabahy (Yb., 115.) The Biblical Aphek (i Kings xx. 26).
The \4kabah^ Pass, or Ascent, lies on the high-road from Damascus
to Jerusalem, and leads down from the plateau of the Hauran to
the Jordan Valley.
'^ Afik," says Yakut, "is a village of the Haurdn, on the road
down to the Ghaur (of the Jordan). It stands at the entrance of
the celebrated Pass of Afik. This Pass is about 2 miles long.
The common people pronounce the name Fik. The town over-
looks Tabariyyah and the lake, and many times have I been
there." (Yak., i. 332 ; iii. 932 ; Mar, i. 82 ; ii. 373.)
'Akabah Fik to Jasim (Muk.), i march, or (I. Kh.) 24 miles;
to Nawa (Muk.), i march ; to Tabariyyah (Is., I.H., Muk.),
I march, or (Id.) part of a day, or (I. Kh.) 6 miles.
AfiJla. — *' A village in Syria. A celebrated commentator of
Mutanabbi's poems was a native of this place. He died 441 a.h.'
(Yak., i. 332 : Mar., i. 82.)
'Afra. — " .A fortress in the Filastin Province, near Jerusalem.*'
(Yak., iii. 688 ; Mar., ii. 264.)
'Afrabala. — "A place in the Jordan Ghaur (or low-land), near
Haisan and Tabariyyah." (Yak., iii. 688; Mar., ii. 264.)
.'\i. AuAss (THE kai.d) AND SHunAiTH. — "The name of a large
district, possessing many villages and field.s, and lying both north
and south of Halab (Aleppo). Its chief town is Khun^sirah,
where the Khalif 'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz dwelt. Shubaith is a
black mountiiin in this district On its summit are four ruined
villages, belonging to the people of Halab. In their neighbour-
hood are mills." (Yak., i. 151 ; Mar., i. 31.)
" Al Ahass," says Abu-1 Fida, " is a mountain-tract, whore
there are many villages. It lies east of Halab, between it and
Khunasirah, which last lies beyond to the east again. Shubaith
is a smaller mountain than Al Ahass, and lies to the east of it.
Between the two runs a Wadi, a horse-gallop across, in which lies
Khunasirah." (A. F., 233.)
25
386 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Al Ahkaf (the sanij-hiixs). — " A mountain in Syria." (Ydk.,
i. 154 ; Mar., i. 31.)
'AijA. — *^^ village in the Hauran, near Jisim.'* (Yak., iii. 750;
Mar., ii. 291.)
'AiN (a sprinc; of water). — "A village under Jabal al Lukkim,
near Mar'ash. From it is called the Darb (or Road of) al 'Ain,
leading up to Haruniyyah. It is a pleasant hamlet, and counted
among the fortresses of Al Massissah." (Yak., iii. 756 ; Mar.,
ii. 293.)
'AiN Jall't (Goliath's Spring). — **A small and pleasant town,
lying between Nabulus and Baisan, in the Filastin Province. The
place was taken by the RQmi (Crusaders), and retaken by Saladin
in 579 (1183).'' (Yak., iii. 760; Mar., ii. 295.)
'AiN Ai. Jarr. — "This place lies between Ba'albakk and
Damascus, in the Bika'ah (or Plain of Ccelo-Syria). It is a well-
known spot ; and tradition relates that Noah at this place entered
the ark." (Yak., iii. 760; Mar., ii. 295.)
** There are here," writes Abu-1 Fida, ** ruins of enormous stone
buildings. It lies a long mile .south of Ba'albakk. At 'Ain al
Jarr begins the great river that flows through the BikS'ah (of
(^celo-Syria), called the Litany." (A. F., 230.)
'Ain al Jarr is at the i)resent day called Anjar. Near it lie the
ruins of the ancient Chalcis ad Belum.
'Ain al Jarr to Al Kariin (Muk.), i march ; to Ba*albakk
(Muk.), I march.
'Ain Sai.im, or 'Ain Sailam. — **A place 3 miles from Halab
(Aleppo)." (Yak., iii. 762 ; Mar., ii. 296.)
'Ain as Sallur. — '' Sallur,'' writes Yakiit, "is the fish also
called Al Jirriy in the Syrian dialect. The place is near Antakiy-
yah (Antioch), and the Sallur is the largest of the fish found in
the spring, which is so called from the number of these fish found
there. '.Ain as Sallilr, and the lake near it, belonged to Maslamah,
the son of the Khalif 'Abd al Malik. The lake is also called
Buhairah Yaghra." (Yak., iii. 762 ; Mar., ii. 296.)
'AiN TAiJ. -"A fortified castle," says YdkOt, "lying between
Antakiyyah and Halab, with villages round it, among which is
Duluk. It was formerly itself called Dulfik, which is now one of
*AIN rAB.^*AIN ZARBAH. 387
its dependencies. 'Ain Tib belongs to Halah." (Yik., iii. 759 ;
Mar., ii. 294.)
"*Ain Tai)," Dimashki writes in the early part of the fourteenth
century, " lies north-east of Halab. It is a place with a strong
castle. The people are Turkomans. There is a small river here,
and gardens.'' (Dim., 205.)
**'Ain Tdl), in Kinnasrin," according to Abu-l Fidi, "is a very
beautiful town, with a castle that is built on the solid rock. It
has water in plenty, and gardens, and is the capital of its district.
There are fine markets here, much frequented by merchants and
travellers. It lies three marches north of Halab. DulQk lies
near 'Ain Tab, and is now in ruins. The place is mentioned in
the wars of Saladin and NAr ad Din. 'Ain Tdb is three marches
south of Kala'at ar Rum, and the same distance south-east of
Bahasna." (A. F., 269.)
'Ain Tharma. — ** A village in the Ghautah (district) of
Damascus." (Yak., iii. 759 ; Mar., ii. 294.) The latter writes
the name *Ain Tuma.
'AiNUN. — "A village near (and south of) Jerusalem." (Yak.,
iii. 764 ; Mar., ii. 298.)
Also called Bait 'Ainun. (See below.) The 'AinAni raisins,
which come from here, are celebrated, according to Mukaddasi.
(Muk., 180.)
'AinCn or 'Ain Una. —"This is a vilhge south of the
Bathaniyyah Province, and lying on the shore of the Red Sea,
between Madyan and As Said. The pilgrim road from Egypt to
Makkah passes through it." (Yak., iii. 758, 765 )
The ancient oOvj;, the harbour of Midian mentioned by
Ptolemy.
'AiN Zariiah (Anazarbus, of the Crusadks). — Bilidhuri
states that the town was built by Ar Rashid, being also refortified
and garrisoned, in the year 180 (796), by troops from Khurasdn.
(Bil, 171 ; copied by I. F., 113 ; and in Ydk., iii. 761.)
" The town," says Istakhri, " lies in a country very like the
Ghaur (or Jordan lowland). There are palm-trees and fruits of
all kinds, and great fertility ; also arable fields and pasture lands.
25—3
388 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
The city has fine walls, and its prosperity is great." (Is., 63 ;
I. H., 121 ; copied by Id., 24, and A. F., 234.)
Ydkut in the thirteenth century s|)eaks of it as a town of the
Thughiir (or Frontier Fortresses), belonging to Al Massissah.
*' It was rebuilt by Abu Sulaiman at Turki al Khidim, about the
year 190 (804), when he was governor of the Thughiir, under the
Khalif Ar Rashid. After that the Rdmis (Crusaders) took the
place and laid it in ruins. Saif ad Daulah ibn Hamddn spent
three million Dirhams on rebuilding it, but the Rflmis retook it
(.\.D. 962) in his day, and it is still in their hands. It is now
peopled by Armenians." (Yak., iii. 761 ; Mar., ii. 295.)
"'Ain Zarbah," says Abu-1 Fida, "is a town at the foot of a hill
which is crowned by a castle. The town is populous, and is
watered by a river. It lies between Sis and Tall Hamdiin, and
to the north of the Jaihdn (river Pyramus), which flows betw^een
it and Tall Hamdun. ^^in Zarbah lies south, and rather west of
Sis, and at a short day's march from it. The people have cor-
rupted the name, and call it Nawarza. Muhallabi says that
between Sis and '.^in Zarbah is 24 miles, which is the exact
distance between Sis and Nawarza, proving that 'Ain Zarbah is
identical with Nawarza." (A. F., 251.)
'Ain Zarbah to Massissah (Is., I. H., Id.), 1 march; to
Antakiyyah (Id.), 2 marches.
'AiTHAH. — " A district of Syria." (Yak., iii. 750 ; Mar., ii. 291 .)
'AjAB. — "A place in Syria, mentioned by the poets." (Yik.,
iii. 617 ; Mar., ii. 238.)
A J AM. — " A place in Syria near Al Farddis, in the neighbour-
hood of Halab." (Yak., i. 135 ; Mar., i. 27.)
'AjLt'S. — " In the Iklim (or district of) Jarash,'* says Dimashki,
" is the town of 'Ajlun, where there is a very strong fortress. In
the town is running water ; fruits of all kinds and provisions are
here in plenty. The fortress is very high placed, and you can see
it from four days' march away." (Dim., 200.)
The fortress is at the present day called Kala'at ar Rubad — ^^the
Castle of the Suburb— it is a consi)icuous landmark in all the
south Jordan district.
" 'AjlOn," writes Abu-1 Fida in the fourteenth century, " is the
'AyLUN.^*AKlR, 389
name of the fortress, and its suburb (that is the town of 'AjlAn),
is called Al Ba'iithah, which is distant from it about a horse-
gallop. It lies to the east of the Ghaur (or Jordan Valley),
opposite Baisdn. The fortress of 'Ajlun is a celebrated and very
strong place. It can be seen from Baisan. The town has
gardens and running water. It lies east of Baisan, and has been
recently rebuilt by 'Izz ad Din Usamah, one of Salad in's Amirs.*'
(A. F., 245.)
The place was visited by Ibn Batutah in 1355, who speaks of it
as ** A fine town with good markets, and a strong castle. A
stream runs through the town, and the waters are sweet andgood.^'
(I. B., i. 129.)
AjXADAiN. — "The site of the famous battle-field of the year
13 A.H. (634). It took place near Ar Ramlah, in Filastin, and
in the Kurah (or district of) Bait Jabrin." (Yak., i. 136 : Mar.,
i. 27.)
The actual site of this famous battle between the Greeks and
the first Muslim conquerors has never been identified.
'Akabat ax Nisa (The Woman's Pass). — " Near Baghras on
the road to Al Massissah, so called from an accident that happened
here to one of the wives of Maslamah the son of the Khalif *Abd
al Malik, during his expedition against 'AmAriyyah (Amorium).
The woman fell over the precipice." (Yak., iii. 692.)
'AKAB.vi AR RuMAN, OR AR RuMAuf. — "A Pass between
Ba'albakk and Damascus." (Yb., 112.)
'Akaiiat as SfR. — "A I^iss in the district near Al Hadath, in
the Thughur (or Frontier Fortresses). It is a narrow and long
Pass." (Yak., iii. 692 ; Mar., ii., 265.) The latter spells the
name Ash Shir.
Al Akhrajivyah. — " A place in Syria, mentioned by the poet
Jarir." (Yak., i. 161 ; Mar., i. 34.)
Al Akhuwanah. — **A place in the Jordan Province, on the
shore of the I^ke of Tiberias." (Yak., i. 334; Mar., i. 83.)
'Akir (F^kron). — "A large village,'* says Mukaddasi, "possess-
ing a fine Mosque. Its inhabitants are much given to gpo4
works. The bread here is not to be surpassed for quality. The
village lies on the road (from Ar Ramlah) to Makkah." (M.uk.,
I
390 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
176.) VakCit calls it Al 'Akir, adding that it belongs to
Ramlah. (Yak., iii. 697 ; Mar., ii. 267.)
HiSN 'Akkar. — "An impregnable fortress, built since the c
of Islam. There is a channel of water coming right into
castle, brought down from the hills above, and sufficient both
domestic purposes and for drinking." (Dim., 208.) The disi
of Jabal 'Akkar lies immediately north of Tripoli.
Al. .\KLiM.--*' A district in the neighbourhood of Damasc
(Yak., i. 339; Mar., i. 84.)
AKMfNAS. — *' A large village of the Halab Province. It lie
the Jabal As Summak. Its inhabitants are Ismailians." (Y
j. 339 ; Mar., i. 83.)
'Akraba. — "The name of a town in the Jaulan Provinc<
Damascus. The (ancient) (ihassanide kings dwelt here of 0
F (Yak., iii. 695; Mar., ii. 267.)
t HisN AL Akrad (Thk Fort of the Kurds ; Cr u' des Chi
: i.iERs).— Noticed by the traveller Ibn Jubair (1185). "It lie
a the Lebanon Mountains, and is now in the hands of the l^ran
\ (I-J-, 257-)
** Hisn al Akrad," says Dimashki, " is an impregnable fort
J set on the dividing line between (the province of) Damascus
the coast (district). From it one ( an see Damascus, Kara,
p Nabk, and Ba'albakk ; and down even to the sea-coast.'' (D
208.) Abu-1 Fida, some years later, speaks of it as "A sti
[ • fortress on the mountains opposite, and west of Hims, which
jMirt of the (Lebanon called) Jabal Jalil. It lies between H
and Tarabulus, a march from either. The fortress has subu
Before Tarabulus was taken by the Muslims (in mo), this
the seat of their Government." (A. F., 259.)
Hisn al Akrad took its name from the fact that for many y
its garrison was composed of Kurdish troops. It is also kn
as Kala'at al Hisn — the Castle of the I'ortress — and in Crusai
times was called Crac des Chevaliers. Ibn BatQtah visited
lace in 1355. He speaks of it as "A small town, with ir
^s and streams, standing on the summit of a hill." (I.
140.)
Aksal. — "A village of the Jordan Province, lying 5 leaj
AKSAL.—'AMAfAN. 391
from Tiberias towards Ar Ramlah. The river Abu Futrus is in
its neighbourhood." (Vak., i. 342.) According to the Marasid
(Mar., i. 85) the name is spelt Aksak.
Al Akwakh. — "A district of Baniyas in the Damascus
Province." (Yak., i. 343 ; Mar., i. 86.)
'Ai/al. — "A high mountain. It lies in the Kathaniyyah
Province, between the Ohaur (of the Jordan) and Jabal ash
Sharah." (Yak., iii. 712.) The Marasid (Mar., ii. 274) says it is
situated above As SaF, and between Al 'Ukad and the Jabal ash
Sharah. 'I'his 'Aral may possibly be the Biblical Elealeh (Num.
xKxii. 3), at the place now called Khirbat al 'Al, south of 'Ammin.
'ALiKfN.--" A village outside Damascus." (Mar., ii. 228.)
Al 'Allah. — " A large Kdrah (or district) of Ma'arrah an
Nu'man, lying between Halab and Hamah, towards the desert ;
it contains many villages." (Yak., iii. 710; Mar., ii. 273.)
Al 'Allatan. — "A KQrah (or district) of Hims in Syria."
(Yak., iii. 709 ; Mar , ii. 273.)
Alls. — ** Abu Sa ad says Alus is a town on the coast near
Tarsiis ; but this is probably an error on his part." (Yak., i. 352 ;
Mar., i. 88.)
Amarr. — "A place in the Syrian Desert, on the road to the
Hijjaz. It lies north of the road to Busaitah." (Yiik., i. 361 ;
Mar., i. 91.)
Al Amk, or Al 'Umk (The Dkfression). — "A KOrah (or
district) of Halab, near Ddbik. It belonged originally to Antakiy-
yah, and most of the provisions of Antioch come from thence."
(Vak., iii. 727 ; Mar., ii. 280.) In Crusading times this was
known as the Plain of Antioch.
Ibn Batutah, who crossed the district in 1355, describes it as
** lying equidistant from Antioch, Tizin, and Baghras. The
Turkomans dwell here with the Franks." (I. B., i. 165.) I'he
name sometimes occurs in the plural form A/ A^mak. (Yak.,
i. 316 ; Mar., i. 77.)
'Amman (Rabath Ammon, Philadelphia).- "The capital of
the Balka Province (Pergea)." (Yb., 113.) Mukaddasi, in 985,
writes : " Amman, lying on the border of the desert, has round
it many villages and cornfields. The Balka District, of which it
392 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
is the capital, is rich in grain and flocks ; it also has many streams,
the waters of which work the mills. In the city near the market-
place stands a fine mosque, the court of which is ornamented
with mosaic. We have heard said that it resembles that of
Makkah. The Castle of Goliath is on the hill overhanging the
city, and therein is the Tomb of Uriah,* over which is built a
mosque. Here, likewise, is the Circus of Solomon. Living here
is cheap, and fruit is plentiful. On the other hand, the people of
the place 'are illiterate, and the roads thither wretched. But the
city is even as a harbour of the desert, and a place of refuge for
the Badawin Arabs." (Muk., 175 ; quoted also by Yak., iii. 760.)
The Tomb of Uriah and the Castle of (Joliath are, doubtless,
the small moscjue within the citadel, overhanging the town on the
north. The Circus of Solomon is the ancient theatre, cajxible, it
is said, of having seated six thousand .spectators.
Yakdt (Yak., iii. 719 ; Mar., ii. 278) alludes to 'Amm^n as the
city of DakiyanOs (I)ecius), the Emperor under whose reign the
Seven Sleepers entered the Cave of Ar Rakim (see p. 274).
Yakut further adds the following legendary version of the Biblical
account of Lot's escape from Sodom and Gomorrha :
"Ic is mentioned by a certain learned man of the Jews, that he
read in one of the books of God, that when Lot fled with his
family from Sadum and its people, his wife turned back, and was
chan^^ed into a pillar of salt. Hut he went on to Zughart (Zoar),
and none were saved but he and his brother and his two
daughters. Now, the two daughters imagined to themselves that
Allah had destroyed all the world, and they took counsel how the
seed of their father and their uncle should continue. And they
made them both drunk with wine, and they each did lie with one
of them, and both did conceive. And the two men knew nothing
of what had taken place. Then one bare a son, and called his
name 'Amman— that is to say, He 70/10 is of the Uticle {^Amm) ;
and the other also bare a son, and called him Maab — that is, IJ^
7c/io is of the Father (Ad). When the two boys had grown to
* The history of Uriah, according lo the Muslim tradition, Is given in
(i. Weil's Biblische Lc\i^enilcn dcr Muselmiinmry p. 210.
t In the text by mistake written 7.ufar,
'AMMAN.— 'AMWAS. 393
man's estate, each founded a city in Syria, and called it after his
own name. And these two cities ('Amman and Maab) are near
to one another in the Syrian waste."
Abu-1 Fida, in 132 1, writes of 'Amman as follows :
" It is a very ancient town, and was ruined before the days of
Islam. It is mentioned in the history of the Israelites. There
arc great ruins here, and the river Az Zarka (Jabbok) flows
through them, which Hater on) crosses the Pilgrim Road from
Damascus (to Makkah). The town is to the west of the Zarka,
and lies about a march to the north of the Birkat Ziza. At
'.Amman are many great Butm (Terebinth) and other trees. All
around it arc fields, and the soil is very fertile. According to
tradition, it was Lot who founded '-\mman." (.A. F., 247.)
Amman to the river Jordan (Muk.), i march : to Bait ar Ram
(Muk.), 1 march ; to Madb (Muk.), i march ; to Az Zarika
(Muk.), I march; to Jerusalem (Id.), 2 days.
'AmmCrivvah.*--" A small town on the bank of the 'Asi
(Orontes), between Afamiyyah and Shaizar. There are remains
and ruins here, and also mills." (Yak., iii. 731 ; Mar., ii. 282.)
'Amta. — **A town in the Jordan Province, and of the Ohaur
(or lowland). There is here the tomb of (the conqueror of
Syria) Abu 'Ubaidah ibn al Jarrah, though others say it is at
Tabariyyah. From 'Amman to 'Amta, which is in the middle of
the Ohaur, is 1 2 leagues, and the same thence on to Tabariyyah.
They make here excellent arrows." (Yak., iii. 722 ; Mar.,ii. 278.)
'Amls. — "A small town near Bait Lahm (Bethlehem), belong-
ing to Jerusalem." (Yak., iii. 594 : Mar., ii. 228.)
'Amwas (Emmaus Nicopolis). — "A town in Palestine." (Yb.,
116.)
Mukaddasi says of 'Amwas : " It is said that this place was in
ancient days the capital of the province, but that the population
removed therefrom to be nearer to the sea, and more in the
plain, on account of the wells : for the village lies on the skirt of
the hill-country." (Muk., 176.)
Yakut speaks of the city as situated " in the KQrah (province)
of Filastin, near Jerusiilem. 'Amwds was the capital of Filastin
* Spelt the same as 'Ainm(lri)7ah, or *Ain(iriyyah, the Arabic form of
Amorium in Phrygia. ,
394 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
anciently, but the capital was removed thence to (Ar Ramlab
nearer the sea- coast, because of the lack of wells ; for 'Am was i;
on the mountain-side. It lies 6 miles from Ar Ramlah, on tht
road to Jerusalem. The plague of 'Am was took its origin hert
in 'Omar's time, in the year i8 ; and they say twenty-five thousand
died of it." (Vak., iii. 729; Mar., ii. 281.)
'Anadhan. — According to Yakilt, "a village near Kinnasrin,
in the Kiirah (district) of Urtik, of the 'Awasim Province." Ac
cording to another account (Marasid), it lies to the north-east ol
Halab. (Vak., iii. 733 : v. 25 ; Mar, ii. 283.)
HisN Anaf al Hajar (Fort of the Stone-nose). — "^
fortress on the sea. Thence to Hisn Bathrfin is 5 miles, and tc
Atrabulus 8 miles.'* (Id., 17.)
Anakah.— "A small town of the Syrian coast, to the east o
Jubail and of Jabal Sahyun, and 8 leagues from the latter.'
(Yak., i. 390 ; Mar., i. 98.)
'Anah. — *'A town of the Jordan Province." (Y^k., iii. 595
Mar., ii. 229.)
A'nak. — *'A small town of the Hauran, in the Damascus
Province. They make here carpets and excellent clothes, whict
take their name from this place." (Yak., i. 316 ; Mar., i. 77.)
Al Andarin. — **A village," says Yakiit in 1225, **that existed
formerly to the south of Halab, a day's ride on horseback awaj
on the edge of the desert. There are no habitations beyond it.
It is now in ruins." (Vak., i. 373; Mar., i. 96.)
Antartus, or AxrARsr.s (Antaradus, Tortosa, called at
THK present day 'Tarti* s). — ** A town on the coast of the Hims
Province." (Yb., 112.)
Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, writing in the tenth century, report :
** Antarsus (or Antartus) is a fortress on the sea ; it is the frontier
city of Hims. 'The Khalif 'Othman's Kuran is preserved here.
The city possesses stone walls, which preserve it from being taken
by surprise ; and so it escaped in our own days when the Greek
Emperor Nikf{ir (Nicephorus in a.d. 966 and 968) ravaged the
coast of Syria." (Is., 61 ; I. H., 116.)
" AntarsOs," says Idrisi, " is a small town on the seaside with
thronged bazaars ; much merchandise is seen there. The towr
ANTARTUS, OR ANTARSUS.—'ARANDAL. 39$
is at the end of a great bay, and above it is a range of mountains.
This bay measures some 10 miles across. The city has a wall,
and is very strongly fortified." (Id., 20, 22.)
" AntartAs (according to YakQt) is the last of the coast towns of
the Damascus Province. It belonged originally to Hims, and by
some is said to belong to Tarabulus. It lies east of 'Arkah, and
8 leagues from it. It possesses two towers that are like castles.
It was originally conquered by 'Ubaidah ibn As Samit, in a.h. 17
(638), after the taking of Al I^dhikiyyah and Jabalah. It was
then demolished, and the place remained uninhabited for some
years, till the Khalif Mu*awiyyah rebuilt it and fortified it, as he
also did Marakiyyah and Bulunyas." (Yak., i. 388 ; Mar., i. 98.)
Dimashki, writing in 1300, says: "In Antarsus is a church
belonging to the Christians, magnificently built There is here a
chapel {bait) which is said to have been the first house built in
the name of (the Virgin) Mar}- in Syria. The Khalif Mu'iwiyah
rebuilt and enlarged the city, making it his capital during the days
of the Khalif 'Othman. He also conquered the Islands of the
Mediterranean, and made raids on Cyprus and Sicily, and he took
the Island of Arwad. (See p. 399.) Antarsus was an ancient
Roman fortress." (Dim., 208.)
Abu-1 Kida, writing a few years later, adds nothing to the above
accounts, which he copies. (A. F., 229.)
'Arabah. — ** A place in the Filastin Province." (Yak., iii. 633 ;
Mar., ii. 246.)
'Akabava.— "A place which Hukhtnassar (Nebuchadnezzar)
attacked with his army." (Yak., iii. 633.) According to the
Marasid (Mar., ii. 245) it lies in Syria.
Arak, or Urak. — ** A small town on the border of the Halab
Desert, near Tadmur (Palmyra) and 'Urd, possessing palms and
olives. It was conquered by Khalid ibn al Walid." (Yak., i. 210 ;
Mar., i. 48.)
Wrandal. -" The capital of the district of Al Jibal (Gebalene)."
(Yb., 114.)
This is the ancient episcopal city of Arindela, which after the
Arab conquest fell to ruin. It is at present called Gharendel^
and lies on the Roman road going north from Shaubak or Mont-
Royal.
396 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Ill the thirteenth century, when YakQt wrote, it was only a
village, in the Shardh Province. It was taken by the Muslims in
'Omar's days, after the battle of the YarmQk. (Yak., iii. 657 ;
Mar., ii. 251.)
Arar. — " A place in the neighbourhood of Halab. It is the
name of a Wadi mentioned in the histories of the Muslim con-
quest.'' (Yak., i. 181 ; Mar., i. 40.)
'ArrasC. s. — " A frontier fortress near Al Masstssah. It was
ruined by Saif ad Daulah ibn Hanidan." (Yak., iii. 633 ; Mar.,
ii. 246.)
Arbikh. ** A place lying to the west of Halab." (Yak., i. 190 ;
Mar., i. 42.)
Arfad. — '* A large village in the neighbourhood of the 'Azaz
District near Halab.'' (Vak., i. 209 ; Mar., i. 47.)
ArIha, or RfHA (Jkricho). — **The capital of the Ghaur (or
lowland of the Jordan), l)eing, however, counted as in the Balka
Province." (Yb., 113.)
" Ariha," writes Mukaddasi, ** is the City of the Giants (men-
tioned in the Kuran), and therein is seen the gate of which Allah
spake to the Children of Israel (Kuran v. 25). There grows in
these parts much indigo and many palms, and the city possesses
illages in the Cihaur (of the Jordan), whose fields are watered
from the springs. The heat in Jericho is excessive. Snakes and
scorpions are numerous ; also fleas abound. The serpents called
Tariyakiyyah come from hence, from the flesh of which, used
therein, depends the excellence of the Tariyak (Theriack or Anti-
dote) of Jerusalem. The people are brown-skinned and swarthy.
On the other hand, the water of Jericho is held to be the lightest
and best in all Islam. Bananas are plentiful, also dates and
flowers of fragrant odour." (Muk., 175.) On the subject of the
Theriack see above, p. 17.
'Ali of Herat says that "at Riha is the Tomb of Moses."
(O.xford MS., folio 26.)
" Riha,'' says Yakut, *' lies 5 leagues, or a day's ride, fronc
Jerusalem, in the Ghaur of the Jordan Province. It is callec
Ariha also, and is the City of the Ciiants (mentioned in th(
Kuran). It has many palm-trees, also sugar-canes in quantities
ARIHA, OR RIHA (JERICHO),— ARKAH, OR 'IRKAH. 397
and bananas. The best of all the sugar of the Ghaur land is
made here. The city is named after Arihi ibn Malik ibn
Arfakshad ibn Sam (Shem) ibn Nfih (Noah)." (Yak., i. 227
ii. 884 ; Mar., i. 52, 496.)
" Ariha, or Riha,*' writes Abu-1 Fida, " is a village of the Ghaur,
and is *the Village of the Giants' mentioned in the Books
of the Jews. It was the first place conquered by Joshua.
It lies 4 miles west of the Jordan, at the place where the
Christians say the Messiah was baptized. Near here there are
some mines of sulphur, the only ones in Palestine. Near Jericho
they grow the plant called * Wasmah,' from which they obtain the
Nil (or indigo). Jericho lies 12 miles east of Jerusalem." (A. F.,
236)
On the elision of the Y in Hebrew names that have gone over
into Arabic see Clermont-Ganneau, Journal Asiatiqufy 1877,
i. 498. Other instances given are : Hebrew Yezreel (Jezreel),
modern Zarln; Hebrew Yesimoth (in Beth Jesimoth), modem
Sueimeh^ and thus Yericho (Jericho) becomes the Arab Ariha, or
Riha.
Jericho to Jerusalem (Is., 1. H.), i march, or (Muk., Id.) 2
stages ; to Zughar (Is., I. H., Id.), 2 days, or (other MSS.) i
day; to Ar Ramlah (Muk.), i march; to Nabulus (Muk.), i
march ; to Bait ar Ram (Muk.), 2 stage.s.
Al 'ArIsh (Rhinocolura). — **A city that originally had two
Mosques," says Idrisi in 11 54, "but the sand has invaded them,
and all the land round about. There are here many vegetable
gardens, and fine fruits are grown. The town lies close to the
sea." (Id., 4.)
"Al'Arish," says Yakut, **is the first town in Eg)'pt on the
Syrian side. It has been pillaged by the Franks, and nothing
remains but some ruins in the midst of the sands.'* (Yak., iii.
660 ; Mar., ii. 253.)
'Arjamus. — "A village in the Bika'ah (Ccjelo-Syria), near Ba'al-
bakk. They say there is here the Tomb of Hablah the daughter
of Noah." (Yak., iii. 637 ; Mar., ii. 246.)
'Arkah, or *Irkah (.\rca, or Arcados). — "A district of
the Damascus Province on the sea-coast. There is here an ancient
398 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
city, inhabited by a population brought hither from Persia.'
(Yb., 114.)
*' 'Arkah,'' says Mukaddasi, " is a place lying some way from thi
sea." (Muk., 160.)
The Persian traveller Ndsir visited *Arkah, and writes that ii
his day (1047) the city stood 2 leagues from the sea. (N
Kh., 6.)
A few years later Idrisi reports of 'Arkah, that it is " a fine anc
populous city lying at the foot of the hills, which are here no
very high. In the midst of the town is a castle on a height ; anc
there is a large suburb. The place is very populous, and full o
merchandise. Its people are rich. The drinking-water comes b]
an aqueduct that takes its origin from the river, which never rua
dr\', flowing close to the city. There are many gardens with fruit
trees and sugar-canes, and there are mills on the river afore
mentioned. The town lies 3 miles from the sea-coast. Its fort i
large, the food of the people is abundant and cheap. The house
are built of mortar and clay, and most of them are large.
(Id., 13.)
" *Arkah," says Abu-1 Fida, " is a small town, possessing ;
small castle ; it has gardens, and a small river. Muhallabi, tb
geographer, counts it as of the dependencies of Damascus, beinj
the furthest north of these along the coast 'Arkah lies 12 mile
south of Tarabulus. From 'Arkah, going east to Ba'albakk, is 6(
miles. The town lies about a league from the sea-coast." (A. F.
255O
YakClt pronounces the name Trkah, and states that the towi
lies 4 leagues east of Tarabulus on the flank of a hill about i mil
from the sea. " On this hill is a castle. Abu Bakr Al Haniadir
counts it as belonging to the *Awasim Province. It lies betweei
Rafaniyyah and Tardbulus. It is the furthest (town north) in th
Damascus Province. It was ruined and plundered by Saif ai
Daulah." (Yak., iii. 653 ; Mar., ii. 250.)
'Arkah, or 'Irkah, is the ancient Phoenician city of the Arkitc
mentioned in Genesis x. 17. In Crusading Chronicles it is calle
Area, Arcados, or Archis. In Byzantine times the place wa
known as Cajsarea of the I^ebanon.
A RMA NA Z.—A RWAD, 399
Armanaz.— "An ancient and small town, distant from Halab
about 5 leagues. They make here pots and drinking-vessels, red
in colour, and very sweet to smell. Armanaz, they say, is also
the name of another town, near SQr (Ty^^)' ^" ^^^ Syrian coast."
(Yak., i. 217 ; Mar., i. 49.)
'Arrabah. — " A place in the province of 'Akkah (Acre), on the
Syrian coast." (Yak., iii. 627 : Mar., ii. 244.)
ArshIn, or Arajin Al Kusur (Arshin of thk Castle.s).
— "A village in the district of Halab (Aleppo), belonging to Al
Jazr." (Yak., iii. 640 ; Mar., ii. 247.)
ArsCf (Apollonia). — " ArsQf," says Mukaddasi, " is smaller
than Yafah, but is strongly fortified and populous. There is here
a beautiful pulpit, made in the first instance for the Mosque of
Ar Ramlah, but which being found too small, was given to
Arsuf." (Muk., 174.)
" ArsOf, or Ursiif," Y'akiit writes in 1225, ** remained in
Muslim hands till taken by Kund Furi (Clodfrey de Bouillon)
lord of Jerusalem, in the year 494 (iioi), and it is in the hands
of the Franks at the present day. It lies between Coesarea and
Jaffa " (Yak., i. 207 ; v. 12 ; Mar., i. 46.)
Abu-1 Fida in 1321 writes that **Arsiif, in Filastin, was a
populous town, having a castle. It lies on the coast of the Greek
Sea, 12 miles from Ar Ramlah, 6 miles from Yafa, and 18 from
Kaisariyyah. It has a market, and was surrounded by a wall ;
but at the present day the town is in ruins, and there are no
inhabitants." (A. F., 239.) Arsdf is the Apollonia of the Greeks,
which the Crusaders mistook for Antipatris
Arsuf to Ar Ramlah (Muk.), i march ; to Kaisariyyah (Muk.),
I march.
Artah. — "An impregnable fortress in the district of Halab
(Aleppo). It belonged to the 'Awdsim Province, and many
learned men were natives of it." (Yak., i. 190 ; Mar., i. 42.)
Arwad (Ruad, Aradus). — "The Island of Arwad," writes
Idrisi in 1154, " is in the sea, near Antarsus. On this island is a
magnificent church, finely and solidly built, very high and im-
pregnable, having doors of iron ; so that it is like a guard-
house."
400 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
On the margin of the Oxford MS. of Idrisi (Cod. Bibl. Bod
No. 887), written at the end of the fifteenth century, is the follow
ing note : " The city of Arwad h'es on an island opposite tt
town of Marakiyyah, which stands on the sea-shore, and betwec
Marakiyyah and the island is about two bow-shots. This islan
was taken from out of the hands of the Franks, in the da3rs i
(the Mamh'^k Sultan) An Xasir ibn Kala'un. At the present da
there are no inhabitants, and it is the same as regards the city i
Marakiyyah, the people of which have removed to the mountai
for fear of the Frankish soldiers. The place is empty an
deserted, though the houses and other buildings are still standin
down to the present time, as likewise the sugar presses, which ai
built outside the town towards the east." (Id. 20.)
Arzlna.- "One of the villages of Damascus." (Vak., i. 20^
Mar., i. 46.)
AsFiRAH. — '*A village of Halab (Aleppo)." (Vak., i. 251
Mar., i. 61.)
AsFUNA. — '*l'he name of a fortress which existed near Ma'arra
an Nu'man, in Syria. It was taken and dismantled by Muhamma
ibn Nasr ibn Salih ibn Mirdas al Kilabi.'' (Yak., i. 249 ; Mar
i. 60.)
AsHMUNiTH. — **The name of a spring outside Halab (Aleppo
and to the south. It waters the gardens of the city, and its ove
flow goes into the river Kuwaik." (Vak., i. 283 ; Mar., i. 69.)
'AsHTARA ('.^sHTAROTH OF Edrki). — A placc in the Haurai
belonging to the Damascus Province." (Vak., iii. 679; Mar
ii. 259.)
This represents the Hiblical Ashtaroth of Deut. i. 4, etc.
'AsKALAN (As^alon).* - ** In Ibn Zubair's day," said Bilac
huri, ** the Orucks raided and destroyed 'Askalan and its Mosqu<
The Khalif 'Abd al Malik rebuilt the city, fortified it, and rebui
the Mosfjue also." (Bil., 143.)
The city is mentioned by Yakubi as " a town of Palestine on th
sea coast. (Vb., 117.)
The Mosque built, or rebuilt, by 'Abd al Malik, was subsequent!
* Spelt in Arabic with the (guttural) initial 'Ain. In Hebrew Ashkalc
is wiih an initial Aleph. Sec above p. 381.
'A SKA LAN. 401
restored by the Abbaside Khalif Al Mahdi, in 772 (155 A.H.), three
years before he mounted the throne on the death of his father Al
MansClr. The inscription set up by Al Mahdi has been discovered
by M. Clermont-Ganneau. As given in t\\t Journal Asiatique for
1887, vol. ix., p. 485, it may be translated as follows :
" Al Mahdty the Commander of the Faithful^ hath ordered the
building of this minaret and of this mosque^ at the hands of Al
Mufaadal ibn Salldm^ and Jahikr ibn Hishdm^ in the month of
Muharram, in the year 155."
Mukaddasi, writing in 985, says : " 'Askaldn on the sea is a fine
city, and strongly garrisoned. Fruit is here in plenty, especially
that of the sycamore tree, of which all are free to eat. The great
mosque stands in the market of the clothes-merchants, and i&
paved throughout with marble. The city is spacious, opulent,
healthy, and well fortified. The silkworms of this place are re-
nowned, its wares are excellent, and life there is pleasant. Also,
its markets are thronged, and its garrison alert. Only its harbour
is unsafe, its waters brackish, and the sand- fly, called Dalam, is
most hurtful." (Muk., 174.) The Dalam sand-fly, be it noted, is
still a well-known pest of the coast country of Syria.
The Persian traveller, Nasir, visited Ascalon in 1047. He
writes : " The bazaar and the mosque are both fine, and I saw
here an arch, which they told me was ancient, and had been part
of a mosque. The arch was built of such mighty stones, that
should any desire to throw it down, he would spend much money
before he could accomplish it." (N. Kh., 61.)
In 1 1 00 Ascalon fell into the hands of the Crusaders, but was
afterwards re-taken by the Fatimites. In 1154 Idrisi writes :
" 'Askalan is a fine town, with a double wall, and there are
markets. Without the town there are no gardens, and nought is
there in the way of trees. The Governor of the Holy City,* with
a Greek army of the Franks and others, conquered it in the year
548 (i 153), and at the present day it is in their hands. 'Askalan
is counted as included in the Filastin Province. 'Askalan, ArsOf,
and Yafa, are all towns of the coast of Palestine. The three are
of about the same size and note, being well fortified and ver)-
* King Baldwin III.
26
402 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
populous. Olives and vines are grown here in plenty." (L
5 and ii.)
'Ali of Herat notes that " between Bait Jibrin and 'Askalan
the Valley of the Ant, where, according to tradition, Solom<
spoke with these insects." (See Kunin xxvii. 17, 18.) '* 'Askalar
he continues, ** is a fine and beautiful city. There is near he
the Well of Abraham, which they say he dug with his own hand ; b
of the truth of this .Allah knows best." (A. H. Oxf. MS., folio 46
"'Askalan," writes YakAt, ** was conquered by the Franks
548 (1153), and rcconciuered in 583 (1187) by Saladin, after ^
years had elapsed.'' According to the same authority, 'Askal:
means AWd ar A'ds, * the Summit of the Head,' that is, the Summ
of Syria. " The city is also named ^Ariis ash S/uim^ the Bride
Syria." (Yak., iii. 673 ; Mar., ii. 258.)
Richard of ("ornwall. King Richard Cccur de Lion's nephew
attempted in 1240 to restore the walls of Ascalon, but failed, ar
Sultan Baibars dismantled the city in 1270, since which period
has remained in ruins.
Abu-1 Fida in the fourteenth century writes : " ' Askaldn, :
Filastin, is a town where there are ancient remains. It lies on i\
sea coast. Between it and Ghazzah the distance is about thn
leagues. It is one of the fortresses of Islam in Syria. Muhallal
says 'Askalan stands by the sea-shore on an elevation, and is or
of the finest of the coast towns. It has no harbour. Its inhal]
tants drink well-water, which is sweet (not brackish). Between
and Ghazzah the distance is 10 miles, and between it and ^
Ramlah 18 miles. At the present day it is in ruins, and there ai
no inhabitants." (A. F., 231.)
The dismantled city was visited by the traveller Ibn BatQtah i
1355, who speaks of it as " a total ruin, though formerly a beauiifi
place. The head of Husain (the grandson of the Prophet
which was here, is now in Cairo. It used to be kept in the beaut
ful mosque at 'Askalan, built by one of the Fatimite Khalifs, ;
the inscription over the gate still shows. To the south of th
building is a large mosque, called the Mosque of *Omar, of whic
nothing now remains but its walls ; in it are many fine marbl
columns, some standing and some fallen down. To the south <
ASKAR AZ ZAITUN.^'ATHLITH, 403
\\skalan are the Wells of Abraham. You descend to them by
broad steps leading to a chamber. On all four sides of this
chamber are springs of water gushing out from stone conduits.
The water is sweet, but is not very abundant. The people tell
many stories about these springs. Outside 'Askalin is the Widl
of the Ant." (I. B., i. 126.)
'Askalan to Ar Ramlah (Is., I. H., Muk., Id.), i march ; to
Ghazzah (Is., I. H.), less than i march, or (Id.) 20 miles ; to
Yafa (Muk.), i march; to Rafh (Muk.), i march; to Mimas,
going west (Id.), 20 miles.
'AsKAR AZ ZaitCtn. — " A place in the neighbourhood of
Nabulus, in the Filastin Province." (Yak., iii. 675 ; Mar., ii. 258.)
'AssAN. — ** A village lying about a league from Halab (Aleppo).
It has a mosque." (Yak., iii. 671 ; Mar., ii. 257.)
Wadi al AstIl. — **We traversed this," writes Ibn Jubair, "on
the road between Hilnin and Tibnin. It is a valley clothed with
trees, the greater number of which were of the kind called J^and
(laurels or myrtles). This widi is very deep, and is like a fosse.
It is called Al Astil, and no army could traverse it by force. It is
ver>' wonderful to see. Thence we marched, bearing to our left,
and reached Tibnin (Le Toron)." (I. J., 304.)
'Atham. — "A place in Syria mentioned by the p)oets." (Ydk.,
iii. 686 ; Mar., ii. 263.)
Al. Atharib (Cerep of the Crusades). — "A celebrated
castle about three leagues from Halab (Aleppo), and between it
and Antioch. The name is the plural form of Tharb, meaning
* Sheep-fat.' It is at present in ruins, and near it is the village
called by the same name." (Yak., i. 114 ; Mar., i. 21 ; A. F., 231.)
Al Atharib to Halab (Is., I. H., Yak., Muk.), i day ; to Antik-
iyyah (Is., I. H.), 2 days.
'AxHiR. — ** A place in Syria." (Yak., iii.617 ; ^^r. ii. 238.)
'Athlith (Chateau Pelerin). — "A fortress on the coast of
the Syrian Sea, called also Hisn al Ahmar (the Red Fort). It
was retaken (from the Crusaders) by Saladin in a.h. 583 (1187)."
(Yak., i. 156; iii. 616; Mar., i. 32; ii. 237.) Called Castellum
Peregrinorum and Petra Incisa in Crusading chronicles; it was
the great stronghold of the Templars.
26—2
404 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Ard 'Atikah (^Atikah's Land). — "Outside the gate called
Bdb al Jdbiyah at Damascus. It is called after 'Atikah, daughtei
of the Khalif Yazld ibn Mu'awiyah, who had a castle there. She
was the wife of the Khalif 'Abd al Malik ibn Man*'4n, and mother
of the Khalif Yazid ibn ^Abd al Malik. The Khalif *Abd al Malik
died at this castle." (Yak., i. 208 ; Mar., i. 47.)
Al ATMfM. — "A place in the Province of Hims." (Yb., 112.)
Al AtrCn. — " A town near Ramlah in the Filastin Province."
(Yak., i. 310; Mar., i. 75.) This is doubtless the Castnim Boni
Latronis of the Crusades. Nasir-i-Khusrau (N. Kh., 22) also
mentions it.
AuDAN. — "A large village standing under a hill between
Mar ash and the Euphrates." (Yak., i. 399 : Mar., i. loi.)
Al Aulaj. — " A place in Syria." (Yak., i. 407 ; Mar., i. 104.)
Probably a variation in spelling of Aulas.
Aulas, or Aulash (Elkusa). — "A fortress on the .sea-sbore.
The people here are extremely pious, and are stringently given to
the works of Allah. It is the last place on the Greek Sea belong-
ing to the Muslims, and near here the enemy are always en-
countered." (Is., 64 ; I. H., 163.)
"Hisn Aulash," says Idrisi, "lies on the sea, 12 miles from Tarsus,
of which it is the port. It is an impregnable fortress." (Id., 25, 27.)
" Aulas, or Aulash, is a fortress on the coast near Tarsus ; within
it is a fort called Hisn az Zuhad (the Anchorites' Fort)." (Ydk., i.
407 ; Mar., i. 104.)
From Aulas by the sea to Tarsus (Is., I. H.), 2 days, or (Id.)
12 miles.
Al Auza. — " A village at the gates of Damascus, near the Bdb
al Faradis. Al Auza' was originally the name of a tribe in Yaman,
and the village was called after these people, for they migrated
and settled here." (Yak., i. 403.)
'AwARTA. — "A village, or small town, on the road from
Nabulus to Jerusalem. There are here the tombs of YQsha*
(Joshua) ibn NOn, and Mufaddal, the son of Aaron's uncle.
These lie in a cave, where also are buried seventy prophets.''
(A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 34, where, however, the name of the village
is left blank. Copied by Yak., iii. 745 ; Mar., ii. 289.)
'A IVIR.-'AZDUD, OR YAZDUD. 405
'AwfR. — " A village in Syria, or else the name of a spring lying
between Tadmur (Palmyra) and Halab." (Yak., i. 748; Mar.
ii. 290.)
Ay AS. — Abu-1 Fida in the fourteenth century speaks of it as "a
large city of Armenia, on the sea-coast, possessing a fine port,
which is the harbour for those parts. In order to defend it, the
Franks have recently built a tower (bury) like a castle, close to
this, in the sea. From Ayas to Baghras is two days' march,
and from Ayas to Tall Hamdfin is about one march. Since the
Muslims have retaken the coast towns, such as Tarabulus, *Akki,
and the rest, from the Franks, these last more rarely come into
Syria, by reason of the harbours being in the hands of the True
Believers. The Franks now go rather to Ayas, because it is still
in the hands of the Christians, and thus it has become a celebrated
harbour, and a great emporium for the merchants both by sea and
by kind." (A F., 249.)
Al 'Azarivvah, or Al 'Aizarivvah (Bethany). — "A village
near Jerusalem. There is here the tomb of Al 'Azar (Lazarus),
whom 'Isa (Jesus) brought to life from being dead" (Yak., iii.
586, 752 ; Mar., ii. 226, 292.)
'AzAZ, OR A'zAZ. — ** A town with a casde and lands, standing
to the north, and a day's journey from Halab (Aleppo). It has a
good climate and sweet water. There are no scorpions here, or
other reptiles ; and earth from this place put on a scorpion kills
it." (Yak., iii. 667 ; Mar., ii. 255.)
" A'zaz," says Abu-1 Fida, *' is the name of a celebrated fortress,
and also of its tcrritorv. It lies south and somewhat west of
Halab. It is extremely fertile, excellent and beautiful, and is one
of the pleasantest of places. Its soil is red. They grow much
cotton {Kutan) here, which is taken by ships to Sibtah (Ceuta),
and other cities of the West. The place is made green by the
masses of pistachio trees found here." (A. F., 231.)
AzDUD, OR Yazdud (Ashdoi), AzoTUs). — "The name of a
town.'' (Yak., iv. 1018; Mar., iii. 340.)
Azdud, or YazdQd, to Ar Ramlah (Is., I. H., Muk., Id.), i
march, or (I. Kh.) 12 miles; to Ghazzah (Muk., Is., I. H., Id),
I march, or (I. Kh.) 20 miles ; to Ubnah (Is., I. H.), i march.
4o6 PALESTISE LWDER THE MOSLEMS.
Al Azrak (the Blue River).— "A watering-place on the
Hajj route before reaching Taima." (Vak., i. 232 ; Mar.,
i. 54.)
" Al Azrak," says Abu-I Fida, " is the name of a fortress (Hisn)
built by Al Malik al Mu'adhdham at the edge of the desert
through which goes the road 10 the Hijjaz. 'I o the right from
thence leads the road to Al 'Ula and labuk, while to the left is
that to Taima and Khaibar. Busra lies north of Al Azrak."
(A. F., 229.)
Ba'adhix. — "A village of Halah (Aleppo)/' (Vak., i. 671;
Mar., i. 161.)
Al Bab (the Gate), and Al Biza'ah. — Ibn Jubair states in
his Diar)- that Buza'ah lies six hours distant from Manbij, and
half a night's journey from Dahwah. " It is smaller than a town,
and larger than a \-illage. There is a good market here. Above
it is a strong castle. Water is in plenty, and gardens are all
around. Near the bed of the Wadi is a large village called Al
Bab — that is, *the Gate' between Buzaah and Aleppo. Its
population eight years ago were of the Ismailian sect." (I. J.,
251-)
" Al Bab," according to Yakut, *' is a small town beside the
Wadi Butnan in the Halab district. It is called also Bab Buzi'ah.
There are markets here, and they make quantities of cotton stuffs
called Kirbas, which are exported to Egypt and Damascus.
Buza'ah, or Biza*ah, for it is pronounced either way by the people
of Aleppo, is a town belonging, some say, to Halab in the Wadi
Butnan. It is a day's march from Halab, and the like from
Manbij. There is running water, also many springs, and a fine
market." (Yak., i. 437, 603 : Mar., i. iii, 150.)
" Al Bab and Buza'ah," writes Dimashki, *' are two towns,
between them lying the Wadi Butnan. Along this runs a river
called As SajOr, which comes down from 'Ain Tab.*' (Dim.,
205.)
According to Abu-l Fida, "Al Bab is a small town with a
arket, a bath, and a Friday Mosque, also many pleasant gardens ;
lile Buza'ah is a small domain belonging to Al Bab, outside of
lich lies the (Mash-had) shrine and tomb of 'Akil ibn Abi T&lib
bA Bit LA .—BA GHRA S. 407
(brother of the Khalif 'Ali). It lies a day's march north-east of
Halab." (A. F., 267.)
Babilla — " A village lying about a mile outside Halab ; which
at the present day is very populous." (Yak., i. 446 ; Mar., i. 113.)
B ADAM A. "A village belonging to Halab, in the neighbour-
hood of 'Azaz. It is mentioned in the Traditions {Hadiili) in
connection with Adam." (Yak., i. 459; Mar., i. 116.)
BadhandCn (Podendon). — "A village of the Thughfir (or
Frontier Fortresses), a day's march from TarsQs. Al MimOn died
there in the year 218 (833), and was buried at TarsOs, near the
Bah Badhandfin, in the wall of that city." (Yak., i. 530 ; Mar.,
i. 135')
Al BadI'ah. — "A spring near Hisma, and Hismi is a moun-
tain in Syria." (Yak., i. 527 ; Mar., i. 134.)
Al Badiyvah. — "A spring two marches from Halab (Aleppo),
on the road to Salamiyyah." (Yak., i. 527 ; Mar., i. 134.)
Baghras (Pagr-«). — " A town where there is a Friday Mosque.
It lies on the road of the Frontier Fortresses, called Ath Thughfir.
The almshouse here was instituted by Zubaidah (the wife of
Harun ar Rashid), and there is no other in all Syria that is as
large." (Is., 65 : I. H., 163 ; copied by A. F., 259.)
Idrisi speaks of the place as ** Hisn Baghras (the F'ort of
Baghras), where there is a Friday Mosque, and a great population.
It lies on the road to the Frontier Fortresses." (Id , 27.)
" Baghraz, or Baghras," says Yak{it, " stands on the flank of the
Jabnl al Lukkam, 4 leagues from Antdkiyj'ah, on the right of one
who goes from Aleppo to Antioch. This part of the country
overhangs the province round Tarsfis. It was of old in the hands
of the FVanks, but Saladin conquered it in 584 (1188)." (Yak.,
i. 693 ; Mar., i. 163.)
" Baghras," says Abu-I Fida, " in the Kinnasrin Province, pos-
sesses a high castle. There are springs and valleys round it, and
gardens. Muhallabi says from Baghras to Antakiyyah is 12 miles,
and from Baghras to Iskandari\nah is 12 miles also. It stands
on the mountain that overlooks the 'Amk of Harim. Hirim lies
to the east of it, and 2 marches away. Baghrds lies south, and
about a march from Darbassak." (A. F*., 259.)
408 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Ibn BatQtah, who visited the spot in 1355, speaks of Baghris,
near Antioch, as a strong castle, with gardens and fields all
round it, lying on the road to Sis, in Little Armenia. (I. B.,
i. 163.)
Baghras to Antikiyyah (Is., I. H.) i day, or (Id.) 12 miles ; to
Iskandardnah (Id) 9 miles.
BahasItha. — "A large quarter lying to the north of Halab
(Aleppo). Its people are Sunnis."*' (Yak., i. 458 ; Mar., i.
115.)
Bahasna (Behesdin).— ** A strong fortress near Mar'ash and
Sumaisat. It stands on the summit of a mountain. Rust&k
Kaisdm is of its dependencies. At the present day it belongs to
the Halab Province." (Yak., i. 770 ; Mar., i. 183.)
" Bahasna," says Abu-1 Fida, " is a strong, high-built castle, with
gardens, and a small river, also a market ; and excellent farms
belong to it. It has a Friday Mosque, and there are broad
and fertile lands all round. It lies about six days from Siwas, and
is one of the most impregnable of castles. It lies about two days'
march north-west of 'Ain Tab." (A. F., 265.)
BairCt (Berytus). — " BairQt at the present day," writes
Ya'kfibi, in 891, " is entirely peopled by Persians, brought here
and settled by the Khalif Mu'awiyah." (Yb., 1 14.)
Istakhri and Ibn Haukal write : " Bairiit, in the Damascus
Province, is not far from Tripoli. Al 'Auza'i* (the Traditionist)
lived here. BairCit has many palm-trees and sugar-canes and plen-
teous crops. The commerce of the sea comes here, and its roads
are never infested nor stopped. The town is well fortified, and
has fruitful lands round it. The walls are strong, and prices here
are moderate. The population are God-fearing and peaceful in
their ways, althougli they can also defend themselves well against
an enemy." (Is., 65 ; I. H., 116.)
Mukaddasi merely mentions BairCit as " a fortified city on the
sea.'* (Muk., 160.)
The Persian traveller, Nasiri-Khusrau, visited Bair^t in 1047,
and writes in his Diary :
** From Jubail we came on to BairQt. Here I saw an arch of
* For his life see Ibn Khallikan, De Slane's translation, ii. 84.
BAIRUT. 409
stone, so great, that the roadway went out through it; and the
height of the arch I estimated at 50 ells.* The side walls of the
arch are built of white stone, and each block must be over
1,000 manns (or about ij tons) in weight. The main build-
ing is of unburnt brick, built up a score of ells high. Along
the top of the same are set marble columns, each column 8t ells
tall, and so thick that with difficulty could two men with their
arms outstretched embrace the circumference. Above these
columns they have built arcades, both to right and to left, all of
stones exactly fitted, and constructed without mortar or cement.
The great centre arch rises up between, and towers above the
arcades by a height of 50 cubits. The blocks of stone that are
used in the construction of these arches, according to my estimate,
were each 8 cubits high, and 4 cubits across, and by conjecture
each must weigh some 7,000 manns (or about 10 tons). Every
one of these stones is beautifully fashioned and sculptured after a
manner that is rarely accomplished, even in (soft) wood. Except
this arch no other (ancient) building remains. I inquired in the
neighbourhood what might have been the purpose thereof; to
which the people answered that, as they had heard tell, this was
the gate of Pharaoh's garden ; also that it was extremely ancient.
All the plain around this spot is covered with marble columns,
with their capitals and shafts. These were all of marble, and
chiselled, round, square, hexagonal, or octagonal ; and all in such
extremely hard stone, that an iron tool can make no impression
thereon. Now, in all the country round there is apparently no
mountain or quarry from which this stone can have been brought ;
and, again, there is another kind of stone that has an appearance
of being artificial* and, like the first stone, this, too, is not work-
able with iron. In various parts of Syria there may be seen some
live hundred thousand columns, or capitals and shafts of columns,
* This may have been the remains of one of the baths or theatres with
which Ilerod Agrippa embellished Berytus ; or, possibly, it is the ruins of the
celebrated college.
t The British Museum MS. may read "twenty ells," but this is doubtless
a clerical error.
X Referring, doubtless, to basalt or granite, of which ancient columns are
frequently found.
4IO PA LEST J SE VSDER THE MOSLEMS.
of which no one knows either the maker, nor can sav for what
purpose ihey were first hewn, or whence they were brought."
(N. Kh.. 9.)
*' BairCii,"' as Idrisi rejHJrts, *• lies on the shore of the sea. It is
protected by great and broad stone walls. In the neighbourhood,
and Inrlonging to it. is an iron mine, of ver\* good metal, and easy
to work. They extract from this, ore in quantity, and send it to
all parts of Syria. Bairut also has a grove of Snobur-pine ; these
lie on its southern side, and extend as far as the Lebanon moun-
tains. This grove may be estimated at some 12 miles square.
The |>eople of Bairut drink from well-water." (Id., 16.)
** Bairiit," says Yakut, " lies 3 leagues from Sidon, and belongs
to the Damascus Province. It remained in the hands of the
Muslims in best of condition. Baghdawin (King Baldwin) — the
Frank, who conquered Jerusalem — came against it and laid siege
to it, taking the city by storm on the Friday, 21st of the month
Shawwal, 503 (11 10). It remained in the hands of the Christians
until Saladin retrieved it from them in the year 583 (1187).
(Vak., i. 785 : Mar., i. 188.)
Abu-l Fida in the fourteenth centurv savs :
*' Bairut lies on the coast of Damascus. It possesses two
towers (hurj\ and has gardens, and a river. The lands round
are very fertile. Al 'Au/ai, the Jurisconsult, lived here. It is the
port of Damascus. From Bairut to Baalbakk, over the *Akabah
al Mughithah (the Pass of Succour), is 36 miles. Between the
two lies the town of 'Arjamush, 24 miles from Bairut. Bairut is a
beautiful town. Water is brought to it by an underground
channel." (A. F., 247.)
Ibn Batutah passed through Bairut in 1355. ^^^ speaks of it
as "a small town with fine buildings, excellent bazaars and a
Mosque. They export fruit and iron thence to Egypt." (I. B.,
i. I33-)
Bair(it to Damascus (Is., I. H., Muk., Id.), 2 days: (Yak.), 3
days ; to Tarabulus (Is., I. H., Muk.), i day; to Saida (Muk ), i
march; to Hisn an Na'imah (Id), 24 miles; to Hisn al Maz-
iyyah, or Al Muradisiyyah (Id.), 8 miles.
AisAN (Bethshean, Sc vthopous). - " Baisan," says Mukad-
BAISAN, 411
dasi, " lies on the Jordan. It abounds in palm-trees, and from
this place comes all the rice consumed in the provinces of the
Jordan and of Palestine. Water is here abundant, and easily
obtained ; but for drinking purposes its water is deemed
heavy of digestion. The Mosque stands in the market-place,
and many men of piety make their home in this town." (Muk.,
162.)
" Baisan," writes Idrisi, " is but a small place, but it has many
palms. And there grows here the Saman (reed) of which they
make the Sdmani mats. This reed is not found anywhere else
except here, and nowhere else in Syria is there any reed to equal
it" (Id., 12.)
Yakut writes of Baisan, " that it is a town of the Jordan
Province in the (Ihaur. They call it Lisdfi al Ard^ the Tongue of
the Earth. It lies between the Hauran and the Filastin Provinces.
Near it is the 'Ain al Fulds (the Spring of the copper coin, called
Fals^ Obolus), which is of paradise, though its waters are a little
salt. This spring is mentioned in the Hadith (or Traditions of the
Prophet). Baisan suffers from the pest, and is very hot. The
inhabitants are brown-skinned and woolly-haired by reason of the
heat of its climate. Baisan was celebrated for the number of its
palms, but I, YakCit, who have been there many times (thirteenth
century), never saw more than two palm-trees here, and these of
the kind that give dates one year and no more. This they say is
a sign of the coming of the Antichrist Ad Dajjil." (Ydk., i. 788 ;
Mar., i. 189.) It is noteworthy that there are no palm-trees seen
in Baisan at the present day, neither is the rice, for which it was
formerly celebrated, any longer cultivated here.
" Baisan,*' says Abu-1 Fida, ** in the Jordan Province is a small
town, without walls, but possessing gardens, and streams, and
springs. It lies on the west of the Ghaur, and is very fertile.
Among its other streams is a small one coming from a spring
which runs through the town. Baisan lies 18 miles from
Tabariyyah, and is to the south of it.' (A. F., 243.)
Baisan to Tabariyyah (Is., I.H.), short 2 marches, or davs, or
(Id.)i)art of day, or (Muk.) 1 march ; to Ta'asir (Muk.), 2 stages;
to Nabulus (Muk.), i march.
412 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Bait al Abar (The House of Wells). — "A village and
district of the Clhautah of Damascus ; there are many other
villages in its neighbourhood." (Yak., i. 775 ; Mar., i. 185.)
Bait al Ahzan (The House of Lamentations). — " A town
being between Damascus and the coast. They say it is the place
where Jacob passed the days of his lamentation when he was
separated from Joseph. It was rebuilt by the Franks, and they
made of it a great fortress. Saladin took it in 575 (11 79) and
destroyed it." (Yak., i. 775 ; Mar., i. 185.)
Bait Aranis. — " One of the villages of the Ghautah of
Damascus. Near it is the tomb of Abu Marthad Dithir ibn al
Husain, one of the Companions of the Prophet." (Yak., i. 775 ;
Mar., i. 185.)
Bait al Balat. — " A village in the Ghautah (district round)
Damascus." (Yak., i. 708, 776; Mar., i. 168, 185.)
Bait Jann. — "A village between Darayyah and Baniyas, lying
among the hills. We travelled," says Ibn Jubair, "thence to
Baniyas, and half way on the road thither we passed an oak-tree
(Baiut) of great size of trunk, with spreading branches, which they
informed us was called the Tree of the Balance {Shajarat al
Maizan). When we inquired the reason, we were told this oak
marked the limit between safety and danger on this road. This
is by reason of the brigandage of the Franks ; for on the one side
they seize on everybody they find, while on the other travellers
are safe from them.' (I. J., 303.)
Bait Jibrin, or Bait Jibril (The House of Gabriel ; Beto-
GABRA, Eleuthkropolis). - - " An ancient city of Palestine."
(Yb., 117.)
" Bait Jibril," said Mukaddasi, " is a city partly in the hill
country, partly in the plain. Its territory has the name of Ad
DarCim (the ancient Daroma and the modern Dairan), and there
are here marble quarries. The district sends its produce to the
capital (Ar Ramlah). It is the emporium for the neighbouring
countr)', and a land of riches and plenty, possessing fine domains.
I'he population, however, is now on the decrease, and impotence
has possession of many of its men." (Muk., 174.)
"Bait Jibrin, or Jibril," says Yakiit, "lies between Jerusalem
BAIT KUFA.-^BAIT LIHYA. 413
and 'Askalan, or Ghazzah, being 2 marches from Jerusalem, and
less from Ghazzah. There was here a fortified castle which
Saladin destroyed when he took it from the Franks. Between
Bait Jibrin and 'AskaUn is a valley called Wddt an Naml (the
Valley of the Ant), where Solomon spoke with these insects (see
above, p. 402)." (Yak., i. 776; Mar., i. 185.)
** At the lime of the first conquest by the Arabs, under 'Amr
ibn al 'As, that chief had at Bait Jibrin a domain, called 'Ajldn,
after one of his freedmen." (Yik., ii. 19.)
Bait Jibril to Ar Ramlah (Muk.), i march ; to Jerusalem
(Muk.), I march ; to Ghazzah (Muk.), i march.
Bait KCfa. — " A village of Damascus." (Yak., i. 779 ; Mar., i.
186.)
Bait Laha. — " A fortress high up on the Jabal LailQn, between
Antakiyyah and Halab (Aleppo). There was stationed here a
warder who watched, in the beginning of the day, the road
towards Antioch, and at the end of it towards Aleppo." (Yak., i.
779 ; Mar., i. 187.)
Bait Lihya. — "Bait Libya," says 'AH of Herat, "or more
correctly Bait Alihah (the House of Gods), is a village of Damas-
cus, where Abraham broke to pieces the idols of his father.'**
(A. H., Oxf MS., folio 180.)
" Bait Lahiyyah, or Libya," Ibn Jubair \iTites in his Diary,
"lies east of Damascus, on the right of the road to Maulid
Ibrahim (the Birth-place of Abraham). It is more properly Bait
A
al Alihah, the * House of Idols.' In ancient times there was a
church here, which is now a mosque. It was of old the temple
where the father of Abraham made his idols and kept them. But
Abraham came and broke them to pieces. The temple is now the
mosque of the inhabitants, and its roof is beautifully ornamented
with mosaic of coloured marbles." (I. J., 279.)
Yakftt gives the following account of the Idol Temple at Bait
Libya, which he says is a celebrated village in the (jhautah, out-
side the gates of Damascus : " It is more properly Bait Alihah
(the Idol House). They say that Azar, the father of Abraham,
* For the Muslim tradition of Abraham and his breaking; of his father's
itlols, see G. Weil, Bihlische I^gendcn der Mmelmdntier^ p. 70.
414 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
* the Friend/ had carved idols, and had set them l^fore Abraham
that he should pay honiage to them. But Abraham took a Stone
and broke them in pieces ; and this stone is at the present day
shown at Damascus (see p. 256), and from it is called the J?ard al
Hajar^ * Street of the Stone/ in that city. Now I ( Ydkiit) say, the
truth is that Abraham was born at Babil (Babylon), and it was
there that Azar made his idols. Also in the Thaurah (Pentateuch)
it is written that Azar died in Harran, for he left 'Irdk (Babylonia)
and went to Harran, and remained there till he died, and it is
not stated that he ever came to Syria ; but Allah knows best the
truth of all this." (Yak., i. 780 ; also iv. 371, where the name is
given under Libya ; Mar., i. 187, iii. 231.)
"Bait Ilahiyyah," so the name is spelt by Ibn Batdtah, "is a
village lying to the east of Damascus. There was here a church,
where Azar (father of Abraham) used to carve idols. These
Abraham broke to pieces. There is now a fine Jami' Mosque
here, beautifully ornamented wnth mosaics and coloured marbles,
very wonderful to see.'' (1. B., i. 237.)
Bait Lihyi is not marked on the map. Ibn BatCitah states that
the village lies to the east of Damascus, and all authorities
mention it as a well-known place in the Ghutah, so well known, in
fact, that they unfortunately omit to indicate its exact position.
No mention of the place is to be found in the works of Burton,
Porter, and other travellers. Robinson mentions a village called
Beit l^hysi (/^(^searc/tes, vol. iii., 1852, notes to pp. 426, 428), lying
west of Rasheyah, which in Badeker (Syria, p. 452) is called B^t
IJiya. But this, if Ibn Batdtah's indication of the position east of
Damascus for Bait Lihya is to be credited, can hardly be the
same place, for Rasheyah lies west of the (ih{itah, under the spurs
of Mount Hermon.
Bait Lihya (2)— "Near (ihazzah, of the like name to the
above. It is a village with many fruit-trees." (Mar. in Yak., v. 15.)
Bait Mama. — " One of the villages of Nabulus in the Filastin
Province. Its people were Samaritans, and the poll-tax on every
man of them was 10 Dinars (jCs) > ^"^ ^^^X complained of it to
the (Khalif) Al Mutawakkil, and he reduced it to 3 Dinars."'
(Yak., i. 781 ; Mar., i. 187.)
BAIT MAMIN.^BAKTATIS, 415
Bait MAMiN.— "A village of Ar Ramlah." (Ydk., i. 781;
Mar., i. 187.)
Bait NQba. — "A small town in the neighbourhood of FilastSn
(Ar Ramlah)." (Yak., i. 781 ; Mar., i. 187.) This village, lying
half-way between Jerusalem and Ramlah, has been identified with
the Nob of i Samuel xxi. i.
Bait Ram ah, or Bait Ar Ram. — "A celebrated village lying
between the Balka Province and the (ihaur (of the Jordan)."
(Yak., i. 777 ; Mar., i. 186.)
Bait Ar Ram to Arfha (Jericho) (Muk.), 2 stages; to 'Amman
(Mule), I march.
Bait Ras (1 ). — " A village of Jerusalem, or, it is said, belonging
to the Jordan Province. There are quantities of vines here, from
which the celebrated wine is made." (Yak., i. 776 ; Mar., i. 186.)
Bait Ras (2). — "A village near Halab (Aleppo). Here also
vines are in plenty, and wine is called from the name of this place."
(Idem.)
Bait Saba.- "An Iklim (or district) of Bait al Abdr, ner.r
Jarmdnis (of Damascus)." (Yak., i. 778 ; Mar., i. 186.)
Bait Sar'a. — Mentioned by Mukaddasi as lying i march distant
from Damascus. (Muk., 190.)
Bait Sawa. — "A village of Damascus." (Yak., i. 778; Mar.,
i. 186.)
Bajj Hauran. — " One of the districts of Damascus ; also the
name of a village at the gate of Dama.scus, in (the district of)
Iklim Bands." (Yak., i. 496; Mar., i. 127.)
Bak'a al 'Ais, and Bak'a Rabi'ah. — " Two Kurahs (districts)
of Manbij. They lie near the Nahr (river) as Sajdr." (Yak.,
i. 701 ; Mar., i. 166.)
Bakarha. — "A village belonging to Halab (Aleppo)." (Mar.
in Yak., v. 14.)
Bakidin. — Mentioned in the Diary of Ibn Jubair as lying south
of Kinnasrfn. The caravan rested at the Khdn at Turkman.
" All the Khans on the road between Halab and Hamah," says
Ibn Jubair, "are like fortified castles with iron gates, and very
strongly built." (I. J., 256.)
Baktatis.—** A village of Hims." (Yak., i. 700; Mar., i. 165.)
4i6 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Baladah. — ** A town on the coast of Syria, near Jabalah. After
its conquest by 'Ubidah ibn as Sdmit the place fell to ruin, and
the inhabitants were carried to other places. The Khalif
Mu'awiyah used the materials of the old city for rebuilding Jabalah.
It was anciently a fortress of the Greeks, as mentioned by Bili-
dhuri." (Vak., i. 718: Mar., i. 170.)
Balas. — *' A town lying 10 miles from Damascus." (Yak.,
i. 708 ; Mar., i. 168.)
Bal'as. — "One of the districts of Hims." (Yak., i. ^12; Mar.,
i. 171.)
Al Balat. — " An ancient town lying between Mar'ash and
Antakiyyah. It is now in ruins. The district is watered by the
Nahr al Aswad, and belongs to Halab. Al Baldt is the chief
town of the Kfirah of Al Huwwar." (Yak., i. 709 ; Mar.,
i. 168.)
Balatah. — " A village of the Nabulus District in Filastin. The
Jew^s say that it was here that Nimrud (Nimrod) ibn Kan*^
threw Abraham into the fire ; the learned, however, say this took
place at Babil (Babylon), in 'Irak — and Allah alone knows the
truth. There is here the spring called 'Ain al Khidr. Yftsuf
(Joseph) as Sadik — peace be on him ! — was buried here, and his
tomb is well known, lying under the tree." (Yak., i. 710 ; Mar.,
i. 168.)
Balatunus, or Balatunush (Mansio Platanus of the
Itineraries). — "An impregnable fortress on the Syrian coast,
opposite Al Ladhikiyyah, in the Halab Province." (Yak., i. 710 ;
Mar., i. 168.)
** Hisn Baldtunus," writes Dimashki in 1300, "is a perfectly
impregnable fortress. It has eleven gates, each one above the
other. The port of Balatunus w^as founded by the Ghassanide
king, Jabalah ibn al Ayham, and it has been rebuilt since the
days of Islam. It was of old a city of the Sabaeans^ and there
are very ancient remains here dating from the days of Noah,
Abraham and Moses. There is here an underground tunnel by
which a horseman may ride down (from the fortress) to a ship
lying at the sea-shore, and yet not be seen." (Dim., 208.)
Bali*ah. — " One of the villages of the Balka of the Damascus
BALIS.SANAKUSA . 417
Province. Here lived Baram ibn Ba'Ori al Munsalikh (Balaam,
son of Beor), to whom the word of Allah came as in the words of
the Kuran (vii. 174). * Recite to them the history of him to
whom we vouchsafed our signs, and who departed from them, so
that Satan followed him, and he became one of the seduced.* "
(Vak., i. 479 ; Mar., i. 22.)
Balis (Barbalissus). — " Bdlis is a small city of the 'Awasim
Province, lying a short way from the Euphrates, and on its westerft
bank. It is the first Syrian town you come to from 'Irik, and the
road to it is much frequented, and from Bilis go many highways.
It is, as it were, a port to the Syrians on the Euphrates. How-
ever, since the days of Saif ad Daulah, its buildings have gone to
ruiji, and caravans and merchants go there much less than of old.
The city has strong walls, and gardens in the lands lying between
it and the Euphrates. Its chief crops are wheat and barley."
(Is. 62 : I. H., 119 ; copied by A. F., 269.)
** Balis," says Mukaddasi, " is situated on the frontier towards
Ar Rakkah, and is a populous place." (Muk., 155.)
" Balis," writes Yakut, " lies between Halab and Ar Rakkah, a
short distance from the west bank of the Euphrates. It is
called after Balis ibn Ar RQm ibn al Vakan ibn Sim ibn Nuh
(Noah). The Euphrates bed has moved gradually to the east-
ward, and is now 4 miles distant from Balis. The town is men-
tioned along with Kasrain by Biladhuri." (Yak., i. 477 : Mar.,
i. 122.)
" Balis, in the Kinnasrin Province, was once a well inhabited
city. It stands on the western bank of the Euphrates. Muhal-
labi states that from Balis to Kala'ah DQshar, known at the
present day as Kala'ah Ja'bar, on the east of the Euphrates, is
5 leagues. To the west of the Euphrates, and opposite Kala'ah
Ja'bar, is the plain of Sifftn, where the great battle was fought
(between 'Ali and Mu'awiyah). It is 7 leagues from Kala'ah
Ja'bar to Ar Rakkah." (A. F., 269.)
Balis to Halab (Is., I. H., Yak., Muk.), 2 days,
I^xnakCsa. — ** A hill to the north, and outside Aleppo. In the
fourteenth century it was the name of a quarter of that city."
(\'ak., i. 482 ; Mar., i. 123.)
27
41 8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Banas.— " One of the rivers of Damascus." (Yak., i. 482.)
Baniyas (Paneas, CtsAREA Philippi). — " The capital of the
Province of Al Jaulan." (Yb., 114.)
" Baniyas," writes Mukaddasi, ** is a city near the border of the
HQlah (Merom Lake), and hes at the foot of the mountain (of
Hermon). Its climate is softer and pleasanter than that of
Damascus. To this place have migrated the greater part of the
Muslim inhabitants of the frontier districts since TarsQs was taken
(by the Greeks, in 965), and the population is still on the increase,
for daily men come hither. There is here an extremely cold river
(one of the sources of the Jordan), which rises from under the
Mount of Snow (Hermon), and gushes forth in the middle of the
town. Baniyas is the granary of Damascus. Its river irrigates
cotton-lands and rice-fields. The city is pleasant to inhabit, being
situated among lovely villages ; and the sole drawback is that the
drinking-water is bad." (Muk., 160.)
Baniyas was visited by the traveller Ibn Jubair in 11 85. He
writes in his Diary :
" This city is a frontier fortress of the Muslims. It is small,
but has a castle, round which, under the wall, flow^s a stream.
This stream flows out from the town by one of the gates, and turns
a mill. Baniyas was in the hands of the Franks, but was retaken
by Nftr ad Din (in 1165). The town has broad arable lands in
the adjacent plain. Commanding the town is the fortress, still
belonging to the Franks, called Hdnin, which lies 3 leagues distant
from Baniyas. The lands in the plain belong half to the Franks
and half to the Muslims ; and there is here the boundary called
Hadd al Mukasimah — the * Boundary of Dividing.' The Mush'ms
and Franks apportion the crops equally between them, and their
cattle mingle freely without fear of any being stolen." (I. J., 304.)
Baniyas, according to the author of the Mardsid, stands on a
river called Bdliya, and lies under a mountain on which the snow
lies (Hermon). Lemons and oranges grow here. (Mar., i. 123.)
Yak{it gives no separate article to this town, and only mentions it
incidentally.
"Biniyis," says Abu-1 Fida, " is a small town, possessing many
shrubs of the (bitter) sage-plant called Hamd and the h'ke, also
BANIYAS,—BARADA, 419
Streams of water. It lies i J marches to the south-west of Damascus.
As Subaibah is the name of its castle, which is very strong.
Baniyas lies at the foot of the Mount of Snow (Hermon), which
overhangs the town. There is always snow on this mountain, like a
cap, and this disapi>ears neither summer nor winter." (A. F., 249.)
As a note to one of the MSS. of Abu-1 Fida's geography, is the
following :
"At the top of the mountain (Hermon) is a domain called
Sardji. From thence to the domain of Kafarld, in the Wadi
Kan an, is 18 miles. From Kafarla to Jubb Ytisuf, is 12 rhiles.
From Baniyas to the domain called Bait Sdbir, in the Wadi
called Bait Jann, is 18 miles. Thence to the village — which for
size is almost like a town — of Daraya, in the Ghautah of Damascus,
is 15 miles : and thence into Damascus itself is 3 miles." (A. F.,
270.)
" Baniyas," says Dimashki, " belongs to the Damascus Province.
Its fortress is called As Subaibah. It is a very ancient and well
fortified town, and there is plenty of the sage-plant here. The
soil and climate are good, and water is abundant. There are
many remains of the Greeks here. It was built, it is said, by
Balnias (Pliny) the Sage, or, it is said, by Abuna Nawwas ; the
meaning of Af>iina being * master,' * teacher.' He also was a
Greek." (Dim., 200.)
In the Journal Asiatiqite^ 1888, tome xii., p. 440, will be
found a plan of Subaibah, the castle standing a short distance to
the east, and above Baniyas. In the following pages M. Max van
Berghem gives an interesting account of the ruins, and of the
Arabic inscriptions he found at Baniyas.
Baniyas to Damascus (Muk.), 2 days: to Kadas (Muk.), 2
stages ; to Jubb Vusuf (Muk.), i march, or 2 stages ; to Majdal
Salam (Muk.), 2 stages.
Bar ADA (1). — The river of Damascus. (See p. 57.)
Barada (2). — ** A village of Ha lab (Aleppo), in the neighbour-
hood of As Suhfil." (Yak., i. 558; Mar., i. 142.)
Barada (3). — "The name of a river of the Thughiir (or
Frontier Fortresses) near Tarsus." {Idem ; and see p. 63 ; Nahr
Baradan, )
27 — 2
4,TL PALESTISE CSDER THE IfOSLEMS.
Al Bakah. — "A pLice in the Hims IHstnct-" <Yb., iii.)
Barin. or Ba'rin Mcn- FERRAxras . — "A tine town lying
bc:v.-ei*n Halab and Hjn:ilu towards the west : or between Hims
ard the coa->:. The vjl^r prcr.i:r.-::a::on is Ba'rin (with the
guttural Air.*." 'Yak-. :. 465, 672 : Mar., i. iiS, 162.)
" Binn in the Hamah DisDict,** savs Abu-l Fida, " is a small
town, with a castle already in ruins. It h.as springs round it and
;^rdt:ns. and lies 1 march west, and rather south of Hamah.
There are near here the remains oi an ancient town called Ar
Ratani\yah <Raphanea". much celebrated in histor\-. Hisn (the
Fort of) Barin was built by the Franks in 4S0 and odd (about
1090). The Muslims afterwards took it and kept it awhile, and
then dismantled it." <A. F.. 259.?
Al Baris. — "The name of a river near Damascus. From it
the Gate of Bab al Baris, at Damascus, is called. Al Baris is
sometimes taken as the name of the whole Ghautah (or I^nds
round Damascus;,"' (Vak.. i. 600: Mar., i. 149.)
Al Barrah. — *'The nanic of the place where Kabil (Cain)
slew his brother Habil (Abel;.'' (Vak.. i. 599 : Mar., i. 149.)
r.ARS BiRT. — *• A strong fortress in -\rmenia, on a high moun-
tain. It is one of the strong places of the king of < Little) Armenia.
His treasury is here, and here are his summer quarters. It lies
north of Sis, about a day's march, between the countr\- of Sis, and
the country of Ibn Karman (Karamania). It is a fortress domi-
nating the country of Sis from the north, and it can be seen from
afar." (A. F., 251.)
Barih. — "The name mentioned in the Hadith (or Tradition)
as the place of sojourn of (Jesus) ' Jsa ibn Mar\'am.'' (Ydk., L 54 ;
Mar., i. 139.)
BarL'DH. — " In the Filastin Province, a village near Ar
Ramlah." (Vak., i. 465 : Mar., i. 118.)
Barzah. — "A village of the Ghautah (land round) Damascus.
'1 here is here the shrine of Abraham the friend, which is vener-
ated by the Samaritan Jews. Many learned men live here ; and
«^me say Abraham was born here ; but this is an error, for most
that Abraham was born at Babil (Babylon) in Tr&k."
1. 563 ; Mar., i. 143.)
AL BARZAMAN.—BASHIT, 421
Ai. Barzaman. — "A castle of the 'Awasim Province, near
Halab.'' (Yak., i. 562 ; Mar., i. 142.)
BarzCyah. — "This the common people call Barzayah. It is a
fortress near the coast of the Syrian Sea, and it stands on the
summit of a steep mountain. It belonged originally to the Franks.
It was taken by Saladin in 584 (1188). It is surrounded by
ravines on all sides. The castle stands at a height of 570 ells ;
and it had passed to a proverb among the Franks for its impreg-
nability." (Yak,, i. 565 ; Mar., i. 143.)
** Hisn Barziyah," says Abu-1 Fida, " is a small castle, standing
very high, and which is very strong. It is seen at the foot, and to
the east of, the mountain called Al Khait, which overlooks the
lakes of Af^miyyah. The waters of the lakes come up to the
castle, and the reeds are close under its walls. There are no
inhabitants except the men of the garrison for keeping the fort.
The people round about flee hither for safety in times of terror.
It lies north-west of Famiyyah, about a day*s journey by water,
and the lakes lie between the two. Barziyah lies south of Shughr
and Bakas, about a long day's march ; and about a day's march
east of SahyQn." (A. F., 261.)
" Barziyah," writes Dimashki, ** is a castle, so strong that it has
passed into a proverb. Immediately under it is the Lake of
P\imiyyah, a large sheet of water, into which, and out of which,
the Nahr 'Asi (Orontes) flows. There is a dyke here. They
catch in the lake a sort of fish called Ankalis (eel), like a snake.
Its flesh tastes like roasted sheep-tail. The Christians are ex-
tremely fond of it, and the Government get a yearly revenue of
30,000 I)irhams(;^i,2oo) from their boats which ply on the lake."
(Dim., 205.)
jAzfkAH AL Basa. — "An island which is attached to the
land (/>., a peninsula). It lies 10 miles by sea from Hisn al
Muthakkab, and 15 miles from Hisn al Mulawwan." (Id., 24.)
BASARFtjT. — " A fortress belonging to Halab in the Jabal Bani
'Ulaim, now ruined. There is a village of this name near it."
(Yak., i. 621 ; Mar., i. 153.)
BashIt. — " A village of the Filastin Province outside Ar
Ramlah." (Y4k., i. 635; Mar., i. 156.)
9-f^
^12
FA LEST IS E VSDER THE MOSLEMS.
Ba-Ir al Jaid^r. — "A village in the neighbourhood of
Damascus." (Vak., i. 6^6: N[ar.. f. i^t.)
Bathrtn <BriTkv-». — "A fortress lying l)etvreen Jubail and
Anafah, on the sea-«:oast." »Vak.. i. 493: Mar., i. 126-)
Hisn Bathrun to Tuhail is ic miles: while to Hisn Anaf al
Ffajar is 5 miles (Id.*.
Bavva-S <Bai.+:). — "A small town on the shore of the Greek
Sea. It possesses palm-tree> and many fruitful fields." (Is., 63.)
** Bayyas is a small town lying to the east of Antakiyyah. It
lies to the west of Al Massissah, and only a short distance from it
by sea. Between it and Al Iskandariyyah is about 2 leagues.
The town lies close to the Jahal al Lukkam." (Vak., i. 772 ;
Mar., i. 184.)
PVom Bayyas to Iskandariyyah (Iskandarunah) is i short march
(Is., I. H., Id.); to Massissah (Is., 1. H.), 2 marches or (Id.)
I march : to Tarsus by sea (Is., I. H.), 2 leagues ; to Al Kanisah
(Is., I. H)., less than i day : to Al Harimiyyah (Id.), 15 miles.
Bika' Kalij (The Pl-vin of Oklo-Svria). — "A broad plain
lying between Ba'albakk, Hims and Damascus, where there are
many villages and running waters in abundance. In this Bikd' is
the tomb of Iliyas (Elias)— peace be upon him I Mo.st of the
water here is from the springs at Ain al Jarr.'' (Yak., i. 699 ;
Mar., i. 165.)
Ibn Jubair notes in his 1 )iary : " Among the Mash-hads (shrinesX
which we did not see, but of which we were told, are the two
graves of Seth and Noah — peace be on them both. They are in
the Bika', and two days' journey from Damascus. One who
measured the tomb of Shith (Seth), reported to us that it was 40
fathoms {ba') long, and the tomb of Xilh (Noah) was 30. The
tomb of Noah's son lies side by side with that of Noah. There is
a building over the tombs, and an endowment for charitable
purposes.'' (I. J., 283.)
BiKiNNis.— " A village of the Balka Province in Syria." (Yak.,
*- 702 ; Mar., i. 166.)
KiSRAiL, OR BiKizRAiL. — " A fortress on the coast of the
Province, opposite Jabalah. It stands on a mountain."
, i. 706 ; Mar., i. 167.)
BIR AS SAB\—AL BISHR, 423
1>Ir As Sab' (Beersheba). — "This is the well which Abraham
-- peace be on him ! — dug and built up." (Mar. in Yak., v. 14.)
Al Birah (i).— "A place lying between Jerusalem and
Nabulus ; it was laid in ruins by Saladin — as I myself have seen —
when he took it from the Franks." (Yak., i. 787 ; Mar., i. 189.)
This is probably the Beeroth of Joshua ix. 17.
Ai. Birah (2). — " A town near Sumaisat, between Halab and
the Greek Fortresses. It has a strong castle, with broad lands."
(Yak., i. 787 ; Mar., i. 188.)
Al Birah (3). — " A castle below Jisr Manbij on the Euphrates,
and a day's march from SarAj." (Mar., i. 189.)
"Al Birah," says Abu-1 Fida, "in the Kinnasrin Province, is
a high-built and strong castle on the north-east bank of the
Euphrates. It is impregnable. Near it is a valley called Widiaz
Zaitiln (the Valley of Olives), full of trees and springs. There is
a market here, and the districts round all belong to the town. Its
fort is built on the rock, and it is now (fourteenth century) one of
the fortresses of Islam against the Tartars. It is like a port on
the Euphrates, and lies about a march east of Kala'at ar Rum,
and west of Kala'at an Najm (or Jisr Manbij), and south-west of
Saruj." (A. F., 269.)
BiRKAT AL Khaizuran (The Bamboo Pool). — "A place in
the Filastin Province near Ar Ramlah." (Yak., i. 592 ; Mar., i.
M7-)
Birwah. — "Between Acre and Ddmftn," says Nasir-i-Khusrau,
** is the village named Birwah ; and I made my visitation of the
tombs, which are seen there, of 'Ish (Esau) andSham'un (Simeon)
— peace be on them both !" (N. Kh., 14.)
Ai. Bishr.— "The name of a mountain-chain stretching from
'Urd to the Euphrates, and towards the desert. In it are four
kinds of mines (or quarries). There are mines of liquid pitch
(called Al Kar) ; and of the red chalk (called Al Maghrah) ; and
of the clay {At Tin) from which they make the crucibles {bawdtik),
in which iron is melted. Lastly, there are sand-pits here, of the
sand of which they make the glass at Halab. This is a white
sand like the white-lead (called Asfidaj)^ (Yak., i. 631 ; Mar., i.
I55-)
m^mt
424 PALEST IS E USDER THE MOSLEMS,
BiTYAS. — "* A \'i]Iage not far from the gate of Halab (Aleppo),
^Krlween An Nairab and Babilla. There was at this place the
palace of a certain Amir of Halab. called 'Ali ibn 'Abd al ^f alik
ibn Salih ;. but both \-illage and palace are now in ruins," (Vak.,
i. 667 ; Mar., i. 160.)
Al Budai'. — " Said to lie a mountain, black of appearance, in
S>Tia, sometimes identified with Jabal al Kiswah in the Ghautah
of Damascus. According to the tradition, this place is sanctified
in the words of Jesus, Son of Mar\' — peace l>e upon Him — who
said to the Ghautah of Damascus : * Ijci the rich be unable to
collect treasure there, so that the poor of this region may ever
be able to satisfy themselves with bread.' *' (Vak., i. 658 ; Mar., i.
'57.)
BuGHAiDiD (Little Baghdad). — '*A \-illage of Halab."
(Yak., i. 698; Mar., i. 174.)
Buk'. — ** A place in Syria l)elonging to the lands of the tribe of
Kail) ibn Wabrah." (Yak., i. 701 ; Mar., i. 166.)
BCka, or Bl'kah. — " Mentioned by Biladhuri as in the Antak-
iyyah District. It was built by the Khalif Hisham, who after-
wards fortified it." (Bil., 167 ; copied by Yak., i. 762 ; Mar., i.
181.)
BuKAs, OR BCka. — "A town lying between Halab and the
Frontier Fortresses (Ath Thughur) of Al Massissah. They often
drop the final i." (Yak., i. 761 ; Mar., i. 180.)
Bulunvas (Balanea, the Valanl\ of the Crusades, at
PRESENT CALLED Banivas. — ** A town On the coast of the
Province of Hims." (Yb., 112.)
" Bulunyiis," says Idrisi, "lies 4 miles from the sea. It is a
small but well-garrisoned city, having all sorts of fruits and grains
of excellent quality. It is very conveniently situated." (Id., 22.)
" Bulunyas is a small town and fortress in a district lying on the
coast-land of the Hims Province, and on the sea." (Yak., i. 729 ;
Mar., i. 172.)
"The city of Bulunyas," says Dimashki, "is a town that dates
Hebrew, Greek and Roman days. It has streams coming
iprings, and gardens that are among the wonders of the
,s of the coast towns ; for the borders of the gardens are
BURAK,-BUSRA, 425
washed by the very waves of the sea, and there are no enclosing
walls. The gardens are watered with sweet water. When one
looks out on the sea from these gardens, the sea is as a floor of
blue, with the gardens like a green border round it." (Dim., 209.)
Bulunyas lies 4 miles from the sea ; thence to Al Markab (Id.)
is 8 miles; and to Jabalah (Id.) is 10 miles.
BuRAK. — '*A village lying a league from Halab (Aleppo).
Many of the people of Halab have told me there is here a place
of prayer, to which if a person with a chronic sickness do go and
l)ass the night, he will see (in sleep) one who will say to him,
* Thy healing will consist in so and such a thing.' Or, peradven-
ture, he will see a person who will touch with his hand the sick
I^art. This belief is much spread among the people of Halab,
but Allah alone knows if it be true." (Yak., i. 537 ; Mar., i. 136.)
BuRj (The Tower of) Ibn Kurt. — " A tower lying between
the l^banon, and Bulunyas, and Marakiyyah. 'Abd Allah ibn
Kurt ath Thumali, the Governor of Hims, was slain here by the-
(jrceks." (Yak., i. 549; Mar., i. 139.)
Burj ar Rasas (The Lead Towner). — "A castle, possessing
much territory, belonging to Halab, and not far from Antakiyyah."
(Yak., i. 849; Mar. i. 139.)
Burkah Ajwal. — **A place in the Jaulan." (Yak., i. 576;
Mar., i. 146.)
The name ** Burkah " is applied to a land full of stones and
sand ; and means "a hard gravelly plain."
BusAK. — " A pass ('Akabah) between the Tih (Desert of the
Wanderings) and Ailah. It is thence you descend to Ailah."
(Yak., i. 610; Mar., i. 152.)
Busr. — " The name of a village in the Haurin Province of
Damascus. It is situated in a district called Al Liji (the Tra-
chonitis), and is at the difficult part of the road that passes beside
Zurrah, the place which is vulgarly called Zura'ah (or Zuru').
There is here the shrine (Mash-had), as it is said, of Joshua
(Al Yusa*) the prophet. Also the tomb of Shaikh al Hurairi, and
his cloister." (Yak., i. 621 ; Mar., i. 153.)
BusRA (BozRAH, OR Bostra). — ** The capital of the HaurSn
Province." (Yb., 113.)
426 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
According to Mukaddasi, Busra was " noted for its vineyards
(Muk,, 151.)
" Busra," says Yakiit, "is the place whither the Prophet can
(in his youth) with merchandise. It is the capital of the Hauiii
and celebrated among the ancient Arabs. It was conquered wil
the rest of the Hauran by Khalid, in a.h. 13." (Yak., i. 654
Mar., i. 157.)
** Busra," writes Abu-1 Fidi, " is the chief city of the Haura
District. It is very ancient. It is all built of black stone, and i
buildings are roofed with the same. It has a market and a Frida
Mosque, and lies in the lands of the Bani P'azarah and the Bai
Murrah, and other tribes. There is here a castle, very strong!
built, somewhat resembling that of Damascus. There are garder
round the town. It lies 4 marches from Damascus, and alx)i
16 miles to the east of it is Sarkhad." (A. F., 253.)
" Busra," says Ibn Batutah, *' is a small city, where the (Makkal
caravan stays four days. The great Mosque here is built on th
s|)ot where the Prophet alighted when he came hither." (I. B
i. 254.)
BuTNAX. — ** The name of a Wadi (valley) between Manbij an
Halab, a short march from either city. It has running strean
and many villages. The chief town is Buza'ah (see above, p. 406
This place, to distinguish it from others, is called Butnan Habil
after Habib ibn Maslamah al Fihri." (Yak., i. 664; ii. 200 ; Mar
Al Ik'VAiDAH.--" The name of a spring in the desert betwee
Halab and Tadmur (Palmyra)." (Yak., i. 805 ; Mar, i. 193.)
The name is a diminutive of Al Baida, the "White Spring."
Datjik. — "A village of the 'Azaz District lying 4 leagues froi
Halab (Aleppo). Near it is a green and i)leasant meadow, whei
the Omayyad troops encamped, when they made the celebrate
exi:)edition against Al Massissah, which was to have been continue
even to the walls of Constantinople. There is here the tomb <
the Khalif Sulaiman ibn 'Abd al Malik, who led the abov
expedition." (Yak., ii. 513; Mar., i. 381.)
Daiul. — " One of the villages of Ar Ramlah." (Yak., ii. 549
Mar., i. 390.)
DABUKJYYAH.'-DAIR'BALAD. 427
Daiiuriyyah. — "A small town near Tabariyyah, in the Jordan
Province." (Yak., ii. 546 ; Mar., i. 389.) The Biblical Daberath,
on the western slope of Mount Tabor.
Ai) Dafn. — "Said to be a place in Syria." (Yak., ii. 579 ; Mar.,
». 405-)
Dahik. — " A spring in the Batn as Sirr of the two Balkd
{'Ard Balkam) territories of Syria." (Yak., iii. 459 ; Mar.
ii. 177.)
Dair. — A convent, or monastery, where monks dwell.
Dair Aban. — ** A village of the Ghautah of Damascus." (Yak.,
ii. 639 ; Mar., i. 422.)
Dair al 'Adhari. — " Outside Halab is a place of this name,
among the gardens of the city ; but there is no monastery here
now, though perchance there was one of old times." (Yak.,
ii. 680 ; Mar., i. 436.)
Dair Ayya. — " A monaster)^ in Syria." (Yak., ii. 645 ; Mar.,
i. 424.)
Dair Avvub (The Mon.\stery of Joh). — "A village of the
Hauran, in the Damascus Province. This is where Job dwelt,
and where Allah tried him. There is here a spring, where (at
Allah's command — see Kuran xxxviii. 41) he struck with his feet
the rock that was over it (and the water gushed out). Job's tomb
also is here." (Yak., ii. 645 ; Mar., i. 424.)
This place is still much visited as a shrine, and lies not far from
Nawa.
Dair Ba'antal. — "A monastery, lying less than a mile from
Jusiyah, which is of the Hims District, and Jusiyah itself lies a
day's march from Hims, on the Damascus road. This Dair is on
the left of one going towards Damascus. There are here won-
drous remains, and among them a portico (azaj\ the doors of
which have images of the prophets cut and sculptured thereon.
There is also a temple {haikal\ paved with marble, so that the foot
cannot keep firm on it (for slipperiness). Also is seen here
a picture of (the Virgin) Mar)-, on a wall, and when thou
turnest aside, lo ! her eyes follow thee." (Yak., ii. 645 ; Mar.,
i. 425.)
Dair Balad. — "A place of the dependencies of Halab
428 PALESTISE USDER THE MOSLEMS.
(Alci)[)o). It overlooks a green plain, and there are monks h
who own the fields." (Yak., ii. 648 ; Mar., i. 426.) This was
the thirteenth century.
Dair al Halli.t (The Convent of the Oak). — "A village
the district round Ar Ramlah," (Yak., ii. 648; Mar., i 426.)
Dair Hassak.--" This is a fortress, and not a Christi
monastery, and it stands near Antakiyyah, in the Halab Provinc
(\'ak., ii. 647 ; Mar., i. 425.)
Dair IJaulus (Monastkrv of St, Paul). — "Dair Baulus is
the neighbourhood of Ar Kamlah." (Yak., ii. 649 ; Mar., i. 42
Dair Hawanna. — ** A convent in the (ihautah of Damasc
It lies in the pleasantest of spots, and was built by the Christifl
in ancient times. They even say it was built in the da)'s of 1
Messiah, or shortly after. It is a small convent, and has but f
monks living' there." (Yak., ii. 649; Mar., i. 426.) AVritten
the thirteenth century.
Dair r>i<HR. — *• A convent which stands near Hajira in t
(ihautah of Damascus." (Yak., ii. 647 ; Mar., i. 425.)
Daik ai. IUkht (The Convent of the Bactrian Came
--'* A convent lying 2 leagues from Damascus. It was ancien
called Dair Mikhail (the Convent of St. Michael), but when I
Khalif 'Al)d al Malik ibn Marwan took the habit of keeping
Hukht, or (Hactrian) Turkish camel ready saddled here, the nai
came to be altered. *Ali ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abbds — Allah acc(
him I - had a small garden here where he used to take his pleasur
(\'ak., ii. 646, 702 ; Mar., i, 425, 441.)
Dair Husra, or Dair Najran. — " The monastery at Bus
the capital of the Hauran ; where Bahira the monk lived, w
related the histories to the Prophet. It is a large monaste
and very wonderfully built." (Yak., ii. 647, 704; Mar., i. 4:
44I-)
Dair I'akhir. — " It is here that the Messiah received baptii
at the hand of John the Baptist." (A. H., O.xf. MS., folio 28,
The ruins of this convent are at the present day known as D
Mar Yuhanna. Idrisi, as early as 1152, writes: "On the bar
of the Jordan stands a magnificent church called after St. Jol
where the Greek monks dwell." (Id., 8.)
DAIR FUTRUS AND DAIR BAULUS,^DAIR KANUN, 429
** Dair FdkhOr, on the Jordan, is the place where the Messiah
was baptized by John the Baptist." (Y4k., ii. 683 ; Mar., i. 436.)
Dair Futrus and Dair Baulus (The Convents of SS. Peter
AND Paul). — '*Two monasteries," wTites YikOt in 1225, "lying
outside Damascus, in the Ghautah. They lie in a beautiful spot,
where there are fine gardens and trees and water. This place is
in the neighbourhood of the Bani Hanifah (lands)." (Yak., ii.
683 ; Mar., i. 437.)
Dair FIk. — " A convent behind 'Akabah (the Pass of) Fik,
which is the pass leading down (from the Jaulan) to the Ghaur (of
the Jordan). From the summit of the pass you can see across the
lake to Tabariyyah. The convent stands between the pass and
the lake on the mountain slope above the pass ; the place is cut
out of the rock, and is still (thirteenth century) inhabited by
monks. It is frequented by travellers, and is held in much
veneration by the Christians. The poet, Abu Nawwas, who
passed by this way, has mentioned the monastery in a poem
he wrote on a youth he saw here." (Yak., ii. 684 : Mar., i. 437.)
The ruins of the monastery still exist ; see Jaulan^ by G.
Schumacher, p. 180.
Dair Hafir, — "A village lying between Halab and Balis."
(Yak., ii. 653 ; Mar., i. 427.)
Dair Hind. — ** One of the villages of Damascus. It lies in
the Iklim (or district) of Bait al Abar." (Yak., ii. 710; Mar.,
i. 442.)
Dair Hanina. — " A place in the neighbourhood of Damascus.'*
(Yak., ii. 350 ; Mar., i. 325.)
Dair Hash i van. — " In the neighbourhood of Halab, in the
'Awasim Province.' (Yak, ii. 655; Mar., i. 427.)
Dair Ishak (Isaac's Convent).— "This lies between Hims
and Salamiyyah, and is a most pleasant and beautiful place.
Near the village is a large domain called Jadar." (Yak., ii. 643 ;
Mar., i. 423.)
Dair Kais. — " In the Ghautah of Damascus, in the Khauldn
(district)." (Yak., ii. 690 ; Mar., i. 438.)
Dair KanOn. — "In the neighbourhood oi Damascus." (Yak.,
ii. 684 : Mar., i. 436.) It lies east of 'Ain Fijah.
^^^^^m^^LJ— mM.m.^Lr^^F^^^KJB^:^ imi»^
430 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Dair Khalii), or Dair SalIba. — "A convent at Damasc:
opposite the Bab al Faradis ((iate of the Gardens). It is call
after Khalid ihn al Walid, who encamped here at the taking
Damascus. Ihn al Kalli, however, says the place lies a mile fn
Hal) ash Sharki (the Eastern Gate of Damascus)." (Yak., ii. 6;
674, and V. 20 : Mar., i. 428, 433.)
Dair al Khili.. — "A place near the YarmCik (river Hiei
max), where the Muslims were camped on the day of the gn
battle (there against the Greeks in a.d. 634; see p. 54)." (Yal
ii. 658 ; Mar., i. 428.)
Dair al Khisvan (The Convent of the Eunuch). — "In tl
Ghaur of the ]5alka, between Damascus and Jerusalem. It
called also Dair al Ghaur. It is named Dair al Khisyan bccau
when the Khalif Sulaiman ibn *Abd al Malik was once stoppii
here, he heard a man making boast of the beauty of one of 1:
(the Khalif's) slave-girls. 'I'he story is too long to relate, but tl
conclusion is, that the Khalif castrated him, and from th
incident the monastery takes its name." (Yak., ii. ^>57 ; Ma
i. 428.)
Dair al KurNAsiRAH. -".At Khunasirah, to the south
Halab." (Yak., ii. 657 ; Mar., i. 428.)
Dair M\r Ma'Cth. — ** A convent," writes Yakut in 1225, "<
the western bank of the Euphrates, not far from Manbij. It is
most pleasant place, only that there are now but few buildings h
standing here. The (Hadawin) Arabs have a license of protect i<
over it. There live here a company of monks, who cultivate tl
lands round, growing fields of beans and other crops. In i
chapel is a wonderful and beautiful picture, mentioned by the po
Al Kindi." (Vak., ii. 700 ; Mar., i. 440.)
Dair Markts (Convent of St. Mark). — "In the distri
of .\1 Jazr of the Halab Province." (Yak., ii. 699 ; Mar.,
440.)
Dair Mar.\t Marutha. — "A monastery," writes Yakdt, "th
stood on the slope of Jabal Jaushan, overlooking the city
Halab and Al 'Awajan. It is of small size. It was also call<
Al Bai'atain (the Two Churches), because it contained two
these edifices, one for the men, and another for the wome
DAIR MAS-HAL, OR MASJAL.—DAIR MURRAN. 431
There is no trace of these now (thirteenth century), but in their
place is a Mash-had (or oratory), recently built to the honour of
Husain, the son of *Ali, who was seen here by certain of the
Shi^ahs. This shrine existed in Saif ad Daulah's time, who spent
much money here, and raised some fine buildings round it."
(Yak., ii. 691 ; Mar., i. 439.)
Dair Mas-hal, or Masjal. — " A place between Hims and
Ba'albakk. It is mentioned in the histories of the conquest."
(Yak., ii. 702 , Masjal^ in Mar., i. 441.)
Dair Mimas. — "A convent," writes YdkOt in 1225, "lying
between Damascus and Hims, on the Nahr Mimds (the upper
waters of the Orontes). There is here a Mash-had (or oratory) of
the Christians. It is a most pleasant spot. According to what
the Christians say, here is seen the tomb of one of the disciples of
Jesus — peace be on Him ! The monks say the tomb cures sick
persons." (Yak., ii. 702 ; Mar., i. 441.)
Dair Mughan. — "At Hims," writes YakCit in 1225, "lying
among the ruins of the Bani as Simt quarter, and under the hill
called after them. It is a monastery much honoured by the
Christians, and of great renown. There are numerous monks
here. The earth of this place is made into seals, used as talismans
against scorpion-stings ; these are carried into all countries (see
above, p. 353). The Christians have also a place near here
which they hold in high veneration." (Yak., ii. 702 ; Mar., i.
44'-)
Dair al Muhalla. — "A convent near Al Massissah, on the
banks of the Jaihin River, It overlooks gardens and lands bear-
ing fruit-trees and flowers." (Yak., ii. 695 ; Mar., i. 440.)
Dair Muhammad. — "In the neighbourhood of Damascus. It
is named after Muhammad, the son of the Khalif Al Walid ibn
*Abd al Malik. It lies near Al Manihah, of the Iklim (District) of
Bait al Abar." (Yak., ii. 695 ; Mar., i. 439.)
Dair Murrax (i). — "A monastery near Damascus," writes
Yakfit, in 1225, "on a hill overlooking fields of saffron and many
beautiful gardens. It is built of plaster, and the greater part of it
is paved with coloured stones. It is a large monastery, and there
are in it many monks. In its chapel (haikal) is a wonderful picture
I-
•r
■
i; ■
432 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
of exquisite workmanship. All round the monastery are ti
(Yak., i. 696 ; Mar., i. 440.)
^. Dair Murran (2). — "A hill overlooking Kafar Tib,
i' ' Ma'arrah. Near here, as it is said, is the tomb of the ¥
^ 'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz, which is still greatly visited at the pr
time (thirteenth century)." (Idem.)
Dair an NakIrah. — "A convent on a hill near Ma*a
They say there is here the tomb of the Khalif 'Omar ibn
al 'Aziz, but the truth is, the tomb is at Dair Sam'an, as
be mentioned below (p. 433, and see above, Dair Mm
There is shown here the tomb of the Shaikh Abu Zakari
Yahya al Maghribi, which is much visited." (Yak., ii. 704 ; ]
i. 441.)
Dair Rumamin (The Convent of the Pomegranates)
Dair as Saban. — **A convent lymg between Halab and >
J; kiyyah. It overlooks the plain of Sarmad, and was of old a
* and fine monastery, but it is now (1225) a ruin, though some ;
] ;{ still remain standing. The name Dair as Saban they explai
! ; signifying in the Syrian tongue * Dair ash Shaikh,' the Convei
J the Shaikh." (Yak., ii. 662, 666 ; Mar., i. 430.)
j Dair ar Rusafah. — "A convent in the city of Ruj
* Hisham," writes Yakut in 1225, **on the western bank oi
Euphrates, and in the desert, a march from Rakkah. I, Yi
Hi have seen this monastery, and it is a wonder of beauty as reg
,( its building. I have heard that the Khalif Hisham built his
to be near this monastery, and that it existed before his t
' There are monks in it and religious men. It stands in
middle of the town of Rusafah." (Yak., ii. 660 ; Mar., i. 429
^ J, Dair Sahur. — "A place in the neighbourhood of Damai
?"ij in the Khaulan Iklim (District). It was of old inhabited b)
'i'i families of the Omayyad Khalifs." (Yak., ii. 666; Mar., i. 4
I Dair as SALtBA (i). — See above, p. 430, Dair Khdlid.
Dair as SaiJba (2). — "A village of Halab (Alepjx)), in
district of Al Ahass." (Mar. in Yak., v. 20.)
Dair ash Shaikh, or Dair Tall 'Azaz. — ** In the \
District ; it is a pleasant town lying some five leagues i
Halab." (Yik., ii. 673 ; Mar., i. 433.)
DAIR SHAMWIL, OR MAR SAMWIL.^DAIR SIM'AN. 43^
Dair ShamwIl, or Mar SamwIl (The Convent of Samuel).
— Mukaddasi describes this place in the following anecdote :
'^ I have heard my maternal uncle, 'Abd Allah ibn ash Shawi,
relate that a certain Sultan, having a mind to take possession of
the Dair (or monastery) of Shamwil — which is at a village lying
about a league from Jerusalem — spoke to the owner thereof, say-
ing, * Describe now to me thy country.' And the man answered
him : * My village — may Allah give thee aid — is of the heavens,
lying far above the lowlands ; poor in soft herbage, rich in oats ;
hard bread do you eat there, for of crops you enjoy no profitable
return ; tares gain the upper hand, and the almond even is bitter ;
the husbandman sows a bushel of com, and reaps but the same ;
this Holy Place, however, is well provided with pits.' And the
Sultan cried : * Be gone with thee ! for we will have naught to do
with thy village.'" (Muk., 188.) This is the village called at
the present day Nabi Samwil, lying north of Jerusalem.
** Mar Samwil, or Maran Samwil," says Yak(it, " is a small town
m the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Mar in Syriac signifies Al
Kass, * the priest,' and Sanmni is the name of a man of the
Doctors of the Law." (Ydk., iv. 391 ; Mar., iii. 29.)
Dair Sim'an (i) (Convent of St. Simeon). — Mas'Cidi, writing
in the year 943 a.d., states that " The Khalif 'Omar ibn 'Abd al
'Aziz died in the year loi (719), and was buried at Dair Sim'an, in
the Hims Province, near Kinnasrin. His tomb is still to be seen
here, and is much visited by the townsmen and Badawin Arabs.
And it was not desecrated, as were the tombs of the other
Omayyads (at the accession of the Abbasides)." (Mas., v. 416.)
" Dair Sim'an," says YdkCit,! in the thirteenth century, " is a
monastery in the neighlx)urhood of Damascus, a most pleasant
place, w^th gardens and habitations and palaces. It is said that
the Khalif 'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz was buried here, but the tomb
has l>een ruined, and nothing now remains."
The author of the Mardsid^ however, writing in 1300, remarks on
the foregoing : " It is well known that the Khalif 'Omar ibn 'Abd al
'Aztz died in the neighbourhood of Halab. He had camped there,
and he died (between Halab and) Al Ma'arrah. Near Ma'arrah an
Nu'man is a tomb known to be his, and very celebrated. It lies
28
434
PALESTISE USDER THE MOSLEMS.
close to the rilbge of An Nakirah, and there was a monastf
here, but it js now mined. I asked several of the people he
and they told me that the Khalif'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz «
buried at Dair an Nakirah. Further, Dair Sitn'dn is anott
monaster>- near by, but perhaps the monastery at An Nakirah •»
formerly called by this riame. Sim'Sn, from whom it takes
name, is Sham'fln as Safa (Simon the Pure), and perchance
built this monaster)', and then it was called by his name."
" Or else," sa\'s Yakut, " this Sim'Sn was one of the saints of t
Christians. Afler Sim'an are named a number of monasteric
as, for instance, the following." (Yik., i. 671 ; Mar., i. 432.)
Dair Sim'ax (2) (.^x St. Simeon's Harbour). — "In 1
neighbourhood of .■\ntioch, and lying on the sea. Ibn Butl
describes this about the year 443 (105 1) in his Epiitie as foUon
'Outside AntSkiyyah is Dair Sim'an, which, with its outlyi
grounds, is equal in size to half the city of the Khalife at Bagdi
The revenues of the lands yearly amount to several Kint
(quintals) of gold and siher, and they say the yearly income
400,000 Dinars (;^2oo,ooo). From this place you go up into 1
Jal>al al l.ukkam.'" (Yak., ii. 672.)
Dair Sim'an (3). — "Another monastery- of this same name
in the neighlxjurhood of Halab. Between the Jabal Bant 'Ub
and Al Jabal Al A'la." (Y^k., ii. 671.)
Dair at Tajali.a (Monastkhv of thk Trans ficuratio
OR Daik at T£r. — "The convent on Jabal at Tftr (Moi
Tabor). Here, as it is said, Jesus — peace be upon Him ! — 1
transfigured in the presence of His Disciples." (VSk., ii. 6^
Mar., i. 426.)
" It is also called Dair at Tur (The Convent of At Tflr
Tabor), and lies between Tabariyyah (Tilierias) and Al Lajj
(Legio), overlooking the Ghaur (of the Jordan) and the Marj
LajjOn (the Meadow of AJ Lajjiln, the Plain of Esdraelc
There is a plenteous spring of clear water gushing out at
monastery. The building stands on the south side (of the sumra
is built of stone. Round al»ut it are numerous vineyai
the produce of which they make wine. This At 1
or) is a high mountain, with a broad base and a round t
DAIR TUR SINA.—DAMUN. 435
which stands separate from all the surrounding hills. There is
only one road leading up (to the monastery). Here, according to
their sa3ring, the Messiah was transfigured before His Disciples,
after that He had come up thither in order that He might make
them witness the transfiguration. And they knew Him. The
people also from all sides sought Him, and remained there, and
drank (of the wine). The place has a fine view, and overlooks
Tabariyyah, and the Lake, and the surrounding country, also Al
Lajjfin." (Yik., ii. 675 ; Mar., i. 434.) The word 7)Jr means "a
high mount," and hence is applied to any very conspicuous hill.
A/ Tiirj " The Mountain," is, generally speaking, SinaL
Dair Tt>R SiNA (The Convent of Mount Sinai). — "This
monastery is also called the Church of At Tfir (Kanisah at Tiir).
It stands on the summit of Mount Sinai, and is the place where
the Fire shone forth to Moses before he lost consciousness. It is
built of black stone, and stands on the flank of the mountain.
The breadth of the walls is seven ells, and it has three iron gates.
To the west of it is a fine gate, before which a stone is set. This,
when they wish, they can raise up. Thus, when any (enemy)
arrives there, and is directed thereto, he finds the entrance shut.
No one can then discover the place of the gate. Within the
monastery is a spring of water, and there is also one outside. The
Christians say there is here a fire of the kind of the New Fire which
is at Jerusalem (see above, p. 208). This is lighted at the begin-
ning of every night. It is white, and of feeble heat, and does not
bum, but they are able to kindle the lamps therefrom. This
monastery is inhabited by monks, and the pilgrims sojourn here
who come to visit (Sinai)." (Yak., ii. 675 ; Mar., i. 434.)
Dair al WalId. — ** I know not where exactly this convent is,
but it is said to be in Syria." (Yak., ii. 705 ; Mar., i. 442.)
' Dair Zakka. — "A village of the Ghautah land round
Damascus." (Yak., ii. 665 ; Mar., i. 431.)
Da'iyah. — " An Iklim (or District) in the Ghautah of Damascus."
(Yak., ii. 338 ; Mar., i. 386.)
DamCn. — Visited by Nisir in 1047, ^^ writes : " From Birwah
(three miles east of Acre) we went on to Dimdn where there is a
small cavern. Here I made visitation, for they say it is the
28—2
436 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
sepulchre of l)hu1 Kifl — peace be upon him !" (N. Kb., 14.
The prophet Dhu*l Kifl, according to Muslim tradition, was th
son of the patriarch Job.
Dana. — " A village near Halab (Aleppo) in the 'Awasim Pre
vince, on the slopes of Jabal Lubnan (Lebanon). It is a ver
ancient place. Near it is a large platform {dikkah\ as wide as
Maidan (or horse -course), cut in the hillside, square, and levellec
At its centre is a dome, ^snthin which is a tomb, as of one of th
ancient 'Adites ; but of whom it is not known." (Yak., ii. 540
Mar., i. 386.)
Dana, lying on the road between Aleppo and Antioch, is ceK
brated for its curious necropolis. Among other rock-cut tombs i
a small blunted pyramid, said to date from the fourth centur)
which is probably the building to which Yakdt refers. (Se
Baedeker, Syria, p. 574)
Danith, or Danivath. — "A town of the Halab District
lying between Aleppo and Kafar Tib." (Yak., ii. 540 ; Mar
i. 387.)
Danwah. — " A village of Hims. The tomb of 'Auf ibn Malili
one of the Companions of the Prophet, is seen here." (Yak
ii. 611 ; Mar., i. 412.)
Rabad ad Darain (The Suburb of the Two Habitation.s]
— ** One of the suburbs of Halab (Aleppo).*' (Yak., ii. 537 ; Mar
i. 386.)
Daravvah, or Daravva. — Ibn Jubair writes in his Diary :
"We left Damascus on Thursday, the 5th of the mont
Jumadi H., which is the 13th September (1185), with a gren
caravan of merchants, who were going with merchandise to Acn
and that night reached Darayyah, a village belonging to Damascw
and about a league and a half distant" (I. J., 302.)
** Dirayya," says Yakfit, " is a large village belonging t
Damascus, in the Ghautah." (Yak., ii. 536 ; Mar., i. 385.)
Darbasak (Turbessel of the Crusades). — "A village in th
Kinnasrtn District, with a high castle, where there are springs an
gardens. The surrounding country is very fertile. At Darbasa
is a Friday Mosque. To the east lie broad meadows covere
with green crops, through which the river called theNahralAswa
DA RKUSH.—DHANA BA H. 437
flows. Darbasik lies north, and somewhat east, of Baghras, and
about 10 miles distant. East of Darhasik is Yaghra, about a
march distant. It is a town whose inhabitants are Christians, and
mostly fishermen. The road from (Southern) Syria to Darbasdk
and Baghras passes through Yaghri." (A. F., 261.)
Darkush. — "A fortress near Antakiyyah, in the 'Awisim Pro-
vince." (Yak., ii. 569 ; Mar., i. 399.)
BuRj AD Darrajivyah. — " This tower (Burj) stands above the
Bab TOma (Gate of St. Thomas) at Damascus. It was called
after Ibn Darraj, a freedman of the Khalif Mu'awiyah. He was
a scribe of (Government) epistles." (Yak., ii. 561 ; Mar., i. 396.)
Ad Darum (Daroma of the Crusades). — Mukaddasi, in 985,
states that Ad DirQm was " the name of the territory round Bait
Jibril (Eleutheropolis)." (Muk., 174.)
"Ad Dardm," says Yakiit, "is a castle that you pass after
leaving Ghazzah on the road towards Egypt. It stands about a
league from the sea, which you can see from thence. It was dis-
mantled by Saladin when he took possession of this place, with
the remainder of the coast towns, in 584 (1188)." (Yak., ii. 525 ;
Mar., i. 385.)
The Crusading historians — William of Tyre, and Jacque
de Vitry — imagined the name Daroma, Ad DarOm, to mean
Domus Graecorum, deriving it from Ddr ar Rdm^ which has that
signification. This is a mistake ; Darom in Hebrew means the
" South Country." The name exists at the present day as
I )eiran.
Dari^ma. — " One of the cities of Lot, in the Filastin Province,
or, maybe, merely a variation of Ad Dirfim, given above." (Yak.,
ii. 525; Mar., i. 385.)
Dathin. — "A territory near Ghazzah, in the Filastin Province.
A battle took place here in the year 12 (633), between the Greeks
and the Muslims, and the Muslims conquered." (Yak., ii. 514;
Mar., i. 381.)
DhadhIkh. — "A village in the District of Halab (Aleppo),
near Sarmin." (Yak., ii. 716 : Mar., i. 445.)
Dhanabah (i). — "One of the Districts of Damascus." (Yak.,
ii. 724 ; Mar., i. 449.)
438 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Dhanabah (2). — " A place in the Balka Province." (Idem.)
DhAt ar Rumh (Possessed of Lances). — " A village of Syria."
(Yak., ii. 816; Mar., i. 482.)
Dhibyan. — " A frontier village of the Jordan Province, in the
part towards the Balkl" (Yak., ii. 717; Mar., i. 445.) Modem
D!bin, the Dibon of Numbers xxi. 30, where the celebrated
Moabite Stone was discovered.
Adh Dhinab. — "A place in Syria." (Mar., i. 448.)
DhO Daf! r (The Banded). — " A mountain in Syria." (Yak.,
iii. 475 ; Mar., ii. 184.)
DhO-l Farwain. — *The name of certain mountains in Syria.'
(Yak., iii. 886 ; Mar., ii. 350.)
Ad Dikkah (The Platform). — " A place outside Damascus
in the Ghautah ; but Allah alone knows in which direction."
(Yak., ii. 581 ; Mar., i. 406.)
Ad DiMAS (The Crypt). — " A high place in the centre of the
town of Ascalon, near the Jami* Mosque, to which you must
ascend. There are many pillars here." (Yak., ii. 712; Mar., i.
443. See also above, p. 368.)
DiYAF. — " A village of Syria, though some count it as of Meso-
potamia. Its people are Nabathaeans of Syria. It is also said to be
of the Hauran District, near Sarkhad" (Yak., ii. 637 ; Mar., i. 420.)
DCban. — "A village in the Jabal 'Amilah (Mountains of
Galilee), in Syria, near Sdr (Tyre)." (Yik., iL 614; Mar., L 413.)
DulCk. — " A small town of the 'Awasim Province in the Halab
District." (Yak., ii. 583 ; Mar., i. 407.)
DuMAiR. — " One of the villages of the Ghautah (Land round)
Damascus. It faces the entrance of the Thaniyyat al 'Ukab (the
Eagle's Pass). In the mosque here is a tall palm-tree." (Yik., iii.
481 ; Mar., ii. 186.)
DuMMAR. — "'Akabah Dummar (the Pass of Dummar), over-
hangs the Ghautah of Damascus on the Ba'albakk side, north of
the city." (Yak., ii. 587 ; Mar., i. 408.)
Ad Dt>R. — "A village near Sumaisat (on the Euphrates)."
(Y^., ii. 616 ; Mar., i. 414.)
Fadhava. — " A village of Damascus." (Ydk., iii. 859 ; Mar., ii
338.)
FAHL.—AL FARADIS. 439
Fahl (1) (Pella). — "A town in the Jordan Province Its
population is half Greek, half Arab." (Vb., 115; written in
891 A.D.)
" Fahl, or Fihl," says Yikfit, " is the place in Syria where the
great battle was fought between the Muslims and the Greeks in
the first year after Damascus was taken. Of the Greeks 80,000
were slain. The battle is known as the * Day of Fahl,' or the
* Day of Baisan,' also as Vaum or Radaghah^ * the Day of Mire.' "
Yikut adds : " I think Fahl is a foreign name, for I find no
meaning for it in the Arabic tongue." (Y4k., iii, 853 ; Mar., ii.
336.)
Fahl (2). — " The name also of a mountain belonging to the
Jabal Hudhail. From this mountain runs down a wadi, which is
called Shajwah, the lower part of which is in the territory of the
Bani Omayyah, and lies in the Jordan Province near Tabar-
iyyah." (Yik., iii. 853 ; Mar., ii. 336.)
FaltOm. — " A fortress built by Solomon, son of David — peace
be on them both !" (Yak., iii. 908 ; Mar., ii. 360.)
Al Fanduk (i). — "A place in the Thughfir (or Frontier Fort-
resses), near Al Massissah. The word Fanduk in Syria is
equivalent to Khan (or Caravanserai)." (Yilc, iii. 918 ; Mar., ii.
365.)
Fanduk (2). — " Also the name of a village near Damascus, in
which there is a Fanduk (or Caravanserai).*' (Mar. in Y^k.,
V. 26.)
Al Faradhiyyah. — "A large village in which is a mosque,
where they preach the Friday sermon. There are found here
grapes, and vineyards abound. The water is plentiful, and the
country round is pleasant." (Muk., 162.) Situated between Acre
and Tiberias.
Al FaradIs (i). — "The plural of Firdds, meaning The Para-
dises or Gardens. It is a Greek (or, rather, a Persian) word
adopted into Arabic. At Damascus at the present day there is a
large quarter of the city, after which one of the town gates is called,
which goes by the name of Faridis. The people of Syria very
often call vineyards and gardens by the name of FirdCls." (Yilc,
iii. 862 ; Mar., ii. 340.)
I
440 PALESTISE CSDER THE MOSLEMS.
Al F-VR-\Dis (2). — "A place near Halab, lying between 1
, Pbin of Khusaf and the I.ands of the Bani Tai, in the Kinnas
I DistricL" (VaL, iil 863 : Mar., ii. 340.)
i Farad'is (3). — Xasir-i-Khusrau writes in his Diary:
'i "A couple of leagues from Jerusalem is a place where diere
four villages, and there is here a spring of water, with numer
i gardens and orchards, and it is called Faradis (or the Paradis<
t on account of the beauty of the spot'' (N. Kh., 53.) This
the ancient Herodium in the Wadi Urtas, at the present <
known as *' Frank Mountain." The word Ur/as is probabl
A corruption of ffortuSy which has the same meaning as Fird&s,
FAran AhrCn (Paran of Aaron). — "This district lies
♦ miles from Al Kulzum, and along the sea -coast The city
Farin stands at the bottom of a gulf (/tin). It is a small to
where certain of the Arabs of those parts have their campi
ground. Over against Faran is a place where the sea has fom
a l)ay, and beside it is a mountain of ver)' hard rock. The wat
,' ; surge round this and encircle it, and when the winds rise,
passage thereof is difficult, and no one can accomplish it, exc
{ with great effort. Travellers are frequently lost there, unl
(- Allah save and guard them. According to the common sayi
it. this is the sea wherein Pharaoh — Allah curse him I — wasdrownc
ii'- (Id., 2.)
i( " Faran," says Yakut, " is the place mentioned in the Books
Moses in the words (Deut. xxxiii 2): 'The I^rd came fr
Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them ; He shined forth fr
Mount Paran." Sa*ir (Seir) is the mountain of Filastin where
Gospels were revealed to Jesus." (Yak., iii. 834: Mar., ii. 328
j| Farbava. — " One of the villages of ^\skaldn (Ascaloi
, (Yak., iii. 867 ; Mar., ii. 341.)
]! Fava. — " A large district (KOrah) between Manbij and Ha
\. It belongs to Manbij, and lies to the south of it near the W
Butnin. There are many populous villages here, and gard<
1} and many waters." (Yak., iii. 849 ; Mar., ii. 334.)
Al FO'ah. — ** A large village in the neighbourhood of Ha
From it the convent called Dair FQ'ah takes its name." (Yak.,
923 : Mar., ii. 368.)
AL FULAH.'-GHAZZAH, 441
" Al FCi'ah," says Abu-1 Fida, " is a celebrated town, situated, as
also Ma'arrah Masrin and Sarmin, in the Plain of Aleppo. Al
F(i ah lies a day's march south of Halab. On this plain are
grown quantities of olive and fig and other trees." (A. F., 231.)
Al FClah (The Bean). — "A town of the Filastin Province."
(Yak., iii. 924 ; Mar., ii. 368.) This is the Crusading Castle of
Faba. It lies between the modern Zera'in (Jezreel) and Nazareth.
Al Funaidik (The Little FandOk, or Caravanserai). —
** One of the Dependencies of Halab. It is called at the present
day Tall as Sultan (the Hill of the Sultan) ; between it and Aleppo
is a distance of 5 leagues." (Yak., iiL 920 ; Mar., ii. 366.)
Funaidik Damavah. — "A village belonging to and lying
among the hills of Nabulus." (Mar. in \'ak., v. 26.)
FuRKULUS. — " A spring near Salamiyyah in Syria. The name
is foreign, nor Arabic." (Yik., iii. 881 ; Mar., ii. 348.)
Ghaba, — "A place in Syria." (Y'ak., iii. 770 ; Mar., ii. 300.)
Ghabaghib. — " A village in the nearer districts of the Haur^n,
6 leagues from Damascus." (Yak., iii. 771 ; Mar., ii. 300.)
Ghainah. — "A place in Syria." (Yak., iii. 832 ; Mar., iL 327.)
Ghamiyyah. — " A village near Hims." (Yak., iii. 769 ; Mar.,
ii. 300.)
Al Ghamr. — "There is water here, and a palm-grove; all
round it lies a sand waste, but when you dig near here, there
gushes forth sweet water in plenty. Al Ghamr lies 2 marches
north of Ailah, and from Al Ghamr to At Tulail is 2 marches
likewise." (Muk., 253.) In "Ghamr" M. Clermont-Ganneau
would see the name of Gomorrah. It is marked 'Ain Ghamr on
the maps.
GHAStJLAH. — " A caravan station and a Khan, between Hims
and Kara, lying i day from Hims." (Yak., iii. 802 ; Mar., ii.
313-)
G HATH AH. — " A village of the Hauran of the Damascus Pro-
vince." (Yak., iii., 775 ; Mar., ii. 302.)
Ghawah. — " A mountain, or, on other authority, a village, of
Syria ; and it is said to be a village near Halab." (Yak., iii. 770 ;
Mar., ii. 300.)
Ghazzah (Gaza). — " A city of Palestine on the sea-coast. It
442 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Stands on the limit of the Third Climate. There is here the
grave of Hashim ibn 'Abd Manif." (Yb., 1 1 7.)
*Hihazzah," say Al Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, "is one of the
last towns belonging to Palestine towards Egypt, in the Jifir
Country. The tomb of Hashim ibn *Abd Manif is here, and it
was the birthplace of Muhammad ibn Idris ash Sha'fi'i (the Great
Doctor of the Law) ; he is buried at Fustat (Old Cairo). Here,
too, he who was afterwards the Khalif 'Omar ibn Al Khattib, in
the days of ignorance, grew rich ; for this place was a great
market for the people of the Hijjaz." (Is., 58; I. H., 113;
copied by A. F., 239.)
" Ghazzah,'* writes Mukaddasi, " is a large town lying on the
high-road into Egypt, on the border of the desert The city
stands not far from the sea. There is here a beautiful mosque,
also to be seen is the monument of the Khalif 'Omar ; further,
this city was the birthplace of (the great Traditionist) Ash-Shafi'!,
and it possesses the tomb of Hashim ibn 'Abd Manif (the great-
grandfather of the Prophet)." (Muk., 1 74).
" Ghazzah," says Idrisi in 1 1 54, " is to-day very populous, and
is in the hands of the (Greeks (Crusaders). The port of Ghazzah
is called TSda (or Taida)." (Id., 4.) YakAt and the author of
the Marasid add nothing to the foregoing about Ghazzah. (YiL,
iii., 799 ; Mar., ii. 312.)
Abu-1 Fida, after quoting Istakhri, says (thirteenth century) :
"Ghazzah is a city of medium size, possessing gardens by
the sea-shore. There are here a few palm-trees, also many fruitful
vines. Between it and the sea are sand dunes, which lie beside
the gardens. There is a small castle over Ghazzah." (A. F.,
239-)
Ghazzah was visited by Ibn BatQtah in 1355. He speaks of it
in his Diary as the first town of Syria coming from Egypt " It is
large and populous, and has many mosques. But there are no
walls round it.* There was here of old a fine Jimi' Mosque ; but
the one at present used was built by the Amir Jawili : this is well
built, and has a white marble pulpit" (I, B., i. 113.)
* The walls were dismantled after Richard Coeur de Lion's peace with
Saladin in 1 193.
GHUNTHUR.—AL HADATH. 443
From Ghazzah to 'Askalin (Is., I.H.), is less than i march, or
(Id.) 20 miles ; to Damascus (Yak.), 8 marches ; to Rafh (Is.,
I.H., Muk., Id.), I march, or (I. Kh.) 16 miles ; to YazdCid
(Ashdod) (Is., I. H., Muk., Id), i march, or (I. Kh.) 20 miles \
to Ar Ramlah (Muk., Id.), i march; to Bait Jibril (Muk.), i
march.
Ghunthur. — " A wadi lying between Hims and Salamiyyah in
Syria. It is, I believe, a foreign name." (Yak., iii. 819 ; Mar.,
ii. 321.)
Ghurab. — **A well-known place near Damascus." (Yak., iii.
779; Mar., ii. 305.)
Ghurrab. — "A mountain on the frontiers before reaching
Syria, in the lands of the Bani Kalb tribe. Near it is a spring of
water called Ghurrabah." (Yak., iii. 783 ; Mar., ii. 306.)
Al HabIs. — " A castle in the plain of Damascus. It is called
Habis Jaldak." (Yak., ii. 201 ; Mar., i. 285.)
Hablah. — "A village near Ascalon." (Yak., ii. 198; Mar.,
i. 284.)
Hadas. — " A district and town in Syria, settled by the I^khm
tribe." (Yak., ii. 221 ; Mar., L 291.)
Al Hadath. — " Hisn al Hadath," says Biladhuri, " was con-
quered in the days of 'Omar by an expedition despatched by (the
Arab general) 'lyad ibn Ghanam. It was originally called Darb
al Hadath as Saldmah, that is, * The Road of the News of Safety,'
the name being of good augury, although many Muslims had been
taken prisoners here, and this was, in fact, the only * news ' the
people learnt The town was rebuilt by the Khalif al Mahdi after
having been destroyed by the Greeks during the troubles between
the Omayyad and Abbaside Dynasties. It was built with sun-
dried bricks, but the rains and snows seriously damaged the
building. Also the Greeks returned and burnt the Mosque. The
garrison consisted of 2,000 men from the fortresses of Mxdatyah,
Shimshat, Sumaisdt, Kaisiim, DuKik and Ra'bin. The Khalif
Hartin ar Rashid afterwards rebuilt and garrisoned Al Hadath."
(Bil., 189-191.)
" Al Hadath," say Istakhri and Ibn Haukal in 978, " is a small
town. Before our days it was taken by the Greeks. 'Ali Saif ad
4A1 FALSSTISE CSDER THE MOSLEMS.
I>i:-lih core :bciir»i icsaessKHi o£ rt, bat the Greeks returnee
i=c i sc'.-ico tzne :>2k :: rem the Maslimsw"' [A late epitom
cc Ibr. K^-iiil < ^rrk iid? : *" At^ this again the Muslims retoo
Al H2 ii:h uz-ier NLls "ic ibn Kili] Arslin the Saljuk ruler of Asi
Min«:r. :r the veir oc ihe Hijnh 545 < 1150H, and at this preser
diy :: 15 sr..! r. the bj.=C5 of the Muslims."] " Al Hadath ha
nel'isw irA ^Linv rejs ind fruits. It is a fortress which th
Musi:-- hr.i :n prrlscn xpinst the Greeksw But matters hav
all fallen c .;: ill : all blessinz trom Heaven is gone ; religion i
pervertec : the r^ers ire ziven to tyranny and the taking of th
weal'J: ■: f c :hers- The r»eor le also are rebellious.'' ( Is., 62 ; I. H
I20 : ■:?r:c'i in rart bv A F , 26 z.^
•^ Al Hadi'/n," Icrls: reports, -is a place the size of Mar*asb
It has well foninec walls, and markets, to which many come fc
merchandise and the necessities of life/' { Id., 27.)
" Al Hadith,'' says Yakut, " is a town with a strong castlt
lying ixrtween Malatyah, Sumaisat and Mar'ash, in the Thughi^
(or Frontier Srron/nolcs» It was dismantled by the Greeks, an<
rebuilt by Saif ad Daulah in 343 1954), having passed througl
many \-icissitudes. It was originally built under the Khalif a
Mahdi in the year 162 <779>. Al Hadath is sumamed Al Hamr
(the RedK because of the colour of the soil here. The casti*
stands on a mountain called Al Uhaidab." (Yak., iL 218 ; Mar., i
291.)
" Hadath al Hamra," says Dimashki, "is one of the fortresse
towards Mesopotamia. It was rebuilt by .\1 Mahdi, who called i
Al Muhammadi>*yah ; the Armenians call it Kaituk. The castL
stands on the spurs of the Lebanon, overlooking the sea. It ha
belonging to it broad lands, and more than a thousand villages.
(Dim., 2c8, 214.)
**A1 Hadath," writes Abu-1 Fida, "lies 78 miles from Anta
ki>yah, and 12 miles from the Ford of the Alide (Mukhidat a
Alawi), over the Jaihan." (A. F., 263.)
Al Hadath to Antakijyah (Is., I. H.,), 3 marches ; to Manbi
(Is., I. H., Id.), 2 days; to Hisn MansOr (Is., I. H., Id.), i lonj
day ; to Mar'ash (Is., I. H., Id.), i day.
Al Hadath is not marked on the maps of the present day^
HADHIRAH.—AL HAFFAH. 445
HADHfRAH. — "From A'bilin," writes Nisir in his Diary, **going
in a southerly direction, we came to a village called Hadhlrah ;
and opening to the west of this village is a valley. In this valley
is a spring of clear water gushing out from a rock, and over against
the spring and upon the rock they have built a mosque. In this
mosque are two chambers, built of stone, with the ceiling likewise
of stone ; the door of the same is so small that a man can only
enter with difficulty. Within there are two tombs, placed close
side by side, one of which is that of Shu'aib (Jethro) — peace be
upon him ! — and the other that of his daughter (Zipporah), who
was the wife of MCisi (Moses) — on him, too, be peace ! The
people of the village are assiduous in keeping the mosque and the
tombs swept clean, and in the setting here of lamps and other
such matters.*' (N. Kh., 15.)
The direction is, I think, mistaken, and we should read " east-
ward " from A'bilin. There are several places in these regions
north and west of Irbid (the next place Nasir visited) that have
at the present day the name of Hadhirah, HazOr, Hazireh, which,
meaning merely an "enclosure" — the Biblical Hazeroth— is ap-
plicable to many sites. The tomb of Shu'aib is now shown on
the mountain of Hattin, celebrated in tradition as the Mount of
the Beatitudes, and in history as the battle-field where the
Crusaders were defeated by Saladin.
HAdir Kalb. — * Anciently," writes YakOt, "a place outside
Halab (Aleppo), but at the present day (thirteenth century) it is a
suburb of that city, lying outside its walls like a town quarter. It
is an arrow-shot to the south-west. It is also called Hddir as
Sulaimaniyyah. Most of its inhabitants are Turkomans. There
is here a fine mosque, and bazaars where you find all you require.
It is also called Hadir Kinnasrin." (Yak., ii. 185 ; Mar., i.
281.)
A I. HadIthah. — " A village of the Ghautah of Damascus. It
is called also Hadtthah Jarash, or Jaras." (Yak., ii. 225 ; Mar.,
i. 292.)
Al Haffah. — "A district to the west of Halab (Aleppo), com-
prising many villages. The cloths called Haffiyyah come from
here, as it is said." (Yak., ii. 296 ; Mar., i. 311.)
446 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Hafir. — "A village lying between Balis and Halab. The
convent of Dair Hifir belongs to it." (Yak., ii. 187 ; Mar., i. 281.'
HafIr. — " A stream of the Jordan Province. Along its banks
are the lands of the Bani al Kain ibn Jasr (tribe)." (Yak., ii. 296 ;
Mar., i. 311.) Probably the stream flowing from the present
spring of El Hafireh, near the ruins of Dothin, the Biblical
Dothan, where Joseph was sold by his brethren.
Haifa. — Nisir-i-Khusrau writes in his Diary : " Leaving Acre,
we went on to a village called HaifH, the road all the way lying
over the sands, the sand here being of the kind that the goldsmiths
of Persia make use of in their business, which is known under th(
name of * Makkah sand.* This village of Haifl lies on the sea
shore, and there are here palm-gardens and trees in numbers
There are in this town shipbuilders, who build very large craft
The sea-going ships of this place are known under the name o
*Jiidi.'" (N. Kh., 19.)
"Haifll," Idrisi reports, "lies under the promontory of A
Kirmil (Mount Camiel), which is a headland running out intoth<
sea. There is here a fine harbour for the anchorage of galley;
and other vessels. Haif^ is the port for Tiberias." (Id., 1 1.)
" Haifa is a port on the coast of Syria, not far from Y&fah. I
remained in Muslim hands till it was taken by Kundufri (Godfrej
de Bouillon), who conquered Jerusalem in 494 (iioi), and i
remained in the hands of the Christians till Saladin retook it ii
573 ('i77)» 2i"d dismantled it. Kasr (the Castle of) HaifE is s
place lying between Haif^ and Kaisariyyah." (Yak., ii. 381
iv. no; Mar., i. 333.)
Haifi to Kaisariyyah (Id.), 2 days ; to Tabariyyah (Id.), shor
3 marches ; to 'Akki, by land (Id.), 30 miles, or i march ; an<
by sea 1 8 miles.
HailAn. — "One of the villages of Halab. There rises at thi
place a copious fountain of water, which runs down to Aleppc
It is carried into the city by underground channels (Kanit), whicl
divide up and pass into the Jami' Mosque, and also into most c
the other parts of the city." (Yak., ii. 382 ; Mar., i. 333.)
Hajar adh Dhahab (Gold-stone). — "The name of a quarte
of Damascus." (Yak., ii. 213 ; Mar., i. 290.) (See above, p. 238.
HAJAR SHUGHLAN.-^HALHUL, 447
Hajar Shughlan. — "A fortress," writes YakOt, " in the Jabal
(or Mountain Chain of) al Lukkdm, near Antikiyyah, which over-
hangs the lake of Al Yaghri. The place belongs (1225) to the
Templars (Ad Dawiyyah), a sect of the Franks, who shut them-
selves up here, and at times sally forth to slay the Muslims. They
avoid marriage, and are an order of monks and knights." (Yak.,
ii. 214 ; Mar., i. 290.)
Haj!ra. — " A village of the Ghautah of Damascus. The tomb
of Mudrak ibn Ziyad, the Companion of the Prophet, is seen here."
(Yak., ii. 216; Mar., i. 290.)
Thk Hajj (or Pilgrim) Road. — "The Hajj road." says
Ya'kQbt, " through Palestine from Damascus to Makkah, lies over
rugged and difficult hills as far as Ailah, whence you go to Madyan.
At this place comes in the Pilgrim Road from Egypt and the
West." (Yb., 117.)
Hakl. — " A place 16 miles before reaching Ailah. Or, it is
said, a village close beside Ailah on the sea-shore." (Yak., ii. 299 ;
Mar., i. 312.)
Hakla. — " A village in the neighbourhood of Halab (Aleppo)."
(Yak., ii. 298 ; Mar., i. 312.)
Halab (Aleppo). — See above, p. 360.
Kafar Halab. — **A village belonging to Aleppo." (Yak., ii.
315-)
Halab a.s Sajur. — " A place in the neighbourhood of Halab.
It is mentioned in the histories of the first (Muslim) conquest."
(Idem.) -
Halfabalta. — " One of the villages of Damascus. Near it is
seen the tomb of Kann^., the Companion of the Prophet." (Yak.,
ii. 316 ; Mar., i. 314.)
HalhCtl. — "A village," writes 'AH of Herat, "in which is the
tomb of YQnis ibn Matti (Jonah, son of Amittai)." (A. H., Oxf.
MS., folio 42.) This is the Halhul of Josh. xv. 58.
" HalhQl lies between Jerusalem and Hebron," says Yakiit.
(Yak., ii. 316.) The author of the Mardsid copies both the fore-
going paragraphs. (Mar., i. 314.)
Mujir ad Din writes : " Halhdl, not far from Hebron, and on
the road to Jerusalem, is the burial-place of YAnis. The mosque
44S PALESTISE USDER THE MOSLEMS.
and minaret seen here were built in 623 (1226). Matta, thefathe
of Vunis, is buried not far off at the village of Bait Amur. H
was a just man, and of the family of the Prophets." (M. a. D., 142.
Hamir. — *' A district between Manbij and Ar Rakkah on th
Euphrates." (Vak., ii. 1S7 : Mar., i. 282.)
HammCrivvah.- **A village of the Ghautah of Damascus.
(Vak., ii. 340; Mar., i. 321.)
Ai. Hamra(The Red). — "The name of a fortress in the neigh
bourhood of Jerusalem.** (Yak., ii. 333 ; Mar., i. 319.) A
Hamra is also the surname of W Hadath ; see p. 444.
HAxnrrHA. — ** .\ village of Maarrah an Nu'min." (Yak., ii
347 ; Mar., i. 324.)
Hanixa. — ** Said to l>e a village in the Kinnasrin Province.
(Yak., ii. 350 ; Mar., i. 325.) See also Dair Hanina, p. 429.
Hanjar. — ** A district belonging to the Bani 'Amir tribe, 11
the Province of Kinnasrin. The name is sometimes writtei
Khanjar." (Yak., ii. 347 ; Mar., i. 324.)
Haras r A (i). — ** A large and populous village lying in tb
midst of gardens, rather more than a league from Damascus 01
the Hims road.'* (Yak., ii. 241 ; Mar., i. 296.)
Harasta al Maxtharah (2), (Harasta of the Outlcx)k).—
** The name of another viUage of Damascus, in the Ghautah U
the eastward." {Idem,)
Har.\sta (3).— The name of a village of the District of Ra'ban
of the Halab Province. There is a fort here, and water in plenty.'
(Idem.)
HiSN al Harbadah, or Al Harvadah. — "A populous towi
and fortress, rich in lands bearing crops. In the town are store<
goods and merchandise in quantities. Thence to Al Ladhikiyyal
is 18 miles, and to Hisn as Suwaidiyyah is 15 miles." (Id., 23.
Al Haryadah is the spelling given by Kudamah.
Harbah. — "Said by Al Bakri to be a place in Syria." (Mar.
i- 295-)
Harbanafsa. — " A village of Hims." (Yak., ii. 233 ; Mar.
i. 294.)
HarbanCsh. — ** A village of Al Jazr, one of the Districts 0
Halab (Aleppo)." Yak., ii. 233 ; Mar., i. 294.)
HARIB.^AL HARUNIYYAH, 449
Harib. — " A district of the Haurdn of Damascus, near Marj as
Suffer, in the lands of the Kud^'ah tribe." (Yak., ii. 183 ; Mar.,
i. 280.)
Al Harith. — " A village of the Hauran near Damascus. It is
called Hartth al Jauldn. It is also the name of a mountain of
Syria, and is mentioned by An Nabtghah the poet." (Yak., ii.
183 ; Mar., i. 280.)
Harim (Harenc). — "A fortified castle in a fruitful district
adjacent to Antdkiyyah. At the present day (thirteenth century)
it is counted as of the dependencies of Halab. There are here
many trees and much water, and hence this country is often
ravaged by the plague." (Yik., ii. 184 ; Mar., i. 281.) This is
the district referred to by William of Tyre under the name of
Harenc.
" Hdrim in the Halab District,** says Abu-1 Fida, "is a small
town with a castle above it. There are trees and springs near, and
a small river runs by it. Ibn Sa'id speaks of it as a fortress with
plenty of provisions. There is peculiar to this place the pome-
granate, (which is transparent, so that) you see the inside from the
outside, and it has no pips, and is very juicy. Hl^rim lies 2 days'
march west of Halab, and i march from Antakiy^^ah.'' (A. F.,
259)
Harlan. — " A district in the Ghautah of Damascus. In it are
«
many villages. The tribesmen of the Omajyad Khalifs had their
houses here." (Ydk., ii. 244 ; Mar., i. 296.)
Harmaliyyah. — "A village of Antdkiyyah (Antioch)." (Y^k.,
ii. 244; Mar., i. 296.)
Harran (i). — "A village of Halab." (Yak., ii. 232; Mar.,
i. 294.)
Harran (2). — "A village of the Ghautah of Damascus."
{/dtm.)
Al HarOniyyah. — "A fortress built and garrisoned by the
Khalif Hariin ar Rashid in 183 (799). Some say it was begun
during Al Mahdi's days, and finished by Ar Rashid." (Bil, 171 ;
quoted by I. F., 113, and others.)
" Al Hdrfiniyyah," say Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, " lies to the
west of the Jabal al Lukksim, and in one of its valleys. It is a
29
4SC PAl^STISE rSI>E£ THE MOSLEMS.
aroL fartressL. tcfh r^ Hir^ sr RjLshxL and is named after him."
Ibo Hmk^l :r. c'L 2.dds : "I kix>«- it to be populoas and well
T/iiilL ben ihre Grttks haTie rained it of late years." (Is., 63 ;
L H. 161..
- .\l Hir^.z\y2h~ Icrisi Ttports. "* is a smaD fortress in one of
the zorres ca the I^kkim Moun:a^n5^ It was buflt by Harikn ar
Rashid Id. 2S. .
*' AI Hirln:y>":ih,~ sa)^ VikuL in the thirteenth century, ** is a
small town near Mar':i5h in the Thughur tor Frontier Fortresses),
on the fLink of Tahal Lukkim. It was founded bv Ar Rashid in
A.IL 183 : or. as some say. was begun dunng his father Al Mahdi's
days, and only finished in his reign. It had double walls and iron
gates. The fortress was dismantled by the Rumi (CrusadersX who
seized it in 34S <o5oi. and took captive one thousand five hundred
Mnslimsw men and women. It was rebuilt bv Saif ad Daulah ibn
m
Hamdan. It is at the present day in the tem'tory of the Bani
Li)'un (I^eoi, the King of Armenia."* (Vak., iv. 945 ; Mar., iii.
302.)
Abu'l Fida repeats most of the foregoing, and adds nothing
fresh. (A. F., 235.)
Al Haruniyyah to Ba\yas (Is., I. H.), less than i day; or (Id)
:5 m'les : to Mar'ash (Is., I. H.), i march ; to Al Kanisah(A. F.),
12 miles.
The fortress is not marked on the present maps.
.\l Hasa. — ** A place in S>Tia," writes Yakut, " near Al Karak
(Kerak Moab). I think it is the name of a wadi." (Y^., ii.
266 ; Mar., i. 302.)
Al Hatha.— ** A place in Syria." (Yak., ii. 203; Mar. i.
286.)
Haitawah.— " A village of 'Askalan." (Yak., ii. 202 ; Mar.,
i. 286.)
HiTTfN, OR HATTfN.— " Hattin," says 'Ali of Herat, "is a
village built on the mountains, on the summit of which is the tomb
of Shu'aib (Jethro), and of his wife. The battle in 583 (the year
1187, where Saladin annihilated the Crusaders) took place here.
Tie name is sometimes spelt Hattim." (A. H., Oxf. MS.,
lio 29.)
HITTIN.—HAWWAR. 451
"According to some authorities Hittfn," says Y&kdt, "is a
village between ArsAf and Kaisariyyah, where there is to be seen
the tomb of Shu'aib the Prophet. But this is a mistake, for
Hittin lies between Talxiriyyah and *Akkd, 2 leagues from the
former, and near it is a village called Khiyirah, in which is seen
the tomb of Shu'aib. Saladin gained a great battle here over the
Franks about the middle of the month of Rabi I., of the year 583,
and in this battle the kings of the Franks were all conquered, and
by reason of it all the coast towns were freed from them. Their
Pharaoh Arbat (Robert), the lord of Al Karak and Shaul>ak, was
slain in this battle. This is the true version, without doubt, and
the other authorities make a mistake in supposing Hattfn to be
near ArsOf." (Yale, ii. 291 ; Mar., i. 309.)
Dimashki speaks of Hattin, and of the tomb of Shu'aib, and
continues : " It was at this village that the great battle took place
between the Franks and the Muslims under Saladin. He broke
the Franks on the Horns (Kum) of Hattin, and slew a great mul-
titude, and took their kings prisoner. And he built on the Horn
of Hattin a dome, which is called Kubbat an Nasr (the Dome of
Victor})." (Dim., 212.)
Haurah. — " One of the villages of Balis, lying between it and
Ar Rakkah." (Yak., ii. 359 ; Mar., i. 328.)
Haut. — "A village of Hims, or else of Jabalah of the Syrian
coast." (Ydk., ii. 365 ; Mar., i. 329.)
Hawwar, or Huwwar (i). — "A Kurah (or district) of Halab,
lying between the districts of *Azaz and Al JOmah." ( Yik., ii. 353 ;
Mar., i. 326.)
Hawwar (2). — " A village of Manbij." {Idem,)
Tall Hawwar (3). — " A hill lying between Hamah and Al
Ma'arrah, for Al Hawwdr is the name of a white clay, like gypsum,
which is to be found here." {Idem.)
Hawwar (4). — "Says Ahmad ibn at Tayyib, this is the name
of a mount to the west of the Jaihan (Pyramus) of the Syrian
ThughOr (or Frontier Fortresses) ; so called from the whiteness of
the soil there." Yakftt adds : " People of credit at Aleppo have
told me that Al Huwwdr (see alx)ve. No. i) is the name of a large
province near Halab, and its chief town is Al Baldt But this
29 — 2
452 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
phce is now in ruins. They pronounce the name also Hawwj
with an a." (Yak., ii.. 353 ; Mar. i. 326.)
Al Hayyaniyyah. — " A KOnih (or district) of the Damasci
Province, in the Jabal Hursh (Jarash ?), near the Ghaur of th
Jordan." (Y^k., ii. 374 : Mar., i. 331.) The Mar&sid spells th
name Al Hayyanah.
HiBAi.— " A village of the WMi MQsi (Petra) of the Jab:
ash Sharah, near Al Karak, in S>Tia." (Yik., ii. 193 ; Mar
i. 283.)
HiBARAN. — "Said to be a town (or district) of Syria." (Ydk
ii. 192 : Mar., i. 283.)
HijRA. — "A village near Damascus." (Yak., ii. 214; Mar
i. 290.)
Ai. HimvarivvCn. — "A quarter (or village) outside Damascu
on the Kanats (or underground water-channels)." (Yak., ii. 342
Mar., i. 322.)
HiNzfT.— "A fortress of the Greeks." [The Afardud adds
" Some say of the Thughur, or Frontier Fortress of Mar'ash."] "]
is mentioned by the poet Al Mutanabbi." (Yik., ii. 993 ; Mar
iii- 325)
HiSMA. — "A territor>' belonging to the Judhim tril)e. It is
mountainous tract between Ailah, the desert of the Tih, and th
territory of X'dhrah." (Yak., ii. 267 ; Mar., i. 303.)
Al Hisn, or Hlsn *ADfs. — "A strong place lying betweei
Halab and Ar Rakkah." (See further, under Hisn al Akrad
(Yak., ii. 275 ; Mar., i. 305.)
Hisn al Akrad (Castle of the Kurds, also callei
Kala'at al Hisn ; The Crusadinc; Fortress of Le Krai
DES Chevaliers). — " An impregnable fortress," writes Y^ftt, '*oi
the mountain opf)osite Hims, towards the west. These mour
tains are the Jabal al Jalil, which run into the Jabal Lubni
(I^banon) between Ba'albakk and Hims. A certain of the Syria
Amirs built here a town, and garrisoned it with Kurds to figli
against the Franks. But the Franks (in 1140) took the place fror
the Kurds, and it remains in their hands to this day (1225). His;
al Akrad is a day's journey from Hims."
" There is also, according to some authorities, a place betwee
HI^N AD DAWIYYAH,—HISN MAKDIYAH. 453
Ar Rakkah and Hims called Hisn al Akrad, hut I (YakAt)
believe this to be a mistake. Another authority also says
between Balis and Manbij is a place called Hisn *Adis, but this
place in truth lies between Ar Rakkah and Halab." (Yak., ii. 276 ;
Mar., i. 305.) Hisn al Akrad, called by the Crusaders Le Krak
(or Crac) des Chevaliers, became the chief seat of the Knights
Hospitallers of the Order of St. John, after the fall of Jerusalem.
It was retaken by the Muslims, under Sultan Kala'Qn, in 1 285.
Hisn ad Dawfvyah (The Fortress of the Templars). — " A
castle in the Province of Syria. The Dawiyyah (Templars) are a
sect of the Franks who bind themselves by oaths to slay the
Muslims, and they abstain from marrying, and have other peculi-
arities. They have arms, and wealth and much power (in Syria),
and they owe obedience to none." (Yak., ii. 276 ; Mar., i. 305.)
Hisn DhC-l Kila* (The Fort of Castles). — "It is so
called," writes Biladhuri, " because it consists of three castles.
Its name in the Greek tongue signifies The Fortress of the Stars."
(Bil, 170.) Yakut adds : " It is also called Hisn Dhfi-1 Kula', or
The Fort of Strength. It is a fortress near Al Massissah. The
name was originally Dh(i-1 Kila' (with the hard k\ meaning the
Fort of the Castles, for it is said that it was built on the founda-
tions of three castles; and the present name is a corruption
of this word Kila*. According to another account, the explana-
tion of the name in the Greek tongue is The Fortress with the
Stars." (Yak., ii. 277 ; Mar., i. 306.)
Hisn al Tnab (The Fortress of The Grape.)— "In the
neighbourhood of Jerusalem, in the Filastin Province." (Ydlc, iL
277 ; Mar., i. 305.)
Hisn KatarghCsh. — "A fortress of the Frontier District of
the ThughCir near Al Massissah. It was the first which the
Khalif Hisham ibn 'Abd al Malik built, his engineer being 'Abd
al 'Aziz ibn Hassan, of Antioch." (Ystk., iv. 136; quoting Bil.,
167.) The author of the Afardsid ^^\\s the name Katarghashik
in error. (Mar., ii. 430.)
Hisn Makdivah. — "A fortress of the dependencies of
Adhri'ah; it lies in the Damascus Province." (Yak., ii. 278;
Mar., i. 306.)
454 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
HiSN MansOr (MansCtr's P'ortress). — According to Bila-
dhuri, ** it is called after MansCir ibn Ja'wanah ibn Al Harith Al
'Amiri, of the Kaisites. He superintended its building and
restored it. He was stationed here during the days of (the last
Omayyad Khalif) Marfan, and made incursions thence into the
Greek Country, and was slain in 141 (758) at Ar Rakkah. Hisn
MansOr was rebuilt and refortified by the Khalif ar Rashid in the
days of his father, Al Mahdi." (Bil, 192.)
"Hisn MansQr," say Istakhri and Ibn Haukal, **is a small
fortified town in which is a Friday Mosque. Its fields are watered
by the rains. Fate has decreed its destruction alternately at the
hands of the (ireeks, and of the Princes of the race of Hamdan."
(Is., 62 ; I. H., 120. Copied by A. F., 269.)
" Hisn MansAr/' according to Idrisi's report, " is a beautiful and
celebrated fortress. It has lands and villages round it The
lands are extremely fertile, and produce most excellent crops."
(Id., 26.)
" Hisn Mansiar,'^ says Vakfit, "lies west of the Euphrates, near
Sumaisat. It was a town with a wall, a ditch, and three gates.
In its midst stood a fortress and a castle with a double wall round
it. It lies I march from Zibatrah." (Yak., ii. 278; Mar., i.
306.)
Abu-1 Fida writes that " Hisn Mansur in the Province of
Kinnasrin lies not far from Sumaisat. At the present day it is
dismantled, but the ground round it is still cultivated. It lies on
a plateau to the north of the Nahr al Azrak (the Sanjah River),
and to the south-west of the Euphrates, but near both streams.
The mountains of Al Jabal are to the west of Hisn Mans(ir,
between it and Malatyah, and through these lies the pass." (A. F.,
269.)
Hisn Mansiir to Shimshat (Is., I. H.), i day, or (Id.) 21 miles,
or I long day; to Malatyah (Is., I. H.), 2 days, or (Id.) 30 miles;
to Zabatrah (Is., I. H), i day ; to Al Hadath (Is., I. H., Id.), i
day ; to Ma'arrah an Nu'man (Id.), i day.
Hisn Salman. — " One of the fortresses of the *Awasim Pro-
vince, near KOrus. It is called after Salman ibn Rabi'ah, a
warrior of the army of 'Ubaid Allah ibn al Jarrah, the Arab
HISN AT TINAT.—AL HUMAIMAH, 455
general who carried out the first conquest of Syria." (Yllk., ii.
276 ; Mar., i. 306.)
HisN AT TiNAT. — "A fort on the sea-shore. It is here that
the wood of the Snobur (pine) is cut, which is carried thence to
all parts of Syria, Egypt, and the districts of the Frontier For-
tresses. The men here are brave and strong ; they know well the
passes of the Greek territory, and are experienced in commerce
with the Greeks." (Is., 63; I. H., 121.) Idrisi (Id., 24) and
YakQt (Yak., i. 910; Mar., i. 223) add nothing to the above.
Hisn at Tinat to Hisn RusOs (Id.) is 15 miles; to Hisn al
Muthakkab (Id.) is 8 miles.
HiVAR. — "A district in the lands of the Bani Ka'ka', lying 2
days' march from Halab, in the country near the desert of
Kinnasrin, and 2 days' journey also from the town of Kinnasrin."
(Yak., ii. 373 : Mar., i. 331.)
** Kdrah al Hiyar," says Abu-l Fida, " is the name of one of the
districts of Aleppo. At the present time (1321) its lands are
desert, and only wild animals live here. But it is mentioned in
books. It took its name from Hiyar ibn al Ka'ki.* There
camp here the 'Abs, the Fazarah and other tribes of the Arabs."
(A. F., 232.)
Al HuDAijA. — "A village of Syria." (Yik., ii. 226; Mar., i. 292.)
Al HCtlah (i). — "The name of a place in Syria belonging to
the Hims Province ; it lies between Hims and Tarabulus, not far
from Barin." (Yak., ii. 366 ; Mar., ii. 330.)
Al Hulah (2) (Lakk Merom and its Lands).—" It is also the
name of a district between Biniyis and Tyre, belonging to Damascus
and possessing many villages." {Idem.) (See above, p. 68.)
Al Humaimah (Thk Litile Bath). — A place in the pro-
vince of Ash Shardh. It was the home of 'AH ibn 'Abd Allah ibn
Al 'Abbas ibn 'Abd al Mutallib and his sons." (Yb., 114.)
" A town in the Sharah Province," says YakOt, " in the neigh-
bourhood of the districts of 'Amman, on the confines of Syria.
Some of the Abbaside family had lands here." (Yak., ii. 342 ;
Mar., i. 322.)
" Al Humaimah," writes Abu-l Fida, " is the place fi-om- which
* See Biographical Dictionary by Ibn Khallikan, iv. 167.
456 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
the Bani 'Abbas set forth when they gained the Khalifate of Irik.
It lies about a day s journey from Shaubak." (A. H., 228.)
Kaij^'ah HOnain, or HtfNfN. — "A fort which stands perched on
a single rock. It has lands round it" (Dim., 211.) Near Baniyas.
HuNAK. — "A strong fortress that stood near Ma'arrah an
Nu'man. It was dismantled by 'Abd Allah ibn Tdhir in the year
209 (824), after the rebellion which had taken place in the Syrian
Province." (Yak., ii. 345 ; Mar., i. 324.)
HuNDURAH. — ** A village near 'Askalan. Also called Hindirah
and HundCirah." (Yak., ii. 347 ; Mar., i. 324.)
HuRDAN. — "A village of Damascus." (Yak.,ii. 238; Mar.,i. 295.)
HuRDHUFNAH. — "A village of Manbij in Syria where the poet
Al Buhturi was born in the year 200, or in 205, during the days of
the Khalif Al Mamfin. He died in 284 (897)." (YUk., ii. 239;
Mar., i. 295.)
HurdhuknIn. — " A village lying 3 miles from Halab (Aleppo).*
(Vik., ii. 239 ; Mar., i. 295.)
Hurjalla. — " A village of Damascus." (Yak., ii. 238; Mar.,
i- 29s)
HusBAN (Heshbon).-- According to Abu-1 Fidd, this is the
capital of the Balkd Province. ** It is a small town, and near it is
a valley with trees, and mills, and gardens and fields. This valley
lies contiguous to the Ghaur of Zughar (on the Dead Sea)."
(A. F., 227.)
Al Hus.s. — " A place near Hims." (Yak., ii. 274 ; Mar., i. 305.)
Al HusCs. — " A town near Al Massissah to the east of the
Jaihin (Pyramus) River. It was built by the Khalif Hisham ibn
'Abd al Malik, and he dug a ditch round it." (Yik., ii. 279 ;
Mar., i. 307.)
HuwwARAiN (i). — "A celebrated village of Halab (Aleppo)."
(Y^k., ii. 355; Mar., i. 327.)
HuwwARAiN (2). — " A fortress near Hims." (Idem,)
HuwwARAiN (3). — "The name of one, or of two villages
■T Tadmur (Palmyra) and Damascus, lying 2 marches from
{Idem,) (See also above, p. 451, under Hawwir.)
OR IdhCn.— " A castle near Halab (Aleppo)." (Y4k.,
^iar.^ iL 291.) The latter spells the name with a final n.
'IFRA.--IRBID, IRBIL, OR ARBID. 457
*Ifra. — ** A place in the Filastln Province. Mentioned in the
Traditions of the Prophet" (Y^k., lii. 688 ; Mar., ii. 264.)
Ikam. — " A place in Syria. Al Ikam is said to be a mountain
range on the frontier of Al Massissah, being part of the Jabal
Lukkam, but standing separate from it. The range is almost 30
leagues long, and 3 leagues across. In it arc many villages and
castles." (Yik., L 341 ; Mar., L 85.)
1mm. — "A rich village," says YakQt, "possessing many water-
springs and trees. It lies between Antikiyyah and Halab. The
whole population at the present day (thirteenth century) is
Christian. Ibn Butlin, writing in the year 540 and odd (1051),
says : * We went from Aleppo to Antioch, and passed the night at
a town of the Greeks called 1mm. There was here a spring of
water in which they caught fish. All round it were mills. In the
town were pig-sties, and public places for women and brothels,
and taverns for wine not a few. There were here four churches,
and one mosque, where the Muslims secretly made the call to
prayer.'" (Yak., iii. 728; Mar., ii. 281.)
Innib. — ** A fortress in the 'Azaz District near Halab." (Yak.,
i. 369 ; Mar., i. 94.)
Iram. — "The name of a mountain in the territory of the Bani
Judham, lying between Ailah and the Tih Desert of the Bani
Israil. It is a very high mountain, and the people of the desert
say there are vines and Snobur (pines) there." (Yik., i. 212;
Mar., i. 48.)
Irbid, Irbil, or Arbid (Arbela, of I Macc ix. 2). — Visited
by Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047. Travelling from Acre to Tiberias, he
writes in his Diary : " From Hadhirah we went on to a village
called Irbil, on the south side of which rises a mountain, and on
the mountain is an enclosure, which same contains four graves —
those of the sons of Ya^kClb (Jacob) — peace be upon him ! — who
were brothers of Yfisuf (Joseph) — upon him, too, be peace ! And
going onward, I came to a hill, and below the hill a cavern, in
which was the tomb of the mother of Moses — peace be upon him !
— and I made my visitation there also." (N. Kh., 16.)
"Irbid," says 'Ali of Herat, "is in the neighbourhood of
Tal>ariyyah. Here, to the right of the high-road, is the tomb of
458 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
the mother of Moses. Four of the sons of Jacob also lie borii
here, namely, Dan, Issakhan (Issachar), ZabulQn and Kid (Gad]
(A. H., Oxf. MSS., f. 29.)
" Irhid," YakQt adds to the above, " is a village in the Jords
Province, near Tabariyyah, and lying on the right of the rw
down to Egypt." (The remainder copied from 'Ali of Herat
(Yak., i. 184 ; Mar., i. 41.)
Irbil. — "According to some," writes Y^kCit, " Irbil is one
the names for Saidfi (Sidon), the city on the Syrian coast." (Y^
i. 189 ; Mar., i. 42.;
Al 'Irnas. — "A place near Hims." (Yik., iii. 656; Mar.,
251-)
Al IsKANDARivvAH (i). — "The name of a village lyii
between Halab and Hamah." (Yak., i. 255 ; Mar., i. 63.)
ISKANDARIVYAH, OR ISKANDARUNAH (2) (AlEXANDROSCHEN
ScANDALiuM, The Crusading Sablon d'Acre). — "A fortress (
the shore of the Greek Sea (Mediterranean). It possesses pah
trees and many fields and crops, and the land round is ve
fertile. But the enemy attain to it easily." (Is., 63 ; I. H., 161
" Iskandarunah," writes Idrisi, probably copying the above, "
a fortress by the sea ; there are palm-trees and cultivated fielc
and many crops and much fertility." (Id., 24.)
The traveller Ibn Jubair (1185) notes in his Diary th
" Iskandarunah was passed between *Akki and Sur (Tyre). It
a walled village " (I. J., 307.)
This town is mentioned by Yakut, who, to distinguish it fro
the northern Iskandarianah, specifies that it stands between Ac
and Tyre. (Yak., i. 254 ; Mar., i. 62.)
Iskandariyyah to Hisn az Zib, 5 miles (Id.) ; to Siir, 15 miles (Id
Iskandarunah (3). — " A town lying to the east of Antioc
and on the sea-shore. From here to Baghras is 4 leagues, and
Antioch is 8 leagues." (Yak., i. 254 ; Mar., i. 62.)
Abu-1 Y'lda, writes : " Bab Sikandariinah in the Kinnasi
Province (other^'ise Iskandarunah), says Ahmad al K&tib, is
town on the Greek Sea, near Antdkiyyah. It was built by II
Abi Duwad al Ayddh* in the days of the Khalif al Withik. B
* See Ibn Khallikan (I)e Slane), i., p. 6.
IZBID, —J A BA LA H. 459
Sikandarunah in our days," adds Abu-1 Fidd, "is a pass (the
ancient Pylae Ciliciae) leading into the country of Sis (Little
Armenia), from the neighbourhood of Halab. It lies less than a
march from Baghras, and there is no town there now (twelfth
century), nor even a village. Bab SikandarAnah is 1 2 miles from
Baghras." (A. F., 255.)
Iskandariinah, or Iskandariyyah, to Bayyis (Is., I. H., Id ), i
short march ; to Antakiyyah (Id.), 25 miles ; to Al Massissah (Id),
40 miles ; to Hisn Baghrds (Id.), 9 miles.
IzBiD. — "A village belonging to the Damascus Province, l}ing
1 3 miles from Adhra ah. The Khalif Yazid, son of 'Abd al Malik,
died here in the year 105." (Yak., i. 231 ; Mar., i. 54.)
Jaba Birak. — "The name of a place in Syria." (Ydk.,ii. 14;
Mar., i. 236.)
Al Jabah. — " A spring of water between Halab (Aleppo) and
Tadmur (Palmyra). It is the field of a famous battle between
Saif ad Daulah and the Arab tribes (of the Desert)." (Yak., ii.
1 7 ; Mar., i. 237.)
Al Jabal (The Mountain). — "The name of a Kurah (or
district) of Hims." (Yak., ii. 22 ; Mar., i. 239.)
JaBALAH (GaBALA, GiBELLUM, or (ilBELLUci MaJOR OF THE
Crusades, also called Zibkl). — "A town on the coast of the
province of Hims " (Yb., 1 1 2.)
** Jalxilah," says Ibn Haukal, " is a fine city on the coast where
the Wazir of the Mountain Provinces resides. The Greeks
(Crusaders) took it (in 968), and carried off captive 35,000 men,
women and children." (1. H., 118.)
"Jabalah on the sea," reports Idrisi, **is a small but fine town
and populous. Its people possess many good things. It lies on
a wadi where there is running water." (Id, 23.)
" Jabalah," writes Yakut, " is a celebrated fortress on the S>Tian
coast, near Al IJLdhikiyyah, in the Halab District. It was first
taken (by the Arabs) in the year 17 (638), and was dismantled.
The town was rebuilt by the Khalif Mu'dwiyah, who also built a
fortress there, outside the old Greek fortification. He settled the
place with Muslims. Jabalah was taken by the Greeks (Crusaders)
in 357 (968). In the year 473 (1080) it was retaken by Muslims
46o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
coming from Tarabulus. Jabalah was conquered again by the
Franks in 502 (1108), and was finally retaken by Saladin in 584
(1189), and remains in Muslim hands down to the present day/*
(Yak., ii. 25 ; Mar., i. 239.)
"Jabalah," writes Abu-1 Fida, "on the Syrian coast, is a small
town. There is here a tomb which is stated to be that of Ibrahim
ibn Adham.* Muhallabi says Jabalah is larger than Bulunyas.
It Hes 24 miles from Bulunyas, and 1 2 from Ladhikiyyah. It has
extensive dependencies." (A. F., 255.)
Jabalah was visited by Ibn Batutah in 1355. He speaks of it
as a city with many streams and trees all round it. " The sea lies
about a mile distant. The tomb of Ibrahim ibn Adham (the
saint) is here. In these parts live the sect of the Nusairiyyah,
who believe the Khalif 'Ali ibn Abi Talib to be God." (I. B., i.
172, 176.)
Jabalah to Halab (Yak.), 3 days; to Bulunyas (Id.), 10 miles;
to Al Ladhikiyyah (Id.), 10 miles.
Al Jabbul. — '• A large village beside the Salt Marsh {Malldhah)
of Halab (Aleppo). Into this salt marsh drain the waters of the
Wadi Butnan, also called the Wadi an Nahr Adh Dhahab (the
CI olden River). The water here evaporates, and they get from
this marsh salt, which is carried into all the countries of Syria and
Mesopotamia. It is farmed for 120,000 Dirhams {Mardsid^
28,000 Dirhams : ;^4,8oo, or ;^i,i2o) a year. Vast numbers of
birds frequent this marsh." (Yak., ii. 29 ; Mar., i. 239.)
Al Jabivah (The Water-Tank). — "A village of the Damascus
District, or else of the district of Al Jaidhiir. It lies near the
lands of Al Khaulan, not far from Marj-as-Suffar, in the north of
the Hauran. As thou lookest from As Sanamain, facing north,
thy back is towards it. As also is thy back turned against Nawa.
Near by is a hill called Tall al Jabiyah, full of small serpents:
these serpents are called Umm as Suwait^ * those of the Httle cry.'
They are extremely hurtful. When they bite they make a little
cry, and thereupon immediately die. This was the place where
the Khalif 'Omar made his celebrated sermon. The Gate of Bib
* A certain holy man, who renounced the throne to lead the life of a saint.
See for his life. Ibn Batdtah, i. 173.
JADAR.—AL JAMI\ 461
al Jabiyah, of Damascus, is called after this place, which also is
known as Jdbiyah al Khaul^n." (Ydk., ii. 3 ; Mar., i. 233.)
Jadar (i). — "A village lying between Hims and Salamijyah.
The wine called after this place is grown here." (Ydk., ii. 40 :
Mar., i. 243.)
Jadar (2). — "A village in the Jordan Province." {Idem,)
Jadavva. — " A village of Damascus. It is called at the present
day (thirteenth century) Jidya.'* (Yak., ii. 42 ; Mar., i. 244.)
Jadivah. — " A village of the Balka Province, in Syria." (Yak.,
ii. 5 ; Mar., i. 233.)
Al Jai. — ** One of the small towns of the Filastin Province.
Its water is hot, and its climate insalubrious." (Id., 4.) Possibly
a mistaken reading of the MS. for Al Hasa. (See p. 450.)
JairOn. — " The Eastern Clate of the Mosque of Damascus is
called by this name. Some say it was originally a palace built by
the Satans, or else by Solomon. According to another account,
JairOn is said to have been a village of the giants in the I^ind of
Kan'in (Canaan). At Damascus the building of this name was a
colonnade supported on pillars, and round it is now built the city
of Damascus. The name of the SaUin who built this colonnade
is said to have been Jairiin. Another account relates that the
first who built Damascus was Jairun ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ad ibn Iram
ibn Sam (Shem) ibn Nfih (Noah). There was, it is said, originally
the fortress called Hisn Jairfin at Damascus, which was built by one
of the giants. He built a separate house in the fortress for each
of the planets." (Yik., ii. 175 ; Mar., i. 278.) See above (p. 235).
JalCd. — "A well-known village in Syria." (Yak., ii. 107 :
Mar., i. 262.) Probably near the ^Ain JalOd, the Spring of
Goliath, in the Plain of Esdraelon.
JalClatain. — " A vilbge of Ba'albakk, near An Nahrawdn."
(Yak ii. 108; Mar., i. 262.)
Jamaharivyah. — "A fortress near Jabalah, on the Syrian
coast." (Ydk., ii. 214: Mar., i. 264.)
Al Jami' (The Mosque). — "A village of the Ghautah District of
Dama.scus. It was of old inhabited by the clients of the
Omayyad family. It is of the Marj District." (Yak., ii. 10 ;
Mar., i. 235.)
462 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Al JamIlah. — "A place lying i day's inarch from Tabai
iyyah." (Id. lo.)
jAMMA*iL. — **A well in the hills of Nabulus, in the Filastfi
Province. It lies a day's journey distant from Jerusalem, an<
belongs to that city." (Yak., ii. 113 ; v. 18; Mar., i. 263.)
Jandarus (Gindarus). — " A town near Tizin, and in th
(territory of) Jdmah. It is a place that is full of habitation*
There are thermal springs here, but it is unknown where th
waters rise, or whither they flow." (Dim., 205.)
Jarash (Gerasa). — "A town in the Jordan Province. Th
population is half Greek, half Arab." (Yb., 115, in a.d. 891.)
" Jarash," says Yakfit, in 1225, " is the name of what was one
a mighty city, but is now a total ruin. This I am told by thos
who have seen it. There are wells of the 'Adite days to be see
here. Through its midst runs a river, which turns at the preser
day several mills. It lies to the east of the Jabal as Suwac
between the Provinces of the Balka and Haur^n, occupying
mountain tract that is full of villages and domains. This is calle
Jabal Jarash. Jarash was conquered during the Khalifate c
'Omar by (the Arab general) Shurahbil. The name is mentione
in Al Mutanabbi's poems. It is also spoken of as the Hima (0
domain) of Jarash, and the Castle of Jarash." (Yak., ii. 61.)
Al Jarba. — " A place in the district of 'Ammdn, in the Balk
Province, near the Jabal ash Sharah (or As Sarah) of the Hijjd
frontier. It is not far from the town of Adhruh. Its i)eopl
originally were Jews. The Prophet wrote to them, and they ha<
dealings with him. The place was afterwards colonized fron
Adhruh ; but it belonged to the Government of Ailah." (Yak
ii. 46, 48 ; Mar., i. 246, 247.)
Jarhah. — " A village of *Askaldn." (Yak., ii. 56 ; Mar., i. 248
in the latter misspelt " Jarhar.")
Al Jarmak. — " A territory in the Safad District. There i
here a very ancient town, in which there lived a tribe of th
Hebrews who took their name from it, and were called Al fare
makah^ the Jarmakites, and Al Kan'dniyfin, the Canaanites, froi
the Wadi of Kan'an ibn Nuh, near by." (Dim., 211.)
Jarmana. — "A district of the Ghautah of Damascus." (Yak,
ii. 64 ; Mar., i. 250.)
J A RMA NA S.—NA HR AL JA UZ, 463
Jarmanas. — "A village of the Ghautah. Perhaps it is the
same as Jarmana, but Allah knows best.*' (Yak., ii. 64 ; Mar.,
i. 250.)
Al Jarr. — " The name of a mountain in Syria, near Ba'albakk.
The 'Ain al Jarr (see p. 386) flows at its foot." (Yak., ii. 57 ;
Mar., i. 249.)
Jarud. — " A village of Ma'lOli, in the Ghautah of Damascus."
(Yik., ii. 65 ; Mar., i. 250.)
Al Jashsh (Giscala). — "A village that is almost of the size of
a provincial capital. It lies in the centre of four districts that are
in the vicinity of the sea. At Al Jashsh is presented the chain of
David, but the authenticity thereof is doubtful." (Muk., 46,
163.)
"Jashsh," says Yakut, "is a town lying between Tyre and
Tabariyyah, being on the road down to the sea-coast." (Yik.,
ii. 83 ; Mar., i. 256.)
Al Jashsh to Tabariyyah (Muk.), i march; to S(ir (Muk.),
I inarch.
Jasim. — "A town in the Damascus Province." (Yk., 115.)
•* Jasim," says Mas'fidi, " is a village belonging to Damascus.
It lies in the country between the Damascus and the Jordan
Provinces, in a district called Al Khaulin. Jasim is a few miles
from Al Jabiyah, and from the territory of Nawi, where is the
Pasturage of Job." (Mas., vii. 147.)
"Jasim," writes Yikfit, "is a village lying 8 leagues from
Damascus, on the right of the high-road to Tabariyyah. It is
called after Jasim, son of Iram ibn Sim (Shem) ibn N(ih (Noah),
who visited it at the time of the destruction of the Tower of Babel."
(Yak., ii. 8 ; Mar., i. 235.)
Jasim to Kuswah (Muk.), i march ; or (Id.), 24 miles ; to Fik
(Muk.), I march, or (I. K.), 24 miles.
Jaubar. — " A village of the Ghautah of Damascus. There is
reported to be a river there." (Yak., ii. 139 ; Mar., i. 269.)
Nahr al Jauz (The Nut River). — " The name of a district,"
says YikOt, in 1225, "with many villages and gardens, lying
between Halab and Al Birah on the Euphrates. Nahr al Jauz
belongs to Al Birah. Its inhabitants are all Armenians." (Yik.,
ii. 151 ; Mar., i. 271.)
464 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
A I. Jauzah. — A place mentioned by Istakhri and Ibn Hauk
as lying 2 days' march from Tarsus. In Idn'si the name is spe
Al Jauzdh, which would appear the better reading to Hauz&h^ \
the name is given in Is., 68, and I. H., 127.
Al Jazir. — " One of the villages in the southern region k
Halab (Aleppo), of the district of As Suhul." (Yik., ii. 8 ; Mai
i. 234.)
Al. jAZk.— "A Kfirah (or district) of Halab." (Ydk., ii. 71
Mar., i. 252.)
Ai. Jib. -"A place in the Filastin Province, lying hetwce
Jerusalem and Nabulus. There are here two fortresses, calle
Upper and l^wer Al Jib {A I Jib al Faukdm and Al fib t
Tahtani), and they stand close one to the other." (Yik., ii. 170
Mar., i. 276.)
JiBRfN. - " A village lying between Damascus and Ba'albakk.
(Yak., ii. 20 ; Mar., i. 238.) For Bait Jibrin, or Jibril, see abovi
p. 412.
JInIn (Ginea). — "A small and beautiful town, lying betwee
Ndbulus and Baisan, in the Jordan Province. There is muc
water, and many springs are found here, and often have I visite
it." (Yak., ii. 180; Mar., i. 279.)
Probably the Ginea of Josephus, and the Engannim of Joshu
xix. 21.
JiNTHA. — "A district situated between Damascus and Ba'a
bakk." (Yak., ii. 126; Mar., i. 267.)
JiRAk. -" A place in the neighbourhood of Kinnasrin." (Yik
ii. 45 : Mar., i. 245.)
JisRAiN (Thk Two Briik;e.s). "Jisrain is a village of th
Ghautah of Damascus." (Yak., ii. 82 ; Mar., i. 256.)
Al. JiYVAH. — " A fortress on the sea. Thence to Saidi (Sidon
is 8 miles ; and to Hisn Kalamun is about 5 miles." (Id., 16.)
Jubail(i), (Gebal, BiBLOs ; Giblet of the Crusaders).-
Ya'kObi, in 891, writes : " Jubail is entirely peopled by Persian!
who were brought here by the Khalif Mu*iwiyah." (Yb., 114.)
Jubail was visited by Ndsir-i-Khusrau in 1047. He writes in hi
I )iary : " The town of Jubail is built in the form of a triangle, on
angle lying out to sea; and surrounding it are high, well-bui
JUBAIL.'-JUBB YUSUF. 465
walls. All round the town are date-palms, and other trees of a
warm region. I met a boy there who had in his hand two roses,
one red, one white, and both already full-blown, though it was still
but the 5th day of the month Isfandirmuz (or March) of the
ancient Persians, being in the Persian era (of Yazdagird) the year
415." (N. Kh.,9.)
*• Mahuz Jubail, 5 miles from Jubail," writes Idrisi, " is a strong
fortress. The city of Jubail itself is a fine town lying on the sea,
having strong walls. It has wide territories, trees, fruits and
grapes. There is, however, no running water, and the people
drink of well water. There is a good anchorage before the city,
and wharves." (Id., 17.)
" Jubail," says YikQt, "is a town on the coast of the Damascus
Province, 8 leagues east (or north) of BairOt. It was first con-
quered by the Khalif Yazid ibn Abu Sufyan, and remained in
Muslim hands till Sanjil the Frank — Allah curse him ! — took it in
the year 496 (1103). Jubail was reconquered by Saladin in 583
(i 187), and he garrisoned it with Kurd troops; but these sold it in
593 (1197) to the Franks, and in their bands it still remains
(thirteenth century).'' (Yik., ii. 32 ; Mar., i. 240.)
"Jubail," says Abu-1 Fidil, " lies 18 miles from Bairut It has
a port and a market, and a mosque.'* (A. F., 247.)
Jubail to the mouth of the Nahr Ibrahim, and to Mihiiz Jubail
(Id.), 5 miles; to Hisn Bathrfin (Id.), 10 miles.
Al Jubail (2). — "Is the name of a place (or district) in the
neighbourhood of Hims, and lies close to it." (Ydk., ii. 34 ; Mar.,
i. 240.)
JuBB YusuF (Joseph's Pit). — "This lies 12 miles from
Tabariyyah, in the direction of Damascus. Jacob's home was at
one time in the Province of the Jordan." (Is., 59 ; I. H.,
114.)
" Jubb YQsuf as Sadik," says YikQt, "are wells situated in the
middle of a Wadi of this name. This is where Joseph met his
brethren. The place lies in the Upper (Greater) Jordan, between
Baniyas and Tabariyyah, and 12 miles from Tabariyyah. They
say that Jacob lived at Nabulus; and, according to another
account, the pits where the meeting between Joseph and his
30
466 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
brethren took place, was at a place between Nibulus and t
village called Sinjil (see p. 477)." (Y^k., ii. 18; Mar., i. 237.)
Joseph's Pit was visited by Ibn BatQtah, who describes it
lying between Tabariyyah and Bairdt
" The pits," he writes, " lie in the court of a small mosque, a
are both large and deep. We drank the water therefrom ; a
this is of the river (Jordan), and also, as the guardian told us, fn
springs" (I. B., i. 133.)
Jubb YCisuf to Baniyas (Muk.), i march, or 2 stages ;
Tabariyyah (Muk.), 1 march ; to Kariyat al *Uy(in (Mul
2 marches.
Jubb al Kalb (The Dog's Pit). — "The name of a village nt
Halab. When anyone who is stung (by a scorpion or snal
drinks before forty days are passed of the water of the Pit here,
will be cured. But if more than forty days have gone by, then
will die, as would otherwise happen to him if he did not drink
this pit. There is at this pit a fine marble tank." (Yik., ii. i
Mar., i. 237.)
Al JuBBAH. — *' A village belonging to Tarabulus (Tripoli)
Syria." (Yak., ii. 32 ; Mar., i. 240.)
JuBBAH 'UsAiL. — "A district lying between Damascus ai
Ba'albakk, which comprises many villages." (Y4k., ii. 31 ; Ma
i. 240.)
JuLAijAL. — *'A station on the desert road out of Damasa
before reaching Al Kariyatain. It lies 2 marches from Damasa
There is a Khan here, and I, YakQt, have passed there ma
times." (Yak., ii. 109 ; Mar., i. 262.)
JuLBAT.^ — " A district of the Lukkam Mountains, lying betwe
Antakiyynh and Mar'ash. A battle took place here between S
ad Daulah, and the Greeks (Crusaders)." (Yak., ii. 97 ; Ms
i. 260.)
Jum'. — ** A castle in the Wadi Musa (Petra), in the Jabal a
Sharah, near Ash Shaubak." (Yak., ii. 118 ; Mar., i. 264.)
Al JCmah. — '*A district of Halab." (Yik., ii. 159; Ms
i- 273-)
JCnivvah. — "A fortress on the sea. Its inhabitants i
Jacobite Christians." (Id., 17, writing in 1154 a.d.)
AL JURyUMAH.—KADAS. 4^7
"Jiiniyyah," says YikOt, "is a town of the dependencies of
Taribulus, on the coast of the Damascus Province." (Yllk.,
ii. 1 60 ; Mar., i. 274.)
JQniyyah to Nahr al Kalb (Id.), 4 miles ; to the Bay of Sulam
(Id.), 10 miles.
Al JurjCmah. — "A town of the Jabal al Lukkim, near a
copperas {Zaj) mine. It lies between Bayyas and B^ki (or
Bukah), in the Province of Antakiyyah." (Bil, 159, copied by
Y4k., ii. 55, and Mar., i. 248.)
JCsiVAH. — "A town in the Hims Province." (Yik., 112.)
"JQsiyah," says Yikiit, "is a village lying 6 leagues from
Hims, on the road to Damascus. It lies between the Lebanon
and Sanir mountains. It is one of the KQrahs (or districts) of
Hims, and has water in plenty, and near it are many farms." (Yik.,
ii. 154; Mar., i. 272.)
Jfisiyah to Hims (Muk.), 1 march, or (I. K.) 10 leagues; to
Ya'ath (Muk.), i march ; to Kiri (I. K.), 3 leagues.
JuzAZ, OR JiZAZ. — " A place in the neighbourhood of Kinnasrin.
It is also said to be a mountain of Syria, lying i night's march
from the Euphrates." (Yak., ii. 69 ; Mar., i. 252.)
KabCl (Cabul). — " A town in the coast district It has fields
of sugar-canes, and they make there excellent sugar — better than
in all the rest of Syria." (Muk., 162.) The Cabul of Joshua
xix. 27, and the Chabolo of Josephus*
" KabOl," says 'Ali of Herat, " is a village where they say are
buried two of the sons of Jacob, namely, Rdmin (Reuben) and
Simeon." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 31.)
" KabOl," writes the author of the Mardsidy " is a village lying
between Tabariyyah and 'Akkd in the Jordan Province." (Mar.,
ii. 469.)
KabCn. — " A place i mile from Damascus, lying in the
midst of gardens on the Irik road It is a village," adds the
author of the Afardsid^ " with a market and Khin where caravans
stop." (Yak., iv. 5 ; Mar., ii. 375.) The Mardsid spells the
name Kabilr.
Kadas (i) (Kadesh Naphthali). — "A town in the Jordan
Province, and a ver>' fine place." (Yb.. 115.)
30—2
I
J :
468 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
** Kadas," says Mukaddasi, *' is a small town on the slope of t
mountain. It is full of good things. Jabal 'Amilah is the distri
which is in its neighbourhood. The town possesses three sprin
from which the people drink, and they have a bath situat
below the city. The mosque is in the market, and in its coi
is a palm-tree. The climate of this place is very hot Ne
Kadas is the (Hfilah) Lake." (Muk., 161.)
Kadas to Bdniyas (Muk.), 2 stages; to Tabariyyah (Muk
I march ; to Sdr (Tyre) (Muk.), 2 stages ; to the Lebanon Mou
tains (Muk.), i march.
Kadas (2). — " A town in (Northern) Syria, near Hims. Adj
cent to this town is the Buhairah Kadas (I^ke of Hims, or
Kadas). Kadas was first conquered by (the Arab genera
Shurahbil." (Yak., iii. 39 ; Mar., ii. 391.)
Al Kadum. — "This is reported to have been the village
Syria where Abraham circumcised himself. And he was the fir
to perform this rite. It is now the name of a village near Hala
and here is the Majlis Ibrahim (Abraham's Assembly). There
a tradition of the Prophet to this effect." (Yak., iv. 39 ; Mar.,
39^-)
Al Kaf. — " A fortified castle on the Syrian Coast. It belongs
to a man called Ibn 'Amrun in the days of the Frank dominion
(Yak., iv. 229; Mar., ii. 473.)
Kafar. — " Among the people of Syria this word," says Yaki
"has the signification oi Kariyah^ or village." (Yak., iv. 286.)
Kafar 'Akib. — " A village on the Lake of Tiberias, in tl
Jordan Province. It is mentioned in the poems of Al Mutanabbi
(Yak., iv. 290; Mar, ii. 504.)
Kafar 'Amma. — "A place in the Desert of Khasaf, betwei
Balis and Halab." (Yak., iii. 716 ; Mar., ii. 277 )
Kafar BarSk. — "A village near Hebron, where is seen tl
tomb of Lot" (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 42, v.)
Suyuti writes: "The Shaikh Abu 'Ukbah 'Abd Allah \\
Muhammad, the Hanifite, of Marv, says, I have read in certain 1
the lives of the prophets that Lot lies buried in a village calh
Kafar Barik, situated about a league from Masjid al Kba
(Hebron), and that in the cave to the west, beneath the O
KAFAR BASAL.-^KAFAR K ANN AH. 469
Mosque of this place, lie sixty prophets, of whom twenty were also
Apostles. And Lot's tomb has been a place of visitation and
veneration from ancient times, the men of the age succeeding
those who have gone before." (S., 295 ; M. a. D., 67.)
Kaf>« ^asal. — " A village of Syria." (Yt\k., i. 655 ; Mar., i.
157.)
Kafar Batna. — " A village of the Ghautah of Damascus, in
the Iklim (or District) of Di'iyyah. Some people of the Omayyad
family lived here." (Ydk., iv. 286 ; Mar., ii. 502.)
Kafar DubbIn. — **A fortress near Antikiyyah." (Yak., iv.
288 ; Mar., il 503.)
Kafar Ghamma. — "A tract of country lying between Khusif
and Balis, in the Halab District" (Yak., iv. 290 ; Mar., ii. 504.)
Kafar Kannah (Cana of Galilee). — Nisir-i-Khusrau visited
this village in 1047. He writes in his Diary : "I next proceeded
to a village that is called Kafar Kannah. To the southward of
this village is a hill, on the top of which they have built a fine
monastery. It has a strong gate, and the tomb of the Prophet
Yunis (Jonas) — peace be upon him !— is shown within. Near by
the gate of the monastery is a well, and the water thereof is sweet
and good. When I had made my visitation at this place, I came
on thence to Acre, which is 4 leagues distant, and remained in
that city for a day." (N. Kh., 19.)
This Kafar Kannah is one of the rival sites identified by eccle-
siastical tradition with the Cana of Galilee of St. John ii. i-ii.
The ruins of a church are still shown in the neighbourhood, and
probably formed part of the monastery referred to by Nasir.
" Kafar Kannah," says 'Ali of Herat, " is where may be seen
the Station of Jonas (Makdm YOnis), also the tomb of his son."
This is repeated by YakOt (Yak., iv. 290 ; and Mar., ii. 504),
who, however, speaks of the tomb as that of the Father of YQnis.
** Kafar Kanni," says Dimashki, " is not far from Hattin. It is
a large village in which live the chiefs of various tribes, and many
head men. and they are all very turbulent and warlike. The
head tribe is called Kais al Hamri (Kais the Red). To Kato
Kannd belongs the district of the Buttauf, which goes by the
name of Marj al Ghark (the Drowned Meadow). This is 8ur-
470 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
rounded on all sides by hills, and the waters drain into it fr<
every part, so that the rains collecting here form a temporary lal
from which all the surrounding lands are irrigated. As soon
this lake dries up, they sow the land with grain, just as they do
Egypt." (Dim., 212.)
Kafar KfLA. — "A place lying a day's march from Tabari}7a]
(Muk., 191.)
Kafar Lab. — " A town on the coast of Syria, near Kaisan3ry
(Caesarea). It was built by the Khalif Hishani ibn *Abd
Malik." (Ydk., iv. 290; Mar., ii. 504.)
Kafar Lahtha. — "A village of the 'Azaz District, near Halal
(Y4k., iv. 291 ; Mar., ii. 504.)
Kafar Latha. — " A town with a Friday Mosque standing
the slopes of the Jabal 'Amilah, in the Halab District, and a da
distance from this last city. It has gardens and running wat
Its people are of the Ismailian Sect." (Yak., iv. 291 ; Max.,
504.)
Kafar Mandah. — "A village lying between Tabariyyah a
'Akkah. It is said also to be called by the name Mady
(Midian). The tomb of the wife of Moses is seen here. Al
the pit covered by the rock which Moses raised up in order
give himself and his wife of water to drink. The rock is s
shown. At Kafar Mandah may also be seen the tomb of two
the sons of Jacob, namely, of Ashir (Asher), and Nafshali (Na|
thali), as it is reported." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 30, v. ; repeat
by \'ak., iv. 291 ; Mar., ii. 504.)
Yakiat, after mentioning the second name, Madyan, or Midu
adds : " This is the place mentioned in the Kuran, but, as it
well known, Midian lies east of Tur (Sinai)." He also gives t
name of the wife of Moses as " SafCira (Zipporah), daughter
Shu'aib (Jethro)."
Kafar MuthrI. — " A village of Syria. I think it is of t
Filastin Province." (Yak., iv. 291 ; Mar., ii. 504)
Kafar NabCt. — ** The name of a place mentioned in the P<
tateuch (Nebo). Nabu is the name of an idol that stood the
The place is near Halab, and there are ancient remains still to
seen there, and a mighty and large dome which they call t
KAFAR NAGHD.-'KAFAR SALLAM, 471
Dome of the Idol {Kubbatas Sanamy (Yik., iv. 291 ; also ii. 305 ;
Mar., ii. 505.)
There are three Nebos mentioned in the Bible ; Mount Nebo ;
the Nebo mentioned in Numbers xxxii. 3 (possibly a place on the
Mount) ; and the Nebo of Ezra ii. 29, probably the present
village of Nitba, isouth of Jerusalem. None of these correspond
with Kafar NabQ near Aleppo.
Kafar Na(;hd. — "A village of Hims.'* (Yak., iv. 292 ; Mar.,
ii. 505-)
Kafar Najd. — ** A large village belonging to Halab, lying in
the Jabal as Summak. There is here a spring of running water
that has certain wonderful (emetic) properties. For when some-
thing is stuck in the throat of a man, or, too, in that of a beast,
and he be made to drink of this water, after the water has re-
mained in (his stomach) some time, he — by God's permission —
will be able to cast forth the obstruction. And those who have
tried the remedy have related this to me." (Yik., iv. 291 ; Mar.,
ii- 505-)
Kafar Rinnis. — "A village near Ar Ramlah." (Yik., iv. 288 ;
Mar., ii. 503.) The Mardsid spells the name Kafar Zinnis.
Kafar RCma. — "A village of Ma'arrah an Nu'min. It was
once a celebrated fortress, but was ruined by LdlO as Saifi, who
conquered Halab in 393 (1003)." (Ydk., iv. 288 ; Mar., ii. 503.)
Kafar Saba. — " A large village with a mosque, lying on the
high-road (from Ar Ramlah) to Damascus." (Muk., 176.)
" Kafar Saba," says Yakiit, ** is a village lying between Nabulus
and Kaisariyyah (Caesarea of Palestine)." (Ydk., iv. 288 ; Mar.,
ii- 503-)
Kafar Saba to Al Lajjiin (Muk.), by the Post-road, i march ;
to Ar Ramlah (Muk.), i march : to Kalansuwah (Muk.), i march;
to Kaisariyyah (Muk.), i march.
Kafar Sabt. — " A village between Tabariyyah and .\r Ramlah,
situated near 'Akabah (the Pass above) Tiberias." (Yslk., iii. 29 ;
iv. 288 ; Mar, ii. 8, 503.)
Kafar Sallam. — "()ne of the villages of the district of
Cresarca. It is ver}' populous, and has a mosque. It lies on the
high-road (from Ar Ramlah northwards)." (Muk., 177.)
472 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
" Kafar Sallim," says Yakat, " is a village of the Filastin Pr
vince, lying between Nabulus and Kaisariyyah, and 4 leagu<
from Kaisariyyah." (Yak., iv. 288 ; Mar., ii. 503.)
Kafar Sallim to Ar Ramlah (Muk.), i march; to Nibuh
(Muk.), I march; to Kaisariyyah (Muk.), i march, or (Yak.
4 leagues.
The name of Kafar Sallam has completely disappeared from th
maps, although, from the distances given by the Arab geographer
its position may be determined within very narrow limits. YaUc{
states that Kafar Sallam is 4 farsakhs (leagues) firom Kaia
riyyah, on the road to Nabulus. Al Mukaddasi places it i marc
from Nabulus, i from Kaisariyyah, and i from Ar Ramlah. ]
cannot have been far from Kafar Saba, with which place it is coi
founded by Ndsir-i-Khusrau, but its position as regards this la!
I have been unable to determine. Nasir-i-Khusrau mentions ii
ciden tally that it (Kafar Sallam, or Kafar Saba) is 3 farsakh
(leagues) from Ar Ramlah. According to the Chronicle of Mar
anus Scottus, in 1064, A.D., Siegfried, Archbishop of Mainz, wh<
in company with the Bishops of Utrecht, Bamberg and Ratisboi
was conducting a great company of pilgrims to the Holy City, wa
set upon in these parts by the wild Arabs, and took refuge in
" castellum vacuum Cavar Salim nomine," from whence they wei
delivered by the Governor of Ramlah. The passage is given i
the original I^tin in a note (p. 63) to M. Schefer's Translation <
Nasir-i-Khusrau. M. Schefer supposes Cavar Salim to be Kafi
Sallam, which, he adds, was abandoned by its inhabitants in th
eleventh century. Sir C. Wilson would identify Kafar Salldi
with the modern Ras al 'A in, the Antipatris of Acts xxiii. 3
and the Castle Mirabel of the Crusading Chronicles.
Kafar SCtsiyyah. — "A village of the Damascus Province i
Syria." (Yak., iv. 288; Mar., ii. 503.) From the many eminei
men who are mentioned as having been natives of this place,
was evidently once an important town. Possibly the same i
Sfisiyyah (see below), the ancient Hippos.
Kafar SCt. — " A town near Bahasna, of the Halab Distric
At the present day (thirteenth century) there is here a fine marke
which is much frequented" (Yak., iv. 288 ; Mar., ii. 503.)
KAFAR TAB.^KAINIYAH. 473
Kafar Tab. — "A small town lying between Ma'arrah and
Halab. It stands in a thirsty desert plain, and they have no water
except what they store of the rains in cisterns. I have been told
that some people here dug down for 300 ells, and found no spring
of water." (Yak, iv. 289; Mar., ii. 503.)
Kafar Tab is mentioned by Ya'kQbi (Yb., 112), and by Mukad-
dasi (Muk., 154), as a town of the Hims Province; and Nasir-i-
Khusrau passed through it in 1047. (N. Kh., 5.)
" Kafar Tab," writes Abu-1 Fidi, "is a town so small as to be
like a village, where there is but little water. They make here
earthenware pots, which are exported to all surrounding countries.
It is the chief town of the district, and has dependencies. It lies
on the road half-way between Ma'arrah and Shaizar, 1 2 miles from
either place." (A. F., 263.)
Kafar Tab to Shaizar (Muk.), 1 march ; to Kinnasrin (Muk.),
1 march.
Kafar Taki's. — "The name of one of the districts of Hims."
(Yak., iv. 287 ; Mar., ii. 502.)
Kafar TCtha. — " A village in the Province of Filastin It was
of old, says Biladhuri, a strong fortress. The family of Abu
Ramthah settled there, and it became a town, and they fortified
it." (Yak., iv. 287; Mar., ii. 503.)
Kafarivvah. — " A village of Syria." (Yak., iv. 292 ; Mar., ii.
505-)
Kahatan. — "A place in Syria." (Yak., iv. 331; Mar., iL
526.)
Al Kaibar. — " A fortress lying between Antakiyyah and the
Thughur (or Frontier Fortresses)." (Yak., iv. 211 ; Mar., ii. 465.)
KaimCn. — " A fortress near Ar Ramlah of the Province of
Filastin." (Yak., iv. 218; Mar., ii. 468.)
Probably the Kaix,uotva of the Onomasticon, said to be 6 miles
to the north of Legio. According to a passage in the Chronicle
of Ibn al Athir (xii. 34), KaimQn lies 3 leagues from Acre. Pos-
sibly the Camon of Judges x. 5.
Kainivah. — "This was in old days a village over against the
Bab as Saghir at Damascus, but it has become gardens now
(thirteenth century)." (YILk., iv. 219 ; Mar., ii. 468.)
474 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Kaisariyyah (CiESAREA OF PALESTINE). — " The city stands
the sea-shore, and is one of the strongest places in Palestine,
was the last city to be taken at the Arab Conquest, and it i
gained by Mu'iwiyah during the Khalifate of 'Omar." (Y
ii6.)
" Kaisariyyah," says Mukaddasi, ** lies on the coast of the Gn
(or Mediterranean) Sea. There is no city more beautiful, nor 2
better filled with good things ; plenty has its well-spring here, a
useful products are on every hand. Its lands are excellent, a
its fruits delicious; the town also is famous for its buffalo-nn
and its white bread. To guard the city is a strong wall, a
without it lies the well-populated suburb, which the fortress p
tects. The drinking-water of the inhabitants is drawn from wt
and cisterns. Its great mosque is very beautiful." (Muk., 174
Csesarea was visited in 1047 by Nasir-i-Khusrau. The Pers
traveller writes in his Diary :
" Kaisariyyah lies 7 leagues distant from Acre. It is a fine c
with running waters, and palm-gardens, and orange and citi
trees. Its walls are strong, and it has an iron gate. There
fountains that gush out within the city ; also a beautiful Fri<
Mosque, so situated that in its court you may sit and enjoy
view of all that is passing on the sea. There is preserved her
vase made of marble, that is like to Chinese porcelain, and it is
a size to contain 100 Manns' weight of water (or about 34 galloi
On Saturday, the last day of the month of Sha'aban (February 5
we set forth again, travelling over the sand that is of the k
aforesaid, called Mekkah sand, and came shortly to a place wh
I saw many fig-trees and olives ; for all the road here lies throi
a country of hills and valleys." (N. Kh., 20.)
** Kaisariyyah," as Idrisi reports, ** is a very large town, hav
also a populous suburb. Its fortifications are impregnab
(Id., II.)
" Kaisariyyah," says YakCit, in the thirteenth century, " is a <
of the Syrian coast in the Filastin Province. It lies three di
march from Tabariyyah. It was of old a fine, grand city, the ^
mother of cities, with broad lands and wide domains ; but nc
is more like a village." (Yak., iv. 214 ; Mar., ii. 466.)
KAISUM.—KALA'AT AR RUM. 475
Abu-l Fidi adds nothing to the above, merely stating that in
his days (132 1) Caesarea was in ruins. {i\> F., 239.)
Kaisariyyah to Ar Kamlah (Is., I. H.), i day, (Id.) 2 short or
1 long march, (I. K.) 24 mile.s, (A. F.) 32 miles ; to Kafar Sallam
(Muk.), I march; to Kafar Sdba (Muk.), i march; to ArsQf
(Muk.), I march ; to Kanisah (Muk.), i march ; to Yifi (Id.),
30 miles ; to Nabulus (Id.), i march ; to Haifi (Id.), 2 days ; to
Al Lajjfin (I. K.), 20 miles.
KaisCm. — " A village of the district of Sumaisit. There is a
market here, and the shops are well filled. Above the village is a
fort on a height. The gardens and water of KaisQm are cele-
brated" (Y^k., iv. 333 ; Mar., ii. 528.)
Kakhta. — "This place," writes Abu-1 Fida, "in the extreme
north of Syria, is a very high-built castle, and quite impregnable.
It has gardens and a river, and lies 2 days east of Malatyah. It
is one of the fortresses of Islam, of the north frontier, and lies
about a march north, and somewhat west of Hisn MansQr."
(A. F., 263.)
KakC'n. — " A fortress of the Filastin Province, near Ar Ramlah.
It is reckoned as of the district of Kaisariyyah on the coast of
Syria.'* (Yak., iv. 18; Mar., ii. 380.) This is the Caco, Chaco,
or Quaquo of Crusading Chronicles.
Al Kal^ah (The Castle). — " The name of a mine where they
obtain excellent lead. Said to lie in a mountain in Syria." (Yik.,
iv. 162 ; Mar., ii. 440.)
Kala'at Abi-l-Hasan. — "A large castle on the coast near
Saida, in S>Tia. It was taken by Saladin." (Yik., iv. 162 ; Mar.,
ii. 441.)
Kala'at ar RCm (The Greek Castle). — " A well fortified
castle, lying to the west of the Euphrates, opposite Al Birah, and
situated between this last and Sumaisdt. It was in former times
the seat of the Armenian Patriarch, the Khalifah (Vicegerent) of
the Messiah, whom they call in Armenian Kataghikfis (Catholicus).
He claims to be a descendant of David. It is at present (thir-
teenth century) in the hands of the Muslims — thanks be to Allah !"
(\'ak., iv. 164; Mar., ii. 442.)
" Kala'at ar ROm," says Abu-1 Fida, " in the Kinnasrin Pro-
476 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
vince, has suburbs and gardens and fruit-trees. There is a river
here called Marzuban (I^e Marquis), which comes down from the
mountains, and flows into the Euphrates near the fort. The
Euphrates runs at the foot of the fort, and it is a very strong and
impregnable place. The Sultan Malik al Ashraf, son of Sultan
Kald'un, took it from the Armenians. It lies south-west of the
Euphrates, about a march west of Al Bfrah, to the east of Sumaisdt,
and south of Ar Ruha (Edessa), but not far from any of these."
(A. F., 269.)
KalamCn (Calamos). — Visited by Nasir in 1047, who writes :
" It is a fortress lying a league south of Tripoli." (N. Kh., 8.)
The Calamos of Pliny, and the Calamon of Folybius.
" Hisn al Kalamfin,'' says Idrisi, '* lies at a bridge which spans
a Wddi. This bridge is extremely broad, and the fort was built to
protect it. It is an impregnable place, and stands on the shore of
a bay of the sea." (Id., 16.)
YakQt speaks of Al Kalamtin as "a village in the Damascus
Province of Syria." (Yak., iv. 166; Mar., ii. 444.)
Hisn Kalamtin to Al Jiyyah (Id.), about 5 miles ; to Hisn an
Na'imah (Id.), 7 miles.
Kalamvah. — **A broad KOrah (or district) in the Greek
country, lying to the west of Tarsus, but not on the sea. One of
the gates of Tarsus is called Bab Kalamyah.'* (Vik., iv. 166 ;
Mar., ii. 444.)
Kalansuwah (The Castl?: of Plans, of the Crusaders). —
** A fortress near Ar Ramlah, in the Filastin Province. Many of
the Omayyads were slain here." (Yak., iv. 167 ; Mar., ii.
444-)
Kalansuwah to Al Lajjun (Muk.), i march ; to Ar Ramlah
(Muk.), I march ; to Kafar Saba (Muk.) i march.
KalCdh I yah. — " A fortress that stood near Malatyah. Ptolemy,
the author of the Almagest, was called by the name of it. It was
dismantled, and then rebuilt in the year 1 41 (758), in the times of
the Khalif Al Mansur." (Yak., iv. 167 ; Mar., ii. 445 ; copied
from I. F., 114.)
Kamraw. — " A village of the Hauran Province." (Y4k., iv. 173 ;
Mar., ii. 448.)
KAN'AN.'-'AL KANISAH AS SAUDA. 477
Kan'an. — "The name of the place where Jacob lived. The
village here is called SailCln (Shiloh). It lies between Sinjil and
Nabulus, on the right of the road. There is here the pit into
which Joseph was thrown." (Yak., iv. 516 ; Mar., iL 515.) (See
above, p. 466.)
Al KanIsah (The Church). — " Leaving Haifa, ' writes Nasir-
i-Khusrau in his Diary', "we proceeded on to a village called
Kantsah : and beyond this the road leaves the sea-shore and
enters the hills, going eastward through a stony desert place,
which is known under the name of Wddl Tamasih (or the Valley
of Crocodiles). After passing 2 leagues, however, the road turns
back, and goes once more along the sea-beach, and in these parts
I saw great quantities of the bones of marine monsters, set in the
earth and clay, and become, so to speak, petrified by the action
of the waves that beat over them." (N. Kh.. 20.)
Tall Kanisah, or Al Kunaisah, the Little Church, is the mound,
a few miles north of 'Athlith, which the Crusaders took to be the
site of Capernaum. It is mentioned by Mukaddasi, who states
that from Al Kanisah to Akka is i march ; and to Kaisariyyah
I march.
Al KanIsah as Sauda (The Black Church). — "This was
built of black stones in the days of the (keeks. There is a very
ancient fortress near by. The Khalif ar Rashtd it was who
ordered the building of the town of Al Kanisah as Saudi, and he
commanded that it should be fortified and garrisoned." (Bil.,
171 : L F., 113.)
" Al Kanisah is a fortress in which there is a Friday Mosque ; it
lies at some distance from the sea-shore." (Is., 63 ; I. H., 121.)
*• Al Kanisah is a small town amongst the Thughfir, or Frontier
Fort J esses, of Al Massissah. It is called Kanisah Sauda, for it is
built with black stones. It was built by the Greeks in ancient
times, and there was here of old a well-fortified fortress, which had
gone to ruin when the Khalif ar Rashid ordered it to be rebuilt
and re-fortified as aforetimes." (Yik., iv. 314 ; Mar., ii. 517.)
" Al Kanisah as Saudd," says Abu-1 Fida, " lies in the Armenian
country, 12 miles from Hdr(iniy>'ah." (A. F., 235.)
Al Kanisah as Sauda to Bayyis (Is., I. H.), less than i day.
478 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
KANfSAH AS SULH (ThE ChURCH OF THE PeaCE). — "1
place is so called because the Greeks who came with peaa
HirQn ar Rashld, lodged here." (Bil, 170.) Possibly idem
with the preceding.
Kantarah Si nan.—" A bridge near Bib TQmi (the GaU
St. Thomas), at Damascus." (Yik., iv. 190 ; Mar., ii. 455.)
Al KANt>N. — "A post-house between Damascus and B
I
I
1 1
1 1
bakk." (Yik., iv. 21 ; Mar., ii. 381.)
Al Karah, or Kara (Chara). — Visited by Ibn Jubaii
•j 1 1 85. He speaks of it as "a large village lying north
Damascus, and inhabited solely by Christians, who dwell \
under a treaty. No Muslims are to be found in the place,
the village is a large Khdn, which is a court with high walls
the middle of which is a great tank full of water, which runs i
i it underground, from a spring that is some way off. This tan
, never empty." (I. J., 260.)
The place is also mentioned by Ya'kubi and Mukaddasi. (^
112 ; Muk., 190.)
" Karah," writes Ydkut, " is the name of a large village on
road from Hims to Damascus. It is the first stage out fi
Hims, and lies on the limit of the Hims District. What is beyi
it (south) is of the Damascus District. The village stands on '.
Karah (the Head of Kirah). Its inhabitants are all Christii
and it possesses flowing streams, which water all the fields roui
(Yak., iv. 12 ; Mar., ii. 377.)
" Karah,*' says Abu-1 Fidd, " is a large village halfway betw
Damascus and Hims. It is a station for the caravans. Mos
its inhabitants are Christians. It lies ij marches from Hims,
2 marches from Damascus." (A. F., 229.)
Kdrd to Shamsin (Muk.), i march ; to An Nabk (Muk., I. ]
12 miles ; to JQsiyyah (I. K.), 30 miles.
Kara Hisar. — "A large meadow (mar/) lying to the nortl
Halab, where Saladin once camped. There are many other pk
called Kard Hisar. One, a town of the Greek provinces, a d
journey from Antioch, while another lies near Kaisariy)'ah (Caess
of Cappadocia) ; but all these are in the Greek country." (Y
iv. 44; Mar., ii. 394.)
KARADA.'-AL KARAK, OR AL KARK. 479
Karada. — " A village of Damascus." (Yak., iv 56 ; Mar.,
ii. 398.)
Karahta. - " A village of Damascus." ( Yik , iv., 53 ; Mar.,
»• 397-)
Al Karak, or Al Kark (i).— This celebrated fortress of the
Crusades, called Le Krak, or Petra Deserti, stood at the southern
end of the Dead Sea. The fortress was built in 1142 by Payen,
King Fulk's cup-bearer. This Al Karak is not mentioned by the
Arab geographers before Yik(it's days. It occupies the position
of Kir Moab of Isaiah xv. i, for which name the Targum reads
"Kerak." Karak is a corruption of the Syriac Katko^ meaning
" fortress."
" Al Karak," says YdkQt, " is a very strongly fortified castle on
the borders of Syria, towards the Balki Province, and in the
mountains. It stands on a rock surrounded by Widls, except
on the side toward the suburb. Al Karak is situated midway
between Jerusalem and Ailah, on the Red Sea. It stands on a
high hill." (Yak., iv. 262 ; Mar , ii. 490 )
** Al Karak," says Abu-1 Fid^ " is a celebrated town with a very
high fortress, one of the most unassailable of the fortresses of Syria.
About a day's march from it is M(itah, where are the tombs of
Ja'afar at Tayydr (see below, p. 510) and his companions. Below
Al Karak is a valley, in which is a thermal bath ( Hammim), and
many gardens with excellent fruits, such as apricots, i)ears, pome-
granates, and others. Al Karak lies on the borders of Syria,
coming from the Hijjdz. Between Al Karak and Shaubak (Mont
Real) is about 3 days* march." (A. F., 247.)
" Karak," says Dimashki, " is an impregnable fortress, standing
high on the summit of a mountain. Its fosses are the valleys
around it, which are very deep. They say it was originally, in
Roman days, a convent, and was turned into a fortress. It is now
(fourteenth century) the treasure-house of the Turks. Of its
dependencies is Ash Shaubak (Mont Real), a well fortified town,
with fruits in plenty, and copious springs," (Dim., 213.)
Karak was visited, in 1355, by the traveller Ibn Batdtah. He
writes of it : " Al Karak is one of the strongest and most cele-
brated fortresses of Syria. It is called also Hisn al Ghurdb (the
II
;
•i
■ :
jy 480 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Crow's Fortress), and is surrounded on every side by ravi
There is only one gateway, and that enters by a passage tunne
/ in the live rock, which tunnel forms a sort of hall. We sts
four days outside Karak, at a place called Ath Thaniyyah (*'
Pass')." (I. B., i. 255.)
i Al Karak NCh (2), (Karak of Noah). — "A village i
Ba'albakk. There is here the tomb of Noah, also the torn
; I Hablah, the daughter of Noah. This Al Karak is close to a vil
'*'■ they call 'Arjamush." (A. H., Oxf. MS., (oMo i^y v^rso ; co|
by Yak., iv. 262.)
"Near Karak Nfih," says Dimashki, "is a place where thew
rises up bubbling from the ground ; it is called TannOr at T(i
. . *The Cataract of the Deluge.' Near by this is a plantain-
{Dulb), of a size of trunk and branches that few other plant
* ^ can equal. There is also at Karak NClh a grave, cut in
rock, 51 paces long, which is said to be that of Noah." (D
199)
The author of the Marasid (given in Yak., v. 28), says : '
Syria are three places, all called Al Karak. One is near
Suwaid, on the road to Al Marin, in the Province of Filas
: (The second) is near Tabariyyah, (and the third is) a place betw
Ba'albakk and Damascus."
; Karak (3). — Karak, or Kark, is spoken of by Yakiit as
village at the foot of the Lebanon mountains." (Yak., iv. 2
Mar., ii. 490.) This, presumably, is identical with Karak K
above.
Karatayya. — "A town near Riit Jibrin, in the Provinc<
Filastin. It belongs to Jerusalem." (Yak.,,iv, 53; Mar.
397.)
I Karawa (i). — "A village of the Ghaur," says YakOt, in 1225,
; the Jordan Province. They grow at this place excellent su
and I have been there many times." (Yik., iv. 51 ; Mar.
396.)
Karawa Bani Hassan (2). — "A village of the Nibulus 1
trict." {Idem.')
Kariyat al 'Inab (The Grape Village, Kirjath Jear
\ — Passed by Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047. He w^rites in his Dii
1
■I
KARIYAT AL 'INAB.—KASHAFRID, 481
" By the wayside I noticed, in quantities, plants of Rue {Sadab\
which grows here of its own accord on these hills, and in the
desert places. In the village of Kariyat-al-'Inab there is a fine
spring of sweet water gushing out from under a stone, and they
have placed all round troughs, with small buildings contiguous
(for the shelter of travellers). From this village we proceeded
onward, the road leading upward to Jerusalem." (N. Kh., 22.)
This village, now known as Abu Ghaush, is said to be the Biblical
" Baalah, which is Kirjath Jearim " — Joshua xv. 9. It is the
place mentioned, presumably, by Mukaddasi under the name of
Bali 'ah. (See p. 306.)
Karivat al' UvCn (The Village of the Springs). — " From
Kariyat al' UyAn to Jubb Yusuf (Joseph's Pit) is 2 marches.
And to Kar'On is i march." (Muk., 191.) This represents the
IJon of I Kings xv. 20. It is at the present day called Tell
Dibbin, and stands in the plain of Merj 'Ayy(in. (Robinson,
Researches^ 1852, p. 375.)
Al Karivatain. — " A large village belonging to Hims, and on
the desert road. It lies between Hims, Sukhnah and Arak. Its
population are all Christians. It is also known as Huwwirain.
(See p. 456.) It is 2 marches from Tadmur (Palmyra)." (Yak.,
iv. 77 ; Mar., ii. 406.)
Karkar. — Abu-1 Fida writes : " Karkar is among the most
celebrated of the Syrian frontier fortresses. It is a high-built and
well fortified castle. From it you may see the Euphrates far
away like a thread. It lies to the west of that river. It is one
of the strongest of the Syrian fortresses, and lies not far from
and to the east of Kakhta," (A. F, 265. Noticed by Yik.,
iv. 262.)
Kar'un. — " From Kar'ftn to Kariyat al 'Uyun is i march.
And to 'Ain al Jarr is 1 march." (Muk., 191.)
Karn al Hamirah. — "A village of Damascus." (Mar.,
ii. 404.)
KASHAFRtD. — ** A town lying among the mountains of Halab.
It is a stronghold. A man of this place gave himself out as a
j)rophet in the year 561 (1166), and many believed in him. The
Syrian army went against him, and they slew him and his com-
31
I
i
/
.-J
482 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
panions. Thus Allah saved the true believers from his gu
(Yak., iv. 277 ; Mar., ii. 500.)
KasivCn (Mount Casius). — **The mountain overhai
Damascus (to the north). In it are numerous caves, in v
i I are some relics of the prophets, and the tombs of the pi<
'■ I According to the author of the Marcisid^ " KasiyQn is to-c
\\ great quarter of Damascus extending to the skirt of the
f There are seen here many tombs and colleges. In the su
are two mosques where they say the Friday prayers, also a hos
and a market. The first inhabitants who settled here were p€
of Jerusalem, who fled from thence when that city was takei
the Franks before the days when Saladin retook it. And
came and dwelt here, and many others have followed. The
\\ in Jabal Kisiytln a cave called Magharat ad Dam, the Ca^
Blood, where, they say, Cain slew his brother Abel. And t
is a mark as of blood, which they say is the blood of Abe
maining to the present time, but dried up. There is also a st
like a stone that has been thrown by a person, which they s
the stone which split Abel's head. There is also here the Ca^
Famine (Magharat al Jau*), where forty prophets died of hun
(Y^k., iv. 14; Mar., ii. 378.) (See above, p. 252.)
" jj Kasr Bani 'Omar. — "A village of the Ghautah of Daraas<
(Yak., iv. no; Mar, ii. 419.)
Kasr Hajjaj. — "The name of a large quarter of Dama:
outside the gates called B^b as Saghir and Bab al Jabiyah,
is called after Hajjaj, son of 'Abd al Malik ibn Marwin." (^
iv. no ; Mar., ii. 419.)
Kasr Haifa. — "A place lying between Haifa and Kaisari
(Caesarea of Palestine)." (Yak., iv. no ; Mar., ii. 419.)
Kasr Umm HakIm.— "A palace in the Marj as Suffa
Damascus. Umm Hakim was the wife of the Khalif Hishani
of 'Abd al Malik, and she was the mother of the Khalif Y
Suk (the market of) Umm Hakim, in Damascus, is called
her." (Yik., iv. 108 ; Mar., ii. 418.)
Kasr Ya'kCb. — '* A place which lies on the road from 1
riyyah to Bdniyas. It is where Jacob wept for the loss of Jos
and the pit into which the latter was thrown is near ]
H
AL KASTAU—KAWUS. 483
According to a more trustworthy account, the pit of Joseph is
near a village called Sinjil on the Jerusalem road." (A. H.,
Oxf. MS., folio 29.) (See above, pp. 466, 477.)
Al Kastal (i). — "A place between Hims and Damascus
where the caravans stop. It is said to be the name of the Ktirah
(or district)." (Yik., iv. 95 ; Mar., ii. 411.)
From Al Kastal to Salami)7ah (Muk.) is 2 marches, or (I. K.,
Id.) 30 miles; to Ad Dara'ah (Muk.), 2 marches (L K., Id),
36 miles.
Al Kastal (2). — "A place near the Balka Province (south of)
Damascus, on the road to Al Madinah." {Idem.)
Kastal is the Aramean form of the Latin castelluniy a " chiteau
d'eau," where water is stored and distributed. Yakiit says that
*' in the language of the people of Syria, Al Kastal signifies a
place where waters are divided."
Katana. — " One of the villages of Damascus." (Yak., iv. 137 ;
Mar., ii. 431.)
Katt. — "A- town in the Province of Filastin, between Ar
Ramlah and Jerusalem." (Yak., iv. 137; Mar., ii. 430.)
Kaukab (The Star). — "The name of a castle on the hill
overhanging Tabariyyah. It overlooks the whole of the Jordan
Province. It was taken by Saladin, and fell to ruin after his days."
(Yak, iv. 328; Mar., ii. 523.)
Al Kawathil. — "The name of a place in Syria." The
Mardsid adds : " It is a station on the high-road from Ar Rahbah
to Damascus, where the caravans stop." (Ydk., iv, 315 ; Mar.,
ii. 517.) The name signifies "the stem of a ship."
KawCs. — "KiwQs to Hebron is i march, and KawCIs to Sughar
is I march." (Muk., 192.)
KawQs, as the name of a place, does not occur on any map, nor
apparently is it mentioned by any Arab geographer except Al
Mukaddasi ; furthermore, the reading of the name is not unlikely
to be corrupt, for the diacritic points are wanting in some of the
MSS. Hence M. Clermont-Ganneau would propose to read
(after making a change in the diacritical points), for Kiwiis,
Zu'airah (Al Faukah), which is a village situated at about the
point indicated by Mukaddasi in the present maps. Should,
31—2
484 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
however, the reading Kdwfts be retained as the right one, it is
worthy of remark that the ancient Edomites are said to have
worshipped the God Kaus or Kuzah, the God of the War-bow.
(See Zeif. Deutsch. Mor^. GeselL, 1849, p. 200^/ seq.) Further, in
the time of Esarhaddon, 680 b.c, there is mention made of Kaus
Gabri, King of Edom. (See Major Conder's Stone Lore, p. 172.)
Al Kayyar. — " A place lying between Ar Rakkah and Rusdfab
Hisham." (Yak., iv. 211 ; Mar., ii. 464.)
KazirIm (in error for KarIzim, Gerizim). — " This," writes
YakClt, ** is the house of worship of the Samaritans, who are a sect
of the Jews, which is at Nabulus. They say that here stood
the altar on which Isaac was offered up (by Abraham). The -
Samaritans are very numerous in this place." (Yik., iv. 272 ;
Mar., ii. 495.)
KhadhkadCtnah (also spelt KhalkadOnah, Khankha-
dOnah, and Al GhadkadOnah). — "The line of Frontier For-
tresses to which Adhanah, Al Massissah, Tarsus, and 'Ain Zarbah
belong, and it is the name of the territory in which these lie."
(Yik., ii. 407, 408, 463 ; Mar., i. 342, 362.)
Khairan. — "A village of Jerusalem." (Yak., ii. 506; Mar.
i- 377-)
Al Khait. — "A district of the Upper Ghaur of the Jordan
Valley. The country resembles ihat of 'Irak in the matter of its
rice, its birds, its hot springs, and excellent crops." (Dim., 211.)
Khamman. — "A district of the Bathaniyyah, in the Haurin
Province of Syria." (Yak., ii. 469; Mar., i. 365.)
Khan as Sultan. — "A station south of Nabk. It was built
by Saladin, and lies in a broad plain. There are iron gates on all
its gateways. In the Khan is running water, brought thither
underground to a reservoir like a tank. This has apertures from
which the water flows out into a small channel running round the
tank, and thence overflows into conduits, and so to the ground.
The road from Hims to Damascus has but few buildings on it,
except in those places where there are Khans." (I. J., 261.)
Al Khanikah (The Cloister). — '*The name of the place of
worship of the Karrimite Sect at Jerusalem." (Yak., ii. 393 ;
Mar., i. 336.)
KHARANBA.—KHUSAF. 485
Kharanba. — " A territory on the road l^etween Halab and the
Greek country." (Yak., ii. 428 ; Mar., i. 349.)
Al KharrCtbah. — "A fortress on the sea-coast overlooking
*Akka." (Yak., ii. 428 ; Mar., i. 349.)
Al Khashbiyyah. — " A mountain near Al Massissah, among
the Frontier Fortresses." (Ydk., ii. 445 ; Mar., i. 354.)
HisN AL Khawabi (The Fort of the Ewers). — " This fortress
lies 15 miles south of AntarsQs, by land. It is situated on a high
mountain, and is an impregnable place. Its people are the
Hashishiyyah (Assassins), who are misbelievers in Islam, and be-
lieve naught of the I-ast Day, nor of the resurrection after death —
Allah curse their unbelief!" (Id., 20 ; mentioned by Muk., 154.)
KhisfIn. — "A town in the Damascus Province." (Yb., 1 15.)
" A village of the Hauran, on the road down to Egypt, lying
between Nawi and the Jordan. It is distant 15 leagues from
Damascus." (Yik., ii. 443; Mar., i. 353.)
Al Khunasirah. — "A fortress," writes Istakhri, "lying over
against Kinnasrin, on the desert side, and at its edge and border.
The Khalif 'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz used to live there. It is a
1 lace of refuge in our day (tenth century), for the roads are unsafe
by reason of the incursions of the Greeks." (Is., 61 ; I. H., 119 ;
co|)ied by A. F., 232.)
" Khunisirah," writes Ydkut, " is a small town of the Halab
District, near Kinnasrin, and lies close to the desert. It is the
capital of the district of Al Ahass, and is called after him who
built it, namely, Khunasirah ibn 'Amr, sixth in descent from Auf
ibn Kananah, King of Syria. Others say he was Khun^irah ibn
'Amr, the vicegerent of Al Ashram of the Elephant." (Y4k., ii.
473 ; Mar., i. 367.)
" Khunasirah," says Abu-1 Fida, " lies on the border of the
desert, west, and somewhat south, of Halab, and two marches
distant from it." (A. F., 232.)
Al Khunisirah to Halab is 2 days. (Is., I. H., Ydk.)
Khusaf. — " A plain lying between Bdlis and Halab, and very
celebrated in those parts. There are here remains of edifices
and villages covering an extent of some 15 miles." (Yak., ii. 441 ;
Mar., i. 352.)
486 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Khusail. — "The name of a place in Syria." (Yak., ii. 4
Mar., i. 356.)
Khuwailifah. — "A place in the neighbourhood of the Fila
Province." (Yak., ii. 501 ; Mar., i. 376.)
KiLi.iz. — **The name of a meadow in the Greek country r
Sumaisat. In the Halab territory is a town called Killiz, but t
1 think, is another place. This latter Killiz (spelt with thehar<
is a village in the 'Azaz District, lying between Halab and Ai
kiyyah.*' (Yak., iv. 158, 229 ; Mar.,ii. 440, 508 )
KiNNWSRiN (Chalcis). — "The city," writes Istakhri, in
•I tenth century, " from which the province is named ; but it i
ll very small place, and its buildings are insignificant. It wa
'\ pleasant place to live in till the Greeks took it, but now it 1
become even as a heap of rubbish." (Is., 61 ; I. H., 118.)
" Kinnasrin," writes Mukaddasi, " is a town of which the po
lation has decreased. The worthy Shaikh Abu Sa'id Ahmad :
Muhammad related to me at Naisabur (in Persia), holding
tradition as coming from 'Amr ibn Jarir, who heard the Prop
say : * .Mlah— may His name be exalted and glorified ! — spake
me in revelation, Af ^vhichsoexer of thifc places thou descend
tvn'/v it sha/i beconte thy abode after thy flight, whether it he
\ Madinah, or Ai /Bahrain, or Kinnasrin, ' Now, if anyone shoi
" ask of me, Mukaddasi, why I have given Halab (Aleppo) as
capital of the Kinnasrin District, (thus ignoring the claims of)
city (of Kinnasrin), bearing the same name as that of its distr
I reply, even as I have stated before in the Preface to my wc
\ that capitals and towns may be regarded in the light of genei
and soldiers. And thus it would not be fitting to make Hal
which is so lordly, and where is the residence of the Sultan, a
» the place of the Diwans, or Antakiyyah, with all its wealth, a
I Balis, with its great population, even as soldiers (subordinate) t
town which is ruined and of small extent (like Kinnasrir
(Muk., 156. The tradition of the Prophet is repeated in Yl
iv. 185.)
Nasir-i-Khusrau passed through Kinnasrin in 1047, and spe;
of it as a village.
* Kinnasrin," says Idrisi, "is a city from which the Province
1
KINNASRIN,—KIRMIL. 487
named. There were in former times fortified walls round it, but
these were destroyed in the days of the murder of Al Husain, the
son of the Khalif 'Ali — Allah accept them both ! — by the com-
mand of the Khalif Yaztd. Of these walls some remains may be
seen to the present day (1154). The place has an impregnable
fortress. There are also markets, and artificers who live here. It
stands on the river Kuwaik." (Id., 25.)
" In Kinnasrin," says 'Ali of Herat, " the Makam, or Station,
of the Prophet Salih is to be seen." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio
II, V.)
The traveller, Ibn Jubair, who passed through Kinnasrin in
1 185, speaks of it as "a town of great importance in former times,
but now quite ruined and abandoned." (I. J., 255.)
** Kinnasrin," writes YdkAt, "lies a day*s march from Halab.
It was very populous formerly, but when the Greeks took Halab, in
351 (962), or, as some say, 355 (966), the inhabitants of Kinnasrin
fled from fear into the country. There is here now (thirteenth
century) only a Khl^n for the caravans. In the mountains of
Kinnasrin is the tomb of the Prophet Salih — so some say." (Yik.,
iv. 184 ; Mar., ii. 453.)
" Kinnasrin," says Abu-1 Fidd, " was anciently one of the
capitals of Syria. At the time of the first conquest the Muslims
settled here, and Halab is not mentioned in the records. It is in
the land of the Rabi'ah tribe. From Ma^arah to Kinnasrin is a
long march. It was one of the chief towns of Syria, but lost its
importance when Halab was rebuilt, and so fell to ruins, and is
now a small village. Below the village the river Kuwaik (Chalus)
falls into the morass. The hill of Kinnasrin overhangs the place.
It lies a short march from Halab." (A. F., 267.)
Kinnasrin to Halab (Is., H. H., Muk.), i day's march, (Id.)
20 miles; to Kafar Tab (Muk.), i march; to Antiki>7ah (Id.),
40 miles.
Kir MIL (i), (Carmel). — " A fortress on the high mountain
above Haifi, on the Syrian coast. It was known in the early
days of Islam as the Masjid (Mosque) of Sa'ad ad Daulah." (Yak.,
iv. 267 ; Mar., ii. 492.)
KiKMiL (2), (Carmel). — "A village in the further limits of the
488 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Hebron territory, in the Province of Filastin." (Idem.) This
the Carmel mentioned in Joshua xv. 55.
Al Kiswah, or Al Kuswah (The GARMtNT). — "The fi
station on the Pilgrim road out of Damascus. The place is
called because the King Ghassan here slew the messengers of 1
King of RClm (Greece), who came to demand tribute of hi
And he here divided their garments (KisufaA)." (Yilc, iv. 27
Mar, ii. 498.)
" Al Kuswah," says Abu-1 Fida, "is 12 miles from As Sanama
Al Kuswah is a domain and a halting stage. Near it runs t
Nahr Al A'waj, which flows down from (Hermon) the Mount
Snow. From Al Kuswah to Damascus is 12 miles, and betwc
the two is a beautiful pass called 'Akabah ash ShuhOrah.
Kuswah lies south of Damascus." (A. F., 253.)
" From Al Kiswah," says Ibn BatQtah, " near Damascus, 1
caravans start for Al Madinah." (I. B., i. 254.)
Kuswah to Damascus (Muk.) is 2 stages, or (I. K.) 12 mil
to Jasim (Muk.) is i march, or (1. K.) 24 miles.
Al Kubaibah. — " A fine quarter lying outside the Mosc
of Damascus, and towards the south." (Yik., iv. 34; M;
ii. 388.)
KuBAKiB (i). — "A well and halting place on the Damas<
road from Ar Rahbah, between it and As Sabakhah. It lies
il( a desert with no water near it." (Mar., ii. 383.)
KuBAKiB (2). — " The name of a river in the Thughtir
J Frontier Lands) near Malatyah. It falls into the Euphratc
I (Yak., iv. 26 ; Mar., ii. 383.)
KuDHARAN — "A village in the neighbourhood of Ha
(Aleppo)." (Yik., iv. 43 ; Mar, ii. 392.)
KOfa, or Bait KOfa. — " A village near Damascus." (Yi
iv. 201 ; Mar., ii. 460.)
Kulbain. — "One of the villages of Damascus, I believe,
lies near Tarmis." (Yak., iv. 157 ; Mar., ii. 439.)
KuNAiKiR — " A village of Damascus. One of the chief of
Karmathians was killed here in 290 (903)." (Yak., iv. 3
»Mar., ii. 517.)
Al Kur' (The Bare).—" The name of a WM in the De
KURAN,—HISN AL KUSAIR. 4^9
of Syria, so called because nothing grows there." (Yak., iv. 62 ;
Mar., ii. 400.)
KuRAN.— " Abu Sa'd," writes YdkCt, " says it is a village of Syria,
but probably this is a mistake, for I inquired for it when I was in
Syria, and could learn nothing of any such place." (Yak., iv. 247 ;
Mar., ii. 483.)
Al Kuraishiyyah. — "A village on the coast of Hims, and the
last village of its territory towards Halab and Antakiyyah. There
are people in Halab coming from here who called themselves
Banu al Kurashf. The common people imagine they are of the
Kuraish tribe, so I am creditably informed." (Yak., iv. 57 ;
Mar., ii. 399.)
KuRKUs (CoRYCos). — " Ras Kurkus (the headland of Kurkus)
lies 13 miles from the town of Kurkus. Kurkus itself is a fortress,
and from it you can see the heights of C)rprus. From Ris
Kurkus to Hisn al Mulawwan is 25 miles." (Id., 24.)
KCrus (Cyrrhus). — "A fort on a mountain that forms part of
the Jabal Lnkkam." (Id., 27.)
** Kfirus," writes YakOt, " is an ancient town near Halab, having
many remains of antiquity lying near it. It is ruined now, but
there are many fine relics of the past. There is here the tomb of
Uriyya ibn Hannan (Uriah the Hittite?)." (Yak., iv. 199, copying
A. H. ; see Oxf. MS., folio 9 verso; Mar., ii. 459.)
" KQrus," says Abu-1 Fidi, in the fourteenth century, " is a large
town, and the capital of its district." (A. F., 231.)
KClrus to Halab (Is., I. H., Id.), i day; to Manbij (Is., I. H , Id.),
2 marches.
KuRZAHiL. — " A place in the neighbourhood of Halab, in the
'Amk territory." (Yik., iv. 56 ; Mar, ii. 398.)
Al Kusair (t). — " Immediately to the north of Damascus is a
large Khan called Al Kusair, and in front of it is a stream of
water. From thence to Damascus the road lies continually
through gardens." (1. J., 261; mentioned by Yik., iv. 126;
Mar., ii. 426.)
Hisn al Kusair (2). — "A strong fortress," says Ibn Batfttah,
"lying south of Al 'Amk, in the Halab District." (I. B., i. 165.)
The author of the Mardsid {}n Yik., v. 27) speaks of it as one
\
490 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
f of the fortified castles of Halab. This is the place called,
William of Tyre, Ccesara. It belonged to the Templars.
KusAiR Mu'fN (3). — " A village in the Ghaur of the Jor
Province. They crush sugar-cane here.'* (Yak., iv. i
Mar., ii. 426.)
i KOstN. — "A village of the Filastin Province, so I belies
(Yak., iv. 320; Mar., ii. 521.)
KustCn. — " A fortress," writes Yakfit, in 1225, "that was in
district of Ar ROj, in the Halab Province. It is now in ruii
(Yak., iv. 97 ; Mar., ii. 412.)
' Al Kutayvifah (1). — "There is here," says YaTcAbi, in €
" a palace of the Khalif Hisham ibn 'Abd al Malik." (Yb., i:
I " Al Kutayyifah," writes Yakfit, " is a village on the north sid(
; the Thaniyyat al 'Ukab (the Eagle's Pass) as you come tows
\ Damascus, from Hims, by the desert road." (Yak., iv. i
; Mar, ii. 435.)
: Al Kutayyifah to An Nabk (Muk.), i march, or (I. K.)
! miles ; to Damascus (Muk.), i march, or (I. K.) 24 miles.
Al Kutayyifah (2). — "The name of a quarter of Hi
I (Aleppo)." (Mar. in Yak., v. 27.)
[ Al Kuwainisah. — " A village of the Ghautah of Damasc
(Yak., iv. 207 ; Mar., ii. 463.)
fJK Al Ladhikiyyah (Laodicea ad Mare). — "The town on
coast of the Province of Hims." (Yb., 112.)
il* " Al Ladhikiyyah," says Idrisi, "is a very populous city, ric
products and good things. It lies on an arm of the sea, and
a fine port, in which ships and boats which come hither
anchor." (Id., 23.)
Ij " Al Lidhikiyyah," says Ydkfit, " is one of the coast town
Syria. It was formerly counted as of the Hims Province, bi
at present (1225) counted of the Halab District. It lies 6 lea|
west of Jabalah. It is an ancient Greek city, with many ant
buildings, and has fine dependencies, also an excellendy-1
harbour. There are two castles built on a hill adjoining,
overlooks the suburb. The sea lies west of the city. Al Li
kiyyah was taken by the Franks when they gained possessioi
the other coast towns in about the year 5oo(under Tancred in 1 1
AL LADHIKIYYAH. 49^
It is now at the present day in Muslim hands. For quite lately,
namely, in the month DhQ-1 Ka*adah, of the year 620 (December,
1223), an army from Halah (Aleppo) went against it, and they
camped there a certain time, until they had destroyed the castle
and levelled it with the ground, for fear lest it should again be
occupied by the Franks.
" The writer Ibn Fadlan relates the following : Al Ladhikiyyah
is a very ancient city, and is called after the name of its founder.
I saw here in the year 446 (1054) a curious sight. The Muhtasib,
(Police-Inspector) was wont to collect together in a circle all the
strumpets, and also the strangers among the Greeks who were
addicted to riotous living. He would then begin an auction
among them, crying up the price by Dirhams of each (strumpet),
and for how much each should hold her for the night. Then the
couples were taken to the hostelry, where the strangers dwell, and
each of them received from the Muhtasib (a paper with) the seal
of the Metropolitan (Al Matran) as a certificate. For the
Governor was wont to come round afterwards, and demand this
(paper) from each of them, and if any man were found with a
strumpet, and had not with him the Metropolitan's certificate, the
lack of it went ill with him." (Yak., iv. 338 ; Mar., iii. i.)
" Al ladhikiyyah," says Dimashki, "is surrounded by the sea on
three sides. In its method of building it resembles Al Iskan-
dariyyah (Alexandria). There is no running water here, and trees
are scarce. Its buildings are very ancient. In the country round
are quarries of marble, white, green and variegated. Dair al Fariis
(in the city) is one of the most beautiful of convents. On one
day of the year the Christians all come hither to make their visi-
tation. The port of Al Ladhikiyyah is a most wonderful harbour,
and one of the most spacious, so that it never ceases to be full of
large ships. There is at its mouth a great chain which protects the
ships that are inside from the enemies* ships without." (Dim., 209.)
**A1 ladhikiyyah," writes Abu-1 Fida, "has many cisterns.
The city is on the sea-coast, and has a fine and excellent port.
There is here a convent inhabited by monks called Dair al FarQs,
which is well built Between Al Ladhikiyyah and Jabalah is a
distance of 12 miles, and to Antdkiyyah is 48 miles. It is the
492 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
finest of the coast towns and the strongest, and the port is
large." (A. F., 257.)
Laodicea was visited by Ibn Batdtah in 1355. He writes ;
" Outside the city is the convent called Dair al Farfis.
the greatest of the convents of Syria and Egypt, and is inhal
by monks. It is visited by the Christians from all parts. Muj
who go there are treated with hospitality by the Christians. 1
food consists of bread, cheese, olives, vinegar and capers,
port of Al L.adhikiyyah is shut by a chain that stretches beti
two towers, so that none can enter or depart without the c
being slacked. It is one of the finest ports of Syria." (I. ]
: 179-183)
J Al Ladhikiyyah to Antakiyyah is 3 marches or days (Is., Mi
{ to Halab, 3 days (Yak.); to Jabalah (Id.), 10 miles; to His
j Harbadah (Id.), 18 miles.
LailCn, or LAiLt>i* — "The name of the mountain w
overhangs Halab (Aleppo). It lies between it and Antakij
? There are on its sides many villages and fields. On the sur
j is the watchman of Bait Laha"(see p. 413). (Yak., iv. 374 ; ?
!i iii. 24.)
' Al Lajah (Trachonitis). — "The name of the black Hi
] (volcanic country), which is in the country of Salkhad, in S
There are in its boundaries many villages and fields, also a i
population." (Yak., iv. 350; Mar., iii. 8.)
*^ Al Lajjln (i) (Legio, said to bk Mkgiddo). — "A cit;
t the frontier of Palestine, and in the mountain country. Run
t.' water is found here. It is well situated, and is a pleasant pi
(Muk., 162.)
Ibn al Fakih, who wrote in the beginning of the tenth can
states that "there is just outside Al I^jjdn a large stone of n
form, over which is built a dome, which they call the Mosqi
(' Abraham. A copious stream of water flows from under the si
and it is reported that Abraham struck the stone with his
and there immediately flowed from it water enough to suffic
the supply of the people of the town, and also to water
lands. This spring continues to flow down to the present <
'I. F., 117.)
AL LAJJUN,—LVD. 493
"Al Lajjfln," says Yakfit, "in the Jordan Province, lies 20
miles from Tabariyyah, and 40 miles from Ar Ramlah. In the
middle of the town is a circular rock, and over it a dome. This
they call the Mosque of Abraham — peace be upon him ! Under
the rock is a copious spring of water. They say that Abraham
entered the town at the time of his journey up to Egypt, and with
him were his flocks. Now the city possessed but little water at
that time, and the people besought Abraham to travel on because
of the small quantity of their water-supply. But he was com-
manded to strike the rock here with his staff, and the water then
burst forth copiously. The villages and orchards round are all
now irrigated from this spring, and the rock remains standing even
to the present day." (Yak., iv. 351 ; Mar., iii. 8 ; mentioned by
A. F., 227.)
Al Lajjfln to Tabariyyah (Muk.), i march, or 20 miles; to
Kalansuwah (Muk.), i march ; to Kafa Saba (Muk.), by post-road,
I march ; to Kaisariyyah (I. Kh.), 20 miles.
Al LajjOn (2). — "The name of a station on the Pilgrim road,
near Taima. The poet Ar Ral speaks of it as A 1 Lajjan." (Yik.,
iv. 351.) Ibn Batutah speaks of this Al Lajjflnas lying "between
Birkat Ziza and Hisn al Karak. There is running water here."
(I. B., i. 255.)
LajjOn (3). — "A town in the Province of Kinnasrin." (Muk.,
154.)
LatmIn. — " A Kflrah (or district) with a fortress in it, belonging
to the Hims Province." (Yak., iv. 358; Mar., iii. 13.)
Law!. — " A village lying between Nabulus and Jerusalem. The
tomb of Lawi (Levi), son of Jacob, is here." (A. H., Oxf. MS.,
folio 33 ; copied by Yak., iv. 344; Mar., iv. 3.)
LuDD (Lvdda). — "The ancient capital of Palestine. It fell to
decay after the founding of Ar Ramlah. Ludd is also the name
of the district (Kflrah) round the old city." (Yb., no.)
" Ludd lies about a mile from Ar Ramlah. There is here a great
mosque, in which are wont to assemble large numbers of the
people from the capital (Ar Ramlah), and from the villages round.
In Lydda, too, is that wonderful church (of St. George) at the
gate of which Christ will slay the Antichrist." (Muk., 176.)
I
11*
*
I
II i
^ 494 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
r.
r . The coming of the Antichrist, Ad Dajjal, is to be one o
great signs of the Day of Resurrection. According to the 1
tion of the Prophet, Ad Dajjil will first appear in either I
Mesopotamia or Khurasan. He will ride on an ass, an
followed by 70,000 Jews of Ispahan. He will reign ove
earth during forty years, and will ultimately be slain by the C
who will meet him at the Gate of Lydda. This traditi<
doubtless due to a distorted version of the story of St. Georg<
the Dragon. The Church of St. George mentioned by Mukac
y J must have been the original church which the Crusaders rest
for the present ruins are those of a building of the Cru«
epoch. For an illustration of the Church of St. George
..S*. 0/ IV. P. Memoirs^ ii. 267 ; on p. 138 of the same vol
are also some notes by M. Clermont-Ganneau, on the Muslin
Dajjal, as the representative of the Christian St. George.
\* "At Ludd," says Ali of Herat, "the Messiah — peace b
Him ! — once lived. Here, too, is the house of Maryam, and
the Franks hold in great veneration." (A. H., Oxf. MS., f.,
i' " Ludd," writes YikOt, in the thirteenth century, " is a villa
Ii the Jerusalem District. Jesus, the Son of Mary, will slay the
iM! Christ at the Gate." (Y^k., iv. 354; Mar., iii. 11; menti
I |J by A. F., 227.)
The ruin of Lydda, when Ar Ramlah was being built, has
liT' described in the section on Ar Ramlah (above, p. 303.)
[ ' ' L^LtlrAH AL KABfRAH. — " A quarter of Damascus lying ou
the Bdb al Jabiyah." (Yak., iv. 371 ; Mar., iii. 22.)
\ ' Maab (Ar or Rabath Moab, Areopolis). — " Maab,"
; Mukaddasi, "lies in the mountains. The district round
\ many villages, where grow almond-trees and vines. It borde
the desert." (Muk., 178 ; mentioned also by Yb., 114.)
" Maab is a city on the frontier of Syria, in the territory o
Balka. It was first conquered by Abu ^Ubaidah in the year
I . (Yak., iv. 377 ; Mar., iii. 25.)
" Maab, or Ar Rabbah," says Abu-1 Fidd, in 1321, "lies ir
Balka Province. According to Muhallabi, this place and Ad
are two towns in the Jabal Ash Sharih. Maab was a very an
town ; the relics of which have completely disappeared, and
I
n
MA'ALIYA.-MA'ARRAH AN NUMAN, 495
place is a village called Ar Rabbah. It is in the district of Al
Karak, and lies about half a day's march from this to the north.
Near Ar Rabbah is an extremely high hill, called Shaihan,* which
you see from afar. Maab is mentioned in the history of the Israel-
ites. Between it and 'Amman along the road by the Maujib
(river Arnon) is 48 miles." (A. F., 247.)
Maab to Sughar (Muk.), i march ; to 'Amman (Muk.), i march.
Ma'aliva. — " A fine castle on a hill and well fortified. In its
lands is Al Kurain (Montfort), an impregnable castle lying
between two hills, and this was a frontier fortress of the Franks.
It was taken by Sultan Baibars. 'J here lies near it a valley most
pleasant and celebrated among all the valleys, for its musk-pears,
the like of which are found nowhere else for exquisiteness of per-
fume and excellence of flavour. There are also grown here
citrons of such a size that a single fruit weighs 6 Damascus
Ratls (or about 18 lbs.)." (Dim., 211.)
Ma'arrah an Nu'man. — "An ancient city, now (891) a ruin.
It lies in the Hims Province." (Yb., iii.)
Istakhri writes, in 951 : "The fields of Na'arrah an Nu'man,
and all the surrounding lands of the town, are watered by the
rains only (not irrigated), for there is no running water in those
parts, nor springs. So in truth is it throughout most of the
Kinnasrin District. The people, too, drink the rain - water.
The city is very full of good things, and very opulent. There
are figs, pistachios, and the like cultivated here, also vines."
(Is., 61 ; I. H., 118 ; copied by A. F., 231.)
The town was visited by Nasir-i-Khusrau in 1047. He writes
in his Diary : " Six leagues from Sarmin we came to Ma'arrah
an Nu'man, which has a stone wall, and is a populous town. At
the city gate I saw a column of stone on which something was
inscribed in writing other than Arabic. One whom I asked con-
cerning it said it was a talisman against scorpions, and, thereby,
no scorpion could ever come into or abide in the town ; and
even were one to be brought in, and then set free, it would flee
away and not remain in the place. The height of this column,
according to my estimation, might be 10 cubits. The bazaars of
* Recalling the name of Sihon, King of ihe Amorites.
t
I
1
496 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
f' Ma'arrah an Nu'mdn I saw full of traffic The Friday Most
f.
built on a height, in the midst of the town, so that from wha
side it may be you enter the mosque, you go up thereto by thi
steps. The arable land belonging to the town is all on the hil
and is of considerable extent. There are here also fig-tree!
olives, and pistachios and almonds and grapes in plenty. The
for the city is from the rains, and also from wells." (N. Kh..
" Ma'arrah an Nu man," reports Idrisi, " is a place in
district of Kinnasrin. It is very populous and well built, h
j good bazaars. Nowhere in its territory or in its neighbour
is there any running water nor any spring. The sand has in\
most of its land. The people drink from rain-water. The
i has many good things, such as olive-trees and vines, and fig;
I pistachios, and nuts and the like." (Id, 27.)
! The traveller Ibn Jubair passed by Ma'arrah an Nu'ms
1185. He writes:
"And we passed on the right of our road going south
lying at a distance of 2 leagues away, the lands of Ma'arra
black with olives, figs and pistachios, and other sorts of fruit-
Everywhere round the town are gardens, even for 2 days* joi
8' ll distant. It is one of the most fertile and the richest lands i:
/ world. Over against it are the Lebanon Mountains, very
fl ^ and steep, running all along the sea-coast. On these an
iff. castles of the Ismailians." (I. J., 256.)
jf J" " Ma'arrah an Nu'man,"says Ydkflt, "is called after An Nu
I " ibn Bashir, the Companion of the Prophet, who died here.
"';:>: the south of the wall, before entering the town, is a tomb, sa
be that of Joshua, son of Nun. But the truth is, his tomb
Ndbulus. Ma'arrah is a large city lying between Halab
Hamah. It has olives and figs and pistachios in quantity, a
possesses broad lands. Its water comes entirely from \»
(Yak., iv. 574; Mar., iii. 120.)
" Ma'arrah Nu'man, in the Halab Province," says Dimi
,: , "is also known as Dhat Kasrain (Possessed of two Castles]
has extensive groves of trees bearing figs, pistachios, aim
apricots, olives, pomegranates, apples, and other fruits. All
are watered by the rains, and they only require that the
MA*ARRAH AN NU*MAN.^MADYAN. 497
should be turned up below them (and need no artificial irriga-
tion)." (Dim., 205.)
Abu-1 Fida adds nothing to the foregoing, except to state that
"the people drink well-water only." (A. F., 265.)
Ma'arrah an Nu^min was visited by Ibn Batdtah in 1355. "It
was called so," he says, " from An Nu'mdn ibn Bashir, the Com-
panion of the Prophet, who lies buried here. The place was for-
merly called Dhdt al Kusdr (Possessed of Castles). Or they say
An Nu'man is the name of a high hill in the neighbourhood. It
is a fine town, but small The figs and pistachios from here are
exported to Damascus. The Khalif *Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz lies
buried a league from the towa" (I. B., i. 143.)
Ma'arrah an Nu'min to Halab (Yik.), 2 days ; to Hisn MansQr
(Id.), I day.
Ma'arrah MasrIn (or NasrIn). — "A small town in a district
of the same name lying 5 leagues from Halab." (Yak., iv. 574 ;
Mar., iil 120.) Both " MasHn " and " Nasrtn " are probably cor-
rupted from " Kinnasrin." The town is also mentioned by Abu-l
Fida. (A. F., 231.)
Al Madain. — "The name of two villages in the neighbour-
hood of Halab. They lie in the plain of the Bani Asad tribe."
(Yak., iv. 447 ; Mar., iii. 62.)
Madvan (Midian). — "This town in reality is within the
borders of the Hijjiz, for the Arab Peninsula includes all within
the line of the sea, and Madyan lies on the coast. Here may be
seen the rock which Mdsi (Moses) struck when he gave water to
the flocks of Shu'aib (Jethro). Water here is abundant. In this
town the weights and measures, and the customs of the inhabi-
tants, are those of Syria." (Muk., 179.)
" Madyan," says Yikdt, " is the city of the people of Shu'aib.
It lies 6 marches from TabOk on the Bahr Kulzum (Red Sea).
It is a larger town than Tabdk. There is here the well from
which Mflsi watered the flocks of Shu'aib. I, YakQt, have seen
this well, and it is covered in, with a house built over it, and the
water runs from a spring. It is called Madyan Kaum Shu'aib
(Midian of Jethro's People), and is called after Madyan, the son
of Abraham — peace be on him !" (Yak , iv. 451 ; Mar., iii. 64.
32
f
i
*.
1
\
498 PJLESTJSE USDES THE MOSLEMS.
Tne position of the ancient city of Madyan, or Midian,
appear to h^ radier (kxibcfuL It is marked on the accomp
map, according to Sir F. Barton's Tiew, who identifies it wi
modem Makna, on the coast of the Gulf of Akaba. (Gifid
of Midian^ 1S7S. p. 331-* Sprenger, however, in his Ah
grafhi€ ArabUns^ puts it inland, or, as an alternative, on tt
Sea coast, south of 'Ainuna.
Maghar. — "A village of the Filastin Province." (Y5
582 ; Mar., iii. 125.)
Maghrah. — '* A place in Syria, in the lands of the Kalb
(Yak., iv. 583 ; Mar., iii. 126.)
MahrCbah. — "A place lying between Halab and Anti
(Antioch), and about 2 leagues from Antakiyyah." (Bil., i
Al Mahuz al A^-wau and MahCz ath Than! (The
\ and Second MahCz). — " A fortress on the sea-shore, 25
\ from 'Askalin : opposite it on the land-side are Kum Zan
Bait Jibril, which are two halting stations. From Al Mdh
First on to Al Mahuz the Second is 25 miles. Thence
Yafa, the port of Jerusalem, is but a short 2 marches." (Id
Al Mahdz to Ar Ramlah (Muk.) is i march.
MahCz Jubail. — " A place at the mouth of the Nahr lb
Thence to the Bay of Sulam is 3 miles, and to the City of
is 5 miles." (Id., 17.)
Maidaa.-— " A \nllage of the Iklim (District) of Khaul
Syria." (Yak., iv. 713 ; Mar., iii. 184.)
Maifa'ah. — "A village of the Balka Province of \
(Mar. ill, 185.)
Al MaitCr. — " One of the villages of Damascus."
iv. 716; Mar., iii. 185.)
Al Majdal. — "A domain not far from *Ain al Jarr.
on the road between Ba*albakk and Wadi at Taim." (
320.) Mukaddasi calls the place Majdal Salam.
From this place to Stir (Tyre) (Muk.) is 2 stages, a
Biniyis (Muk.) is 2 stages.
Majdalivabah.— " A village near Ar Ramlah, where the
* >ng fortress." (Yak., iv. 418; Man, iii. 43 ; A. F., 48.)
akad. — "A village in Syria, from which the wine
ii
.If;
^•
MAKRA.-^MALATYAH, OR M HELEN E. 499
Makadi is named. It is said to be of the Hims Province, or else
it is a village of the Bathaniyyah. The name of the wine is some-
times spelt Makaddi. Further, Makdiyah, or Al Makadd, is said
to be a village of the Haurin border near Adhri'at." (Y^k.,
iv. 589; Mar., iii. 130.)
Makra. — " A village of Syria, lying near Damascus.'' (Y^k.,
iv. 604 ; Mar., iii. 133.)
Malatvah, or Malativyah (Mitelene). — "This fortress was
first conquered by 'lyid ibn Ghanam. The town was rebuilt by
order of the Khalif al Mans(ir, and refortified in 139 (756). He
built also a mosque there, the whole in the space of six months.
For the garrison they built for each company, of from ten to
fifteen men, and for their captain, two habitations, one above and
one below, and under both a stable. Also they built a military
post at a distance of 3 miles from the town, and another at the
river Kubakib. Al Manstir garrisoned Malatyah with 4,000
men." (Bil., 185, 187; I. F., 114.)
" Malatyah," says Istakhri, "is a large town, and one of the
strongest of the fortresses, and was one of the most important ii)
the matter of garrison and armament It lies on this side of the
Jabal al Lukkam in the country towards Mesopotamia. There
are round it many hills on which are nut-trees, and almonds and
vines ; and the land bears the fruits of both hot and cold climates.
Nothing is impossible to grow there. At this present day (tenth
century) it is one of the strongest of the Greek towns, and is in-
habited by Armenians. It was conquered in the year 319 (931)."
(Is., 62 ; I. H,, 120.)
** Malatyah,*' Idrisi reports, " is a fortified town, and in old days
it was a great place, but the Greeks ravaged it many times, and
have wasted its prosperity and seized on its wealth." (Id., 26.)
"Malatyah," says Yiktit, "is a city that was founded by
Alexander. Its mosque was built by some of the Companions of
the Prophet It lies in the Greek country, and is very celebrated,
but is now beyond the limits of Syria. The town was rebuilt by
the Khalif al Mansfir's orders in the year 140, and resettled with
an Arab population." (Yak., iv. 633 ; Mar., iii. 144. Mentioned
also by A. F., 235.)
32—2
' 1
500 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Malatyah to Manbij (Is., I. H., Id.) is 4 or 5 days ; to
MansQr (Is., I. H., Id.) is 2 days, or 30 miles ; to Mar'asfa
»- I. H.), 3 long marches; to Shamshit (Id.), 51 miles.
/ Ma'laya. — " A place in the Jordan ProWnce in Sjnia." (
'i iv. 578; Mar., iii. 123.)
^1 MVlOla. — "A district near Damascus, where there are 1
villages." (Yik., iv. 578; Mar., iii. 123.)
Manbij (Hierapolis). — "Manbij, in the 'Awasim Prov
lies not far from Balis. It is a fertile place with markets, 1
ancient monuments, and great walls. But the desert lies ar<
it. Most of its fields and lands are rain-watered. It is prot<
by a small fort built in the Greek days. The poet Al Bu
and his son were both from this place." (Is., 62 ; I. H.,
\\ copied by A. F., 271.)
" Seven miles from Manbij," writes Ibn a) Fakih, " is a Ham
(hot-spring), over which is a dome, called Al Mudlr (the Inspe<
j On the edge of the bath is the image of a man made of b
J stone. According to the belief of the women of the place,
Ji who are barren have but to rub themselves on the nose of
statue, and they will forthwith conceive. There is here al
hot bath, called the Bath of the Boy (Hamm^m as Sawabi), w
there is the figure of a man in stone, and the water for the
gushes out from his nether parts." (I. F., 117.)
■J " Manbij," says Nisir-i-Khusrau, " is the first town of $
I J after crossing the Euphrates." It is, according to Idrisi (in 1 1
m\ "a large town lying i long march from the Euphrates. It
\i double walls, and was originally built by the Greeks. It
|Fj ' thronged bazaars, great wealth, fine crops, and plenteous
visions." (Id., 26.)
Manbij was visited by Ibn Jubair in 1185. He speaks o
good air and the gardens and trees lying to the east and we
j the town, which produce abundance of fruits. The water
reports, was good and in plenty, for there were wells of s
i water. " The surrounding land is excellent, and fit for gro^
I all sorts of fruits. The markets and streets are wide and thron
and the shops good. The thoroughfares are roofed in and Y
' Of old, Manbij was a city of the ancient Greeks, and there
ii
MANBIJ.—JISR MANBiy, 501
many remains of antique buildings in the neighbourhood. A
strong castle stands in the city, where the people may retire in
case of need." (I. J., 250.)
" Manbij," says Yak(it, " is a large and ancient town of Greek
origin, lying 3 leagues from the Euphrates and 10 leagues from
Halab. Their drinking water is from channels that run on the
surface of the ground ; also from many wells which gush out w^ith
sweet water. The Khalif Ar Rashid made Manbij the capital of
his new-made province of the 'Awdsim. The city stands in a fine
and fertile plain. It is surrounded by a stone wall ver>' strongly
built. In our day (thirteenth century) it belongs to the Sultan of
Halab (Aleppo). It was first conquered after Antikiyyah and
Halab by Tyad ibn Ghanam." (Yik., iv. 654; Mar., iii. 153.)
" Manbij," writes Abu-1 Fida, " is one of the Syrian towns
built by the Chosroes of Persia who conquered Syria. He called
it Manbik, and raised there a fire temple, and made governor a
certain man called Ibn Dunyir — one of the race of Ardashir, son
of Babak. This man was the ancestor of Sulaim^n ibn Majalid,
the Jurisconsult. The name of the town was Arabicized into
Manbij. It is said the Fire Temple was first so called, and that
the name passed to the town. There are at the present time
many water channels and gardens in Manbij. The principal tree
is the mulberry, which is used for feeding the silkworm. It grows
all round the walls in great profusion. Most of the walls and
houses of the city are now in ruins (fourteenth century)." (A. F.,
271.)
Manbij to Malatyah (Is., I. H., Id.) is 4 or 5 days; to Halab
(Is., I. H., Muk., Id.), 2 days; to the Euphrates (Is., I. H„
Muk., Id.), I short march ; to KQrus (Is., I. H., Id.) is 2 marches ;
to Sumaisit (Is., I. H.), 2 days; to Al Hadath (Is., I. H., Id.),
2 days ; to Shamshit (Id.), 3 or 2 days.
JiSR Manbij (The Bridge of Manbij). — "A small city on
the Euphrates with a fortress. Its lands are watered by irrigation
and by the rains. Its drinking water is from the Euphrates."
(Is., 62 ; I. H., 120.)
It is also called Kala*at an Najm (The Castle of the Star)i
** This," says Y^kiit, "is a fortified castle, standing high on a hill,
502 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
overhanging the east bank of the Euphrates. Below it is a popu-
lous suburb ; and there is a bridge called Jisr Manbij here,
which the caravans from Harrin to Syria cross to go to Manbij,
which lies 4 leagues distant It belongs now to the Sultan of
Halab." (Yak., iv. 165 ; Mar., ii. 443.)
"Kala'at an Najm, or Jisr Manbij," says Abu 1 Fidi, "lies on
the Euphrates, 25 miles from Manbij. This fort is so high as to
be in the clouds. It was formerly called Hisn (Fortress of)
Manbij, but came to be called Kala'at an Najm. It was rebuilt
by the Sultan (NOr ad Din) MahmOd ibn Zanki. It has now
(132 1 ) a strong garrison, who make incursions into the Frank
country. You pass over this bridge to go to Harrin. A long
march beyond it you come to Hisn Baddiyd, which you pass
going to Saruj.'' (A. F., 233.)
ManIn. — "A village of the Jabal Sanir, belonging to the
Damascus Province." (Ydk., iv. 674 ; Mar., iii. 167.)
Mannagh. — " A large village with a Friday Mosque of the
*Azaz District, near Halab. Some say its name was anciently
written Manna' (with ^ain instead of ghain\ and that it became
altered." (Yak., iv. 667 ; Mar., iii. 162.)
Marakivvah.— ** A castle on the Hims coast It lay in ruins
(after the first Muslim conquest, and the Khalif), Mu'awiyah
afterwards rebuilt and garrisoned it" (Yik., iv. 501 ; Mar.,
iii. 83.)
Mar'ash (Germanicia). — "This town was rebuilt by the
Khalif Mu'awiyah, who put a gairison there. Al 'Abbas, the son
of the Khalif Al Walid ibn 'Abd al Malik, reforrified Mar'ash, and
brought a settled population to live here. He built the great
Mosque also." (Bil., 188.)
" Mar'ash is a small town of northern Syria." (I. H., 62 ; A. F.,
263.)
" It was refortified by HarQn ar Rashid." (Mas., viii. 295).
" Mar'ash is of the same size as Al Hadath. It has well forti-
fied walls and bazaars. Many come thither for merchandise and
provisions." (Id., 27.)
" Mar'ash," says Yakdt, ** is a city between the Frontier
rovince of the Thughfir and Syria. It was rebuilt by the Khalif
MA* RATH A. —MAR J RAHIT, 503
Ar Rashid. It has double walls and a ditch. In its midst is a
fortress, surrounded by a wall, called Al Marw^ni, which was built
by the Khalif Marwdn al Himar ; there is a suburb called Al
HarQniyyah, out beyond the Mb al Hadath." (Ydk., iv. 498 ;
Mar., iii. 81.)
Mar'ash to Antikiyyah (Is., I. H.) is 2 days ; to Al Hadath
(Is., I. H., Id.) is I day ; to Malaty.ih (Is., I. H.), 3 long marches;
to Al HarQniyyah (Is., I. H.) is i march.
Ma^ratha. — " A village of Halab, and near Ma'arrah." (Yak.,
iv- 573 J Mar., iii. 120.)
MarbC*. — ".\ place in the neighbourhood of Salamiyah, in
Syria/' (Yik., iv. 486 ; Mar., iii. 74.)
Marda. — " A vilhge near Nabulus." (Yik., iv. 493 ; Mar.,
iii. 78.)
MARfMfN (i). — "One of the villages of Hims."
MarImIn (2).—" Also a celebrated village of Halab." (Yik.,
iv. 516 ; Mar., iii. 88.)
Marj *Adhra. — "A meadow lying 12 miles from Damascus in
the Ghautah." (Mas., v. 16 ; Yak., iv. 488 ; Mar., iii. 75.)
Marj al AtrakhCn.— " A meadow near Al Massissah." (Yak.,
iv. 487 ; Mar., iii. 74.)
Marj Dabik. — "A meadow in the Kinnasrin District. The
Khalif Sulaiman died and was buried here in 99 (718)." (Mas.,
V. 397)
Marj al KhalIj (The Meadow of the Canal). — "A phce
of the (Frontier Fortresses of the) Thughdr of Al Massissah."
(Yak., iv. 488 ; Mar., iii. 75.)
Marj RAhit. — **A celebrated meadow near Damascus, and
towards the east after passing Marj 'Adhri. As you go by Al
Kusair, travelling to Thaniyyat al 'Ukkab (the Eagles' Pass), along
the Hims road, it lies to the right" (Yak., ii. 743 ; iv. 488 ;
Mar., iii. 75.)
" Marj Rahit is the name of the meadow lying in the Ghautah
to the east of Damascus, where the great battle took phce between
the Yamanites and the Kaisites. The Khalif Marwin and the
Yamanites obtained the victory, and put the Kaisites of Ibn
Zubair's party to flight, whereby he, Marwin, was established in
II
504 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
the Khalifate.* It took place in the year 64 (683)." {2
230-)
Marj as Suffar. — " A celebrated meadow in the Ghaul
Damascus, lying between the city and the Khaulin Districi
is here the great battle took place in the days of the Om2
Khalifs." (Yik-, iii. 400; iv. 488; Mar., ii. 160; iii. 75.)
Marj 'UyCn (The Meadow of the Springs). — " A me
in the coast lands of Syria." (Yik., iv. 488 ; Mar., iii.
Possibly the //on of i Kings xv. 20.
HiSN al Markab (The Castle of the Watch-Tower,
Castrum Merghatum of the Crusades). — "A castle siti
on a mountain that stands isolated on all sides." (Id., 22.)
" Al Markab," says Yakdt, " is a town and castle overhai
the shore of the Syrian Sea. It protects the city of Bulunyas
the coast of Jabalah. Everyone who has seen it reports that
never saw the like for strength. It was built by the Muslii
454 (1062)." (Yak., iv. 500 ; Mar., iii. 82.)
" Hisn al Markab," says Dimashki, " is an impregnable foi
on a tongue of land overhanging the sea. It was built in the
of a triangle, by Rashid ad Din,t from the stones of ancient 1
It was afterwards rebuilt by the Christians, and in our days (i
the Muslims have retaken it and rebuilt it." (Dim., 208.)
"Al Markab and Bulunyas," writes Abu-1 Fida, ** lie oi
coast of Hims. Al Markab is the name of the castle, whi(
very strongly built, and high up, overlooking the sea. Bull
(ApoUonia) is the name of the town to which it belongs,
which lies about a league distant therefrom. It has fruit-t
and quantities of the salsuginous shrubs called Hamd ; they
also the sugar-cane. There are many springs in the neighl
hood. Bulunyas is less large than Jabalah. It lies 1 2 miles
Antarttis. The fortress of Al Markab was built by the Mu:
in the year 454 (1062), as Ibn Munkid relates in his wor
fortresses." (A F., 255.)
The fortress of Al Markab was visited by Ibn Bat(itah in :
He describes it as " one of the great fortresses of Syria, like
• See Weil, Geschichte der Khali/en, i. 348.
f Chief of the IsmaUians (Assassins).
AL MARRUT,—AL MASSISSAH, 505
of Al Karak. It is built on the summit of a high mountain.
Outside it lies a suburb where strangers dwell, for they are not
allowed to enter the castle. Sultan Kali'iin took it from the
Greeks (Crusaders)." (I. B., i. 183.)
From Hisn al Markab to Antarsfls (Id.), is 8 miles; to
Bulunyas (Id.), is 8 miles.
Al Marr^^t. — "A place, as it is said, of the lands of the
Ghassan kings in Syria." (Yak., iv. 504 ; Mar., iii. 84.)
Mashghara. — '*One of the villages of Damascus in the neigh-
bourhood of the Bika' (of Coelo Syria)." (Ydk., iv. 540 ; Mar.,
iii. 104.)
Al Masdaf. — "A place that you go to from At TOr (Sinai).
There is beautiful sand here and clear water, wherein they fish for
pearls." (Id., 2.)
Al Mash'ar. — "A ruined village lying half a day's journey
south of Hims." (I. J. 260, written in 1185.)
Al MassIssah (i), (Mopsuestia). — "This city was conquered
in the year 84 (703) by 'Abd Allah, son of the Khahf 'Abd al
Malik, and during his father's Khalifate. He built the fortifica-
tions here on the old line of the walls, and settled a garrison in
them. He built a mosque also on the summit of the hill of the
fort. A church in the fortress was turned into a granary, where
provisions were stored. The fortresses round Al Massissah were
all dismantled. The Khalif 'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz built a
mosque in the Kafarbayyi quarter and made a great cistern,
whereon his name was inscribed. This mosque fell to ruin in the
Khalif Al Mu'tasim's days. It was called Masjid al Hisn (the
Fort Mosque). The quarter of Al Khusds to the east of the
Jaihan (river Pyramus) was built by the Khalif Marwin. He
built a wall round it, and set in wooden gates, and dug a ditch.
The Khalif Hdr^n ar Rashid built Kafarbayyi, and fortified it
with a ditch. Al Mansdr built a Jami' Mosque in a place where
there was formerly a temple. He made his mosque three times
as large as 'Omar's Mosque ; and it was added to subsequently by
Al Mamiin." (Bil , 165, 166; I. F., 112 ; Mas., viii. 295.)
'' The bridge on the road from Al Massissah to Adanah, which
lies 9 miles from Al Massissah, was built in the year 125 (743).
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• I 506 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
It is called Jisr al Walid, after the Khalif Walid ibn Yazic
*Abd al Malik. The Khalif al Mu*tasim restored it in 225 (8
(Bil, 168; Yak., ii. 82 ; Mar., i. 255.)
" Al Massissah," says Istakhri in 943, "is, in truth, two U
One is called Al Massissah, the other Kafarbayyd, and they 1
either bank of the Jaihan River. Between them is a stone bi
Both quarters are well fortified, and they are built on eleval
One who is sitting in the Friday Mosque of the town car
down to the sea-shore nearly 4 leagues away. All the intcrv<
ground is a fertile plain, very pleasant and beautiful. The p<
of Al Massissah are agreeable, its markets are numerous, its
excellent.' (Is., 63; I. H., 122 ; copied by A. F., 251.)
According to the report of Idrisi, " the name of Al Mass
in the Greek language is Mamistri (Mopsuestia). The city
sists of two towns which lie on either side the river Jaihin.
tween them is a stone bridge. The one town is called Al
slssah, and the other Kafarbayyi, and they both have exte:
gardens and fields. The river Jaihan flows out from the C
country down to Al Massissah, and thence to the lands of
al Mulawwan, where it falls into the sea, 1 2 miles distant froi
Massissah." (Id., 24.)
" Al Massissah," says YakCit, " is a city on the Jaihan Riv<
the Thughftr (or Frontier Province) of Syria, lying bet
Antakiyyah and the Greek country. At present (1225) it
;[( the hands of Ibn I^yOn (Leo of Armenia). There are 1
n\ gardens watered by the Jaihan River. It is here the Muslin
Ij. old were in garrison against the Greeks. Al Massissah
originally a wall and five gates. Historians say it was called
its founder, Massissah ibn Ar R(im, grandson of Sam (Shem)
Muhallabi relates that the peculiar products of the Thughu
the fur pelisses made up at Al Massissah, which are exp(
thence to all parts of the world. A single pelisse will often i
{ I the value of 30 Dinars (;^i5)." (Yak., iv. 558 ; Mar., iii. u
11 " Al Ma'mflriyyah is one of the special names of the d
Al Massissah. It was so named by the Khalif al Mansiir.
city had been ruined by the neighbourhood thereto of the en
When the Khalif al MansOr came to the throne, he set h<
i
11
AL MASSISSAH,—AL MASIYAH. 507
garrison of 8,000 men. In 139 (756) he rebuilt the city-walls,
which had been shattered by earthquakes. He brought the popu-
lation back in 140, and built here the Jami' Mosque. *' (BiL, 166 ;
Yak., iv. 579; Mar., iii. 124.)
" Kafarbayyi is the name of the town opposite Al Masstssah,
on the Jaihan River. At the present day (thirteenth centur\') it
is in the hands of Ibn LayQn (Leo, King) of Armenia. It was,
of old, a large town, with markets and strong walls. It had four
gates. It was mined in very early days, was rebuilt by Ar
Rashid, who fortified it and dug the ditch, and after him by Al
Mamdn, who increased the taxes due for all the houses and
Khans. But the building of the city was only finished in Al
Mu'tasim's days." (Yik., iv. 287; Mar., ii. 502.)
Abu-1 Fida and Dimashki (Dim., 214 ; A. F., 251) add nothing
to the foregoing.
From Al Massissah to Bayyds (Is., I. H., Id.), i or 2 marches;
to 'Ain Zarbah (Is., I. H., Id.), i march ; to Adhanah (Is., 1. H.
Id.), I march or day; to Iskandar(inah (Id.), 4 miles; down to
the sea-shore (Id.), 12 miles.
Al MassIssah (2). — "A village of Damascus near Bait Libya."
(Ydlc, iv. 558; Mar., iii. 112.)
Masvab, or Masvaf. — " A celebrated and well-fortified castle
belonging to the Ismailians (Assassins). It is situated near the
coast in the district of Tarabulus." (Yak., iv., 556 ; Mar., iii. 1 1 1.)
" Masydf," says Abu-1 Fida, '* is a beautiful place, with a small
river coming from a spring. It has gardens ; also a strong for-
tress. It is a centre of the Ismailian Doctrine, and lies on the
eastern fiank of the Jabal al Lukkim, about a league south of
Birin (Mons Ferrandus), and a day's journey west of Hims."
(A. F., 239.)
The Castles of the Ismailians, or As.sassins, were passed by the
traveller Ibn Batiitah in 1355. Besides Hisn al Masyif, he
mentions, as lying in the same neighbourhood : Hisn al Kadm&s,
Hisn al Mainakah, Hisn al Ullaikah, and Hisn al Kahf. (I. B., L
166.)
Al Masivah. — " A village lying near the Fortress of Hunain,
after leaving Baniy^." (I. J., 304.)
:
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508 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
• Al MatirCn. — "A place in Syria near Damascus." (^
iv. 395 ; Mar., iii. 32.)
Mayanij. — " Said to be a place in Syria," writes Yikiit, *M
know not where it is situated^' (Yik., iv. 708; Mar., iiL i8a
HiSN AL Mazdasiyyah, OR Al Muradisiyyah. — " A for
lying 8 miles from Bairiit, and 6 miles from Nahr al Kalb
Dog River)." (Id., 17.)
Al Mazlman. — "A village lying about i league from *Ask;
The celebrated battle between the Franks and the peopl
Ascalon took place here." (Yak., iv. 392 ; Mar., iii. 30.)
Mihraj. — "A mountain pass in Syria." (Ydk., iv. 424; I
ii. 48.)
MiKNA. — " A village near Ailah. The Prophet made a ca
lation with the people of this place ; it was inhabited by Jc
(Yak., iv. 610 ; Mar., iii. 135.)
MfMAS. — * A small fortified town which lies on the sea,
belongs to Ghazzah." (Muk., 174)
" Mimas to 'Askalan going west is 20 miles." (Id.)
Mimas, or Maimas, is the " Majuma of Gaza " mentionec
Antoninus Martyr (see P. P. Text, p. 26), and by Greek
graphers is called Ma/oD/Aa. Quatrem^re (Sultans Mamlouk
229) says that the name is apparently of Egyptian origin,
comes fro!n the two words Ma and lom^ the two meaning ** e
time town." Both Ascalon and Gaza had ports called Maiu
and Jamnia likewise, according to Pliny.
Al Mizzah — "A village of Damascus. It lies to the so
just above the village of An Nairab. It is a very fine village,
^ \ a large mosque and a tank." (J. J., 219.)
B " Al Mizzah," .says YakClt, ** is a large and rich village in
upper part of the Ghautah (of Damascus), on the side of
mountain. It is situated half a league from Damascus. ]
called Mizzah Kalb, because the tomb of Dahyah al Kalbt,
Prophet's Companion, is here." (Yak , iv. 522 ; Mar., iii. 91.
Mu'an, or Ma'an. — " A small town," writes Istakhri, in
"on the border of the desert. Its inhabitants are of
Omayyah clan, and of their clients, and travellers are wel
ceived there. It is a fortress of the Sharah District." (Is.,
I. H., 124 ; copied by A. F. 229 )
MU*AN, OR MA'AN.—MUTAH, 509
" Mu'an, or Ma*an," says Yakfit, " is a town on the edge of the
desert of Syria, towards the Hijjiz, in the Balka Province. It is
at the present day ruined (thirteenth century). The Hajj (Pilgrim)
road goes through it, and there is a station there." (Yik., iv. 571 ;
Mar, iii. 118.)
" Mu'an, in the Karak Province," writes Dimashki, " is a small
city on the edge of the desert. It was built by some of the
Omayyad family who settled here, but afterwards departed. At
the present day it is a station of the Hajj, and there is a market
here for their provisioning and comfort." (Dim , 213.)
Abu-l Fida repeats the above, and adds, " Mu*dn lies a day's
march from Ash Shaubak." (A. F., 229.)
Ma'in was visited by Ibn Batfitah in 1355. " It is," he says,
" the last place in Syria. We went thence down the pass called
'Akabah as Sawan into the desert." (I. B., i. 257.)
Al Muhajjah. — " One of the villages of the Haurin. They
say there are buried in its Jami' Mosque, seventy prophets. There
is also here a stone to which they make visitation, saying that the
Prophet Muhammad once sat upon it But the truth is that he
never went beyond Busri." (Ydk., iv. 424 ; Mar., iii. 47.)
Al Muhammadivyah. — " A place near Damascus." (Ydk., iv.
430; Mar., iii. 51.)
MuHBiL. — " A place in the lands of the Ghassin tribe in
Syria." (Yak., iv. 422 ; Mar., iii. 46.)
MuKfs. — "A village of the Hauran." (Mar., iii. 140.)
HiSN AL MuLAWWAN. — "A fortrcss lying 15 miles from Hisn
al Basd, and 25 miles from Ras Kurkus." (Id., 24 ) It is said
to be the ancient Poilike.
Al Munaitirah. — "A fortress in Syria, situated near TarA-
bulus." (Yik., iv. 673 ; Mar., iii. 166.)
Hisn Mi^rah. — " A fortress built by the Khalif Hishim, in
the pass called Darb al Lukkdm, not far from the 'Akabah al
Baidl" (Bil., 167.) Yikfit calls the place Mauzdr. (Yik , iv.
679 ; Mar., iii. 171.)
Murran. — " A place in Syria, near Damascus. The Convent
of Dair Murrdn is called from it." (Yak., iv., 480 ; Mar., iii. 71.)
MCtah.— " Miitah is counted among- the hamlets of Maib, and
:
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510 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
here are the tombs of JaTar at Tay)'dr (the Flyer), and 'Ab
ibn Rawahah." (Muk., 178. Mentioned also by Yb., i
Id., 5.)
" MiStah," sa>*s Yakut, " is a village of the BalkA Prov
Syria, lying 1 2 miles from Adhnih. There are here the t<
Jaafar (brother of Wli) ibn Abi Talib, Zaid ibn Harith:
Prophet's Freedman), and 'Abd Allah ibn Rawihah ; ar
each of their tombs is built a mausoleum. They were sent
Prophet in the year 8 (629) against the Greeks, and were a
and the troops under their command put to the rout."
iv. 677 : Mar., iil 17a)
Al Mutafikah (The Overturned). — "Ahmad ibn
ibn Jabir relates that there ^"as a city in Syria, near Salai
called Al Mutafikah, which was overwhelmed with all its
tants — all except one hundred souls. These left that pla<
came and built one hundred houses, and they called the
where they had made their houses Salam Miyah (Peace
Hundred), of which the people made Salamiyyah. By 2
account Al Mi^tafikah is stated to be the cities of Lot's
which were all o-rerturned,^'' (Yak., iv. 676; Mar., iiL 170.
Al Muthakkab (The Pierced). — "A small fort (\
northern frontiers) not ver)' far from Al Kanisah. It was f<
and built by the Khalif 'Omar ibn *Abd al 'Aziz. His pi
,;^ !. seen here, also a Kuran written by him. There lived
, J people of the descendants of 'Abd Shams, who have ren<
the world, and left all gain, and they keep to what is stric
mitted only, by the law." (Is., 63 ; I. H., 121.)
" Hisn al Muthakkab lies at the foot of the Jabal Lukkl
i |j on the sea-shore." (Mas., i. 26.)
"Hisn al Muthakkab," reports Idrtsi, "is a fort situate
beautiful plain." (Id, 24.)
" Al Muthakkab," writes Yak{it, " is a fortress on the sea,
ing near Al Massissah. It is so called because it stands
mountains, all of which are pierced as though with great op<
The first who built the fort of Al Muthakkab was the Khalif \
ibn 'Abd al Malik. Hassan ibn Mahawaih, of Antioc
engineer, found when he dug the ditch a huge leg of 1
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AN NABK.—NABULUS. 511
length. This he sent to Hishim." (Yak., iv. 414; Mar., iii.
41 ; and copied from Bil , 166.)
From Hisn al Muthakkab to Hisn at Tinit, by sea (Id.), 8
miles ; to Jazirah al Bas^ by sea (Id.), 10 miles.
An Nabk. — "A village lying north of Damascus, with much
running water, and broad arable fields." (I. J., 261.)
** An Nabk," says Yik^it, "is a fine village with excellent pro-
visionnient. It lies between Damascus and Hims. There is
here a curious spring which runs cold in summer, and with clear,
excellent, sweet water. They say its source is at YabrAd." (Yik.,
iv. 739; Mar., iii. 195.)
An Nabk to Kird (Mule, I. K.), i march, or 12 miles; to Al
Kutayyifah (Muk., I. K.), i march, or 20 miles.
Nabtal. — "The name of a place in Syria" (Yik., iv. 738;
Mar., iii. 194.)
Nabulus (Neapolis, Shechem). — "An ancient city in Palestine.
Near by to it are the two sacred mountains. Under the town is
an underground city hollowed out in the rocks.* Its inhabitants
are Arabs, foreigners {^Ajam\ and Samaritans." (Yb., 116,
writing in a.d. 891.)
" Nabulus," says Istakhri, " is the city of the Samaritans who
assert that the Holy City is Nibulus (and not Jerusalem). The
Samantans possess no other city elsewhere in the world; and
the people of Jerusalem say that no Samaritans exist elsewhere
han here, on the whole face of the earth." (Is., 58 ; I. H., 113.)
" Nabulus," writes Mukaddasi, " lies among the mountains. It
abounds in olive-trees, and they even name it the * Little Damascus.*
The town, situated in the valley, is shut in on either hand by
the two mountains (of Ebal and Gerizim). Its market-place
extends from gate to gate, and a second market goes to the centre
of the town. The Great Mosque is in its midst, and is very finely
paved. The city has through it a stream of running water ; its
houses are built of stone, and some remarkable mills are to be
seen here." (Muk., 174.)
"Ndbulus," reports Idrist, "is the city of the Samaritans.
There is here the well that Jacob dug — peace be on him ! —
* See Gu^rin, Samarie, i. 399, for this underground city.
1
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512 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
where also the Ix>rd Messiah sat, asking of water to drink
^^' Samaritan woman. There is at the present day a fine
built over it. The people of Jerusalem say that no San
f are found elsewhere but here." (Id., 4.)
" Outside the town of Nibulus," writes 'Ali of Herat, ir
' " is a mosque where they say Adam made his prostration in
i There is here the mountain (Gerizim) which the Jews bel
be the place of the sacrifice (made by Abraham), and they
that he who was sacrificed was Isaac — peace be on him '.
Jews hold this mountain in the greatest veneration. Its r
Kazirim (an accepted error for Karizim, Gerizim, see p. 484]
mentioned in the Pentateuch. The Samaritans pray t
towards it There is here a spring, under a cave, whid
venerate and make pilgrimage to. The Samaritans ai
numerous in this town. There is also near Ndbulus the spi
Al Khudr (Elias), and the field of YQsuf as Sadik (Joseph) ; f
[' Joseph is buried at the foot of the tree at this place, and
I
' the true story." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 34.)
* • " Nibulus," writes YakAt, " is a celebrated town in Filastin
' between two mountains which straiten it in so that the si
no breadth, but is drawn out in the length. Nibulus has
water, for it lies adjacent to a mountain, where the soil is stor
is 10 leagues from Nibulus to Jerusalem. The town ha
.){ [i lands, and a fine district, all situated in the Jabal al Kud
f^i Holy Mountains). Outside Ndbulus is a mountain, in wh
they relate, Adam prostrated himself in prayer; and there i
the mountain in which, according to the belief of the Jev
sacrifice (of Abraham) was offered up : and the victim acc<
I I J |j to them was Ishak (Isaac) — peace be on him !* The Jew!
j J \f great veneration for this mountain ; they call it Kazirim. Ni
is inhabited by the Samaritans, who live in this place alon^
i J only go elsewhere for the purposes of trade, or advantage.
Samaritans are a sect of the Jews. They have a large mos^
Nibulus (1275), which city they call Al Kuds — the Holy (
! Jl and the Holy City of Jerusalem is accursed by them, and whe
* The Muslim tradition asserts that it was Ishmael, not Isaac,
Abraham was about to sacrifice.
NABULUS, 513
of them is forced to go there, he takes a stone and throws it
against the city of Jerusalem. The Mountain (of Gerizim) is
mentioned in the Pentateuch. The Samaritans pray towards it.
There is here a spring in a cave which they venerate and pay visi-
tation unto, and for this reason it is that there are so many
Samaritans in this city of Nibulus." (Ydk., iv. 724 ; Mar., iii. 188.)
"Nabulus," says Dimashki, "is in the Iklim Simirah (the
district of the Samaritans). It is a very fertile and pleasant city,
lying between two mountains, but spaciously situated. It possesses
running water in plenty and excellent baths ; also a fine mosque
in which prayer is said, and the Kuran recited night and day, men
being appointed thereto. The town stands like a palace in its
gardens, and has great numbers of trees. The oil of its olives is
carried into all the lands of Egypt, Syria, the Hijjaz, and the Arabian
desert. They send also of its oil to Damascus, for use in the
(Great) Omayyad Mosque, yearly, a thousand Kintirs of the
Damascene measure. From the oil also they make soap of a
fine quality, which is exported to all lands, and to the Islands of
the Mediterranean. They grow in Nabulus a kind of yellow
melon sweeter than all other kinds of melon. There are the
two mountains, called Jabal Zaita (the Mounts of Olives), and to
these the Samaritans make their pilgrimage ; their sacrifices also
are made on this mountain ; they slay lambs and bum their flesh.
In no other city are there as many Samaritans as there are here,
for in all the other cities of Palestine together there are not of the
Samaritans a thousand souls It is said that when a Muslim, a
Jew, a Samaritan, and a Christian come together on the road, the
Samaritan will take company in preference with the Muslim."
(Dim., 200.)
"Nabulus," says Abu-1 Fida, in 132 1, "lies in the Jordan
Province. It is related that when Jeroboam (Yarbu^am) took
with him the ten tribes, and revolted against the sons of Solomon,
the son of David, he went and established himself at Nibulus.
And on the hill above Ndbulus he built a great temple, for he
denied that David and Solomon and the rest were the prophets of
Israel, and he only held to Moses and Aaron imd Joshua as
prophets. And he made a law for the Samaritans, and a religion,
33
i
514 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
r , forbidding them to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Ci
Jerusalem lest they should perceive the excellence of the
who were the sons of Solomon, and depart from him, Jerob
i This was how the sect of the Samaritans was instituted, and
its rise. Their place of pilgrimage was to a mountain th
above Nibulus." (A. F., 241.)
Nabulus was visited by the traveller Ibn Batiitah in 1355.
speaks of it as full of trees and streams, full also of olives, tF
of which they export to Damascus and Cairo. "They 1
■^ here," he says, " a sweetmeat of the carob-fruit, which they e:
^ to Damascus and even Cairo, and the lands beyond. They
down the carob-fruit, and then press the mass together,
excellent kind of water-melon, called after Nibulus, is grown
There is a fine Jami' Mosque, in the middle of which is a tai
;. sweet water." (I. B., i. 128.)
; Nabulus to Ar Ramlah (Is., I. H., Muk., Id.), i day ; to T;
(Muk.), 2 stages; to Jerusalem (Muk., Id.), i march, or 2 c
*
•
to the Lebanon Mountains (Muk.), i march ; to Jericho (M
1'^' I march; to Kafar Sallam (Muk.), i march; to Baisin (M
I I I march ; to Kaisariyyah (Id.), i march ; to Damascus (I<
' ' «. marches.
Nahlah (The Honev-Bee). — "A village lying 3 miles
jgb Ba*albakk." (Yak., iv. 765; Mar., iii. 202.)
|M* Nahr al Kalb. — "A small fort on the sea, thence to Hi
y ' Mazdasiyyah is 6 miles, and to Jfiniyyah is 4 miles." (Id., i
rr HiSN AN Na'imah. — "This fort is like a small town.
j. i i" Na'imah itself is a fine town. Its lands produce for the most
^ Kharnftbtrees (Carob, St. John's bread), the equal of whicl
" • not to be found in any other part of the world, either for si
for excellence. They export the fruit thereof to all parts of 1
and to Egypt, and it is from these that the so-called *Sy
Kharnftbs have become so celebrated. For although the Kha
is found very good and in plenty in other parts of Syria, y
An Na'imah is it of the best kind and most plentiful." (Id.,
Hisn an Na'imah to Hisn Kalamdn (Id.), 7 miles ; to B
(Id.), 24 miles.
An NairAb.— "This village," says Ibn Jubair, ''stands n<
1
AN NAIRAB.—NAWA, 51$
from the Hill of the Messiah, near Damascus. It has many
beautiful gardens, and a mosque, than which nowhere can be
seen finer. Its terrace-roof is covered with mosaics in coloured
marbles, so that one would imagine to look at it that it was
brocade. There is in this mosque a tank, and places for the ablu-
tion, with running water that flows out by ten openings. There
is a Hammim (bath) also in this place, for, in fact, in most of the
villages of these parts there are found Hammams." (I. J., 279.)
" In the Jami' Mosque of An Nairab, in a chamber, and in the
eastern side thereof, is a tomb, said to be that of the mother of
Mary — may Allah vouchsafe her peace !" (I. J., 283.)
" Nairdb," says YikQt, " is a celebrated village of Damascus
lying half a league away from the city in the midst of gardens. It is
one of the pleasantest places I, YakCit, have ever seen. They say
there is here the Musalld (or Place of Prayer) of Al Khidr."
(Vile, iv. 855 ; Mar., iii. 256.)
Nakab 'Azib (The Passage of 'Azib). — "A place situated a
day's ride for a horseman from Jerusalem, towards the desert.
It lies between Jerusalem and the Tih (Desert of the Wanderings).
It is mentioned in one of the traditions of the Prophet." (Yak.,
iv. 802 ; Mar., iii. 225.)
Nakab Shi jar. — " A pass in the mountains of Jabal ash
Sharah lying between the Balki and Al Madinah, to the east of
the Hajj road. It opens into a broad, verdant plain overlooked
by Jabal Farin (Paran). It lies to the south of Al Karak."
(Yik., iiL 259 ; Mar., ii. 95.)
NAsf b!n. — " A village lying near Halab (Aleppo). Tall Nastbin,
too, is a hill near Halab." (Yik., iv. 789 ; Mar., iii. 214.)
Nawa (Neve). — "The villages of Job, his lands, and the place
of his washings are all here. Nawa is the chief city of the Haurin
and Al Bathaniyyah Provinces. The lands are most rich in wheat
and grain." (Muk., 160.)
" Three miles, or thereabouts, from Nawa," says Mas'iidi, " is
the Mosque of Job, and the spring where he washed is to be seen
at this day, which is the year 332 (943). It is celebrated through-
out the country of Naw4 and Al Jauldn, also in all the parts
between Damascus and Tabariyyah, in the Jordan Province. In
33-2
516
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
this mosque also is kept the stone on which Job reposed ai
he and his wife Ruhmil, during the days of affliction." (Mas.
" Nawa," writes YakOt, " is a small town of the HaurSn.
said to have been its capital. It was the dwelling-place of
peace be on him ! — and the tomb of Sam (Shem) ibn Nflh i
-Nawa lies 2 stages from Damascus." (VSk., iv. 815 ;
iii- '33-)
Nawa to 'Akabah 'Aftk (Muk.), 1 march ; to Damascus (
t march.
An NawakIr (The Cuttings).— "These are three
mountains, very high, and overhanging the sea-shore. T
about 18 miles from Hisn az Ztb, and 5 from Iskandf
(Alexandroschene)." (Id., 11.)
" An Nawakir," says YakOt, " is a cleft in a mountain I>i
'Akkah and SQr (Tyre), on the sea-coast. They say AI Isk
(Alexander the Great) wished to travel by the coast road to
or from Egypt to 'Irak ; and it was said to him, 'This mount
barrier between thee and the coast, and it is necessary tha
shouldst go round it.' But he commanded the hill to be p
and that the road should pass through it ; and from this re<
it so called." (Yak., iv. 816 ; Mar, iii. 234.)
Nawaz. — " A large vilbge in the Jaba! as Summ^k of the
(Aleppo) District They grow here very large red apples,
excellent and sweet flavour." (Y5k., iv, 816 ; Mar., iii. 233
NIhtC^m. — " A quarter of Damascus. It lies near the qua
the Bridge of the Bani Mudlij, and the Silk al Ahad (the S
Market). It is to the east of Jairfln, and near the old (qua
the) cobblers." (Yak., iv. 855 ; Mar., iii. 256.)
NiHLlN.— "A village of Halab (Aleppo)." (YSk., iv.
Mar., iii. 202.)
NfKiNNES. — "A village of the BalkA Province of Syria." .
iv. 806; Mar., iii. 228.)
An Nukhail (Thk Iatii.k Pai.m), — " A district in :
(Yak., iv. 771 ; Mar., iii. 205.)
An NuMRANiYYAH. — " .\ village of the Ghautah of Dan
It is called after one Numrdn ibn Zaid, to whom the
Mu'awiyah gave it in fief." (Y4k., iv. 813 ; Mar., iii. 231.)
RABAB.—RAHBAH ASH SHAM. S^7
Rabab. — " A Widi of the country of 'Udhrah, lying towards
Syria, beyond Ailah." (Yik., iii. 748 ; Mar., i. 459.)
Rabau ad Darain (The Suburb of the two Palaces.)— "A
suburb of Aleppo, before the Bab Antdkiyyah (Gate of Antioch).
In this suburb is the bridge over the Kuwaik River." (Yak.,
ii. 570; Mar.,i. 459.)
Ra'ban. — "A town of the ThughCir (or Frontier Fortresses),
lying between Halab and Sumaisit, and near the Euphrates. It
is counted as of the *Awasim Province. There is here a castle
under a hill, which was thrown down by earthquake in the year
340 (951) ; but Saif ad Daulah ordered it to be rebuilt, and the
work was completed in thirty-seven days. This place was first
conquered by Abu 'Ubaidah after Manbij, in the year 16 (637)."
(Yak., ii. 791 ; Mar., L 474.)
Rafanivvah (Raphania). — " A district and city of the Hims
Province. It is called also Rafaniyyah of Tadmur (Palmyra).
Some count it as a town belonging to the Tarabulus (Tripoli)
District of the Syrian coast." (Yik., ii. 796 ; Mar., i. 476.)
Rafh. — "The last town in Syria on the road from Ar Ramlah
to Egypt." (Yb., 117.)
" Rafh," says Yakiit, " is a station on the road to Egypt, after
Ad Dariim. It lies 2 days from 'Askaldn, and the sand begins
here. It is now (thirteenth century) in ruins, but was of old a
flourishing town, with a market and a mosque, and hostelries.
Rafh to Ghazzah is 18 miles. Muhallabi writes (in 990 a.d.) that
about 3 miles from Rafh, in the direction of Ghazzah, are many
sycamore trees that border both sides of the road, to right and to
left. There are, he says, near a thousand trees here, their branches
touching each the next, and they extend for close on a couple of
miles. South of Rafh the sands of the Jifar District begin, and
the traveller strikes into the desert" (Yak., iu 796; Mar.,
i. 476.)
Rafh to Ar Ramlah (Is., I. H., Muk., Id.), 2 days; to Ghazzah
(Is., I. H., Muk., Id., I. K.), I march, or 16 miles; to Al *Arish
(Is., I. H., Id., I. K.), I march, or 24 miles ; to L^skalan (Muk.),
I march.
Rahbah ash ShAm (Rahbah of Syria). — "Not far distant
I
I
5(8 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
from Ar Rakkah," says Ibn Jubair, " lies Rabbah of MSli
Tauk, commonly called Rahbah of Syria. It is a very celeb
town." (I. J., 250.)
" Rahbah of Malik ibn Tauk," says VakOt, " lies 8 days d;
from Damascus, 5 from Halab, and some 30 leagues fror
Rakkah." (YSk., ii. 764 ; Mar., i. 464.)
Rahbah KkAi.id. — "A square at Damascus. It is c
after the Omayyad KhSlid ibn Asid." (Y^k., ii. 762 ;
i. 464.)
RaisOn. — " A village of the Jordan Province," (Yak,, ii.
Mar., i. 497.) The latter writes Raishfln.
RAjiL.— "Harrah RAjil (the volcanic cone of R&jil) is sa
lie between As Sirr and the highlands of the Haur&n. Rajil fu
is a Wadt that goes down from Harrah Rajil and debouches
As Sirr." (Yik., ii. 728 ; Mar., i. 451-)
Ar Rakkah. — "This city lies in the middle of the '.
(Country of) Mudar, and is much frequented by travellers
merchants. It is an emporium of merchandise, and is a fine
lying on the eastern bank of the Euphrates. The city pos;
bazaars, and merchandise, and workshops, and its people an
off. It is the capital of Diyar Mudar, and is called in the (
language Balikniki^s (probably a mistake for Callinicus). Tc
city belong the towns of Bajarwan, Harran, and Ar Ruhi (Ede
(Id., .5.)
"You come to Ar Rakkah," says Ibn Jubair, "after cro
the Euphrates at Kala'at an Najm. To your left alon|
Euphrates southward is this city of Ar Rakkah, and lying o
river." (I. J., 250.)
Ar Rakkah to Halab (Is., I. H.) is 4 days; to Ar Ru
(Muk.), ^ march, or (Id.), 24 miles; to Damascus (Id.
marches.
RAmah. — "A village in which is the Mak^m (or statio
Abraham the Friend." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 42.)
"It lies in the Jerusalem District." (Yak., ii. 738; M
456)
Jewish tradition identifies this place with the Grove of Ma
' lies a short distance north of Hebron, on the Jerusalem re
RAMMADAH,—AR RASTAN. 519
Rammadah (i). — "The name of a place in the Filastln Pro-
vince. It is called, to distinguish it, Rammadah of Ar Ramlah."
(Yak., ii. 813 ; Mar., i. 481.)
Ar Rammadah (2). — " A large quarter, almost the size of a
town, lying outside Halab (Aleppo), but connected with that city
by houses. It has markets, and there is a separate governor
(Wali) over it." (Ydk., ii. 813; Mar., i. 481.)
RamCsah. — " One of the domains of Halab, lying 2 leagues
from that city, in the direction of Kinnasrin." (Yik., ii. 738 ;
Mar., i. 456.)
Ras al Hisn (The Fortress Head). — ** The name of a small
well-populated town, lying on the sea-shore, in the district of
Tripoli, on a bay. This bay measures across in a straight line 15
miles, but round by the shore line it is 30 miles. It is called the
(Jiin) Bay of 'Arkah. On the middle part of the bay are three
forts, standing near by one to another. The name of the first of
them, lying nearest to Tripoli, is LAtCiriis (reading uncertain ;
other MSS. give Liirur^is, L^ikQriis, LawidrQs, and LawaisarQs).
The name of the next is Al Babiyyah (other MSS. Bdnini or
Basmiyah), and this fort lies on a stream of running water called
Nahr Babiyyah. The third fort is called Hisn al Hamdm (the
Doves* Fort). They all three lie one close to the other." (Id., 28.)
Jabal Ras al KhinzIr (The Mount of the Hog's Head). —
"On this mountain is a large convent (Dair), and this is the first
place in the country of Armenia, and the last in the Province of
Syria." (Id., 23, writing in 1154.)
From Jabal Ras al Khinzir to Hisn as Suwaidiyyah (Id.) is 20
miles ; and to Hisn Rus(is (Id.) 10 miles.
Ar Ra'sha. — "A town (baladah) in Syria." (Yik., ii. 791;
Mar., i. 474.)
Ar Rastan (Arethusa). — " Rastan lies half a stage south of
Hamah, near a great arched bridge of stone crossing the 'A si
(Orontes). The city was laid in ruins by the Khalif 'Omar ibn
al Khattlib. There are immense ruins here, and the Greeks of
Constantinople assert that there are great quantities of treasure
concealed in this spot ; but Allah alone knows the truth." (I. J.,
258.)
Sao
PALBSTTNB UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
i
" At Rastan," says Y4kflt, " is a small and ancient town,
half-n-ay between Hamih and Hims. It stood on the (Or
Nahr Mimas, which is the 'Asi of to-day. It is now n niii
the remains still show what was its former splendour. The
crown a height overlooking the 'Asi River." (VSk., iL
Mar., i. 470.)
"Ar Rastan," says Abu-1 Fida, "was anciently a lai^e
and was very pojiulous of old, but now it lies in ruins. E:
the houses here is so large as to be almost like a village
ruins everj-where round of buildings and walls. Some o
arches, too, remain, also some of the city gates, and its wa
part, and its water channels. It lies on the south of the N;
'Asi, crowning a hill almost entirely composed of rubbish ■
stretches away towards Hims. Ar Rastan stands between
and Hamah. They say it was ruined in the early days (
Muslim conquest," (A. F., 231.)
Ar RAwandAn. — "A fortified castle in a fine weU-w<
district of the Halab Province." (V5k., ii. 741-) The Ui
adds that "it stands in the District of Al JQmah." (M
4S6.)
"Ar Rawandan," says Abu-1 Fida, "lies in the Kim
Province. It is a high buill fortress, standing on a high
hill. It has springs, and gardens, and fruit-trees in a be:
valley. Below it flows the river 'Ifrin. It lies about 3 days' jo
north-west of Halab (Aleppo), and north of Harim. The
River runs from north to south past Ar Rawandan, down in:
'Amk Plain of HSrini, through a broad valley between mour
In this valley are villages and oliveyards in plenty. It is (
the districts of Halab, and is called Al JQmah." (A. P., 26:
Rawiyah. — "A village of the Ohautah of Damascus. '
is here the tomb of Umm Kulthfim, one of the wives 1
Prophet." (Vak., ii. 743 ; Mar., i. 457.)
RAvAS.— "A mountain in the Syrian Sea." (Vak., ii.
Mar., i. 457.)
RtHA.— "A small town near Halab (Aleppo), and one »
pleasantest and best of the places of God's earth. It has gi
and trees and rivers, and no place near Halab is pleasantei
RUBWAH,—AR RUSAFAH, 521
it. It lies on the slope of the Jabal Lubnan (Lebanon)."
{Yak., ii. 885 ; Mar., i. 496.)
The name is spelt the same as Riha, for Arih^, Jericho. This
Riha lies south-west of Aleppo.
RuBWAH (Hill). — " A place that is praised in the Kuran (ch.
xxiii. 52), in the words, * And we appointed the Son of Mary and
His Mother for a sign ; and we prepared an abode for both in a
lofty spot, quiet and watered with springs.' This is said to refer
to Damascus, and at a league from Damascus, on the slope of
Jabal KasiyQn, is a place than which no spot of earth is more
charming. Here a tall mosque overlooks the Nahr (River) Barada.
It is built immediately on the bank of the Nahr Thaura, where
there is a bridge over the river. The Nahr Yazid is above it, and
its waters irrigate the gardens round In the neighbourhood is a
small cave, much visited, which they say is that mentioned in the
Kuran, and they say that Jesus was born here." (Yak., ii. 752 ;
Mar., i. 460.) See also above, in chapter vi., p. 235.
Ar Ruhbah. — " On the edge of the I^jah (Trachonitis), of the
Sarkhad District, is a village called Ar Ruhbah." (Yak., ii. 762 ;
Mar., i. 464.)
RCniN. — "A village on the Jabal LubnSn (Lebanon), and of
the villages of Halab (Aleppo). On the mountain-side here, and
much visited, is a Mashhad (oratory), said to be the tomb of
Kuss ibn Sa'idah. At Rdhin also is said to be the tomb of
Sham'An as Safi (Simon the Pure) ; but this last is not exact, for
the tomb of Sham*Cln (Simon Peter) is to be seen at Rome
(Rumiyah) in the great church there, in a sarcophagus of silver
that hangs by chains from the roof of the chancel." (Yak., ii.
S29 ; Mar., i. 487.)
Possibly this Simon is not St. Peter, but Simon Magus.
ROmah. — " A small village near Tabariyyah. YahAdi (Judah),
son of Jacob, is buried here." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 29 verso,)
Ar Rumailah. — "A village of Jerusalem." (Yik., ii. 824;
Mar., i. 484.)
Ar Rusafah (The Causeway). — " One of the forts built by
the Khalif (Hisham) of the House of Omayyah. All round it
lie habitations and populous villages. It has bazaars in which
522 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
there is much buying and selling, and taking and giving.
26.)
" Rusafah of S>Tia, or Rusafah of Hish^m ibn 'Abd al
writes YakQt, '* lies 4 leagues on the desert road to the
Ar Rakkah. It was built by the Khalif Hishim, wh
plague was raging in Syria. He used to go there in summ
Their drinking-water is from cisterns, for the Euphrates is
off. They have also wells, 120 ells deep — but this ^
saltish — which were dug by An Nu'min ibn Al H^rith
Aiham, for the place was inhabited by the Ghassanides
Hisham rebuilt the walls and founded his palace here."
** The physician Ibn Butlan, in his epistle to Hilil ibn 1
written in 443 ( 1 05 1 ), says : * Between Ar Rusdfah and Ar '.
is a 4 days' journey. The palace called Kasr Rusaf
fortress only second to the abode of the Khalifate at B;
It is constructed of stone. Within it is a mighty chui
TiJ [i exterior of which is ornamented with gold mosaics, be
order of Constantine, the son of Helena. Ar Rusifah was
by Hisham ibn 'Abd al Malik, who took up his residenc<
having come up to escape the gnats of the banks
Euphrates. Under the church is a cistern (or crj'pt) dug
ground, that is of a like area to that of the church itsel
vaulted, and the roof is supported on marble pillars ; it is
also with marble slabs, and is filled with rain-water. The
tants of the fort are mostly Christians. Their means of liv
lies in the convoying of caravans and the carrj'ing of goo
they are robbers and thieves. This palace stands in the
of a perfectly flat desert, the borders of which the eye
reach and you only see the horizon. We travelled
to Halab in 4 marches.' Another name of Rusifah 1
(says Yakiit) was Az 2^ura. It belonged to An Nu'md
after his days was ruined. In old days An Nu'min k
treasures here, and there was over it a cross, for An Nu'rn
a Christian. There was no river here, although they caller
Zaura (the Crooked, a name generally applied to a r
(Yak., ii. 784 and 955 ; Mar., i. 472 and 521.)
**Ar Rusafah of Kinnasrin," writes Abu-1 Fidii, "is
RUSIS.—SABYAH, 523
Rusafah Hisham to distinguish it It lies in the desert opposite
Ar Rakkah, about a day or less west of the Euphrates. There is
another Ar Rusafah, also in Syria, near Masiyif (which belonged
to the Assassins)." (A. F., 271.)
Ar Rusdfah to Ad Dari'ah (Mule), 2 marches, or (I. K.) 40
miles, also called AzZar^'ah (Id.), 24 miles ; to Ar Rakkah (Muk.),
^ march, or (Id.) 24 miles.
RCsfs. — " A KQrah (or district) of the 'Awisim Province, lying
along the seacoast between Antikiyyah and TarsOs." (Yik., ii.
840 ; Mar., i. 490.)
HiSN RCsCs. — "This fortress lies on a river, and stands under
the Ris al Khinzir" (see above, p. 519).
From Hisn ROsOs to Jabal RSs al Khinzir is 10 miles ; and to
Hisn at Tinat (by sea) is 15 miles. (Id., 24.)
ROyan. — "One of the villages of Halab (Aleppo). It lies
near Sabln." (Yik., ii. 873 ; Mar., i. 492.)
As Sab' (i). — "The spot where will take place the resurrection,
according to Ibn al A'rabt. It is situated in a plain of the Filastln
Province of Syria." (Yak., iii. 34; Mar., ii. 10.)
As Sab' (2) (Beersheba). — " A district in theFilastin Province,
lying between Jerusalem and Al Karak, in which are seven walls,
whence the place is called As Sab^ (the Seven). It belonged to
(the Arab general) 'Amr ibn Al 'As (the Conqueror of Egypt),
and his son died here." (Yik., iii. 34; Mar., ii. 10.)
Sabastivah (i) (Sebaste, Samaria). — "A place near Ndbulus."
(Yb., 116.)
" Sabastiyah," says Yikdt, " is a town of the Filastin Province
belonging to Jerusalem, and lying 2 days from it. It is of the
Nabulus District. There are here the tombs of Zakariyyah and
of Yahyi, the son of Zakariyyah (John the Baptist), and of many
other prophets and holy men." (Y^k., iii. 33 ; Mar., ii. 10.)
Sabastivah (2). — "A town near Sumaisat, and of its depen-
dencies, lying on the Upper Euphrates. It is a walled town.
(Yak., iii. 33 ; Mar., ii. 9.)
Sab'In (Seventy). — " A village at the gate of Halab (Aleppo).'
(Yak., iii. 34 ; Mar., ii. 10.)
Sabyah. — " A village of Ar Ramlah of the Filastin Province.'
(Ydk., iii. 37 ; Mar., ii. 12.)
524 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
As Sadir. — "A place in S}fria." (Yak., iii. 360; Mar., ii.
1 43-)
Safad, or Safat (Safed). — "A fortress," says Dimashki,
writing in 1300, "on the summit of the Jabal Kan'an (mountains
of Canaan), in the territory of Al Jarmak. It was originally but a
village, and they built there a fortress, calling it Safat, and after-
wards Safad. It is an impregnable fortress, and was, at one time,
held by the company of Franks called Templars (Ad Diwiyyah).
Sultan Baibars laid siege to them here and took the place (in
1266 A.D.), and put to the sword everyone who was in the for-
tress, slaying them on a hill-top near by the pluce. Then he
threw down (the fortress), and built therein a round tower and
called it Kullah.* Its height is 120 ells, and its breadth 70.
And to the terrace-roof (of the tower) you go up by a double
passage. Five horses can ride up to the top of (the tower)
abreast by a winding passage-way without steps. The tower is
built in three stories. It is provided with provisions, and halls,
and magazines. Under the place is a cistern for the rain-water,
sufficient to supply the garrison of the fortress from year's end to
year's end. There is one like it under the Minarah (Pharos) of
Alexandria In the fortress is a well called As Satiirah. Its depth
is no ells, by 6 ells across, the ell being the carpenter's ell. The
buckets made use of are wooden casks, the cask being about the
size of a water ewer. Two of such casks are attached to a
single rope, called a Sarbak, of the thickness of a man's wrist,
in such a manner, that when one cask is at the mouth of the
well, the other has reached the surface of the water, and vice
versd. At the well's mouth are two iron arms, with hands and
fingers. The fingers seize the edge of the full cask and the hands
draw it over, so that the water pours into a tank, and runs thence
into the store-cistern. When the water has been poured from the
cask, the movement is reversed. What sets the casks in motion
is a piece of machinery with cords and wheels, whereby the rope
with the casks is made to work continually over the mouth of the
well, backwards and forwards, to right and then to left. For there
are trained mules, who keep the machine in motion, pacing round
* One MS. has Kal'ah^ casllc; Kullah means "hill-top."
.SAFAD, OR SAFAT.—SAFFURIYAH, 525
it. And when the mule that has gone round hears the rushing
of the water and the rattle of the chain, it turns round and goes
back towards the starting-place, turning the machine in the oppo-
site way by walking in the other direction, till it hears again the
rushing of the water and the rattle of the chains ; then it turns
back again and goes over its former way, backwards and forwards,
ceaselessly. All this is one of the wonders of the world to see.
If you stand at the mouth of this well and speak a single word,
the sound of your voice, with the word, comes back after the lapse
of a full minute. For it goes down to the surface of the water
and then returns, whereby you hear It again exactly as you said
it And if you call out loud, the sound of the cry increases to a
roar that is like thunder by reason of the depth of the well and
the distance of the water. The two iron hands are exactly
similar in their use to real hands, being of the form of a man's
hand." (Dim., 210.)
" Safat," writes Abu-1 Fidi, " in the Jordan Province, is a town
of medium size. It has a very strongly built Castle, which
dominates the Lake of Tabariyyah. There are underground
watercourses, which bring drinking-water up to the castle-gate.
Its gardens are below, in the valley going down towards the I^ke
of Tabariyyah. Its suburbs are built over and cover three hills,
and they possess many broad districts. Since the place was con-
quered by Al Malik Adh Dh^hir (Baibars, in 1266) from the
Franks, it has been made the central station for the troops who
guard all the coast-towns of that district." (A. F., 243.)
It is, perhaps, worth noting that no mention, apparently, occurs
of Safad in the Arab geographers previous to the time of the
Crusades.
SafIra. — " A village near Halab (Aleppo)." (Mar., ii. 36 ; and
in Yak., v. 21.)
As SAfirivvah. — " A village lying near Ar Ramlah." (Yak., iii.
12 ; Mar., ii. 4.)
Saff. — "A domain at Al Ma^arrah." (Yak., iii. 401 ; Mar, ii.
161.)
SaffCriyah (Sbpphoris). — " A town and KQrah (district) of the
Jordan Province, near Tabariyyah." (Yik., iii. 402 ; Mar.,ii. 161.)
I
1-
526 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
As Safsaf (The Willow-tree). — " A district of the Th
(or Frontier Fortresses) of Al Masstssah. It was harried ii
1(950) by Saif ad Daulah." (Yik., iii. 401 ; Mar., ii. 161.)
As Safwaniyyah. — "A place in the neighbourho<
Damascus, lying outside Bib T^mi (St Thomas's Gate),
of the Iklim (district) of Khaulan. (Yak., iii. 402; Ms
161.)
Sahya. — " One of the Iklims (districts) of Baniyas of S
(Yak., iii. 438 ; Mar., ii. 173.)
SahyOn, or Sihy^^n (i), (Saone). — "A strong fortress,'
Yikdt, " on the coast, in the Hims Province. It is not :
:■ diately on the sea, but on the mountain-side. Its fosses an
«. gorges with wide bottoms, and the only fosse that has beei
L ficially dug is on the one side. The. depth of this fosse is
60 ells, and it is cut in the live rock. Sahydn has three wal
lie outside the suburb, and one is round the castle. I
originally in the hands of the Franks, but was taken from
by Saladin in 584 (1188), from which time it has remair
Muslim hands." (Yik., iii. 438 ; Mar., ii. 173.)
" Hisn SahyQn," says Dimashki, " is an impregnable fo
built in ancient days. It is said to have been built by Au
the Great, King of the Romans, who was surnamed Caesar
is not the same Augustus as he who instituted the Era.
fortress is on the summit of a hill, and very difficult of i
It has five walls, and there is a harbour on the sea-coast n
it on a point of land jutting out like a peninsula into th<
(Dim., 208.)
** SahyOn," writes Abu-1 Fida, " is in the Kinnasdn Pre
The town of SahyOn possesses a fine castle, so strong
cannot be taken by assault. It is one of the most celebn
the fortresses of Syria. The water-supply is abundant, being
from the rain-fall. It stands on the solid rock, and close to
Wadl in which are the salsuginous shrubs called Hamd^ s
you find nowhere else in these parts. The castle stands
foot of the mountain, and to the west thereof. You may
from Al Ladhikiyyah, it lying about a march distant eaj
J 11 somewhat south thereof." (A. F., 257.)
SAHYUNSAKBA. 527
The Castle of Sahydn was visited by Ibn Batutah in 1355.
He speaks of it as a place noted for its fine rivers and trees. The
castle is magnificent, he adds. (I. B., i. 166.)
SahyCn (2), Sign. — See under ** Jerusalem," p. 212.
Saida (i). — " In the Haurdn Province is a place called Saidi."
(Yak., iii. 441.)
Saida (2), Sidon. — See above, p. 346.
SAiLtJN (Shiloh of Judges xxi. 19). — "A village of Nibulus,
where it is said was the Masjid as Sukainah (the Tabernacle), and
the Stone of the Table {J/q/ar al Maidah\ but the truth is that
the Table descended in the Church of Sihyun (Sion). They
related to me, *Ali of Herat, that the Prophet Ya'kOb (Jacob) —
on him peace ! — used to dw^ell in SailOn, and that Ydsuf (Joseph)
set out from thence with his brethren. The pit into which they
threw Joseph lies between Sinjil and Nabulus (see p. 465), and to
the right of the road. This is the true account" (A. H.,
Oxf. MS., folio 34 verso^ copied in Yak., iii. 220; Mar., ii. 80.)
Sa'Ir (Seir). — ** This, in the Pentateuch, is the name for the
mountains in the F'ilastin Province. We have mentioned it above
under Faran (Paran, see p. 440). Sd'ir an Nasirah (Seir of Nazareth)
lies between * Akkah and Tabariyyah. It is written in the Taurah (or
Books of Moses) : * He (Allah) came from Sin^ (Sinai) and met
(Moses) on TOr Sina, and He glorified Himself on Sdir, foretelling
the coming of 'Isi (Jesus) ibn Maryam — peace be upon Him ! — out
of An Nisirah (Nazareth) ; and He manifested Himself in Jabal
F^ran.' By this last is meant the mountains of the Hijjiz, in
allusion to the coming of the Prophet Muhammad. And all this
is to be found in Juz (part) x. of As Safr (volume) v. of the
Tauriyah (Pentateuch), but Allah alone knows best the truth."
(Yik., iii. 1 1 ; Mar., ii. 3.) The quotation is a paraphrase of
Deuteronomy xxxiiL 2.
As SAjtiR. — "The name of a river at Manbij." (YSk., iii. 8;
Mar., ii. 2.)
Sakarivvah. — " A town lying i march from Ar Ramlah, and
2 marches from Tulail." (Muk., 192.)
Sakba. — " A village of the Ghautah of Damascus." (Yik., iii
100; Mar., ii. 37.)
528 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Sakf. — "The name of a place in S)nria; it is said to be near
Al Madja* (the camping place) of the Diyar Kildb, where there
are isolated hills." (Yak., iii. 103 ; Mar., ii. 38.)
As Sak!. — " A place lying outside Damascus." (Yak., iii. 105 ;
Mar, ii. 39.)
Sakka. — " One of the villages of the Ghautah, l>nng 4 miles
from Damascus." (Yak., iii 105, 410; Mar., ii. 39, 164.)
Sa*l. — "A well-known mountain in Syria." (Mar., ii. 157.)
Not mentioned by Yak(it.
Sal\— " A fort in Widl MOsi (Petra ?) in the Jerusalem Dis-
trict." (Yak., iii. 117; Mar., ii. 44.)
SALAGHt^s. — " A fortress of the frontier lands of the Thughiir,
lying beyond Tarsus. It is said to be the name of a town. The
Khalif al MimQn made an expedition against it" (Yak., iii. 119 ;
Mar., ii. 44.)
Salam. — "A place in the Greek country near Sumaisit"
(Yik., iii. 112 ; Mar., ii. 42.)
Salamiyyah (Salaminias). — "A town," says Ya'kfibi, in 891,
" in the Syrian Desert. It was built by 'Abd 'Allah the Abbaside.
He conducted thither a stream of water, and dug wells in the
land, whereby the saffron grows plentifully here. It is colonized
by his descendants.'* (Yb., iii.)
" Salamiyyah in the Hims Province is a town in which the
Hashimites (Abbasides) number the greater part of the population.
It lies on the desert border and is very fertile." (Is., 61, copied
by A. F., 265.)
** Salamiyyah," reports Idrisi, "on the border of the desert is a
fort like a town, small but populous." (Id., 26.)
" Salamiyyah is a small town lying in the neighbourhood of the
desert. It is of the Hamih District, and it lies 2 days distant
from Hims, to the province of which it used to be reckoned."
(Yak., iii. 123 ; Mar., ii. 46.) Dimashki (Dim., 207), and Abu-1
Fida (A. F., 265), add nothing to the above, except that the
former describes the watercourse of 'Abd 'Allah the Abbaside as
running all the way from Salamiyyah to Hims.
Salamiyyah to Hims (Muk.) is i march, or (Id.) 24 miles ; to
Al Kastal (Muk.), 2 marches, or (Id., I. K.) 30 miles.
SALKHAD, OR SARKHAD.^AS SALT, 529
Salkhad, or Sarkhad (Salchah of Deut. iii. 10). — "Sal-
khad is a town in the Haurin Province/ There are various
traditions connected with this place relating to Moses and Aaron."
(A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 25, verso,)
" Sarkhad," says Yakut, " is a strong castle belonging to the
Hauran District and Government It lies in the midst of a fine
district." (Yilc, iii. 380; Mar., ii. 152.)
" The Kala'ah (or Castle of Sarkhad)," says Dimashki, " lies
near the Jabal Bani Hillal, which are also called Jabal Ar Rayy^n
(the ' mountains sated with water '), by reason of the great quantity
of water that comes down from thence." (Dim., 200.)
" Sarkhad," writes Abu-1 P'idi, ** is a small town with a high
castle. There are numerous vineyards, but there is no water
here except what is gathered in the cisterns and pools among the
rains. It forms part of the Hauran District, which is in the
Damascus Province. Ibn Sa'id states it to be the chief town of the
tribe of the Bani Hillal. Beyond its lands, south and east, lies
the desert. Eastward from it goes the road to Irdk, called Ar
Rasif (the Causeway), and those who have travelled it say you
may go from Sarkhad to Baghdad by it in about 10 days.
Between Sarkhad and the town of Zur*, one of the chief towns of
the Haurdn, is about a day's journey." (A. F., 259.)
As Salihivvah. — " A large village with markets and a mosque
lying on the slope of Jabal Kasiy(in, which overhangs Damascus.
Most of the inhabitants are immigrants from the neighbourhood
of Jerusalem." (Yak., iii. 363 ; Mar., il 144.) (See above,
p. 482.)
As Salt. — " A town in the Jordan Province. It is a small
town with a castle, lying among the hills to the east of the Ghaur,
a day's march south of 'Ajldn. It lies opposite Jericho, and the
castle holds the Ghaur under dominion. From under the castle
of As Salt there gushes out a copious spring, whose waters flow
through the town. The place possesses many gardens, and the
pomegranates exported from thence are celebrated in all countries.
The city is prosperous, and very populous." (A. F., 245.)
" The mountains called Jabal as Salt lie south-east of the Jabal
'Auf. The population of these parts having rebelled, Al Malik al
34
530 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Mu'adhdham built, in order to hold them in check, the
of As Salt. It lies 2 days' march from *AjlOn, and the lil
Karak." (A. R, 228.)
SALt>K. — "A town of Syria." (Yak,, iii. 125 ; Mar., iL -
SAL(!rKiYYAH (Seleucia Pieria).^" A fortress on th(
near Antakiyyah. It was rebuilt by the Khalif al Walld."
148.)
" There are," writes Mas'Qdi, in 943, "some wonderful r
the sea-coast near Antioch, which are worthy of notice evei
present day. These remains go by the name of SaKils
(Mas., ii. 199; mentioned also by Yak., iii. 126; Mar., ii.
Sam. — " A village of the Ghautah of Damascus. It lie
r; Iklim (District) of Khaulan." (Yak., iii. 14; Mar., ii. 4.)
/ SAMAKfN. — "A village of the Hauran in the Damasci
vince." (Yik., iii. 140; Mar., ii. 51.)
SamalC. — "A fortress and town of the Syrian Thug]
Frontier Fortresses), not far from Tarsus and Al Massiss
was taken after a siege by the Khalif ar Rashid in 163 (78
the inhabitants were carried off to Baghdad, and settled n
Gate of Ash Shammasiyyah, at a place which they re
Samal(i." (Bil., 170; Yik., iii. 416; Mar., ii. 167.)
As Samawah. — " This is the name of the Great Desert
ing between KQfah and Syria. It is all a flat country, v
stones in it. Water is found at certain places in this i
(Yak., iii.* 131 ; Mar., ii. 49.)
As SammAn. — "The name of a place in the confines ol
on the outskirts of the Balki Province." (Yik., iii. 417
ii. 167.)
SAMNfN. — "A town of the Thughdr (or Frontier Pro
towards the Greek country.*' (YSk., iii. 146; Mar. ii. 53.)
San'A. — "A village of the Ghautah, at the gates of Dar
before reaching Al Mizzah. It lies opposite Masjid Khatd
houses are now (1225) in ruins, and the land has become
and gardens." (Yale, iii. 426 ; Mar., ii. 168.)
Sanajivah. — " A village of 'Askalan (Ascalon), of the
of Ar Ramlah." (Yak., iii. 154; Mar., ii. 55.)
As SanamAn, or As Sanamain (The Two Idols). — " J
SANJAH,^SARJAH, 531
in the Hauran, 2 marches from Damascus." (Yik., iii. 429 ;
Mar., ii. 169.)
Ibn Bat^itah speaks of it as ** a large village." (I. B., i. 254.)
Sanjah. — "A town lying not far distant from Bilis. It is a
small town, with a bridge near it, called Kantarah Sanjah, than
which there is in all Islam no finer. It is one of the wonders of
the time." (Is., 62 ; I. H., 120.)
"Sanjah," reports Idrisi, "is a small town near Manbij. Near
it is a bridge built of dressed stone, with well set arches of beauti-
ful workmanship. It is called Kantarah Sanjah, and is one of the
wonders of the world in the matter of bridges ; and one of the
greatest, seeing that it crosses the whole width of the Euphrates.
This bridge is called also Jisr Manbij." (Id., 27.)
As Sannarrah. — "A place in the Jordan Province lying over
against 'Akabah (the Pass of) Afik, and 3 miles from Tabariy-
yah. The Khalif Mu'^wiyuh used to winter there." (Yik.,
iii. 419 ; Mar., ii. 168.)
Sarafah. — "A village of the Maab District, in the Balka
Province. They say there is to be seen here the tomb of Joshua
the son of Nun." (Ydk., iii. 383 ; Mar., ii. 154. Taken from
'Ali of Herat, A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 27.)
Sarafand, or Sarafandah (Sarepta of Luke iv. 26; and
the Zarephath of i Kings xvii. 9). — "A village, whence to
'Adlun is 20 miles, and to Saida (Sidon), to miles." (Id., 12.)
" Sarafandah," says YakOt, " is a village belonging to Stir (Tyre)
on the coast of Syria." (Yak., iii. 382 ; Mar., ii. 153.)
Sargh. — "A place on the Syrian Pilgrim Road between Al
Mughithah and Tabak\" (Ydk., iii. 77 ; Mar., ii. 26.)
Sarh. — "A place in Syria, lying near Busra'." (Yik., iiL 71 ;
Mar, ii. 23.)
Saris. — " A village of the district round Jerusalem. It lies
half-way between Jerusalem and Ar Ramlah, and 4 hours from
either place." (Mar. in Yak., v. 21.)
Sarjah (i). — "A place near Sumaisat on the Euphrates."
(Yak., iii. 70 ; Mar., ii. 23.)
Sarjah (2). — "Sarjah is also a village of Halab; it is called
Sarjah of Bani 'Ulaim." {Idem.)
34—2
J,
t :
1
I
II
532 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Sarmad. — "A district in the Halab Province." (Yik.,
Mar., ii. 27.)
SarmIn. — Visited by Nisir-i-Khusrau in 1047, who spea
as a town without walls. (N. Kh., 3.)
** SarmIn," says YakOt, " is a celebrated, though small t
the Halab District Its people to-day (thirteenth century
Ismailians. Al Maidani, in his Book of Proverbs, says that
is the city of Sadum (Sodom), of whose Kidi a proverb is
(Yik., iii. 83; Mar., ii. 27. See above, p. 291.)
" Sarmin,'' says Abu-1 Fida, " in the Aleppo Province is
with many olive and other trees. There is no water here
r. what is gathered from the rains in cisterns. It has broa
and dependencies, and the soil is very fertile. There is
Mosque, and the town has no walls. Sarmin lies about
|r march south of Halab, half-way between this last and Mi
; (A. F., 265.)
Sarmin was visited by Ibn Batfitah in 1355; he speak
abundance of trees that grow there, mostly olives. " It i
small town," he says, " where soap-making is much pi
The Brick Soap (As SdMn al Ajurri) is exported from 1:
Damascus, and even to Cairo ; also their Perfumed S
washing the hands : this they make coloured, red and
In Sarmin they also make cotton stuffs. The people here
dislike to saying the number * ten ;' they say * nine ai
always, instead of * ten.' There is a fine Mosque in Sani
nine domes." (I. B., i. 145.)
SAr^nivyah. — " A pass i^Akabah) near Tabariyyah ; yo
it to reach At Tdr (Tabor)." (Yik., iii. 9 ; Mar., ii. 3.)
SASAKCrN.— "A village of Hamih." (Yak., iii. n
ii- 3-)
As Sath. — " The name of one of the Iklim (Districts)
Libya, in the Damascus Province. Some say it lies beti;
Kuswah and Ghabighib, and another authority places it
the Bab Tiima of Damascus." (Yik., iii. 90 ; Mar., ii. 31
Satra. — "A village of Damascus, and one of the pie
places of ihe Ghautah." (Yak., iii. 90; Mar., ii. 31.)
As Sawad (The Black Country). — " A district in the
. AS SAW A yiR.—SHA IZA R, 533
Province. Its population is half Arab, half Greek." (Yb., 115,
written in a.d. 891.)
" As Sawid," says Yakftt, " lies near the Balk4, it is so called on
account of the blackness of the stones here. It is also called
Sam as Sawid." (Y^k., iii. 86, 174 ; Mar., ii. 29, 62.)
As Sawajir. —"A celebrated river of the Manbij District in
Syria." (Yik., iii. 173; Mar., ii. 62.)
Ash Shab'a. — " A village of Damascus in the Iklim (or Dis-
trict) of Bait al Abir." (Yak., iii. 254 ; Mar., ii. 92.)
Shabik. — " One of the camping-places of the Kudi'ah tribe, in
Syria." (Yak., iii. 226 ; Mar., ii. 83.)
Ash ShaghCr. — "A quarter outside the Bib as Saghlr of
Damascus, and to the south thereof. It lies some way outside the
city." (Ydk., iii. 236 ; Mar., ii. 86. See above, p. 231.)
Shahbah. — " A village of the Hauran." (Yak., iii. 339 ; Mar.,
ii. 136.)
SHAHSHABtj. — " One of the villages of Afamiyyah. The tomb
of Iskandar (Alexander the Great) is here, as some say; but,
according to others, his bowels only are buried here, while his
body lies at the Minar (Pharos) at Alexandria. The more general
opinion, however, is that he died at Bibil (Babylon) in 'Irik."
(Yak., iii. 264 ; Mar, ii. 97.)
Shaihan. — "The name of the mountain that overlooks all the
mountains around Al Kuds (Jerusalem). It is the one which
Moses — peace be on him ! — ascended, and looked thence towards
the Holy City, but despised the same. And he cried, * Lx)rd, is
this Thy holy place ?' And it was answered to him, * Yea, and
verily thou shalt never enter it.* Moses died — peace be upon
him !— and he never did enter Jerusalem." (Yak., iii. 346 ;
Mar., ii. 138.)
The Biblical Nebo. (See above, pp. 470, 471, 495.)
Shaitar. — "A place in Syria." (Ydk., iii. 356; Mar., ii. 141.)
Shaizar (Larissa). — "A small town in the Hims Province,
having plenty of water, trees, fruits, and fields. It is a very
pleasant place." (Is., 61; I. H., 116; mentioned by Yb.,
III.)
"Shaizar," says Yikftt, "is the name of a castle with its
534 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEfifS.
district, lying near Al Ma'arrah. Between it and Hamat
day's journey. Under the castle runs the Orontes River,
which is a bridge, crossing in the middle of the town. I
very ancient city, and was first conquered by Abu 'Ubaid
capitulation, after Hamah had fallen, in the year 17 (<
(Yak., iii. 353 ; Mar., ii. 140.)
" Shaizar," says Dimashki, " is a fortified town, but one th;
been ravaged by the plague. It is well watered, and the \.
drink from the Nahr 'Asi (Orontes). Shaizar has a castle <
'Urf ad Dik (The Cock's Comb), which is protected on thi
its sides by the river 'Asi, and it is visible from a great dis
oiT." (Dim., 205.)
" Shaizar," writes Abu-1 Fida, " in the Hims Province posi
A
a strong fort. To the north of it runs the 'Asi, and not far
here the river falls over a dyke, above 10 ells high, calk
Hantalah. The town has trees and gardens and many fn
particularly pomegranates. There is a bridge here ovei
river MaklOb (Orontes). Shaizar lies 9 miles from Ha
33 miles from Hims, and 36 from Antakiyyah. It has wa
sun-dried bricks, and three gates, and the river 'Asi runs ol
the wall and to the north of the town." (A. F., 263.)
Shaizar to Hamah (Muk.), i march ; to Kafar Tab (W
I march.
Ash Shajarah (The Tree). — " A village where is burie
Siddik, the son of the Prophet Salih." (A. H., Oxf. MS., fol
v^rso.)
"Ash Shajarah,' says YakUt, "is a village of the Fil
Province. Besides the tomb of Siddik, there are here, in a
as they report, the bodies of eighty martyrs ; but God knows
the truth." (Yak., iii. 260 ; Mar., ii. 96.)
SHAKfF ArnCn (BfLFORT OF THE CrUSADERS). "A
Strong castle on the summit of a mountain near Baniyas, ii
Damascus Territory, lying between Damascus and the sea-<
Arnun is a man's name, either a Frank or a Greek." (
iii. 309; Mar., ii. 119.) The word "Shakif," in Syriac, n
"rock."
, " Shakif ArnQn," writes Dimashki, " is an impregnable foi
SHAKIF DARKUSH.-^SHAMSHAT. 535
which was taken by Sultan *Baibars from the Franks. It has
broad lands, and the river Litany (Lltah) flows at the foot of the
hill on which it stands." (Dim., 211.)
"Shakif ArnOn lies between Damascus and the sea-coast, not
far from Baniyis. Arniin is a man's name. It is a very strong
fortress, and it lies to the north of Shakif TirQn. Part of the
fortress consists of caverns hewn in the rock, and part of it is
built up of masonry." (A. F., 245.)
SHAKiF DarkOsh. — " A castle near Halab (Aleppo), lying to
the south of the Harim District." (Yak., iii. 309; Mar., ii. 120.).
ShakIf Dubb!n. — "A small castle near Antioch. Dubbin is
the name of a domain, like a suburb, belonging thereto." (Y^.
iii. 310; Mar., ii. 120.)
Shakif TfRCrN (Cavea Tvrum of the Crusaders). — "A
strong fortress near Tyre." (Yak., iii. 309 ; Mar., ii. 120.)
" Shakif TirQn," says Dimashki, " is a strongly fortified place
standing on a high hill. There arc lands round it, and it is com*
manded by a Naib (Governor). No Manjanik (Mangonel) can
make any impression on its walls." (Dim., 211.) "It stands," says
Abu-1 Fida, " about a day's journey north of Safad." (A. F., 245.)
Ash Shammasivvah. — " The name of a quarter of Damascus."
(Yak., iii. 318; Mar., ii. 124.)
ShamsIn. — " A place on the road between Hims and KAra, and
I march distant from either." (Muk., 190.)
Shamshat. — " A town on the Euphrates. It has a well fortified
castle. The place stands on the east of the Lukkam Mountains,
and overlooks the Euphrates. All round it are many hills, on
the sides of which grow almonds, grapes, and other varieties of
winter and summer fruits. All these belong to the public, and
not to any person in particular." (Id., 26.)
"Shamshat," says YakQt in 1225, "lies on the eastern bank of
the Euphrates, and in the Greek territory. It is now in ruins."
(Yak., iii. 319 ; Mar., ii. 125.)
Shamshat to Sumaisdt (Is., I. H.), 2 marches ; to Hisn MansCir
(Is., I. H.), I day (Id.), 21 miles; to Malatyah (Id), 51 miles;
to 2^batrah (Id.), 15 miles ; to Manbij (Id.), 2 or 3 days.
Ash SHAMt>s. — " One of the villages of Halab (Aleppo). It
536 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
t.
\'-\
1
u
stands in the dependencies of Al Huss." (YSk., iii. 324 ;
ii. 127.)
Shanar. — " A valley of Syria. It is mentioned in the His
of the first Conquest." (Mar., ii. 128.)
Shanj. — "A place on the coast, lying between 'Arkal
Antars(is." (Id., 20.)
Sharaf al Ba'al. — ** A place in Syria. It is said to
mountain on the Hajj Road." (Yak., iii. 278 ; Mar., ii. 10;
, Sharm al Bait (The Gulf of the House). — "This
reached from Al Masdaf (on the Red Sea). It is a harbot
there is no water to be found here." (Id., 2.)
Sharm al BfR. — " Likewise a harbour (on the Red Sea)
i; there is.no water." (Id., 2.)
/■ Ash Shaubak (Crag de Montreal of the Crusad
i "A fortified castle on the Syrian borders near Al Kara!
between 'Amman and Ailah on the Red Sea. YakdQr, wt
become king of Al Fars (Al Franj (?), the Franks), went
year 509 (11 15) through the Bilad Rabi', which is Ash S
'. and the Balkd and Al Jibal and Wddi MOsa (Petra), a
camped at the ancient fortress, then in ruins, of Ash Sh
near Wadi Musa. This castle he rebuilt, and garrisoned i
\' men at arms. By the building of this fortress travellen
Egypt up to Syria by the desert road were secured from th
Arabs." (Ydk.,iii. 332; Mar., ii. 132.) In point of fact, SI
was built, in 1 1 15, by King Baldwin I.
" Ash Shaubak," says Abu-1 Fida, " lies in the Sharih Pn
It is a small town with many gardens. Most of its inha
are Christians. It lies to the east of the Ghaur (south
Dead Sea), and on the frontier of Syria coming from the
At the foot of the castle hill are two springs, one to the rig
one to the left, like the two eyes on a face. Their wate
through the town and irrigate the gardens, which are in a
to the west of the town. The fruits grown here are the ;
and others, which are most excellent in flavour, and are ex
even to Egypt. The castle is built of white stone, and cr<
high hill which is also white, and overlooks the Ghaur (sc
the Dead Sea) from the east side." (A. F., 247.)
y^
SHIKRA,^AS SIFLIYYUN. 537
Shikra. — " A village of Harrin, in Syria." (Mar., ii. 118.)
Shinan. — "The name of a valley in Syria." (Yak., iii. 325 ;
Mar., ii. 128.)
Shubaith. — " A mountain near Halab (Aleppo). It is of great
length. On its summit is a tableland, where there are three
villages. It is counted as belonging to the district of Al Ahass.
Shubaith is a KQrah (District) of Halab, and they bring into
Halab from this mountain black rocks, of which they make mill-
stones." (Yak., iii. 257 ; Mar., ii. 94.)
Ash Shughr (Seleucobelos) and Bakas. — " These are two
castles, standing opposite each other, on two hill summits, with
the valley, like a fosse, in between them. • They are situated on
the 'Asi (River Orontes), and lie between Antakiyyah and Halab,
and they belong to the Sultan of the latter city. At the foot of
the hill of Bakis a stream gushes out." (Yak., i. 704 ; iii. 303 ;
Mar., i. 167 ; ii. 115.)
" Ash Shughr and Bakis," says Abu-1 Fida, " lie in the Kinnasrin
Province. They are two strong forts on heights, and between the
two is the distance of an arrow-flight. Below them runs a stream.
They have gardens and many fruit-trees. There is also a Friday
Mosque. Many villages belong to them, and they lie half-way
between Antakiyyah and Afamiyyah. About a horse gallop east
of these forts is the celebrated bridge of Kashfahan crossing the
river (Orontes). There is held here a market, where people
assemble each week. These forts lie north-east of SahyQn (Saone),
and south of Antioch, and are divided from both by the moun-
tains." (A. F., 261.)
The fortresses of Ash Shughr and Bakis were visited by Ibn
Batdtah in 1355, who speaks of the place as one fortress, built on
a great height. (I. B., i. 165.)
SibistIn. — "A town in the Province of Filastin. Here are
buried Yahyi ibn Zakariyyah (John the Baptist) and his mother,
and the Prophet Al Yasl' (Elisha). The latter, it is also said, is
is not buried here, but elsewhere." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio
33 verso.)
As SiFLn'vCN. —"A village of Damascus." (Yak., iii. 98 ; Mar.,
ii. 36.)
538 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
SITr (Seir). — " A village in the neighbourhood of Jer
This name, or SA'ir (Seir), is mentioned in the Pentateuch,"
iii. 441 ; Mar., ii. 175) See p. 527.
SijjilIn.^ — "A village of 'Askalan in Filastln." {Yak.,
&[ar., ii. 14.)
SiKiLLiVAH. — " Said to be a place in Syria." (Mar., ii.
SiNjiL (Saint-Gilles of the Crusades). — "A small 1
the Province of Filastin. Near it is the pit of Yilsuf as
(Joseph) — peace be on him I" (Yak., iii. 162 ; Mar., ii. 5J
SiNXAR.^ — " A pbce in Diyar Kalb, in the lands of
(Yak., iii. 419; Mar., ii. 168.)
SiKFANDAKAR. — " A castlc in Aniienia, standing in a
\-alley in the .\rmenian country. It is built on rock, and o
of its sides it needs no wail by reason of the rock taking th
thereof. It lies near the south bank of the Jaihan (Py
This castle holds the road to the Pass (I)arband)of .\\ Mai
stands about four miles east of the hill of Tall HamdGn
Pass of Al Marra begins about a day's march from it to tl
and in the country between this and Sarfandak^ ther
Snobur (pine) trees, such as you find nowhere else for gi
height. Sarfandakdr lies south-east of 'Ain Zarbah, and ;
march from it." {A, ¥., 257.)
SirrJn.— " A place in Syria." (Yak,, iii. 387 ; Mar., ii.
Sis. — " A great city of Armenia," writes Abu-I Fid^ "
castle and triple walls, standing on a high hill. It has {
and a small river. It is the capital of the kingdom of
Armenia at the present day (1321). Ibn I.51in (Leo !
Great), one of the kings of (Littie) Armenia, rebuilt it, am
it his place of residence. It was of old the chief town
northern Fortresses (of the Muslims). From Hisn Sisiyah
is the same as Sis), to 'Ain Zarbah is 24 miles, and to Al Mi
is 14 miles. Sis was rebuilt by one of the servants of the
Ar Rashid." (A. F., 257.)
"SIsiyyah," says fiilddhuri, "is the city of Tall 'Ain J
•as rebuilt in the Khalif Mutawakkil's time, and was afli
ed by the Greeks." (Bil., 170,)
ObA. — " A village of Jerusalem." (Y4k., iii. 431 ; Mar., i
AS SUBAIRAH.—SUNNUHAR. 539
As SuBAiRAH. — "A place in Syria." (Vdk., iii. 368 ; Mar., il
146.)
SuDAR. — "A village of Jerusalem." (Yak., iii. 375; Mar., iL
SuKHNAH (The Hot Spring). — "A small town in the Syrian
Desert, lying between Tadmur (Palmyra) and 'Urd and Arak.
Beside the spring are palm-trees. It is on the road of one going
to Damascus from Ar Rakkah, and you come to it before reaching
Arak." (Yak., iii. 52 ; Mar., ii. 16.)
** As Sukhnah," says Ibn BatCitah, " lies between Ar Rahbah
Malik ibn Tauk, and Tadmur. It is a pretty town. Most of its
inhabitants are infidel Christians. It is named As Sukhnah (the
Hot) from the heat of its waters. There are here bath-houses for
men and for women to bathe in. They draw the water and
set it at night on the roofs of the houses to cool." (I. B., iv.
315)
SuLAM. — "A large bay of the sea. Thence to Juniyyah is 10
miles, and to Mahfiz Jubail and the mouth of the Nahr Ibrahim is
3 miles." (Id., 17.)
SuMAiSAT (Samosata). — "A Small city on the Euphrates, with
lands watered by irrigation, and by the rains. There is a fortress
here. The drinking-water is from the Euphrates." (Is., 62 ;
I. H., 120; copied by A. F., 267.)
" The Kala'ah Sumaisat is also called the Kala'ah at Tin (the
Fort of Clay)." (Mas., i. 215.)
" Sumaisit," says YakQt, " is a town on the west bank of the
Euphrates. It has a castle. In one quarter of Sumaisit
Armenians dwell." (Yak., iii. 151 ; Mar. ii. 54.)
" Sumaisat," says Abu-1 Fida, " on the borders of Syria, and on
the Euphrates, lies west of Kala'at Ar Rdm, and north of Hisn
MansQr, but not far from either." (A. F., 267.)
Sumaisat to Manbij (Is., I. H.), 2 days; to Shamshat (Is,,
I. H.), 2 marches.
SuNNUHAR.— " A village of the Jabal Sim'an District, to the
west of Halab (Aleppo). There are here ancient remains, show-
ing its former greatness. But all is now ruin." (Yik., iii. 164 ;
Mar., ii. 58.) Written in 1225.
i
\
^o PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
SuRATAH. — "A village of Jabal Nabulus." (Mar., ii. 25
in Yak., v. 21.)
As SuRAYYAH. — " A village of the Syrian Ghaur." (Ya
89 ; Mar., ii. 30.)
SOriyyah. — "A place lying between Khunisirah and
miyyah. The common people call it Suwiyyah." (Yak., iii
Mar., ii. 67.)
SCriyyah.— "This is the (Greek) name of the whole >
Sham (Syria), at the time of the Conquest." (Mar., ii. 67.)
Surkh. — "A mountain in Syria," (Yak., iii. 380;
Iii. 152.)
SOsiyah.— "A K^rah (District) of the Jordan Pro\
(Yak., iii. 193 ; Mar., ii. 68.) This place, the name of
corresponds with Susitha of the Jerusalem Talmud, is pre
the ancient Hippos. It lies a short distance south of Fik,
east of the Sea of Galilee.
As SuwAiDA. — " A village of the Haurin Province."
iii. 197 j Mar., ii. 70.)
HiSN AS SUWAIDIYYAH (PORT St. SiMON, OR Le SoUD
THE Crusades). — "This fortress lies on the sea and is th<
of Antioch, which last is situated 12 miles from the sea.
Suwaidiyyah the river (Orontes) of Antioch falls into the s
is called also Al 'Asi." (Id., 23.) As Suwaidiyyah is also
tioned by Dimashki and Abu-1 Fida (Dim., 206, and A. F.,
'tf.| \ See also above, p. 434, under Dair Sim'an.
Hisn as Suwaidiyyah to Hisn al Harbadah (Id.) is 15 1
and to Jabal Ras al Khinzir (Id.) is 20 miles.
As SuyalA. — " The name of a spring in Syria." (Yak., iii
Mar., ii. 75.)
TA^ASfR. — " A place lying 2 stages from Baisin, and the lil
tance from Nibulus." (Muk., 191.) This has been suggesi
the possible site of Tirzah, once the capital of Israel (Josh, xi
Tadhif. — "A place belonging to Halab (Aleppo), and
Buzi'ah. It lies 4 leagues from Halab." (Ydk., i. 811;
i. 194.)
Tadmur (Palmyra) — "An ancient city, with wonderful
ngs therein. It is said of the greater number of the marv
TADMUR. 541
remains seen here that they were constructed by the Prophet
Solomon, the son of David." (Yb., 1 1 1.)
" Tadmur," says Mukaddasi, " belongs to the Province of Hims.
It is after the likeness of a throne among the cities of Solomon,
the son of David. Its citadel, which stands near the desert, is
spacious and strong." (Muk., 156.)
** Tadmur," writes Yakdt, " is a celebrated city in the Syrian
Desert. It lies 5 days from Halab, and near to Hims. There
are wonderful buildings here erected on pillars. The people say
they were built by the J inns at the order of Solomon the son of
David. At the present day (1225) the people there live in a
castle surrounded by a stone wall. It has a double gate of stone,
and there are temples, of which three remain standing to the
present day. There is a river which waters the palm-trees and
the gardens. The place is called after Tadmur, daughter of
Hassan, sixth in descent from Noah. Some of the people of
Tadmur say the buildings were erected as long a time before, as
we now live after, the days of Solomon ; but that when people
wondered at buildings and knew not who erected them, they always
attributed them to Solomon and the J inns, and so in this case.
" It is related by Ismail ibn Muhammad al Kasri that he was
present with Marwan II., the last Khalif of the Omayyad dynasty,
when he destroyed the walls of Tadmur, for the people had
rebelled against him, so he slew them and trampled them down,
and overthrew their city wall. On this occasion they came on a
mighty trench, and discovered there a stone, and below it was a
plastered chamber as fresh as though the hand of the builder had
only just left it. In it was a bier, upon which lay the body of a
woman lying on her back, and over her were laid seventy cloaks,
and behold she had tresses of long hair with rings attached
thereto. The narrator reports that he measured her foot, and it
was an ell long exactly. And on one of her tresses was a plate of
gold, on which was written : In the name of Allahumma^ I am
Tadmur^ daughter of Hassdn. May God lead to abasement him
who enters this my ceil I Then Marwan ordered the place to be
closed again, and it was so done, and nothing was taken away of
what was there found.
r
54* PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
"At Tadmur is a statue — among many — of two female s
on which a poem was written by the poet Aus ibn Tha'l
Tadmur was first taken and capitulated to Khalid ibn al Wa
his road up from 'Irak to Syria." (Yak., i. 828 ; Mar., i. 20
Taimar.— "The name of a village in Syria, on the t
towards the Hijjaz." (Vitk., i. 908 ; Mar., i. 222.)
Tais. — "The name of a mountain in Syria, in which the
many fortresses." (Vak., i. 907 ; Mar., i. 222.)
Takhawah. — "A village of D5rflm, in the neighbourho
Ghazzah (Gaza)." (Yak,, i. 827 ; Mar, i. 199.)
TakC. — " A village of Jerusalem, proverbially celebrated
honey." (YSk., i. 860; Mar., i. 208.)
TALFtTA.— "A village of the Sanir District, in the Danr
Province." (YAk., i. 868 ; Mar., i. 212.)
Talfivatha.— "A vill^e of the Ghautah of Dama
(Vak., i. 868; Mar., i. 212.)
Tall (Ukw),*— "The name of a village of Ghazzah (Ga
the Filastin Province." (Yak., iii. 543 ; Mar., li. 208.)
Tall A'fan (The Hill of A'ran). — " A large village, 1
mosque, near Halab. A kind of grape comes from here,
is round and red in colour. This village has many ga)
vineyards, and fields." (Yak., i. 863; Mar., i. 209.)
Tall Bashir (Turbessel + 'of the Crusades). — "A fo
castle," says YSkClt, "with a broad district, lying 2 days no;
Halab (Aleppo). 'I'he people are Armenian Christians,
place has markets, and a suburb, and is very populous." 1
i. 864; Mar., i. 210.)
" Tall Bishir is a fortress lying 2 days' march from Al
There are springs and gardens here. The place is celebrat
its plums, called f/jds, which are unrivalled. Il is impossi
transport them, even as far as Halab, for with the journey
turn to water." (A. F., 232.)
■ This is not ihe word commonly written Tell, meaning J/i// (as
following articles), being from a ditfetent root, and written with thi
aspirated 7, (See Index, s.v. Tai/.)
t According lo Rey, ColonUi I-raiiguts, p. 321. See also above,
DarbttiSk, p. 436.
TALL HABASH.^TALL AL KIKAN, 543
Tall Habash (The Abyssinian's Hill). — "A village of
Halab." (Mar., i. 211.)
Tall HamdOn.— "The castle of Tall HamdOn in (Little)
Armenia, is strongly fortified, and has well-built walls. It crowns
a high hill, and there are suburbs and gardens. A stream runs
by it, and its lands are very fertile. Provisions here are plentiful
and cheap. The Muslims have dismantled the fortress, and it is
now in ruins. It lies about a march distant to the south of the
river Jaihin (Pyramus). Between Tall Hamdun and Sis there
are 2 days* march. To the east of Tall HamdCin is the fort of
HamOs, which can be seen from Tall HamdCin." (A. F., 251.)
Tall Hamid. — " A fortress of the ThughQr, or Frontier For-
tresses, of Al Masstssah. (Yak., i. 866 ; Mar., i. 211.)
Tall HarAk. — "One of the fortresses lying to the west of
Halab (Aleppo)." (Yik., i. 872 ; Mar., i. 213.)
Tall Harran. — " A village of Halab lying towards Mesopo-
tamia." (Yak., i. 866; Mar., i. 211.)
Tall HCm. — "A fortress of the Massissah frontier." (Yik.,
L 867 ; Mar., i. 211.)
Tall Jazar. — "A fortress of the Filastin Province." (Vak.,
i. 866 ; Mar., i. 211.)
Tall Jubair. — " A hill called after a certain Persian of Anta-
kiyyah (Antioch). It lies about 10 miles from Tarsus." (Bil., 170.)
"Tall Jubair is a town lying less than 10 miles from Tarsus."
(Yik., i. 866; Mar., i. 210.)
Tall KabbAsIn. — "A village of the 'Awasim Province, belong-
ing to the Halab District." (Yak., i. 869 ; Mar., i. 212.)
Tall Kaisan. — "A place in the Marj (or Meadow lands) of
'Akkah on the Syrian coast." (Yak., i. 869 ; Mar., i. 212.)
Tall Kashfahan. — " A place lying between Al I^dhikiyyah
and Halab, being about half a day from Halab, and about 3 days
from Al Ladhikiyyah. Saladin had his camp here for a time."
(Yik., i. 869 ; Mar., i. 212 ; and in Yak., v. 16.)
Tall Khalid. — " A castle near Halab (Aleppo)." (Yak., i. 867 ;
Mar., i. 211.)
Tall al KIkan. — "A place outside Halab and well known."
(Y4k., iv. 217 ; Mar., ii. 467.)
544 palestine under the moslems.
Tall Mannas (i) (Telaminia of the Crusades)
fortress near Ma'anah Nu'min. The Khalif al Mutawakk
here when he came to Syria in the year 244 (858)." (Yilc ,
Mar.,i. 2T3)
Tall Mannas (a).—" A village of Hims." {Idem.)
Tall Masih. — "A village in the neighbourhood of
(Aleppo)." (Vak., i. 869; Mar., i. 212.)
Tall Safivah (Blanche-garde of the Crusades;
fortress of the Filastin Province, lying close to Bait Jibrin
district of Ar Ramlah." (Vak., i. 867 ; Mar., i. 211.)
Tall as Sultan. — " A place lying a day's march from
(Aleppo) towards Damascus. There was here a caravansei
a resl-house for travellers." (Vik., i. 867 ; Mar., L zii.)
Tall Tajir (The Merchant's Hill). — ^"A vilbge
little south of Kinnasrin." (I. J., 3$$.)
TamnI. — " A well-built caravanserai, lying south of Kir
and just north of Ma'arrah," (I. I., 256.)
Tanhaj. — "The name of a village, in which is a fort
the high-lands of the BaM Province." {YSk., i. 882 :
L 217.)
TanOniyah.— " A village of Hims," (Y5k., i. 881;
L 216.)
TarfulAn. — " A place in Syria." (Yak., i. 838 ; Mar.,
TarmIs. — "A village of Damascus." (Yak., iii. 533
ii. 202.) The latter writes the name TarmUis.
TartOs (Tortosa), — "A Syrian city," says Y^Qt, "s
on the sea, near Al Markab and 'Akkah. At the presi
(1225) it is in the hands of the Franks." {V4k., iil 529
ii. 201.) The same as Antartfls, see above p. 394.
At TarCn. — "A fortress lying between Jerusalem ;
Ramlah. It was among those taken by Saladin in 583 (
(Yak., iii. 534; Mar., ii. 203.)
This must not be confounded with the celebrated Cr
Castle of Le Toron (Tibn'm).
Taula'. — "The name of a village in Syria," (Y4k.,
Mar., i. 219.)
At TawAhIs (The Flour-Mills), — "A place near Ar
AT TA WILA H.—TIBNIN. 545
in the Filastin Province. There took place near here the cele-
brated battle between Khumarawaih ibn TdlOn (Ruler of Egypt)
and the Khalif al Mu'tadhid-billah in 271 (884). Both armies
fled panic-struck." (Yik., iii. 554; Mar., ii. 213.)
At TawIlah. — "Certain wells lying between Tadmur (Pal-
myra) and Kariyatain." (Mar., ii. 217.)
At Tayyibah. — "A village of the district of 'Urd, lying be-
tween Tadmur and Halab." (Mar., ii. 219.)
Thahr al HiMAR (The Ass's Back). — *'The name of a
village between Nibulus and Baisdn, where lies buried Ibn
Yamin (Benjamin)." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 33, verso; also
Vile, iil 582 ; Mar., ii. 224.)
Thaniyyat al 'Ukab (i) (The Pass of the Eagle, or of the
Steep). — "A pass," writes Ibn Jubair, "lying to the north of
Damascus. From here you get a view over Damascus, and the
plain of the Ghautah. At this point the road divides ; one road
goes south to Damascus, and the other east by the desert of the
Samawah to Al Trak. This is the direct road, but you can only
travel by it during the winter season. From the Pass we de-
scended through the Wadi-bed between the hills down to the
plain, to Al Kusair of the Ghautah." (I. J., 261.)
" Thaniyyat al 'Ukib," says YakCit, " lies just above Damascus
coming in from Hims. The Prophet saw Damascus from here,
as some say." (Yilc, i. 936, iii. 691 ; Mar., i. 230, ii. 265.)
Thaniyyat al 'Ukab (2). — " A pass in the Syrian Frontier
Province (Ath Thughdr), near Al Massissah." (Yak., i. 936 ;
Mar., i. 230.)
TibnIn (Le Toron). — Ibn Jubair, who visited Tibnin in 1185,
speaks of this celebrated castle of the Crusaders in the following
terms:
** Tibnin is one of the largest of the fortresses of the Franks.
It is the place of tolls for the caravans. The governor of it is a
certain woman called Khanzirah (The Sow), known also as the
Queen. She is the mother of the King al Khanzir (The Pig),
who is lord of 'Akkah. We camped below the castle. The tithe-
collectors came down to us, and the tax was a Dinar and a Kirat
(the twenty-fourth part) of a Dinar, Syrian currency (about eleven
35
1
r
546 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
shOlings) for every head. They laid no tax on the m
who were going on to 'Akkah, to that cursed King, for
'Akkah) is the place of the tithe, and he takes a Kirit
Dinar (worth of merdiandise), and the Dinar contains tw<
Kirats Most of the tithe-collectors are natives of Mag
west, Morocco). After leaving Tibnln, our road lay an
farms which stretch, one after the other, over the country
are all inhabited by Muslims who live in perfect security u
Frank rule. They give up to the Franks half their crop
time of the gathering-in, and pay ftuther a poll-tax of or
and five Kirats per head. They are not molested furtl
this, except that on the fruit-trees also they pay a small ta^
r live in their own houses, and very peaceably. The (corf
oO the maritime towns that are in the hands of the Fr
manage their farms and villages after this fashion." (I. J.
" Tibnin," says Yakut, " is a town in the Jabal Ban
The castle overhangs Biniyas, and lies between Damas
Tyre." (Yak., i. 824 ; Mar., i. 198.)
At TfN AND Az ZaitCn (The Fig and the Olive). — "
writes YakQt, "are the names of two mountains in Syria
said. Or, according to another account, At Tin is the M<
NQh (Noah), and Az ZaitCln is the Mount (of Olives) at Je
But there are many other explanations." (Yak., i. 911
i. 223.)
TiNNAB. — "A large village belonging to Halab {A
(Yik., i. 876; Mar., i. 215.)
TiRAH. — "A village of Damascus." (Yak., iii. 569
ii. 219.)
At TOban. — " A fortress in the District of Hims, or
that of Hamah." (Yak., ill 556; Mar., ii. 214.)
At TObanivyah. — " A town of the District of Filastln.*'
iii. 556; Mar., ii. 214.)
Tubbal. — " One of the villages of Halab. It lies in tl
District There is here a market and a mosque." (Yak.j
Mar., i. 197.)
TuBNA. — " A town of the Hauran, belonging to the D
Province." (Yak., i. 824 ; Mar., i. 198.)
AT TULAIL.—'UKAIL, 547
At Tulail (The Little Hill). — " A place lying 2 marches
from Al Ghamr and the like from As Sakariyyah." (Muk.,
192.)
Tulb!n.— "A place in the Ghautah of Damascus." (Yik.,
i. 865; Mar., i. 210.)
TOma (St. Thomas). — " The name of a village and district in
the Ghautah of Damascus. Bab TQmi (the Gate of St. Thomas)
at Damascus is called after it." (Yik., L 895 ; Mar., i. 219.)
Tur'ah. — " A place in Syria." (Yik., i. 837 ; Mar., i. 202.)
TuRANDAH. — "A place belonging to Malatyah (Melitene), and
lying 3 marches therefrom in the Greek territory. The Muslims
settled there in the year 83 (702), and built some houses, but
afterwards removed thence and settled at Malatyah." (Yik.,
iii. 534 ; Mar., ii. 202.)
TuRMUSAN. — "A village of Hims." (Yik., i. 844; Mar.,
i. 203.)
TuwA, OR TawA. — " The name of the sacred WAdi mentioned
in the Kuran (xx. 12 and Ixxix. ifi), where Moses spoke with Allah
before he was sent to Pharaoh. It is a place in Syria near At
T(ir (Sinai)." (Yak., iii. 553 ; Mar., ii. 213.)
Tuwanah. — " A town in the Thughdr (or Frontier Provinces)
of Al Masslssah. The Khalif al MimQn, when he made his mili-
tary excursions into the ThughCir, ordered Tuwanah to be sur-
rounded by a wall, a mile long by a mile broad, Tuwanah standing
in the middle thereof, for the garrisoning of his troops, and to
keep his treasure there. He died before the wall was finished,
and the Khalif al Mu'tasim gave up the undertaking." (Yik.,
'"• 554 y Mar., ii. 214.)
TCzfN, OR TfziN. — " A large village and district in the 'Aw^sim
Province belonging to Halab. It was originally counted as part
of the Kinnasrin District, but in the Khalif ar Rashfd's days this,
with Manbij and other places, were formed into the 'Awisim
Province." (Ydk., i. 894, 907 ; Mar., i. 218, 222.)
"Tizin," says Ibn Batdtah, in 1355, "lies north-west of Halab.
It has been lately rebuilt by the Turkomans." (I. B., i. 161.)
TOzin to Halab (Yik.) is i day.
'Ukail. — " One of the villages of the Haurin in the neighbour-
35—2
u
'/
4»"
548 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
hood of Al Liw^ in the Damascus territory." (Yik,, i
Mar., ii. 269.)
'Ukairba. — " A place near Hims." (Ydk., iii. 699
ii. 278.)
'Urainah. — " A village in Syria. It is mentioned in tl
conquests of the Muslims, but its position is not given."
iv. 663 ; Mar., ii. 254.)
'Ura'ir. — "A spring, as it is said, belonging to th
District, in Syria." (Yik., iii. 628 ; Mar., ii. 244.)
'Urd. — ** A small town in the Syrian desert belonging to
It lies between Tadmur and Ar Rusafah Hishim."
iii. 644 ; Mar., ii. 248.)
Urt!k, or ArtIk. — **A district lying to the south-^
Halab (Aleppo)." (Yak., i. 191 ; Mar., i. 43, and in Yik.,
'Ds. — "Said to be a place in Syria, but this is do
(Yak., iii. 745 ; Mar., ii. 289.)
UsAis. — "A spring of water lying to the east of Dan
(Yik., i. 272 ; Mar., i. 64.)
UsALiM. — " A place in the Jabal ash Sharah." (Yik.,
Mar., i. 55.)
Al UshtOn. — "A place near Antikiyyah, if I raistak
(Yik., i. 277 ; Mar., i. 66.)
UsTUWAN. — **A castle among the fortresses of the
country, but situated near the Syrian frontier. It was U
Saif ad Daulah." (Yak., i. 245 ; Mar., i. 59.)
Uthnan. — "A place in Syria, mentioned by the poet
ibn Mu*ammir." (Yak., i. 119; Mar., i. 23.)
Wad! MCsa (Petra).— "This Widi," says YdkCit, "is
after MQsa (Moses) the son of 'Amrin. It lies to the s<
Jerusalem, between the Holy City and the Hijjaz. It is
Wadi, full of olive-trees, and is so called in memory of
who came out of the desert of the Tih, leading the chiL
Israel with him. And Moses had with him the rock mei
by Allah in the Kurin (ii. 57) in the verse, *And when
asked drink for his people, we said, SfnJf:e the Rock with <
and from it there gushed twelve fountains,' and as he man
carried this Rock with him, and fared forth. And when hi
WADI AN NAML,—WAILAH, OR AILAH. 549
he threw it on the earth, then there would gush out from it twelve
springs, according to the number of the Tribes, so that each man
knew his drinking place. Now when Moses came to this Wddi,
and knew that his end was near at hand, he took thought for the
Rock, and he fixed it on the mountain-side there. From it came
forth twelve springs, which divided among twelve villages, a village
for every one of the Tribes. Then Moses died, but by his com-
mand the Rock remained here. Now it has been related to me,
Yak(it, by the K^di Jamil ad Din Hasan, that he saw the Rock
in this place, and that it is of the size of a goat's head, and there
is nothing else on the mountain-side like to it." (Yik., iv. 879 ;
Mar., iii. 267.)
Wad! an Naml (The Valley of the Ant). — "This is
named after the Ant, who preached to Solomon, the son of David.
The Wddi is said to lie between Bait Jibrin and 'Askalin."*
(Yik., iv., 880; Mar., iii. 267. See above, pp. 402, 413.)
Al Wadiyain (The two WadIs). — "A town situated in the
Jabal As Sharih, near tlje cities of Lot" (Yik., iv. 880 ; Mar.,
iii. 268.)
Wailah, or Ailah (Eloth, or Elath, on the ^lanitic
Gulf). — " Wailah," writes Mukaddasi, " stands on an arm of the
China Sea (that is, the Gulf of Akabah). It is a populous and
beautiful city, possessing many palm-trees, also fish in plenty.
It is the great port of Palestine, and the emporium of the Hijjdz,
The common pe<^le call it Ailah, but the true Ailah lies near by
it, and is now in ruins. This is the place of which Allah — may
He be exalted ! — has said (Kurin, vii. 163): 'Enquire of them
concerning the village that was situate on the sea.'" (Muk.,
178.)
" Ailah," says Idrisi, " is a small city, wherein the Arabs en-
camp, and have entered into possession. The cape that projects
above Ailah is called Ras Abu Muhammad. There is here a
harbour, but no water is to be found near." (Id., 2.)
From Wailah or Ailah to Al Ghamr (Muk.) is 2 marches, and
to Sughar (Muk.), 4 marches.
♦ For the Muslim tradition of this colloquy see G. Weil, Biblische Legenden
der Muselmdnfur^ p. 238.
5SO PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Wajh al Hajar (The Face of Stone). — "A pass m
Jubail, on the coast of the Syrian Sea." (YSk., iv. 907 ;
iii. 678.)
WartanIs (i). — " A fortress in the lands of Sumais^L"
iv. 919; Mar., iii. 284.)
WartanIs (2).— "A village in the HaurSn." {Idem.)
WiSADAH. — "A place on the road from Syria to Al M:
in the further mountains of the Haur^ lying between Van
Kuraitir." (Yak., iv. 927 \ Mar., iii. a88.)
Al Wu'airah. — "A fortress in Jabal ash Sharih, neai
MOsa (Petra)." (Vak., iv. 934 ; Mar, iii. 293.)
Al Wutr. — " A village of the Haurin, In the mosqu
as they say, MOsi ibn 'Amrin (Moses) dwelt ; and there is
here the place where his staff struck the Rock." (Vik., \\
Mar., iii. 276-)
Ya'ath. — "A place lying between JiJsiyyah and Ba'albal
I nukrch from either." (Muk., 190.)
YabrIn. — " A village of Halab (Aleppo) in the 'Az&z D;
(Yak., iv. 1,006; Mar., iii. 334.)
VabrOd (i). — "A town lying between Hims and Ba'.
There is here a wonderfully cold spring of running wate
which, as it is said, the place is called Yabrfld. The wat
under ground to the village of An Nabk." (Yak., iv. 1,004
iii- 333)
YabrOd and 'Ain YabrOd (2). — "A village lying n
Jerusalem, on the road from the Holy City to Nibulus, fc
which and YabrAd is Kafar Natha. It possesses orchar
vineyards, and olives and Sumach-trees." (Vak., iv. 1,005.
YabOs. — " A mountain in Syria on the WadI at Taim,
Damascus Province." (Yak., iv. 1,007 > Mar., iii. 334.)
YafA, or Yafah (Joppa, or Jafka). — " A city of Pales
the sea-coast. It is much frequented by the people of ArRj
(Vb., 1.1.)
" Yafah," writes Mukaddasi, " lying on the sea, is but :
town, although the emporium of Palestine and the port
Ramlah. It is protected by a strong wall with iron gat
the sea-gates also are of iron. The mosque is pleasant
YAFA, OR YAFAH.—AL YAKIN. 55^
eye, and overlooks the sea. ' The harbour is excellent" (Muk.,
174.)
" Yifa," says Idrisi, " is a coast-town of Palestine and the port
of Jerusalem." (Id., 11.)
** Yafi," writes YakOt, " is a city of Filastin on .the coast of the
Syrian Sea, and was taken by Saladin with the other coast-towns in
583 (1187). After a few years, however, it was seized on by the
Franks in 587 (1191), but was again taken by Al Malik al 'Adil,
Saladin's brother, in 593 (1196) and dismantled." (Yilc, iv. 1,003 >
Mar., iii. 332.)
"Y4f^ in Filastin," says Abu-1 Fidi, writing in 132 1, "is a
small but very pleasant town lying on the sea-shore. It has a
celebrated harbour. The town of YlifS is well fortified. Its
markets are much frequented, and many merchants ply their
trades here. There is a large harbour frequented by all the ships
coming to Filastin, and from it they set sail to all lands. Between
it and Ar Ramlah the distance is 6 miles, and it lies west of Ar
Ramlah." (A. F., 239.)
Yifd to Ar Ramlah (Is., I. H.), \ march, or (Muk.) i march ;
to 'Askalin (Muk.), i march ; to Jerusalem (Id.), 3 short days ;
to Kaisariyyah (Id.), 30 miles.
JiSR Yaghra. — " A bridge lying about 10 miles from Shamshit."
(Bil., 139.)
YahmOl (i). — " A celebrated village of Halab of the District of
Al Jazr." (Yak., iv. 1,012 ; Mar., iii. 336.)
YahmOl (2). — ** A village of Bahasni in the Kaisiim District,
lying between Halab and the Greek country." (Yak., iv. 337.)
YAkid. — "A village of Halab (Aleppo) in the District of Al
Urtik, and not far from the 'Aziz District." (Yak., iv, 1,004;
Mar., iii. 332 ; and in Yak., v. 32.)
Al YakIn (The Mosque of Certainty). — " A league distant
from Hebron," writes Mukaddasi, " is a small mountain which
overlooks the Lake of Sughar (the Dead Sea), and the site of the
Cities of Lot. Here stands a mosque built by Abu Bakr as
Sabihi, called Al Masjid al Yakin. In this mosque is seen the
bedstead of Abraham, which is now sunk about an ell into the
earth. It is related that when Abraham first saw from here, as in
SSa PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Ae air (the burning oO the Cities of Lot, he lay down s
' Verily I now bear witness, for the word of the Lord (Al '
is certain.'" (Muk.. 173.)
" Al Yakln," says 'Ali of Herat, " is a village in which
tomb of Lot. Here he sojourned after his departure from Z
It is called Yakin because as Lot journeyed with his fan
saw the punishment which had befallen his people, and ht
tiated himself in this place and cried, ' I certify that the p
of Allah is certain.' This, too, is the place where the Si
Lake (the Dead Sea) was swallowed up ; also it is said th
rock which Moses struck, and from which the twelve i
gushed out, is here, near Zughar. But Allah knows be
truth." (A. H., Ojtf. MS., folio 42, verso; copied by Y3
1,004, ^"d Mar., iiu 33a.)
Ibn BatQtah visited the neighbourhood of Hebron in
He writes in his Diaiy : " To the east of the Haram of Al
(the Hebron Sanctuary) is the Turbat (or tomb) of Lot, 01
that overlooks the Ghaur of Syria. Over hts tomb is a fine
ing of white stone, but without columns. Thence you s
Buhairah Lilt (the Dead Sea), the waters of which are
This was the country of Lot's people. Near by is the Ma
Yaktn on a high hill, beautifully built, and in it is Abr
MihrSb." (L B., i. 1 1 7.)
Mujirad Din in 1496 writes that outside the Masjid al
was shown the tomb of FStimah, the daugtiter of Al Has<
of the Khalif 'AIL (M. a. D. 67.)
YaldAn. — " A village lying some 3 miles from Dan
The final » is sometimes left out, and the name prom
Yaldl" (Yak., iv. 1,035 ; Mar., iii. 345.)
Al YArOkiyvah. — "A large quarter lying outside
(Aleppo), called after YarOk of the Turkoman Amirs of I
Din Zanki. He lived here and built the palaces seen here f<
self and his retainers. He died in 564 (1169)." (YU., iv.
Mar., iii. 33..)
YAsOr.— " A village of Nabulus in the Filastln Provini
is celebrated for the abundance of its pomegranates."
iv. 1,00a ; Mar., iii. 332.)
YAZUR.-^ZABATRAH, OR ZIBATRAH, 553
YazOr. — "A small town on the coast district of Ar Ramlah of
the Filastin Province." (Yak., iv. 1,002 ; Mar., iii. 331.)
YubnA, or Ubna (i), (Jabneh, or Jabneel). — " An ancient
city of Palestine. It is built on a hill. This is the place of which
it is related that the Prophet spake, saying to Usamah ibn Zaid,
when he despatched him on the first expedition : * Fall on Yubni
in the early mom, then set the town on fire.* It is inhabited by
Samaritans." (Yb., 116; written in a.e. 891.)
" Yubni," writes Mukaddasi, " has a beautiful mosque. From
this place come the excellent figs known by the name of the
Damascene." (Muk., 176.)
"Yubna is a town lying between Ykik and 'Askalan. They
show here a tomb said to be that of Abu Hurairah, the Com-
panion of the Prophet." (A. H., Oxf. MS., folio 48 ; repeated by
YUk., iv. 1007, and Mar., iii. 334.) The latter adds that the tomb
seen here is also said to be that of 'Abd Allah ibn Abi Sarh,
another Companion of the Prophet.
Yubni, or Ubni, to Ar Ramlah (Is., I. H., Id.), J march ; to
YazdQd (Is., I. H.), i march.
Yubna (2). — ** A place in Syria, lying in the District of the
Balki. It is said to be a village belonging to MQtah. Probably
this, more truly, is the place mentioned in the account of the
expedition despatched by the Prophet under Usamah ibn Zaid
into S>ria." (Yik., i. 99; Mar., i. 17.)
Yt>vfN.— " One of the villages of Ba'albakk." (Mar., iii. 353.)
Az Zabadani. — '* A celebrated district lying between Damascus
and Ba'albakk. The river of Damascus rises here. The name is
sometimes pronounced *Az Zubdin.'" (Yak., ii. 913; Mar.,
i- 505O
" Az Zabadini," says Abu-1 Fidi, " is a town without walls. It
lies on the side of the Widi Barada, and continuous gardens
extend from here right into Damascus. It is a most pleasant
town, and very fruitful. It lies 18 miles from Damascus, and the
like from Ba'albakk." (A. F., 225.)
Az 21abadani to Ba'albakk (Muk.), i march; and to Damascus
(Mule), I march.
Zabatrau, or Zibatrah. — " Zabatrah is a fortress lying very
554 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
near the frontiers of the Greeks, and the Greeks have laid it in
ruins." (Is., 63 ; copied by A. F., 234.)
" Zabatrah," says Biladhuri, " was an ancient Greek fortress. It
was conquered by the Muslims at the same; time as Al Hadath.
The place was rebuilt by the Khalif Al MansOr, having been
destroyed during a Greek invasion. It was refortified a second
time by Al MamQn, and has since been destroyed and rebuilt
several times." (Bil., 191.)
" Zabatrah, or Zibatrah," says Yakdt, " is a town lying between
Malatyah and Sumaisat and Al Hadath, on the road to the Greek
countr}'. It was called after Zabatrah, daughter of Ar Riim,
grandson of Shem, son of Noah." (Yik., ii. 914 ; Mar., i.
505-)
"At the present day," writes Abu-1 Fidi, in 132 1, "Zabatrah
has no inhabitants, and its fields are completely wasted. All that
remains is the line of the walls, and but little of these even. It
lies in a plain surrounded by mountains, and the vegetation grows
close to it all round. The place lies 2 marches south of Malatyah,
and the same west of Hisn MansQr. Between it and Hisn
Mans{ir is the mountain country and the passes. I, myself, passed
through this place when we went to take Malatyah in the month
of Muharram, of the year 715 (13 15) in the month Nisin (April),
and there was excellent hunting in the oak woods of Zabatrah.
There are found here hares of a size that nowhere else is seen the
like." (A. F., 234.)
Zabatrah to Hisn Mansdr (Is., I. H.), i day; to Shamshit (Id),
15 miles.
Zaghbah. — '' A village of Syria." (Yak^ ii. 933 ; Mar., i.
514.)
Az ZaitOnah. — "A place in the Syrian Desert, where the
Khalif Hisham ibn 'Abd al Malik used to camp before he built
Rusdfah." (Yak., ii. 965 ; Mar., i. 525.)
Zaiza, or ZtzA. — "A large village of the Baikal Province, where
the Hajj (Pilgrim caravan) halts. There is a market held at this
place, and there is here a large water-tank." (Yak., ii. 966 ; Mar.,
i. 526.)
The Birkat, or Pool of, Zizah is mentioned by Ibn Batiitah as a
ZAMLAKAN,—HISN AZ ZIB, 555
halt-Station of the caravans on the road down to Al Madinah.
(I. B., i. 255.)
ZamlakAn. — "A village of the Ghautah of Damascus. The
Syrians often pronounce the name 21amlukd." (Yak., ii. 944;
Mar., i. 517.)
Zanad. — " A village of Kinnasrin, belonging to the Bani Asad
District. It is sometimes written with a ^, 2^bad, and this last is
perhaps the more correct pronunciation." (Yak., ii. 914, 951 ;
Mar., i. 505, 519.)
Zandan. — " A district o( Al Massissah. It was taken by the
Muslims in the raid of the year 31 (652)." (Yak., ii. 950; Mar.,
i- 519-)
Az Zara'ah. — " A place lying on the edge of the desert. It
has a well-garrisoned fortress, and the Badawin Arabs pasture in
the lands all round it." (Id., 26.) The name is sometimes spelt
Ad Dari'ah.
Az Zari'ah to Al Kastal (Muk.), 2 marches, (Id., I. Kh.),
36 miles; to Ar Rusifah (Muk.), 2 marches; (Id) 24 miles;
(I. Kh.) 40 miles.
Zardana. — " A small town in the neighbourhood and to the
west of Halab (Aleppo)." (Yak., ii. 924; Mar., i. 509.)
Az ZarIkA. — "A place lying i march from *Amm4n, and the
like from Adhra'ih." (Muk., 192.) Probably Kala'ah Zarki, on
the Zarki, or Jabbok River.
Az ZarkA. — "A place lying between Khunasirah and Sfiriyyah,
of the Halab District, or of Salamiyyah. There is here a great
well, whither the Arabs come in numbers for water. Near it is a
place called Al Hammim, a hot-bath with thermal waters." (Yak.,
ii. 924; Mar., i. 509.)
HiSN Az ZfB (AcHZiB OF JosH. XIX. 29). — " A fortress lying
12 miles from 'Akkah, on the shore of the Salt Sea." (Id., 11.)
Az Zib is mentioned by Ibn Jubair as lying between Acre and
Tyre. " We passed on our road a large fortress called Az Zib.
It has a vilkge and lands adjoining." (I. J., 307.)
" Az Zib," says YakQt, " is a large village on the sea-coast of
Syria, near Acre. The name is also pronounced Az Zaib. It was
also known as Shiristdn 'Akkah." (Yak., ii. 964; Mar., i. 524.)
556 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Hisn az Zib to 'Akkah (Id), 12 miles; to An Nawakib (Id),
18 miles; to Al Iskandariyyah (Id.), 5 miles.
ZiLCsH. — " A village near Ar Ramlah in the Filastln Province."
(Yak., il 968 ; Mar., i. 526.)
ZuR^AH. — Mentioned by Ibn Batiitah as "a small town of
the Haurin." (I. B., i. 254.) Identical with the following.
ZuRRA. — "This," says Yikdt, in 1225, "is a small town of the
Hauran, called at the present day Zur*." (Yak., ii. 921 ; Mar., i.
508.)
Az Zurra'ah. — " A number of places of this name are to be
found in the Filastin and the Jordan Provinces. Among them is
Zurri ah ad Dahhak. There is also Zurra'ah Zufar, near Balis, of
the Aleppo District" (Yak., ii. 921 ; Mar., i. 508.)
APPENDIX.
NOTE ON THE BUILDER OF THE GREAT AKsA MOSQUE,
On p. 92 it is stated that the great Aksi Mosque of pre-crusading
days, as described by Mukaddasi and Nisir-i-Khusrau, was built
by the Khalif *Abd al Malik about the year 691 (a.h. 72). My
authorities for this conclusion were Mukaddasi (see the passage
cited p. 98), and Suydti (see p. 144) ; at the same time it was
pointed out that no account has come down to us of any of the
circumstances attending the foundation and building of the mosque,
although in most other similar cases the historians give all the details
of such events. Thus we have very full accounts of the building of
the great Damascus Mosque (see p. 233), of the White Mosque
at Ar Ramkh (see p. 303), and of the Dome of the Rock at Jeru-
salem (see p. 1 1 6).
Since Chapter III. has been in type I have come across the
following passage in Ibn al Athir*s Chronicle, which if it could be
relied on, or, in other words, if we knew the authority on which
the statement rests, would perhaps outweigh Mukaddasi*s testi-
mony that the Aksa was built by 'Abd al Malik. When enumerat-
ing the characteristics of the reign of the Khalif al Walid, son of
'Abd al Malik, Ibn al Athir says :
*A1 Walid was among the most accomplished of the Syrian
Khalifs. He built of mosques the mosque at Damascus, the
mosque at Al Madinah, supported on columns, and the Aksa
Mosque.'*
For this statement, however, I have been able to find no earlier
* Ibn al Athir, Chronicon^ v. 5.
558 PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
authority than Ibn al Athtr, who composed his Chronicle in the
first half of the thirteenth century, a.d. The earlier historians, as
for instance Mas'Qdi,* Yalcdbtjt and Tabari,t mention the Khalif
al Walid as the builder of two great mosques only, namely, the
Damascus Mosque and the mosque at Madinah. After Ibn al
Athir's days I have found two other writers who mention Al Walid
as the builder of the Aks^ namely, the author of the history
(in Arabic) generally known under the name of Al Fakhri, who
wrote at the close of the thirteenth century, a.d ;§ and the Persian
Hamdullah Mustaufi, who wrote the T&rikh-i-Guzidah^^ in 1329
A.D. Both of these repeat the statement made by Ibn al Athir,
but whether they derived their information from his chronicle, or
from independent sources, I have been unable to determine.
» Mas'ddi, V. 361. t Wkftbrs History, ii. 340.
X Tabari, Series ii. 1271. § Ibn Etlhiqthaqa. W. Ahlwardt, p. 151.
11 The TArikh'i'Guztdah has never been printed, but good MSS. exist of ii
in the British Museum Library.
INDEX.
*Ain^ Spring.
'Akabah, Pass.
Bdb^ Gate.
Buhairahy Lake.
Dair^ Monastery.
Darb^ Gate or Pass.
Castle.
Jabal^ Mountain.
fCa/ar, Village.
Nahr, River.
IVddt, Valley.
Aaron, Tomb of, 73, 74
Al 'Abadiyyah, 381, &»oUli
Abasus, or Absus (Ephesus),
276, ^j-^-f*
Abawd, 381, ^f}
'Abbad, 381* ^r^
'Abd Allah ibn Rawihah, Tomb
of, 510
'Abd Allah ibn T^ir, Colon-
nade of, 99
'Abd al Malik, Khalif, builds the
Aksi Mosque, 115, 116, 144;
builds the Dome of the Rock,
115, et seq, ; Traditional ac-
count of, 144, etseq, ; Inscrij)-
tion set up by, 119 ; Services
instituted by him, 146, et seq, ;
Servants of the Mosque, 165 ;
Strikes gold and silver coin, 43
Abel, Legends of his death,
240, 252, 259, 420, 482
Abel Beth Maachah^ 381
Abil, 381, J»I
IVbil al Kamh, 382
Abil as Sak, 381
Abil az Zait, 381
Abila of the Abilene District,
381
Abila of the Decapnlis, 382
A'bilin, 382, y-Li»l
Abraham, Birthplace of, 252,
259, 420 ; his circumcision,
468 ; he breaks his father's
idols, 413 ; stone where he
broke them, 256 ; his bed-
stead, 551 ; Rock and Mosque
of, 492, 493 ; Station of, and
Oratory, 367, 518 ; is thrown
into the fire by Nimrod, 416 ;
Well of, 402, 403, 423 ; Tomb
of, at Hebron, 309, 314, 317,
318, 320-324, 327
Abraham and his flocks at
Aleppo, 363, 365
Abraham and Lot, 551
Al Abrashiyyah, 382, l-^j^
Absalom, so-called Tomb of,
218
Abtar, and Nahr Abtar, 57, 382,
S6o PALESTINE U.VDER THE MOSLEMS.
Abu-1 'Adas, Hisn, 350, meia), 36, 80, 3S0, 384, 385,
w-«" ^ *J-^ *'^^; Late ot 60, 70, 411
Abu-I Fida, his geography, 10 Afasus, orAfsus (Ephesus), l^b,
Abu Fulnis (Xahr Abi Futrus), ^^— •
55. 503- 39»- o-r*^ J* Afik, or Fik {Aphek), 32, 381,
Abu (Ihaush, 4:*! 385, ^ ; Monastery of, 419
Abu-I Hasan, name of Kuwaik ' Afiila, 385, l-W
nver 6 36r .'Afra, 385, >;*»
Abu Huniirah, Tomb of, 337, 1'Afrabala, 385, Vj*»
.1397 553 Al Ahass and Sbubaith, 385,
Abu Ishikal Balluti, the Ascetic, 1; -,7, j=^\
77 'ArAhkJi, i,S(<,*-Mk^
AbuKubais,FoTtof.35z,^^^,ii Al Ahmar,' Hisn (AtUlth), 403,
Abu KubaJs, Hill of, r65 | ^^Jt ^^^o.
Abn 'Ubaidah, Tomb of, 393 I Ahnas, in Egj-pt, wher« Jesus is
'Abdd, 382, J^lo said to have been bom, 300,
Abulustain (Al Bustan), 276, jj-li^
277. «r=-y 'Aidhfl, or 'Aidhftn, for 'Idhtt,
Abflna Nawwds, 4r9
Aceldama, 212
Ac/izii {Az Zib), 555
Acorn Bread, 77
Acre, Accho, St. Jean d'Acre,
fAkka). 30, 32, 39, 4r, 328-
334. 379 _„ „„
Adam, Burial-place of, jo8, 3r6, i'Ain BaradS, 235
3r9 ; Cave of, 253 ; Mosque '■ 'Ain F'ijah, 58, 235, 237, jfij
of, 5r2; and his oxen, 330- 1 'Ain al Fulfls (the Spring of the
332 . Obolus), 411
.\dami, or Udimt, 382, ^W ] 'Ain Ghamr, 441
Adhanah (Adana), 26, 27, 37, j 'Ain a! Hirmil, 6r
" 63. 382, SiJ' 'Ain jaiflt, or 'Ain Jalfid
456, of^
'Aiji, 386, '1-^
Aibh, or Wailah {Eloth, or
ElaiK), 27, 28, 39, 549. Uti
'Ain, 386
'Ain al Bakar (the Ox Sprii^,
.33°-33a
'Adhrd, Meadow of, 267, 383,
503. 'j-^
Adhra ah {Edrei), 1 5, 39, 40,
383, «L.bjji
(Goliath's Spring), 386, 46r
'Ain Jarah. 294, i^ ,^
'Am al Jarr, or 'Anjar, 347, 386,
■-' j^ tr"
Adhruh (Adru of Ptolemy), 35, 'Ain al Khidr, 416, jaJi ^J^
39- 3S4. Cjji ■■ *Ain Mauki'in, 339, ^^ri^ ^^
.A.diyah, Nahr, 238, ifJ^ jv ; 'Ain Rabbah, or Rubbab, 291,
'AdlQn, or'Adhnlin (Ad Nonum), I 'Ain Salim, or Sailam, 386 [ jgi
384, oy-i" or 0^ I 'Ain as Sallur, 386
AdmOta {Atimah), 2S9, V-*" I 'Ain ash Sharaf, 339
-Kha Capilolina (Jerusalem), 84 , 'Ain Sulwan (Siloam), 74, 161,
Afamiyyah, or F^iyyah (Apa- r79, 212, 220, 223
INDEX.
561
'Ain Tdb, 42, 386, ^ ^^
'Ain at Tawishi (the Eunuch's
Spring), 325
'Ain Tharmi, or 'Ain Tam4, 387
*Ain Umm ad Daraj (the Virgin's
Fountain at Jerusalem), 220
'Ainiin, 387, ^^y^
'Ain Una, 39, 387
'AinQni raisins, 16, 387
'Ain YabrCid, 550
'Ain Zarbah (Anazarbus), 27, 37,
82, 387, ^J) ^:J^ or iij) v^
'Ain Zughar, 290-292
'Aithah, 388, *Asp
'Ajab, 388,
Ajam, 388, f^
'Ajlin, 413* v:
'Ajlftn, Jabal, 76, oV^
'AjlQn, Town of, 388
Ajnidain, 389, ^:)t'J^^
Ak Deniz, Lake of, 71
'Akabah 'Afik (Pass of 'Afik),
385
'Akabah al Baidi (the White
Pass), 509
'Akabah al Mughithah (the Pass
of Succour), 410
'Akabah an Nisa (the Woman's
Pass), 389
'Akabah ar Rumin, or ar
Rumddi, 389
'Akabah as Sawin, 509,
'Akabah ash ShuhOrah, 488
'Akabah as Sir, or ash Shir, 389
Akdam, Shrine, 240, 254
'Akir (Ekron\ 389, j^
Al Akhrajiyyah, 389, i^/J^
Al Akhuwanah, 389, ^^^iJ*
'Akk^ or 'Akkah (Acre, Accho,
St. Jean d'Acre), 30, 32, 39,
41, 328-334, 379, ^ or &^
'Akkar, Hisn, 390, j^ ^.
'Akkar, Jabal, 80
Al Akllm, 390, r^iJ»
Akminis, 390, ,j-U*^»
Al Akra', Jabal (Mount Casius),
81, e^l»»v>^
'Akrabsl, 390, ^^
Al Akrid, Hisn (the Kurds'
Castle, Crac des Chevaliers),
61, 80, 355, 390, 452,
Aksi Mosque, 89-113, 178, 179
Aksdk, or Aksil, 390, J^-^i
Al Akwsikh, 391, c«/iJi
'Al'ai (EUaUh\ 391, JWi^
Aleppo (Halab), 15, 19, 37-39,
43, 78-80, 360-367, 384;
Kingdom of, 42
Alexander the Great, Tomb of,
Alexandria, 380 [533
Alexandroschene (Al Iskan-
daranah), 351, 380, 458
'Ali, the Prophet's son - in - law.
Shrines of, at Damascus, 247,
253» 269; at Acre, 331 ; at
Hims, 356 ; at Aleppo, 365
'Ali of Herat, his works, 7
'Alikin, 391, ^^
Al 'Allah, 391, aUJi
ArAUatdn, 391, ^V^S
Aifls, 391, v^yi
Amanus Mountains, 81
Amarr, 391, j-
Amatha, Thermal Springs, 336
'Amilah, Jabal, 75, &UI0 ^
Al 'Amk, or Al 'Umk, or Al
'Amak, 60, 71, 391, ,>^i
Kafar Amma, 468, U» ^
'Ammdn {Rabbath Ammon^
Philadelphia), 15, 18, 29, 32,
33» 35» 39» 41, 379» 39i-393»
397, o^
'Ammflriyyah, 393, &*^^
'Ammiiriyyah, or 'Amflriyyah
(Amorium), 37, 276, 282, 389,
393
36
AnAsiyyah (Orthosia), 350,
An-ad (Rund, Aradus), 399, jj>
ArzOna, 400, iijjj"
Asfirah, 400, EkA.^1
AsfQn^ 400, UjA-r
Ashdod, 381, 405
Al 'Ashir, 41, /t^
Ashmflnit, 368, ■^■^y^
Ashmfinlth, 400, -i^-^y^s Q^"*
'AshUril (Asinro/i), 381, 4oo>
Al 'Asi, Nahr (Oronlcs), S9-6«.
70. 72, 354-360. 375, 385,
'Askalan {Ascalon), 24, 29, 39,
41, 381, 400-403, 438, o**-*
'Askar, a quarter of Ar Ramlab,
308, y^
'Askar az Zaitfln, 403
Asphalt, called Humrah, or
.Miimtya, 64-66
'Ass4n, 403, o'—"
Assassins, Sect of the (or
Ismailians), 77, 78, 81, 485,
507 ; Castles of, 35a
Assher, Tomb of, 470
Wadi al Astil, 403, J"**-" ^>
Nahr al Aswad (the Black River),
42, 60, 6z, 71, 72, 4i6> 436,
'Atham, 403, r"**
Al Aiharib, 403, 'T'jtt*
'Athir, 403, jU"
'Athliih (Chateau Pelerin), 351,
3S0 403. '*-^
Ard 'Alikah, 404. aia» u*>
Al Atmim, 404. r--^="
A trabulus. orTarabulus (Tripoli),
3». 39. 43. 80, 81, 348-352.
380, y-if'jU ; Kingdom of, 41
Al Atrikhfln, Meadow of, 503,
Al AtrOn (Casiellum boni
Latronis), 404, ojA*
S6J
Audan, 404, ^y
'Aiif, Jabal, 76, 529, «-*j» J*^
Aiigustinian Canons, House of,
at Jerusalem, 131
Nahr Al 'Auja, 53, WyJI >
Al "Aiijan, 61, ^^^
Al Aulij, 404, e'j*
Aulas, or Auiash (Eleusa), 37
404, ^y
Auranitis (Hauran), 32-34, 39,
Al Auzi', 404, jfjyi
Al Auza't, the traditionist, 408
Al A'waj River. 267, 488, ejo*
Al 'Awajin, 430, o'^j^
'Awarti, 404, li;/-
Al 'Awilsim District, 26, 27, 36,
42, 369, r"'y*i Revenues of,
44.48
*AwIr, 405,^4^
Ayas, 38, 405, i^
' Ay i shah, the Prophet's wife,
Tomb of, or shrine, at
Damascus, 240, 247, 264, 268
Aidr, father of Abraham, 413,
414
Al 'Azariyyah, or Al 'Aizariyyah
(Village of T.azarus), 405,
ii;j-jili or tyjWl
'Azaz, or A'rfz, 405, ;'^ or }-^
Azdild, or Va/dud (Ashdod, or
Azotus), 381, 405, Jjoj"
Al Azrak, 41, jjjW
Nahr al A/rak (the Blue River),
62, 406
Ba'adhin, 40 6, mi-i^
Haalah or Kirjath Jearim, 306,
481
Ea'albakk (Heliopolis), 15, 19,
32, 39. 41, 58, 60, 61, 79, 80,
295-298, 380, .JU^
Al Bab and Ituiu'ah, 62, 406,
426, *T^'
36— z
564
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Bab al Abwab (Gate of Gates,
Haram Area, Jerusalem), 176,
185
Bab al 'Ain (Gate of the Spring,
Haram Area, Jerusalem), 179
Bab Allah (Aleppo), 362
Bab al 'Amarah (Damascus
Mosque), 230, fi/^» s^
Bab al 'Amud (Gale of the
Columns, or Damascus Gate,
Jerusalem), 213-215
Bab Antakiyyah (Aleppo), 361,
362, 366
Bab al Arba'in (Gate of the
Forty, Aleppo), 361, 366
Bab Ariha (Gate of Jericho,
modern St. Stephen's Gate,
Jerusalem), 213, 214
Bab Ariha (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 183
Bab al Asbat (Gate of the
Tribes, Haram Area, Jeru-
salem), 161, 164, 174, 176,
185, 210
Bab al Asbat (City Gate, Jeru-
salem), 214-216
Bib al 'Atm (Gate of Dark-
ness, Haram Area, Jerusalem),
186
Bib al 'Azdrah, or al Haz{irah at
Makkah, 381
Bab al Balit (City Gate, Jeru-
salem), 213, 214
Bib al Barid (Gate of the Post,
Damascus Mosque), 228, 230,
238, 249, 251, 260, 271
Bab al Baris (Damascus), 420,
^jO* j^l «-_>l*
Bib Birkit Bani Isriil (Haram
Area, Jerusalem), 174, 185
Bab al Burik (Jerusalem), 183
Bab Dair as Sarb (Gate of the
Servian Convent, Jerusalem),
215
Bib ad Di'iyyah (Jerusalem),
215, &*oioJi ^
Bib Dir al Battikh (Aleppo),
361
Bib Didd (Gate of David,
Haram Area, Jerusalem), 161,
163, 174, 17s, 186, 188, 215
Bib ad Dawidiriyyah (Haram
Area, Jerusalem), 186
Bib al Faridis (City Gate,
Damascus), 232, 239, 254,
272, 430
Bib al Faridis (Mosque Gate,
Damascus), 228-231, 238,
260
Bib al Faraj (Damascus), 231,
254
Bab al Firis (Antioch), 368
Bab al Ghawinimah (Haram
Area, Jerusalem), 186
Bib al Hadid (the Iron Gate,
Aleppo), 361
Bib al Hadid (Damascus). 232
Bib al Hadid (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 187
Bib Hirah al Maghiribah (Gate
of the Mogrebin Quarter,
Jerusalem), 215
Bib Hirah at Tdriyyah (Jeru-
salem), 216
Bib Hirah al YshM (Gate of
the Jews* Quarter, Jerusalem),
215
Bib al Hishimiyyin (Hashimite
Gate, Haram Area, Jerusalem),
164, 174, 186
Bib Hims (Aleppo), 361
Bib Hittah (Gate of Remission,
Haram Area, Jerusalem), 161,
163, 174, 179-181, 185, 186
Bib Ibrihim (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 174, 186, 187
Bib al Irik (Aleppo), 361, 365,
366
INDEX.
56s
BAb Isrifll (Dome of the Rock,
Jerusalem), 123
Bib al Jibiyah (Damascus), 227,
231, 232, 239, 254, 272
Bib al Janiiz (Gate of the
Funerals, Haram Area, Jeru-
salem), 183
Bib al Janin, or Al Jinin (Gate
of the Gardens, Aleppo), 362,
365* 366
Bib JairQn (Damascus Mosque),
228, 230, 235, 238, 249, 260,
270
Bab al Jihid (Tarsus), 378
Bib Jubb Armiyi (Gate of
Jeremiah's Grotto, Jerusalem),
213, 214
Bib al Kabir (Damascus), 227,
231 [232
Bib Kaisan (Damascus), 231,
Bib Kalamyah (Tarsus), 476
Bib al Kattinin (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 187
Bib al Khalil (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 187
Bib al Khalil (Jaffa Gate, Jeru-
salem), 213-215
Bib al Khidr (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 164, 174
Bib al Kibli (Dome of the Rock,
Jerusalem), 123
Bib Kinnasrin (Aleppo), 361,
366
Bib al Maghiribah (Haram
Area, Jerusalem), 181
Bab al Maghiribah (City Gate,
Jerusalem), 214
Bib Makim Ibrahim (Aleppo),
361
Bib al Matirah, or al Muta-
wadda, Haram Area, Jeru-
salem), 188
Bib Mihrib DiQd (Jerusalem),
2i3» 215
Bib Mihrib Maryam (Haram
Area, Jerusalem), 174, 182
Bab Mikail (Haram Area, Jeru-
salem), 187
Bab al Muhamaliyyin (Damas-
cus), 227, 231
Bib an Nabi, or Bib Muham-
mad (Gate of the Prophet,
Haram Area, Jerusalem), 140,
141, 161, 163, 174, 178, 180-
182
Bib Muslim (Antioch), 376
Bib an Nabi Dadd (Jerusalem),
214
Bib an Nahis al A*tham (Great
Brazen Gate, Aksi Mosque,
Jerusalem), 99, 186
Bab an Nahr (Damascus), 227,
231
Bib an Nasr (Gate of Victory,
Aleppo), 362, 366
Bib an Nasr (Damascus), 232,
254
Bib an N^thir (Gate of the
Inspector, Haram Area, Jeru-
salem), 187, >UJi s^
Bab an Nitifiyyln, or An
Nitifiniyyin (Damascus
Mosque), 231, 249, 260, 271
Bab an Nisi (Dome of the
Rock, Jerusalem), 123
Bib ar Rahbah (Jerusalem),
214
Bib ar Rahmah (Gate of Mercy,
the Golden Gate, Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 161, 163, 174, 177,
184, 210
Bib ar Rakkah (Aleppo), 361
Bib as Sa'at (Gate of the Hours,
Damascus Mosque), 228-230,
271
Bib as Saghir, or Shaghdr
(Damascus), 227, 231, 232,
239, 254, 272, 533
566
PALESTINE V^DEK THE MOSLEMS.
Bib as Sihirah (Jerusalem), 214,
216
Bab as Sakar (Gate of Hell,
Haram Area, Jerusalem), 1 74,
187, >Jls^
Bib as Sakinah (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 164, 174, 180,
186, l^-t^^^ s^U
Bib as Salam, or as Salamah
(Damascus), 188, 232, 239,
254
Bib Santa Maria (Church of the
Sepulchre, Jerusalem), 206
Bib as SaKibiyyah (Gate of the
Crucifixion, Church of the
Sepulchre, Jerusalem), 207
Bib ash Shighdr (Damascus),
231, 234, 533
Bib Sharaf al Anbiyi (Gate of
the Glory of the Prophets,
Haram Area, Jerusalem), 186
Bib ash Sharki (Damascus),
227, 231, 232, 254, 259, 430
Sib Sihyiin (Gate of Sion, Jeru-
salem), 213-215
Bib SikandarCinah, 458
Bib as Sikkiyah (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 188
Bib as Silsilah (Gate of the
Chain, Haram Area, Jerusalem,
186, 188, 215
Bib Silwin (Gate of Siloam,
Jerusalem), 213
Bib as Sirr (Aleppo), 366
Bib as Sirr (Jerusalem), 214,
215
Bib Sulaimin (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 163, 174
Bib as S{ir (Dome of the Rock,
Jerusalem), 123, ji^' s^A*
BibasSurmayatiyyah (Damascus
Mosque), 230
Bib at Taubah (Gate of Repen-
tance, the Golden Gate,
Haram Area, Jerusalem), 161,
163, 174, 184, 210
Bab at Tih (Jerusalem), 213,
214
Bib Tumi (Gate of St. Thomas,
Damascus), 227, 231, 232,
239, 254, 437, 547
Bab Umm Khalid (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 162, 174, 187
Bab al Widi (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 161, 174, 183
Bib al Walid (Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 164, 174, 186
Bib al Yahud (Aleppo), 361.
362, 365, 366
Bib az Ziyidah (Damascus
Mosque), 230, 231, 248, 260,
270
Bibilli, 407, 1?U
Bibiyyah, 518, l^
Bibar (Papyrus), 68
Bidimi, 407, UloU
Baddiyi, Hisn, 502, \^ ^^y*^
Badhandfin (Podendon), 407,
Al Badi'ah, 407, &«^xJI
Al Badiyyah, 407, **a*M
Baghris, or Baghriz (Pagrae),
37, 38, 42, 71, 407, >/?
or ^^.
Bihasithi, 408, H>. oU
Bahasni, 27, 62, 408, tu.-«
Bahtri, the Monk, 428
Bahr Liit, or Bahr Kaum Liit
(Sea of Lot, or of Lot's
People — see Dead Sea)
Bai'atain (the Two Churches),
430, eT*****
Baiae (Bayyis), 37, 39, 422
Al Baidi (the White, Aleppo),
365
Bairat (Berytus), 32, 39, 41,
351, 408-410, ^yjtA
Baisin (Bethshean, Scj^hopdis),
INDEX,
567
387,
I5» 18, 19, 30-32, 39, 43, 53,
288, 379, 410, 411, o^
Baisar, a dish, 23
Bait al Abar, 412, j^^ «-^
Bait al Ahzin, 412, o'>^'
Bait 'Ainfin, 310, 319,
Bait Amur, 448, ^1
Bait Anat, 259, «wUI
Bait Arinis, 412, ^t^'
Baital Baldt, 412, 1-M
Bait Ibrahim, 310,319
Bait Jann, 412, 419, ^:f>'
Bait Jibrin, or Jibril (Beto-
gabra, Eleutheropolis), 1 5,
28, 29, 39, 41, 64, 380, 412,
dtjt^ **-^ or o£/f«?- «-«?
Bait Kfifi, 413. 488, Uy «-^
Bait Laha, 413, ^3J ui-^
Bait Lahm (Bethlehem), 164,
289-300, f^ «-***
Bait Libya, W «-**?, or Bait I^-
hiyyah, 6->*l' «»-rrf, or Bait al
Alihah, &«UH ui.^, or Bait al
Ilihiyyah (i, Damascus), 237,
259, 413, fi^JW «-rrf
Bait Lihyi (2, Ghazzah), 414
Bait al Makdis, or Bait al
Mukaddas (Jerusalem), 83,
Bait Mama, 414, UU
Bait Mamin, 415, ^j^^
Bait Nabi, 415, V **^
Bait Ramah, or Bait ar Ram,
415* f^^' **-*«* or &-»lj «-^ ;
Water of, 20
Bait Ras (i, Jerusalem), 32, 415,
Bait Ras (2, Halab), 415
Bait Siba, 415, ^^
Bait Sdbir, 419, ^U»
Bait Sar'i, 415, ^^
Bait Sawi, 4i5,.y-»
Bajarwdn, 518, ohj^
Ul^^
Bajj Hauran, 415, o'-?^ t*
Bak'i al 'Ais, and Bak'i Rabi'ah,
415, ^jj ^ and ij^^ ^
Bakarha, 415, \^^
Bakas, 80, 537, ,jJ^
Jabal Baki'ah, 76, &*-«* v3^
Bikidin, 415, ^jt^^
Baktatis, 415, ^j-*l«»^*
Balaam, son of Beor, 417
Baladah, 416, 2*aI»
Balanea (Bulunyls), 36, 39, 57,
395» 400, 424* 504
Balanikas, 518, ^^M^
Balds, 237, 416, (j-Aj
Bal'as, 416, fj^
AlBalat, 416, 451, 1»M
Al Balat (Jerusalem), 84
Balatah, 416, &1»^
Balatunus, or Balatunush (Mansio
Platanus), 416, j^h or
Bali 'ah, 305, 306, 416, &«J^
Balis (Barbalissus), 26, 27, 36,
39» 417, (j^^
Bal'isiyyah, cloth, 19
Baliya, river, 418, UU
Al BaM, district, 15, 32-35, 41,
Bamah, 353, Uf
Al Banafsaj, Wddi, 237,
BdnakCisa, 417, l-^i?
Banana fruit, 18
Bands, or Balniyds, Nahr, 58,
238, 266, 418, ,j-M* or <j-A»U
Bani 'Amilah, Jabal, 75
Bani Hilal, Jabal, 77, 529
Bani *Ulaim, Jabal, 421
Bdniyds (i, Paneas, Csesarea
Philippi), 15, 34, 39> 380,
418, v/^»^ ; Water of, 20 ;
Lake of (Hdlah), 68, 455
Bdniyds (2, or Bulunyds), 37, 39,
57» 395» 4oo» 424, 504
568
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Barada, Nahr (i, of Damascus), l Batn as Sirr, 427
57-59^ 236, 238, 265, 266, ' Batrik ibn an Nakah, t
^j» or U>^ 1 Christian architect of
Barad^ Nahr (2, of Aleppo), 419 1 Kamlah, 304
Barada, Nahr {3, of Ramlah), i Al Bi'Qthah, 389, &V>Ul
304, 308 Bayyas (Baiae), 37, 39, 422, ^
Barada, or Baradin, ^dXix Beeroth^ 423
(Cydnus), 63, 378, ^\^^\ Beersheba^ 402, 403, 423
s^f. j9 Behesdin, 408
Al Barah, 420, Ij^ I Belfort, 56, 76, 534
Barawwa (Beroea, Aleppo), 365, Bell-tower of Church of H
y^^ Sepulchre, 207
Barbalissus (Bilis), 26, 27, 36, ] Benjamin, Tomb of, 545
39»4i7
Bardha'ah, 364, &^o^
Berothahy Berytus (Bairiit),
39, 41, 351,408-410
Bari\ Kings of Sodom so-called, 1 Beth Annabam, or Be
(Berah\ 289, e>
Barid, or Post Stage, Veredus,
B^rin, or BaVin, 381, 420,
o^^ or ^,j^.
Al Bans, 420, o^^»
Al Barrah, 420, tJ^^
Bars Birt, 420, «w^ ^^
Barth, 420, vaj^
Barudh, 420, »i^;l»
Barzah, 237, 252, 259, 420, 5)^
Al Barzaman, 421, o^j-^'
Barzuyah, or Barzayah, or
Barziyah, 71, 421, hyjji or
Jazirah (Island of) al BasS, 421,
Kafar Basal, 469, J«» /^
BasarfOt, 421, «wy^— *
Bashan, Capital of, 383
Tall Bashir (Turbessel), 42, 542,
Bashit, 421, «i-*«J^
Basir al Jaidfir, 422, ;^»a««J' jtf^
AlBathaniyyah (Batanaea), 32-34,
39-41, 3^31 ^*^*
thran (Botrys), 345, 351, 422,
Annaba, 306
Bethany, 211, 405
Beth Dagon (Dajan), 305
Beth Gubrin, Beto Gabra (1
Jibril, Eleutheroix)lis), 15,
29» 39» 41, 64, 380, 412
Bethlehem (Bait Lahm), 1
289-300
Bethshean (Baisan), 15, 18,
3^32, 39, 43, 53, 288, I
410, 411
Al Biki\ or Bika' Kalb (P
of Coelo-Syria), 15, 32, 39,
422, ^M ; Lake of, 69
Bikinnis, 422, yj*^.
Bikisriil, or Bikizriil, 422, Jj
Bildd Sis (Little Armenia),
38, 62, 63, 420. 538
Bilidhuri, his history, 2
BilM, Tomb of, 272
Bilkis, Queen of Sheba, colu;
of her tabernacle, 264 ;
dowry, Ba'albakk, 297
Bir al Arwih (Well of the So
132
Bir Ayyftb (Well of Job),
223
Bir ar Rahmah, 297
INDEX.
569
B!r as Sab* (Beersheba), 402, 403,
423, Ai»»"3l ^
B!r al Warakah (Well of the
Leaf), 198-200, 292
Al Birah (i, of Nabulus), 423,
Al Birah (2, of Sumaisit), 423
Al Bfrah (3, of the Euphrates),
27, 38, 423
Birds, Aquatic, on Lake of
Afdmiyyah, 70
Birkat Bani Isrdil (Pool of the
Israelites), 200, 201
Birkat Hammam al Butrak, 201
Birkat lyad, 200, 201, ^j^Up l^ji
Birkat al Khaizurin, 423
Birkat Sulaiman, 200, 201
Birkat Ziza, or Zaizd, 393, 554
Birwah, 423, t^ji
Al Bishr, 423, yt-fJi
Bityis, 424, ,j-y^ I
Blanche-garde, Castle of, 41, ,
544 i
Bokebeis, 352
Bostra, Bozra, 32, 33, 425, 428
Botr>s, 345, 351, 422
Bread of acorn-meal, 77
Bread-ovens in Syria^ 23
Bridge over the Jordan, 52, 335
over the Saihin, 62
over the Orontes (called
the Iron Bridge), 60
Bridge over Hell, called As Sirat,
74 (see alsoySrVr)
Brocade of Damascus, 240
Al Budai', 424, ^s^^
Buffaloes, first introduced into
Syria, 367
Buffalo-milk, 16
Bughaidid, 424, j^^a-**
Buhairah Afimiyyah (Lake of
Apameia), 60, 70
Buhairah Antikiyyah (Lake of
Antioch), 60, 71
>>
>»
Buhairah Bdniyas (Hfilah), 68
Buhairah al Bika' (Lake of
Ccelo-Syria), 69
Buhairah al Hadath, 62, 72
Buhairah Hims, or Buhairah
Kadas (i, I^ke of Hims), 60,
61, 69
Buhairah Kadas (2, Merom), 52,
S3» 68
Al Buhairah al Makiabah
(the Overturned Lake),
&*y&Ji S;-aaJi, or Al Buhairah
al Miyyatah (the Dead I^ke),
fio-^l f^-»Ji, or Al Buhairah al
Muntinah (the Stinking Lake),
iiiuJi iJisy^\^ the Dead Sea, 31,
52-54, 64-67
Buh:iirah al Marj (the Damascus
Lakes), 69, 267
Buhairah al Matkh, 61
Buhairah an Nasard (Lake of
the Christians), 71
Buhairah as Salliir, 72,
I Buhairah Sad(llm wa Ghamiira
I (the Dead Sea), 66
Buhairah Sughar, or Zughar (the
Dead Sea), 64
Buhairah Tabariyyah (the I^ke
of Tiberius), 31, 42, 52, 67
Buhairah al Yaghra, 72, 386
Buk', 424, ^
B(ika, or BOkah, 424, ^y or &*^
Bukai'ah, 352, &*-fii
BOkas, or B(ika, 424, ^j^y
Buldah, 57, fi^
Bulunyds (Balanea, Valania, or
I Baniyas), 36, 39, 57, 395, 400,
424, 504, ,j-Ud*
Bunni-fish, 68
Burak, 425, Ji^
Burj Ibn Kurt, 425, 1«»^ ^i^?' o?
Burj ar Rasas, 425, j^^J^ ^ji
Burkah Ajwal, 425, J^t &»/
zyo PALESTISE VSDER THE MOSLEMS.
Bcsiik- X2Z. ^iw# Castle of the Kurds (see Crac
BcL.-?r. J.2Z, --• des Chevaliers)
Bmjri Boecri. Bxrak), 32, 33. Castle of Plans (Kalansuwah),
4-5- 42^- ^^ 476
AI B-zatin. 277 Castellum Peregrinorum, or
BcTLin. Wid:, 3^ 62, 406, 426, Chateau Pelerin, 351, 380,
4>=. o-i- ^j 403
Al Buniuioi.- Buttif ( Valley and Castrum Boni Latronis, 404
I *i5cr:«:: , 343. 469. «w*jk-3i Cavar Salim (Kafar Sallam?),
AI Buyaidjih. 426, i-^a-J 472
Bczi'ir. c-r Buzi'i. 62, 406. 426. Cave of Adam, 253
i**;* ^jf or ^j^ Cavern of Blood at Damascus,
240, 252, 272, 482
Cib nirjj>ure, 4S Cave of Famine, 253, 482
CzT /, 15. 3c. 2S9, 467 Cavern of Korah at Jerusalem,
Caox 475 223
Caesarx 490 Cave of the Seven Sleepers, 274-
Cjcsarei c i the Lebanon ('ArkahX 286
30S Cavea Tyrum, 535
Caesarei of Palestine (Kaisariy- Cerep, 403
yah^ 2S, 20. 41, 3S0, 474 Chabolo, 467
Cjesirea Philippi (Baniyas), 15, Chaco, 475
34. 39. 3S0, 418 Chalcis (Kinnasrin), 486
Cain ind Abel, Legends ofi 240, Chalcis ad Belum, 386
252, ifOw 420, 4S2 .Chalk hills, 20
Calimos. Calamon. 350, 476 ;Chalus river (Kuwaik), 61, 487
Callinicus. 51S .Chara, 478
Camon, 473 ; Chosroes, Crown of the, pre-
Cana of Galilee, 469
Canaan, Valley of, 419, 462, 477,
5-4
Capernaum of Crusaders (Tall
Kanisahy, 477
Carat weight, 48, 50
CamieL Mount, 446, 487
Carob, fruit of locust-tree, or
St John's bread (KhamQb, or
Kharnib), 16, 514
Casius, Mons (Jabal Akra'), 81
Casius, Mons (Jabal Kasiyiin),
58, 80, 240, 252, 259, 272,
482, 529
Castle of CK)liath at 'Ammin,
39^
served in the Dome of the
Rock, 147
Christian festivals observed in
Syria, 21
Christians, physicians and scribes,
of S)Tia, 22
Christians and Jews in Jeru-
salem, 86
Christmas festival, 2 1
Church of Bili'ah, 306
Church of Barbara (Antioch),
368
Church of Constantine at
Bethlehem, 298 ; at Rusifah,
522
Church of St George, 493, 494
INDEX.
571
Church of St. Jeremiah, 306
„ St. John at Damas-
cus, 225, 231, 260
Church of John (Yuhanna),
Hims, 356
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
(Jerusalem), 98, 141, 202-210
Church of Kusiyin (Antioch),
367* 371, 372
Church of Mary at Tortosa,
395 ; at Antioch, 368 ; at
Damascus, 254, 264
Church of the Tomb of Mary,
Jerusalem, 210, 219
Church of St. Thomas at
Damascus, 265
Church of the Tree, 339
„ At Tur (Sinai), 435
Church (see also under Jeru-
salem, and under Kantsah)
Clepsydra, or Water-clock, in
the Damascus Mosque, 250,
271
Clepsydra, at Antioch, 371
Climate of Syria, 15
Ccelo-Syria (Al Bika'), 15, 32, 39,
41, 422 ; Lake of, 69
Constantine s Basilica at Beth-
lehem, 298
Constantine's Church at Rusdfah,
522
Convent (see under Dair)
Coperas mine, 467
Corycos (Kurkus), 489
Cotton, 81, 405
Crac des Chevaliers (Hisn al
Akrid), 61, 80, 355, 390, 452
Le Crac, Petra Deserti (Karak),
479
Cross, Feast of the, 2 1
Cydnus river (Baradan), 63, 378,
419
Cydonian apple, or quince, 16
Cyrrhus (Kfirus), 380, 489
Dabik, 61, 426, 503, <3*)o
Dabil, 426, J-i*>
Dabiiriyyah {DaberatH)^ 427,
DMhamd {Admah ?\ 291, U^*ilo
Ad Dafn, 427, ^^^
Dahik, 427, ^^ia-U
Daibiid cloth, 19
Dair, monastery or convent, 427
Dair Abdn, 427, ^M ^*>
Dair al 'Adhiri, 427, ^)^^^ jt^
Dair Ayyi, 427, \>}ji^
Dair Ayy(!lb (Monastery of Job),
427
Dair Ba'antal, 427, Js^^^ jto
Dair Balad, 427, ^J^ jt^
Dair al Ballut, or Dair al Balat,
428, l-JuJi or l»yu)l j^
Dair Baraghith (Convent of
Bugs), 368
Dair Bassdk, 428, ^^} y,^
Dair Baulus (Convent of St. Paul),
428
Dair Bawanni, 428, ^^ jt^
Dair Bishr, 428, j^ jt^
Dair al Bukht, 428, «.-akJ« >>o
Dair Busra, 428, ^pf^. ^o
Dair Fakhdr, 428, jf^ jt^
Dair al P'ariUs, 491, 492,
^^;16JI or ^^^^» j*-^
Dair al FQah, 44o,«»^y^» ^o
Dair Futriis and Dair Baulus (of
St. Peter and St. Paul), 429
Dair Fik, 429
Dair al Ghaur, 430
Dair Hafir, 429, 446, ^^ jt*^
Dair Hanina, 429, \i^ jt^
Dair Hashiydn, 429, o^s:-^^ A*^
Dair Hind, 429, ou* ^o
Dair Ishak (Convent of Isaac),
429
Dair Kais, 429, ,j--!» ^»*>
Dair K^n(in, 429, oy^>^
Dair Khalid, 430
— ^
^r — '^^ . Jk_ £3 > .-r* IfC-y
Ir: - Ml-' M.I i— ^ pr. *=^y*- -^
Lnir Mine >LL-ir:d.' j.^
I^:r MirJ.:! Sc M .:hi.fl . ^^
iJair Murrin ' i. Iliniascus',
^S^- 451. 5^ ^"'-r-^
F>a:r M'jrrin 2. Ma'^mh', 432
f >a:r Na;rir« 42J5, J/a* ^
Dair an Nakirah, 432. 434.
lysdr Rumamin * Convent of
Pome:rranates 1, 432. ^^s^^J^jt^
I Mir ar Kusafah, 432
l>air Saban, 432, e*?*— ^
I Mir Sahjur, 432, ^;^- ^
I Mir Saliba (i, Dair Khalid),
430, V-5*- jiO
I Mir Saliba (2, Aleppo), 432
iJair Samwil, or Shamwil, or
Nabi Samwil (Convent of
Sl Samuel), 433, ^y^^ or
Dair as Shaikh, or Dair Tall
'Azaz, 432, >y» JJ ^ or
Dair Sim'an (1), 433, o**»— ^
Dair Sim'an (2, St Simeon's
Harbour), 434
Dair Sim'an (3, Aleppo), 434
I )air at Tajalla (Convent of the
Transfiguration), or Dair at
Tar (Tabor), 434, ^» >s>
T±r Sni 'SinaiL 435
Iter a WiZkL 435
Inzr rycci. 435, ^;- jt^
Itskrinia. cc Dikirus (Dedus),
2r»f r:ie Sjcepers of Ephesos,
2'"-L_ r^^w 2^1
I»?a— ', sinc^T. 401
I^E=L£^nc3e 5£5w 16. 19
LM^.i^r^s Gate of Jerusalem,
21 V2I5
En-^.-^c^ss Ehinishk), 15, 19, 32,
3y. 224-273
Likes oC 69. 267
JtitkL or Province di, 32-35,
57- 39
Rev\cr!ues of, 44-48
K:ni^doa] oC 40
Dairtiscus City, called Jillik,
253, 265 : called Iram of
the Cc^omns, 232, 235,
25S. 265 [20
Products oC and water, 19,
Abraham, birthplace of, 252
^ stone where he
broke his idols, 256
'Ali, Shrine o^ 247, 253, 269
Ayishah, Tomb or shiwe oH^
240, 247, 264, 268
Bait al Slal, treasury, in
Mosque, 227, 240, 246
Cain and Abel, Lq^ends di,
240, 252, 259
Ovalry House (Diral Khail),
245, 248, 270
' Cave of Adam, 253
Cavern of Blood, 240, 252,
I 272
Cave of Famine, 253
Church of St John, 225, 231,
260
Church of Mary, 254, 264
„ St. Thomas, 265
Cloister of the Sufis, 251,
257, 271
INDEX.
573
Damascus (continued) :
Clepsydra, or Water-clock, in
the Mosque, 250, 271
Colonnades round the Court
of the Mosque, 246, 268
Coppersmiths' Bazaar, 245,
248, 270
Cupola of the Water Cage, 247,
268 ; of Zain al 'Abidin, 268
The Eagle Dome, 244, 257
Gates of the City, 227-232,
254, 272
Gates of the Mosque, 228-
238, 249, 260, 270
Ghautah, or Gh(itah, garden-
land round the City, 32, 33,
39, 40, 42, 225, 235, 237,
258
The Golden Stone (Hajar adh
Dhahab), 238
Greek Inscription in Mosque,
231 ; said to have been
found there, 234, 261
Hill of Jesus, 235, 240, 253
H(id, the Prophet, buried in
the Mosque, 258, 264, 269
Husain, head of, kept in the
Mosque, 236, 249, 270
Jairfin, son of Sa'ad, son of
*Ad, and his palace at
Damascus, 235
John the Baptist, head of,
preserved in the Mosque,
234, 236, 238, 252, 264
Al Kallasah, Mosque, 247,
264
Al Khadra, palace of, built by
the Khalif Mu'awiyah, 229,
23^ 232, 234, 238, 245,
248, 270 I
Al Khidr, Station of, 253;!
Chapel of, in Mosque, 264
Lead roof of the mosque, 262
Lead, Dome of (Kubbat arj
Damascus {continited) :
Rasas), or Dome of the
Eagle (Kubbat an Nasr),
243, 244, 263, 268 ; Ascent
of the l)ome and descrip-
tion of the interior, 256
Madrasah (College) of
Shifi'ites, 251, 271
MaksiHrah of the Companions,
244, 269
MaksQrah, the New, 245
Maksiirah of the Hanafites,
245, 269
Maristan, or Hospital, 255
Mash-had al Akdam, 240, 254
Minarets of the Mosque, 246,
264, 269 [247
Minaret of the Bride, 230,
The W^hite Minaret, where
Jesus will descend, 254,
259, 264
Mosque, Great Omayyad, de-
scribed by Mukaddasi, 227-
229 ; by Ibn al Fakih, 232-
234; by Idrisi, 238; by
Ibn Jubair, 241-252; by
Ibn BatCitah, 267-272 ; the
Mosque, said to have been
burnt by TimClr-Leng, 272 ;
account of its building by
the Khalif Al AValid, 232-
234, 236, 237, 239, 241,
260-263; length and breadth
of the Mosque, 265, 267
Mosaics (called Fashfashah,
or Fusaifusa)of the Mosque,
228-230, 241, 262, 268
Mu'awiyah, the Khalif, makes
Damascus the seat of his
government, 225, 232 ; his
palace of the Khadrd, 229,
231,232,234,238,245,248,
270; buried at Damascus,
234, 272
574
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Damascus {continued) :
'Omar ibn 'Abd al 'Aziz,
Khalif, threatens to destroy
the Great Mosque, 229,
263 ; is petitioned by the
Christians to restore their
Church to them, 242, 265 ;
his Mosque, 249, 270; his
palace, 251, 257, 271
Omayyad Khab'fs, their tombs,
253
'Othman, Khalif, his Kuran,
248, 264, 269
Revenues of the Mosque, 247,
268
Rivers of Damascus, 235, 238,
265, 266
Rose-water of Damascus, price
given, 266
The "Straight Street,' 231,
256
Saladin's Tomb, in the
Kallasah Mosque, 264
Tanks of the Mosque, 251
TimQr-I^ng, said to have
burnt the Great Mosque,
272
Windows of stained glass in
the Mosque, 244, 267
Zacharias, father of John the
Baptist, his tomb, 269
Da'iyyah, 435, ^^o
Dajun {B^r/t Dagon)^ 305, o>*^*^
Dam(in, 435, or*'^
Dan, Tomb of, 458
Dana, 436, Ulo
Danik, sixth part of the Dirham,
or of the Dinar, 48
Danith, or Daniyath, 436, .^-^*>
Danwah, 436, Byo
Dar al Kusas (House of the
Priests, at Jerusalem), 133
Ad Dara'ah, or Az Zara'ah, 555,
Darab, or Darab, 35, ^y^ or
Rabad ad Dirain, 436, ^j*/^' u*?;
Darayyah, or Darayy^ 39, 237,
4^9> 436, ^^ or *^;**>; River
of, 266
Darb al 'Ain (the Pass of the
Spring), 386
Darb Bait al Makdis, Darb
Bila ah, Darb Bir al Askar,
Darb Dajftn, Darb Ludd,
Darb Masjid 'Annabah, Darb
Misr, Darb Yifi (Gates of Ar
Ramlah), 305, 306
Darbasak (Turbessel), 60, 436,
Darkfish, 60, 437, \J^y^
Burj ad Darrajiyyah, 437,
Ad Ddrfim (Daroma), or Dairin,
41, 412, 437, r^^UxJ'
Diriimi, 437, ^y}^
Jabal ad Darziyyah (Dnue
Mountains), 80, *«4)^ J-*-
Dates of Zughar, 289, 292
Dithin, 437, ^^^o
Dawidiriyyah, meaning of the
term, 186
Ad Diwiyyah, the Templars,
Castles of, 447, 453
David, Tomb of, at Bethlehem,
299
Dead Sea, 3 ». 5 2, 54, 64 67, 288-
290 ; medicinal properties of
its waters, 65
Desert of the Wandering of
the Israelites (At Tih), 27-29,
41, 425
Desert between Syria and
Mesopotamia (As Samawah),
Dewfall in Palestine, 87 [530
Dhadhikh, 437, e*»^o
Nahr adh Dhahab (the Gold
River), 62, 460, «-.^oJi ^
INDEX.
575
Ad D<ir, 438, jy^
Adh Dhdhir, Fatimite Khalif of
Egypt, his inscription in the
Aksi Mosque, 102 ; his in-
scription on Wall of Haram
Area, loi ; his inscription in
Dome of the Rock, 125 ; Rati
weight called after him, 5 1
Dhanahah (i), 437, &-io
Dhanabah (2), 438
Dhat ar Rumh (Possessed of
Lances), 438, ^-•^t«t*»o
Dh^t Kasrain, 496
Dhit al Kus(ir, 497
Dhibyan (Dibou), 438, o^*»^
Adh Dhin^b, 438, ^^\
Dhiri' Maliki (Royal Ell), 49
Dhft Daf ir, 438, r-*-* ^o
Dh(i-1 Farwain, 438, v:;e>/J* y^
Dha-1 Kifl, the Prophet, Tomb
of, 272, 436
Hisn I)hii-1 KiLV, 453, eMJ«^*>
Dibdn {Dibon\ 438
Dibs syrup, 19, 298
Ad Dikkah, 438, fi^oJi
Ad Dimas (i, Antioch), 368,
Ad Dimls (2, 'Askalan), 438
Dimashk (see Damascus)
Dimashki, his geography, 10
Dinar and Dirham (coin), 43 ;
(weight), 49, 51
Diyaf, 438, --*^.^
Dome (see under Kuhbaf)
'Dome of the Rock (see Jeru-
salem)
Dress of the Syrians, 22
Druze Mountains, 80
Dfiban, 438, o^^^
Duiuk, 36, 386, 387, 438, ^y^
Dumair, 438, ^^-■♦-a
Dummar, 58, 438, y»^
Dung Gate (Jerusalem), 214
Dunkuz, Amir Saif ad Din, 69
Dftrah and the Dfirt raisins, 16
Durra'ah, or vest, 22
D^shar, Kala*at, 417, /^y^ &«i»
Dyke, on the Hims Lake, 70
Eagle, Dome of the, at Damas-
cus, 244, 257
Easter festival, 2 1
Earthquakes at Ar Ramlah, 307
„ Jerusalem, 103
Ebal and Gerizim^ 74, 511,512
Eber, 382
Edom (Ash Sharah), 28, 32, 33,
35» 39» 41, 74, 287, 384
Edrd (Adhra'ah), 15, 39, 40,
383
Eel, 71, 72,421
Ekron ('Akir), 389
Elath^ or Eloth (Ailah, or
Wailah), 27, 28, 39, 549
Elealeh ('Al'al), 391
Eleusa (Aulas), 37, 404
Eleutheropolis (Bait Jibrin), 15,
28, 29, 39, 41, 64, 380, 412 -
Elim (?), 73
Elisha, Tomb of, 537
Ell, or Dhira', 49
Elusa, 30 [357
Emesa (Hims), 5, 78-82, 353-
Emetic spring of water, 471
Emmaus Nicopolis ('Amwis),
28, 394
Engannim (Jinin), 41, 464
En A'ogel^ 221
Ephesus, 276
Epiphania (Hamah), 39, 78-81,
357-360, 364
Esau, Tomb of, 421 ; Slaying
and burial of, 324
Esdras, or Ezra. 382
Eve, 259
Faba, Castle of (Al F£ilah), 441
Fadhay^, 438, ^oi
576
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Fahl, or Fihl (i, Pella), 30, 380,
439, >^
Fahl (2, Jordan Province), 439
Faltum, 439, ^f^
Famiyyah, 36, 80, 380, 384, 385
Al Fanduk, 439, ^-x^fiJi
Fanduk Bugha and FandGk al
Jadid, 378
Faradhiyyah, 39, 439, My
Faradis (i, Damascus), 388,
439» u-«^'>
Faradis (2, Ilalab), 440
Faridis (3, Jerusalem), 440
Fdran AhrQn (Paran), 73, 440,
527, O^^' o'>
Farbaya, 440, ^^
Farsakh, the Greek Parasang, a
league, 50
Fashfashah, or Fusaifusi, mosaic
work, 229
Fatimah, Tomb of, 552
Fawwarah ad Dair, 57
Fiyi, 440, UU
Fergusson, the late Mr., his
theory of the Holy Sepulchre
disproved, 117
Ferrandus, Mons, 420
Fertilization of vines and fig-
trees, 64
Festivals observed in Syria, 21
Pigs, various kinds of, 16
Fijah and Ain Fijah, 58, 235,
237i 265, i^t» ^ji^
Fik, or Afik (Apheka), 32, 381,
385 ; Monastery of, 429
Filastln (Palestine), Jund, or
Province of, 27-30, 39, v:;j^--^» ;
Products of, 18 ; Revenues of,
44-48
Ford of the Alide (on the
Jaihan), 444
Al FCi'ah, 440, is>^\
Al Faiah (Faba), 441, *J^'
Al Funaidik, 441, J^^-^l
Funaidik Damiyah, 441
Fur pelisses, 506
Furkulus, 441, {j^^
Gabala, Gibellum, or Gibellus
Major (Jabalah), 36, 39, 57,
416, 459
Gable-roofs of Mosques in Syria,
21
Gad, Tomb of, 458
Gadara, Thermal Springs at, 54,
336
Gangra, 374
Ganneau, M. Clermont-, dis-
covery of tablet in the wall of
Haram Area, 192
Garum sauce, 20
Gate (see under Bab and Darb)
Gaulonitis (Jaulan), 32, 34, 39
Gaza Csee Ghazzah)
Gebalene District (Al Jibal), 28,
32, 35> 395
Gehenna, Valley of (Jahannum),
218-220
Gerasa (Jarash), 30, 32, 383,
388, 462
Gerizim, 74, 484, 511, 512
Germanicia (Mar*ash), 27, 37-39,
63, 82, 502
Gez, or cubit, 49
Ghaba, 441, W^
Ghabaghib, 441, w^W*
Ghadbln (Cydnus), 63, oW***^'
Al Ghadkad^nah, 484
Ghainah, 441, l^
Ghaliyah, 254, i-^^
Ghimiyyah, 441, 6-j-»Vp
Al Ghamr {Gomorrah ?), 441,
Gharendel, 395
Al Ghasfilah, 441, &S^-Jai
Al Ghathah, 441, c^i
Al Ghaur (the Jordan Lowland),
30-32, 43i 53» 67, j^\
INDEX.
577
Al Ghautah, or Al Ghiitah (the
Plain of Damascus), 32, 33,
39, 40,42, 225, 235, 237, 258,
GhAwah, 441, t^^
Ghazzah (Gaza), 24, 28, 29, 381,
441-443, 6>^ ; Kingdom of, 41
Al Ghazzali, his chamber in the
Minaret of the Damascus
Mosque, 246, 264
Ghirarah, measure, 50
Ghunjurah (Gangra), 374, tjn^
Ghunthur, 443, /j^
Ghurih, 443, v^*/
Hisn al Ghurab, 479
Ghurjistan, the Amir of, his Dole
at Hebron, 310
Ghiiri, the Amir Laith ad Daulah
N{ishtakin, 160
Ghurrab, 443, v^>
Ghuwailiyah, 254, M*^
Gindarus, 462
Ginea, 41, 464
Giscala (Al Jashsh), 462
Glass and pottery ware of Tyre,
344
Gog and Magog, 67
Goliath, Castle of, 392 ; Spring
of, 386
Golden Gate of Jerusalem, 184
Gomorrah^ 288-291, 441
Grapes, called 'Asimi, 16
Greek inscriptions, 231, 234,
261, 320
Habb, or grain-weight, 48
Habib an Najjar, the Prophet,
375-377
Al Habis and Habis Jaldak,
443» \jr<^^ ^
Hablah, 443, l^
Hablah, daughter of Noah, her
tomb, 397, 480
Habra (Hebron), Habrun, 41,
164, 309-327, oyr^ s^^r^y
description of the Sanctuary
by Nisir-i-Khusrau, 311-315;
by 'Ali of Herat, 316, 318 ;
visits to the Cave of Mach-
pelah, 317 ; the Cave re-
paired by the Crusaders, 318 ;
measurements of the Sanc-
tuary, 311, 326
Hadas, 443, ^j»^^
Al Hadath al Hamri, 27, 38,
350, 443, '^' *^'**»^'
Al Hadath, Lake of, 62, 72
Hadhirah, 445, Ij-^
HMir Kalb, 445, --1^ y^
Al Hadithah, 445, &^i40«l»
Al Haffah, 445, &6^»
Hifir, 446, y^
Hafir, 446, jt^
Haifa, or Haifah, 351, 446, 482,
&6«^ or ^^
Haildn, 446, o^Le.
Hajj Road (Darb al Hajj), 447,
Hajar adh Dhahab (The Golden
Stone, at Damascus), 238,
446, w-^oJI ja^
Hajar Shughlan, 447, o*«— j^^-
Hajird, 428, 447, ^^sb^
Al Hakim-bi-amr lUah, Fatimite
Khalif, destroys the Church ot
the Holy Sepulchre, 204
Hakl, 447, ^
Hakla, 447, ^5^.
Halab (Aleppo), 15, 19, 37-39,
43» 7«-8o, 360-367, 384, ^-ic- ;
Kingdom of, 42
Halab as SajQr, 447
Kafar Halab, 447
Halba (Hisn), 352, U^
Halfa-reed (Papyrus ?), 68
Halfabalti, 447, Uuftie.
Halhul {Haihul), 447, J^
Hamah (Hamath^ Epiphania),
37
578
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
39, 78-81, 357-360, 364, B^;
Kingdom of, 42
KurQn Hamih, 359, tU*. ^^y^
jabal al Hamal, 78, J^» S^
Hisn al Hamam (Dove's Fort),
519, j^UiJi ^j^
Tall Haiiidfin, 543, or*^*- s)^
Hdmir, 448, ^^
Al Hammah (Hot baths near
Tiberias), 335, 5-^' ; at Maab,
336
ftammim ad Damikir, 338,
Hammam Liil^, 338, yy f«U*«
Hammam al Minjadah, 339,
Hammam as Sawibi (the Boy's
Bath), 500
Hammiiriyyah, 448, hjy*^
Al Hamra, 444, 448, (/«M
HamQs (Hisn), 543, ^y^^***
Hamzah, the Prophet's Uncle,
mark of his shield, 179
Handdtha, 448, ^^ooe.
Hanini, 448, Us^
Hanjar (or Khanjar), 448, j*^i*^
Al Hantalah, 534, fiJi*^i
Harasti (i, Damascus), 237, 448
Harasti al Mantharah (2), 448,
Harasta (3, Halab), 448
Hisn al Harbidah, or al
Haryadah 448, iJajsi^S ^j>m^ or
Al Harbah, 448, &»j»H
Harbanafsi, 448, LJui^
Harbanfish, 448, J^y^y^
Harenc, 449
Harib, 449, ^j^
Al Harith, or Harith al Jaulin,
34, 449, v±.;UJl
Harim, 71,449, rJ^
Harlan, 449, o^^
Harmahyyah, 449,
Harran (i, Halab), 449, 518,
Harran (2, Damascus), 449
Har{!in ar Rashid, Khalif, insti-
tutes the 'Awasira Province
and the ThughQr, 26
Al Hir^niyyah (i), 27, 37, 38,
82, 386, 449, i^yM\
Al Hariiniyyah (2, of Mar'asb),
504
Al Hasa, 450, 461, t-«JI
Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf, his
Tomb, 442
Al Hatha, 450, U«JI
Hattawah, 450, S^Uft-
Hattin, Hittin, or Hattim, 450,
f*<^ or i^y^
Al Haunah, 294, liysi\ or &»^
Haurah, 451, Ijyt^
Haurin (Auranitis), 32-34, 39,
426, oby^
Haut, 45^^^"
Al Hauzah, or Al Jauzah, 464,
Al Haw^ 41, ^^^1
Al Hawiyyah, 282
Hawwar, or Huwwar (i, Halab),
45 ^M
Hawwar (2, Manbij), 451
Tall Hawwir (3, HamlJi), 451
Hawwar (4, Jaihan), 451
Hawwarah, Chalk-hills, 20
Al Hayyaniyyah (or Al Hay-
yanah), 452, fi-JUsaSi
Hebron, 41, 164, 309-327
Hebron Gate (Jerusalem), 213
Helena, Empress, Church of,
353
Heliopolis (Ba'albakk^ 15, 19,
32, 39, 41, 58, 60, 61, 79, 80,
295-298, 380
Hermon, Mount, 79, 418, 419
Herod's Gate (Jerusalem), 214,
216
INDEX.
579
Herod's Castle (Tiberias), 337
Herodium, 440
Heshbon, 55, 45^
HMl, 452, J^
Hibdiin, 452, o*-?^ [500
Hierapolis (Manbij), 36, 39, 42,
Hieromax river (Yarm(ik), 31,.
42, 53» 54i 430
Hijrd, 452, \j^
Hims (Emesa), Province or Jund
of, 27, 35, 39, 40, ,j*^;
Kingdom of, 41 ; Revenues
of, 44-48 ; Town of, 15, 78-82, ;
353-357 ; Lake of, 60, 61, 69
Al Himyariyyiin, 452, o^i.;**^*
Hinnion, Valley of, 218
Hinztt, 452, sji^y/Jb
Hippos, 472, 540,
Al Hirr, Widt, 346, j^\ ^^
Al Hisi, 41, L^«
Hisban (Heshbon), 55, 456,
Hisham, Khalif, builds Ar
Rusafah, 432, 522 ; builds
Minaret at Ar Ranilah, 305
Hismd, 407, 452, ^^^♦--a^
Al Hisn, or Hisn Adis, 452,
^jMk^oo ^jr*^ or ^;y«ftJ'
Hisn al Ahmar (Athlith), 351,
380, 403, j*^^ ^^^
Hisn al Akrad (Kala'at al Hisn,
Crac or Krak des Chevaliers),
61,80, 355, 390, 452, ^/^'v:r-^
Hisn Baddaya, 502, ^»»o^ ^j^a.
Hisn ad Dawiyyah (Castle of
the Templars), 447, 453,
Hisn Dhi-1 Kuli', for Dhi-1 Kili,
453, £^' y^^ for e^» *^^ er*-
Hisn al Tnab, 453, *— ^»1» sj<^
Hisn Katargh^sh, 453,
Hisn al KhawibI, 36, 39,
80, 352, 485, ^^1^1 ^
Hisn Makdiyah, 453, &^JA• ^^
Hisn Mansiir, 26, 27, 454,
Hisn Salmin, 454, ^^JL• ^^y»^
Hisn at Tinit, 39, 455> '
Hisn az Zuhid (the Anchorites*
Fort), 404, oU)j| ^j^ft.
Hiyar of the Bani Ka'ki', 455,
Honey, 20, 541
Hot Baths and Springs of
Tiberias, 334-341
Hfid, the Prophet, Tomb of,
258, 264, 269, 382
Al Hudaiji, 455, ^»^J«J^
HQlah (i. District), 32, 34, 39,
Haiah (2, Lake), 52, 53, 68, 455
Hulah (3, of Hims), 455
Al Humaimah, 455, i^lwoJl
Humrah, or Hummar, Asphalt,
64-66
Hunak, 456, ^Ua.
Hundurah, or Hindirah, 456,
Hiinin, or Hunain, 418, 456,
Hurdufnah, 456, l^^ij^
Hurdufnin, 456, ^jc^^^j^
Hurdan, 456, o***^
Nahr Hfirith, 62, ^ii-4;^ ^
Hurjalla, 456, ^^
Husain, Grandson of the
Prophet, his head preserved at
Damascus, 236,249, 270; his
head once at Ascalon, 402 ;
Oratory of, 43 1
Al Husainiyyah, 340
Husban (Heshbon), 55, 456,
Al Huss, 456, ,ja«J»
Al HusQs, 456, o*>^*
Huwairak, 30, J^^
37—2
F4T FSrZSE CXDER THE MOSLEMS.
or Hnwirin (i, Irbil, a oaxne of Sidon, 458, J?;l
Halab •• j^z^ 450. ^^r^ Trkah, or 'Aricah (Area), 32, 39,
2. H-iiis . 456, 481 352, 397, iij^
Hawwanm. 3, Tjdmizr)L 456 Al Imas, 458, ,^j«M
ilao TiTrfiT £rifa*a<tfr)
3<x 5i
Ebii Xzd R.ihran> his works^ 4
r^a Eirjcth, his oa^ds. 10
Ibc Euiian and his works, 6
Iba. al rairh, his ^eographv, 4
Iba Finkal. his ^co^a:gbj^ 5
Ibc T-boir, his travds. S
Iroa mines 410
Isaac place of his sacrifice, 74,
512 : his tomb, 309, 311, 317-
324- 327
Iskandari>'}'ah (i, near Hamah),
36, 37. 39» 3^» 458, kj'^^^^
Iskandarunah (2, Alexandros-
chene, near Acre), 351, 380,
458, iiyj^xS^
IdrsL his works» 7
*lfid, 457, ^«»
Xahr Ittin, 60, 62, 71, 72, 520,
i£^-r
Foa Khcrdi&ibm and his works, 2 Iskandarunah, or Iskandari>7ah
Iba Smjil Casde oC 350 (3, Xorthem), 458
Toe T.llun bcmds the port at Islands opposite Tripoli, 350
Acre. 22S : his Mosque at Ismailians (Sect of Assassins),
Cairo. 04 77» 7^, 81, 352, 485, 507
Ibo ash Shi"! (Tillage ofX 72, Issachar, Tomb, 458
^•; ^ '' ^ Istakhri, his geography, 5
Ibn Widhih and his works, 3 Ituraea (Al JaidQr), 34
Nahr Ibrdhiin, 56, 49S, r^> j9 lyad ibn Ghanm, his Pool, 200,
'idhtl, or 'idhdn, 456, ^9*^^ or 201 ; his Tomb, 356
Izbid, 459, ^31
Ja'afarat Tayyar, Tomb, 479, 510
Jaba Birak, 459, J|^ W
Jabal Jaba', 75, ^^ ^
Al Jabal, 459, J^«
Jabal, the Mountains of Syria
and Palestine, 72-82
Jabalah (Gabala, Gibellus major,
or Zibel), 36, 39, 57, 416,
459, ^^
Al Jabah, 459, &-»!»
Jiibbok rix^er (Zarka), 55, 393
Al JabbCll, 62, 460, J>^i
Al jabiyah, 32, 33, 239, 460,
Jabneh^ Jabneel^ or Jamnia
(Yubna), 24, 28, 553
Jacob, place of his Mourning,
412 ; his Dwelling-place, 465,
477, 482 \ his Tomb, 309,
IjjcK. or IjoH^ 481, 504
Ikim, 457. r*^
Iliyi (.ilia, JenisalemX 84
Iliyi, I^eah, 318
Iliyas { Elias), Tomb ofi 422 ; he
is sent to Ba'albakk, 297
1mm, 457, (^
Al 'Inab, Hisn, 453, •n-i^J*
Indigo, 396, 397
Inkila, dates called, 289
Innib, 457, ^-r^
Iram, 457, r>
Iram of the Columns, name of
Damascus, 232, 235, 258, 265
Irbid, Irbil, or Arbid (Arbela),
45 7i ^'}
INDEX.
5»i-
314, 317-324, 327; his Well
at Shechem, 511
Jadar (i, Hims), 429, 461, >j^
Jadar (2, Jordan Province), 54,
461
Jadayyi, 461, W^
Jidiyah, 461, h^M-
Jaffa, or Joppa (Yafah), 24, 28,
29, 39, 41, 381, 55o»
Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem, 213-215,
Al Jai, 461, ^^^1
Al Jaiddr (Ituraea), 34, ;[^J^'
Nahr Jaihin (River Pyramus),
^2, 505, 506, o^«>^
Jairiin, son of Sa'ad, son of 'Ad,
his palace at Damascus, 235,
461, o^j^
Al Jalil, Jabal, 77, 7 8, 39o, 452,
JalOd, 461, o^b-
JalQlatain, 46 r, f^^
Al Jamahariyyah, 461, &e^U^l
Al Jami^ 461, ^^J'
Jamma'il, 462, J!^^U«^
Al Jamilah, 462, i^t^^
Jandarus (Gindarus), 462, ^^'^x^.
Jarash (Gerasa) and Jabaljarash,
30, 32, 3831 388, 462, J^j^
Al Jarba, 384, 462, U^l
Jarhah, 462, &ov^
Al Jarmak, 56, 462, 524, ^yj^\
Jarmani, 462, UU^
Jarmdnas, 463, ^j^^^
Al Jarr, 463, ^»
JarQd, 463, o^^
Al Jashsh (Giscala), 463, j^\
Jisim, 463, r-^-
Jasmine Mosque, 337
Jaubar, 463, ^y^
Jaulan (Gaulonitis), 32, 34, 39,
Jabal al Jaulan, 77,
Al Jaumah, 294, «-»^i
Jaushan, Jabal, 61, v:/!.^ J.*©.
Nahr al Jauz, 463, )>n3» j^
Al Jauzih, or Al Hauzih, 47,
464, l\)^\
Jabal Jazin, 75, ^^> ^
Iklim Jazin, 346,
Al Jizir, 464, y}^^
Al Jazr, 464, )y^\
Jericho (Arihi, or RM), 15, 18,
28-32, 52, 288, 381, 396;
Water of, 20, 396
Jericho Gate (Jerusalem), 213,
214
Jeroboam, 513
Jerusalem :
Absalom, so-called Tomb of,
218
Aksa Mosque, 89-113, 178,
179; built by *Abd al Malik,
90, 91, 98, 144; rebuilt by
Al Mansdr and Al Mahdi,
92, 93 ; described by Mukad-
dasi (in 985), 98, 99 ; de-
scribed by Ndsir-i-Khusrau
(in 1047), 104-107; restored
by Saladin, 109 ; Mihrabs
in the Mosque, in ; later
changes in the Mosque, 112
Al Aksi al Kadimah, the
Ancient Aksa, 178, 182
Altar of the Children of
Israel, 131
Armoury of the Templars,
107, no, in, 178, 191
Bridge As Sirat, 162, 164, 165,
171, 218
Cave of Abraham, 162
Cave under the Rock, 120,
123, 131, 132, 136
Cavern of Korah, 223
Church of the Ascension, 211,
218
Church of Gallicantus (St.
Peter), 212 [131
Church of the Holy of Holies,
.582
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
Jerusalem {continued) :
Church of the Jacobites, 211
Church of Pater Noster, 211
Church of the Resurrection,
or of the Holy Sepulchre,
not identical with the Dome
of the Rock, 117
Church of the Resurrection,
description of, 98, 141,
202-210; destroyed by Al
Hakim, 204
Church of Sion, 141, 203,
212
Colonnades of the Haram
Area, 175-177, 190-192
Cradle of Jesus, 166, 182, 183,
211 .
Crusaders, their alterations in
the Aks4, 107
David, Tomb of, 203
Dewfall at Jerusalem, 87
Dimensions of the Haram
Area, 192-197
Dome of the Ascension, 121,
123, 154-156
Dome of the Chain, 121, 123,
I3i»i33, i45» I5i-i53»i56,
164
Dome of Gabriel, 121, 154
Dome of Jacob, 169, 176
Dome of Al Khidr, or St.
George, 156
Dome of Moses, or Dome of
the Tree, 169
T)ome of the Prophet, or
Dome of Muhammad, or
Dome of the Prophet
David, 121, 123, 154, 156,
164, 170
Dome where the Prophet
prayed, 164, 170
Dome of the Rock, 91, 99,
108, 114-137, 162; built by
'Abd al Malik, 115, 144;
Jerusalem (continued) :
services instituted there by
the Khalif, and the tradi-
tional account of, 144, 146;
as described by YaTciibi,
116 ; as described (903) by
Ibn al Fakih, 1 20 ; arrange-
ment of piers and pillars,
12 1, 126; described (985)
by Mukaddasi, 123 ; de-
scribed (1047) by Nasir-i-
Khusrau, 126-130; fall of
the Great lantern, 130;
described (11 73) by *Ali of
Herat, 132 ; Saladin's re-
storation of, 134 ; railing or
grating round the Rock,
i33> 1 35 J footprints on the
Rock, the tongue, etc., 136
Dome of the Roll, 157, 170
Dome of Sulaiman, 156, 167,
169, 171
Dome of Zachanah, 169, 170,
177
Double Gate, ancient, 182
Earthquakes in Jerusalem, 93,
98, 10 1
£n Rogel^ 221
Fertility of Jerusalem Terri-
tory, 84, 85
Garden of Gethsemane, 203,
210
Garden of Joseph, 208
Garden of die Priests (Augus-
tinian Friars), 131, 133
Gates of the Aksa Mosque,
100-103
Gates of the City, 212-217
Gates of the Haram Area,
173-T89
" Golden Gate," the, 184
Herod's Gate, 214, 216
Holy Fire, Miracle of, 208,
209
INDEX.
583
Jerusalem (continued) :
House of the Priests (Augus-
tinian Friars), 131, 133
Inscriptions in the Aksa, 102,
109, i6i
Inscriptions in the Dome of
the Rock, 119, 125, 134
Inscriptions on Wall of Haram
Area, loi
Al Khidr (Elias, St. George),
his Gate, 164 ; his house,
185 ; his praying-place, 164,
'6s
Maksurahs in the Aksi or
Haram Area, 100, 161, 163
Maristan (or Bimaristan,
Hospital) at Siloam, 221
. Mary, Mother of our Lord,
Tomb of, 210, 219 ; Spring
of, 220
Mihrib of David in the
Haram, 167, 168, 171, 213
Mihrdb of David in the
Castle, 162
Mihrdb of Jacob, 162, 164,
165, 171
Mlhrab of Mary, 164-166
Mihrab of Mu'awiyah, 106,
III
Mi h rib of 'Omar, 102, 106,
III
Mihrdb of Zachariah, iii,
161, 164-166, 170
Minaret of Abraham, 164,
171
Minarets of the Haram Area,
148, 170
Names of Jerusalem, 83, 84
Olives, Mount of, 72, 74, 162,
21 1, 218-220
Omar, Khalif, builds the Aksi,
90, 91 ; his Mosque (so-
called) in the Aksa, 112;
conquest of Jerusalem and
Jerusalem {continued) :
finding of the Rock, tradi-
tional account, 139-144
Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, 88
Place of the Ant, of the Fire,
and of the Ka'abah, 165,
171
Plain of the Sihirah, 2 16, 218-
220
Platform and Stairways of the
Dome of the Rock, 157-
160
Pools of the Children of Israel,
of 'lyid, and of Solomon,
200, 201
Pool of Mamilla, 201, 202
Price of provisions, 87
The Rock, 112, 129, 132;
Omar's re-discovery of, 139-
144 (and see Dome of the
Rock)
Servants of the Aksi Mosque,
148, 149, 163, 165
Siloam, Pool of, or Spring, 74,
162, 179, 212, 220, 223
Siloam, Hospital at, 221
Single Gate, Ancient, 182
Solomon's Pools in WS,di
Urtas, 197
Stables of Solomon, 166, 183
Station of Gabriel, 121, 154,
164, 165, 170
Station (Makim) of Khidr,
121, 164, 165, 170
Station (Makim) of the
Prophet, 156
St Lazarus Postern, 214, 215
St. Mary's Church (of
Justinian), 90, 143
St. Stephen's Gate, ancient
and modern, 213, 215
Sulaiman, son of the Khalif
'Abd al Malik, his bath,
146
584
PALESTISE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Jerusalem (amttMued) :
Talisman in Aksa Mosque,
lOO
Tanks (water-) in Jerusalem,
148, 158, 197-202
Templar's Armoury in the
Aksa Mosque, 107, no,
114, 178, 191
Templum Domini and Tem-
plum Salomonis, 107, 130
Territory of the Holy City,
86
Throne of Jesus, 169
Throne of Solomon, 164, 167,
169, 177
Trade of Jerusalem, 18
Triple Gate, Ancient, 182
Tying-place of Burak, 162,^
163, 171, 187
Widi Jahannum, 218-220
Water-supply, 20, 29
Well of Job, 220, 223
Well of the Leaf, 198-200,
292
Jesus Christ and the Antichrist,
494
Jesus, bom in Bethlehem, 299 ;
or in Egypt, 300; or at
Nazareth, 301 ; His preaching
in Jabal Jalil, 77 ; His hill at
Damascus, 235, 240, 253 ;
His baptism in the Jordan,
428 ; place of His sojourn,
420; His prophecy concerning
the Ghautah, 424 ; He is taken
down into Egypt, 30 1 ; His
spring at Tiberias, 339 ; and
the Dyers, Story of, 339 ;
Transfiguration of, 434
Jethro (Shu'aib), Tomb of, 341,
444, 445,450, 451, 497
Jews, the assayers, dyers,
bankers, and tanners, in Syria,
22
Jews' Quarter in Jerusalem, 215
Al JSb, 464, w^i
Al Jibil District (Gebalene), 28,
32, 35, 395, J^*
Jibrin (i), 464, ^:ytJi^
Jibrin (2, of the Ghaur), 32
Jidya, 461, ^t>^
Al Jifar District, 28-30, 41, j^M
JillUc, name of Damascus, 258,
265,^
Jinan al Ward, 277
Jinin (Ginea, Engannim\ 41,
464, s^yt^^t*-
Jintha, 464, ^i^
Jirar, 464, jl^
Al Jismaniyyah (Gethsemane),
203, 210, mU— sJl
Al Jisr al Hadid (the Iron
Bridge), 60
Jisral Majami^ 53, 335,^UJI^;-l^
Jisr Manbij, 501, 531
Jisr as Sidd, 335
Jisr al Walid, 505
Jisr Yaghra, 551
Jisr Ya'kdb, 53 (see also under
Bridge)
Jisrain, 464, ^^j^^
Al Jiyyah, 464, i«»li
Job, Monastery of, 427 ; his
country, and village, 515, 516 ;
his Well (Jerusalem), 220-223
John the Baptist, Convent of, at
the place of the baptism of
Jesus, 428; his head preserved
at Damascus, 234, 236, 238,
252, 264 ; his beard preserved
at Aleppo, 365 ; Tomb o^
523, 537
Jonah, or Jonas, Tomb of, 447,
469
Joppa (see Jaffa)
Jordan River (Al Urdunn), 42,
52-54,65, 67, 68; Sources of
418
Jordan Province, 2~, 30-32, 39;
Revenues of, 44-48
Joseph, Tomb of, at Baldtah,
416; Tomb of, at NSbuIus,
512; Tomb of, at Hebron,
314,319, 325
Joseph's Pit (see Jubb YOsuf)
Joshua, Tomb of, 337, 404, 496,
531 ; Shrine of, 425
jubail (., Gebal, Biblos, Giblet),
32, 3S'. 464. J»^
Al Jubail (3, Hims), 465
MdhQz Jubail, 465
Tall Jubair, 543. j~=. Jr
Jubb al Kalb {the D(^'s Pit),
466, wJS3l ws-
Jubb Yflsuf (Joseph's Pit), 419,
465. 477. 483, 5'7, 538.
A) lubbah. 466, *-*»
Jubbah 'Usaii, 466, jii-» S^
Judah, Tomb of, 34I1 S^i
Jlldi, Jabal, 232
Julaijal, 466, Jbc^
juibat. 466, i.Li=.
Jum'. 466. f-=-
Al JQmah, 36, 60, 466, 520,
JQmah 'Akkir, 352, J^ i-j^
Jflmah Bashariyyah, 352.
JumrayJ, 58, ^j*^
JOn. 352, ayf
jCiniyyah, 31, 466, ie»^
Al JurjOmah, 467, l^yfjaM
JOsiyah (Paradisus), 39, 40, 427,
467, «--,=■
Juzaz, or jiziiz, 467, jl>
Ka'ab al Ahbar, or Al Hibr, the
converted Jew, 14a, 293 ; his
Tomb, 272
Kabb-measure (Cab, the Greek
Kabos), 48
EX. 58s
An Nahr al Kablr, 60, j^i j^
KabOl (Cabul), 15, 39, 289, 467,
KibQn, 467, ^y^
Kabflr, 467, }y^
Kadam Kuraish, " Kuraish-bite,"
Kadas (i, AaJM Naphthali\
15, 18, 20, 39, S3, 381, 467.
y--; Lake of (HQlah), 52,
53.68
Kadas (2, near Hims), I^ke of,
60, 61, 69, 468
Kadas (3, Kadesk Barnea), 30
Al KadmOs, Hisn, 352, 507,
Al KadOm, 468, f.>-^\
Al Of, 468, wJlili
Kafar, or Villiy;e, 468
Kafar 'Akib, 468, --ito jfti
Kafar 'Amma, 468, U* /^
Kafar Bank, 468, ^^ /i
Kafar Basal, 469, J-»! jii
Kafar Batnd, 469, Li- /i"
KafarbayyS, 505-507, ^ Ji^
Kafar Dubbin, 469, ^^JjA^
Kafar Chamma, 469, U> /^
Kafar Halab, 447
Kafar Kannah (Cana of Galilee),
469, (or ^)l^ /i
Kafar Kila (i), 346, V-i yii'
Kafar Kita (2), 470, V j*i
Kafaria. 419, 'j^
Kafar Lab, 470, ^ ^
Kafar Ijhlhi. 470, U«l /i
Kafar I„ttha. 470, «J_^
Kafar Mandah, 470, n"- jAi
Kafar Nf utlin, 470, j^- jii
Kafar NabQ, 470, >f^.;"
Kafar Nagbd, 471, -i**^
Kafar Najd, 471, o«i>jf
Kafar NJlthi, 550, 'S^)^
Kafar Rinnis, 471, ^j-'j j^
Kafar Rflma, 471, Ujj /i
S86
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Kafar Saba, 471, U— /t^
Kafar Salliro, 47 1, fA«- /i^
Kafar Sabt, 47 1 , «--— ^
Kafar SOsiyyah, 237, 472,
Kafar Sut, 472, «*^*- j6^
Kafar Tab, 35, 39, 40, 473,
Kafar Takis, 473, ^j.^ ^
Kafar Tatha, 473, ^y>^
Kafar Zinnis, ^j-**}/^, 471
Kafari}Tah, 473, h/>^
Kafiz, measure, 48, 50
Kahatan, 473, o^^
Al Kahf, Hisn, 86, 352, 507
Al Kaibar, 473, >f-fiJi
Al Kaik, Jabal, 78
Kailajah, measure, 48, 50
Klim al Hirmil, 60, S^j^^^ f^
Kaimfln, 473, o>*-s*
Kainiyah, 473, a-^
Kaisari)7ah (Caesarea Palestina),
28, 39, 41, 380, 474, lij^ or
Kaisariyyah, or Covered Market,
255, 363
Kaisilim, 408, 475, f»^ ■■*<
Kaitftk, 444, ^y^
Kakhti, 475, ^^^
Kak^n, 475, of^
Al Karah, 475, &«wa«
Kala'at Abi-1 Hasan, 475
Kala'at Daushar, or Ddshar,
and Kala'at Ja'bar, 417
Kala'at an Najm, 27, 42, 501
Kala'at ar Rubad, 388
ICala'at ar Rdm, 27, 38, 42, 475
Kala'at Sanir, 78
Kala'at at Tin, 539, v:;-Ul &*l»
Kalamdn (Calamos), 350, 476,
Kalamyah, 476, *-^^
Kalansuwah (Castle of Plans),
476, i^--jdi»
Nahr al Kalb (the Dog River),
Lycus, 56, 514 .
Kalends, Festival of the, 2 1
Kalikali, 78
Al Kallasah (the Lime-kiln)
Mosque, 247, 264, &-KJI
Al Kalt and the Well of the
Leaf, 198, 292, *jiJfil<
Kaiadhiyah, 476, k^^
Kamakh, 38, ^
Kimid al Lauz, 39, 347, )yjt •*-»^
Kammona, 473
Kamraw, 476, y^
Kan'dn, Jabal and Wadi, 419,
462, 477, 524, J*^
Nahr al Kanat, or al Kanawat,
58, 235, 238, 266, *^\yM y^
Kanfnah, 259
Al Kanisah, 477, &— ^^l
Kanfsah al Kayimah, or al
Kumdmah (Church of the
Holy Sepulchre), 98, 141, 202-
210, &<«U£1I or &^ie^i &■— y^
Kanisah Kuds al Kuds, 131,
Kanisah Salik (Church of the
Ascension), 211, 218,
Al Kanisah as Sauda, 27, 37,
477^ U>^^l 6m.<,*;OI
Kanisah Sihyiin, 141, 203, 212,
Kanisah as Sulh, 478, ^l-Ji «^-^
Kanisah at TQr (Church of
Sinai), 435, )^\ &--^
Kanisah al Yughibiyah (Church
of the Jacobites), 211,
Kantarah Sinan, 478, o^^^ ^)^
Al Kdnan, 478, oy^*
Kanwa, 58, ly*
Al Kiri, or Al Kirah (Chara),
36, 478, l;^l or £>ffl«
KarH Hisir, 478, ^-^ \^
INDEX.
587
Kara Sou, River, 60, 62
Karada, 479, lo/
Karahtd, 479, Ua.^
Al Karak (i, I^ Crac, or Krak,
Petra Deserta), 290, 479, -sJ/^';
Kingdom of, 41 [Noah), 480
Al Karak N(ih (2, Karak of
Al Karak, or Kark (3), 480
Karatayya, 41, 480, W*/
Karawd, 53, 480, ,;py>
Kariwi Bani Hassin, 480
Kariyat al 'Inab {Kirjath
Jearim\ 306, 480, ^--^l h,^
Kariyat al 'Uyiin {Ijon\ 481,
Al Kariyatain, 32, 36, 79, 481,
Karkar, 481, J^/
Al Kar'an, 481, o^J^^
Karn al Hdmirah, 481, ly»^\ ^^
Kashafrid, 481, ^.J^^
Kashfahin, 537, 543, o^«*-*^
Nahr al Kasimiyyah (Litany
River), 56
Jabal Kisiyfln, or Kasiydn, 58,
80, 240, 252, 259, 272, 482,
529* o>*-^ J^
Kasr Bani 'Omar, 482
Kasr Bint al Malik (Herod's
Castle, Tiberias), 337
Kasr Haifa, 446, 482
Kasr Hajjdj, 482
Kasr Umm Hakim, 482
Kasr Ya'kfib, 53, 482
Kasrain, 417
Kasrain ath Thaniyah, 42,
Jabal KasrQwin, 57, 80,
Al Kastal (i, Hims), 36, JLuJUl
Al Kastal (2, Balka), 483
Katani, 483, UU
Katarghdsh, Hisn, 453,
Katt, 483, U
Kaukab, 483, «— ^>^
Kaukab^ 237, W^^
Al Kawdthil, 483, Jft^ai
Kawfis, 483, v/r^^^
Al Kayyar, 484, j^\
Kazirlm (for Karizim, Gerizim),
484, 511, 512, (^.ji/
Kedron Valley, 218-220
A I Khadri, Palace at Damascus,
229, 231, 232, 234, 238, 245,
248, 270, |/*^»
Khadhkadanah, lij^:>^, Khalka-
ddnah, w^o^Sics., Khankhadd-
nah, &i^ok4^, or Al Ghadka-
dtinah, 484, &i^aia*ll
Khairan, 484, o'^
Al Khait, 484, 1-aH
Jabal al Khait, 81, 421, l^l J*<^
Al Khalasah (Elusa), 30, &-UJ»
Khalid ibn al VVilid, his spear at
Damascus, 264, 270 ; his
Tomb, 355, 356
Al Khalij, Meadow of, 503
Al Khalil, "the Friend," />.,
Abraham, 310
Jabal al Khalil, 56, J-Wi J-^
Al KhalQs (Lyssa), 30, o^^W*
Khamman, 484, o^-*^
Jabal al Khamr, 74, j^^ J?«?-
Khan as Sultan, 484, o^^**'^* o^
Al Khinikah, 484, &fii^i
Khanjar, or Hanjar, 448
Kharanba, 485, U>-
Al Kharrfibah, 485, &»^>J«
Al Khashbiyyah, 485, l^fJ^\
Hisn al Khawabi, 36, 39, 80,
352, 485, j^'>*^' v:r-^
Al Khidr (Elias, or St. George),
Spring of, 512 ; Station of,
164, 165, 253; Chapel of,
264 ; House of, 185
Khisf in, 485, ^jg^^ "t*-
Khiyarah, 451, S^*-
588
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Khumaruwaih, Ruler of Egypt,
56
Al Khunisirah, 35, 39, 40, 385,
485, fi^oUi.^
Khurbat al 'Al, 391
Khusaf, 485, UL^
Khusail, 486, J«-«i^
Al Khusds, 505, o°y^^
Khuwailifah, 486, &fl^ys-
Kiblah, meaning of term, 97 ;
The first Kiblah, 114, 130,
158
Tall al Kikin, 543, o^' ^
Kila' ad DaViyah (the Castles of
the Assassins), 352, l^^\ ^
Killiz, 486, >J or >^
Kin'an (Canaan) Valley, 419,
462, 477, 524, J»^
Kinnasrin (Chalcis), 486, oir—^ 5
Province (Jund) instituted by
Mu'awiyah, 25, 27, 36, 39,
42, 43, 360 ; Revenues of,
44-48
Kt'r Moab^ 479
Kirat (Carat), weight, 48-50
Nirjath-Jearim^ 306, 481
Kirmil (i, Mount Carmel), 446,
487, »
Kirmil (2, of Judea), 487
Kisa, shirt, 22
Kist, measure, 49, 161
Al Kiswah, or Al Kuswah, 488.
Jabal al Kiswah, 424
Korah, and his Companions,
Cavern of, 223
Al Kubaibah. 488, v^l«-fi3i
Kubakib (i, of Damascus), 488,
Ml M
River Kubakib (2, Malatyah),
488, 499
Kubbait, sweetmeat, 16, 18, 23
Kubbat al Khaznah (Dome of
the Treasury, Damascus
Mosque), 227, 240, 246,
Kubbat al Mi'rdj (Dome of the
Ascension, Haram Area,
Jerusalem), 121, 123, 154-
156, dj*^* M
Kubbat an Nabi (Dome of the
Prophet, Haram Area, Jem*
salem), 121, 123, 154, 156,
164, 170, ^^»M
Kubbat an Nasr (Dome of die
Eagle, Damascus Mosque),
243, ^ 244, 256, 263, 268,
Kubbat an Nasr (Dome of
Victory, on the Horns of
Hattin), 451,^1 &-»
Kubbat an Naufarah (Dome
of the Fountain, Damascus
Mosque), 247, 268, S/yJl &i
Kubbat ar Rasas (Dome of
Lead, Damascus Mosque),
243, 244, 256, 263, 268^
Kubbat as Sakhrah (Dome of
the Rock, Haram Area, •
Jerusalem), 91, 99, 108, 114-
137, 144, 162, fi>«li &-5
Kubbat as Silsilah (Dome of Ac
Chain, Haram Area, Jero-
salem), 121, 123, 131, 133,145,
i5i-^53» 156, 164, f\\ MM
Kubbat Zain al 'Abidin (Damas-
cus Mosque), 268
Kudamah and his works, 3
Kudhiran, 488, o';'*^
Al Kuds (1, Jerusalem), 83
Al Kuds (2, Nabulus), 512
Ktifa, or Bait Kufa, 488, Uy
Kullah, 524, &J*
Kulbain, 488, yjt*^
Kumamah,for Kayamah (Churefc
of the Resurrection, Jew-
salem), 202
INDEX.
589
Kdm Zanjil, 498, J»»^ ^^
Kunaikir, 488, ^^
Al Kur\ 488, e^»
Al Karah, 352, S;y3l
Al Kurain (Montfort), 495, ^./^^
" Kuraish-bite," sweetmeat, 16,
Kurin, 489, o'j^
Al Kurashiyyah, 36, 489, &-^A/3l
Kurkus (Corycos), 489, ^^
Kdrus (Cyrrhus), 36, 380, 498,
fj^j^ or ^;^
Kurzihil, 489, J=-')>>
Al Kusair (i, Damascus), 489,
503, J^^^
Al Kusair (2, Halab), 81, 489
Kusair Mu'in, 490, ^^y*^ jt^
KQsin, 490, v:^— >^
Kusiyan, the King, his Church
at Antioch, 371
Kustiin, 490, o^*^-*
Al Kuswah, or Kiswah, 424,
488, fi^-^»
Al Kutayyifah, 490, la.^\
Nahr Kuwaik (River Chalus),6i,
361, 363, 487, &,!^j^
Al Kuwainisah, 490, &-a^yUi
Al Lddhikiyyah (i, I^odicea ad
Mare), 36, 39, 82, 380, 384,
490-492, &-*oWl
Al Ladhikiyyah (2, I^odicea
Combusta, I^dik), 282
Jabal Trillin, or LailOl, 492,
J^ or ojW ^
Nahr liaita, or I^itah (Litany
River), 56, M or &^J
Al Lajah, or Al Lijd (Tracho-
nitis), 41, 425, 492, M'
Al LajjQn (i, Legio, Megiddo?),
i5» 28, 39, 41, 380, 492,
Al Lajjun (2, Balka), 493
Al I^jjun (3, Kinnasrin), 493
I^kes of Syria and Palestine,
64-72
Larissa (Shaizar), 36, 80, 360,
533
Latmin, 493, ^^y^
Lawi, 493, »^^3)
Ldwi (Levi), Tomb of, 493
I^zarus, Tomb of, 211, 405
Leah, Tomb of (LiyH, Lika,
Iliya), 314, 318, 320, 321,
327
Lebanon Mountain (Jabal Lub-
nan, or Libnan), 32, 36, 41,
56. 77-79» o^ S^
Legio (see Lajjun)
Leontes River, or Litany, 56,
386
Lettuce, 16
Levi, Tomb of, 493
Al Libwah, 61, &pJi
Locust-tree (Carob), 16, 514
Lot, his escape from Gomorrah,
592 ; the two daughters of,
288, 290
Lot, Cities of, 28, 286-292, 510 ;
Tomb of. 468, 552 ; Stones
of, 289, 290 ; Lake of (the
Dead Sea), 64
Ludd (Lydda), 28, 303, 493, ^
Lukkam, Jabal, 60, 78-82, 377,
378, r^ ^
Lukman (^sop), the Sage, his
Tomb, 339
LQioah, 494, syy
LatCiriis. 518 •
Lycus River, 56
Maab (Rabbath Moab), 15, 19,
3i» 32, 39, 381, 393» 494,
Ma'aliya, 495, M*^
Ma'arrah an* Nu'man, 495-497,
Ma'arrah Kinnasrin, Masrin, or
590
PALESTINE UNDER 7 HE MOSLEMS.
Nasrin, 36, 39, So, 497,
^j^ or ^:)ij^ >vj*r-^ *;**
Machpelah, Visits to the Cave
of, at Hebron, 317
Al Madain, 497, ^jt^*
Midhanat al 'Ar<is (Minaret of
the Bride), 230, 247
Midhanat 'Isi (Minaret of
Jesus), 254, 259, 264
Al Madhanat al Gharbiyah
(the Western Minaret, Dam-
ascus Mosque), 269
Al Madurah, 30, fij*xJ'
Madyan (Midian), 39, 73, 470,
497, v:7*^
Magh^r, 498, j\^
Magharat al Arwah (Cave of the
Souls), 132
Maghirat al Jau' (Cave of
Famine), 253, 482
Magharat ar Rihib (Cave of the
Monk), 60
Maghrah, red chalk called J^u-
brica Sinopica, 19, 20, 423
Maghrah (village of), 498, »>-•
Al Maghzalin, 61, o^>»Ji
Mahd 'Isa (Cradle of Jesus, at
Jerusalem), 166, 182, 183,
211
Al Mahdi, Khalif, rebuilds the
Aksa Mosque, 92, 93 ; restores
the Mosque at Ascalon, 401
Mahmtid II., Sultan of Turkey,
his Inscription in the Dome of
the Rock, 135
MahrObah, 498, hyj%»
Al Mahaz, 498, j^Ul
MahQz Azdud, 24
Mahfiz Jubail, 465, 498
Mahuz Yubna. 24
Maida'a, 498, ^^^--»
Maifa'ah, 498, &«6--»
Mai mas (or Mimas) Maiuma, or
Majuma of Gaza, 508, ^U^
Maimds, Name for the Orontes,
59
Al Mainakah (Hisn), 352, 507,
Al Maitdr, 498, ;y^«
Al Majimi', Jisr, 53, 335,
Al Majdal, or Majdal Salam,
498, fX^ Joaw. or J*^«mJI
Majdaliyabah, 56, 498, &*Ua«w»
Majuma, 508
Makad, Makdiyah, or Makadd,
498, 499, ofi^
Makam Ghdrt, Makim an Nabi,
Makam Shami, MakAm Sharki,
158, 159
Makkah Sand, 446
MakkOk Measure, 48, 50
Makni (Midian), 498
Makri, 499, t^/t^
An Nahr al Makldb (i, Orontes),
59-61, 70, 72, 354-360, 375,
385, s->y^' j^^
An Nahr al Makiab (2, Halys),
374
Malatyah(Melitene), Malatiyyah,
or Maltiyd, 26, 27, 38, 63, 78,
499, fi^ji^
Ma'lay^ 500, Uit«
Mall, Game of, 255
Malban, sweetmeat, 20, 396,
39S,
Al Malikiyyah, 77, LSS^
Al MaUQn, Mallus, Malo, 62,
Ma'iaii, 500, »y«-
Mam ilia, Pool of, 201, 202,
Mimistrl, 506, »>t— .U
Mamre^ 518
Al Mimfln, Khalif, his Inscrip-
tion in the Dome of the Rock,
119; his Gate in the Aks4
Mosque, 107 ; his Tomb, 378,
407
INDEX.
591
Al Ma'mflriyyah, 506, hjy**^^
Manbij (Hierapolis), 36, 39, 42,
500, ^*^
Jisr Manbij (Kala'at an Najm),
27, 42, 501
Mandrake, fruit of, 18
Mantn, 502, ^^^^
Mannagh, 502, ^
Mansio Platanus, 416
Mansdr, Hisn, 26, 27,454
Mansdriyyah (Hamdh), 359, 360
Marjirjis, 57
Mir Samwil, 433
Marakiyyah, 352, 395, 400, 502,
Mar'ash (Germanicia), 27, 37-
39» 63, 82, 502, ^jJ>j*
Marasid al Jttila^ the author of,
9
Ma'rithd, 503, Vftyi*
Marble Quarries, 20, 307, 491
Marbd', 503, i^.j»
Marda, 503, **>/•
Marimin, 503, sjt*^j»
Miristan (or Bimaristan, Hos-
pital), at Antioch, 371 ; at
Damascus, 255 ; at Siloam,
221
Marj (Meadow of) 'Adhra, 503,
Marj al Ahniar. 61
Marj al Atrdkhun, 503,
Marj Dabik, 503, ,3»»*> c>-»
Marj al Khalij, 503, g-Wl c/»
Marj Rahit, 69, 503, l^*;C/«
Marj as Suffar, 504, ^k— W e^
Marj 'UyOn (or 'Ayydn), 41,
Al Marrdt, 505, u:*^^
Al Martiim, 310, 319, r^v^'
Al Marwint, 503
Mary, the Mother of Our Lord,
Churches dedicated to, at Tor-
tosa, 395 ; at Antioch, 368 ;
at Damascus, 254, 264 ; Tomb
of, at Jerusalem, 210, 219;
Tomb of, at Nazareth, 301 ;
Picture of, 427 ; Spring of,
220 [476
Marzuban River, I^ Marquis,
Al Masdaf, 505, ^—kx-^Jl
Al Mash'ar, 505, ^;«JU3l
Jabal Mashghara, 56, 347, 505,
Al Masjid al Abyad (the White
Mosque at Ar Ramlah), 304-
308
Al Masjid al Aksd (Jerusalem),
89-113, 178, 179, ^^3» oa-^l
Masjid al Ghauth (Mosque of
Succour), 365
Masjid Ibrahim, or Hebron, 164,
309-327
Masjid Uriya (Mosque of Uriah),
392, \i):j^ a«^
Masjid al Yakin (the Mosque of
Certainty), 551, ^^^ **»—•
Masjid-i-Yasmin (the Jasmine
Mosque), 337
Ai Massissah (i,Mopsuestia), 26,
27, 37, 38, 62, 63, 78, 82,
505, i-i-Jl
Al Massissah (2, Damascus),
507
Masydb, or Masyaf, 80, 81, 352,
507, .-iU— or «^U—
Al Masiyah, 507, &-— •Jt
504, o^ ^^
Marja', a Land Measure, 243 Al Mas'udi, his history, 4
Hisn al Markab (Castrum Al Matirfln, 508, o^j^*
Merghatum, Margat), 504, Al MatlOn (Hebron), 310, o^^
^-^^1 ^j-jo- i Nahr al Maujib (Arnon), 55
Al Marri, Pass, 538, s^j^ \ ^-r^y^ j^
592
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Mauzar, 509, /jy^
Mayan ij, 508, gi^
Hisn al Mazd^sijryah, or Al
Muradisiyyah, 508, &i— ol^lor
Al Mazirnan, 508, o^j^*
Measures of Capacity and Length,
Megiddo (Al I^jjGn), 15, 28, 39,
41, 380, 492
Melitene (Malatyah), 26, 27, 38,
63, 78
Merghatum, Castrum, 504
Merom, Waters of (Hiilah), 52,
53, 68, 455
Midian, 39, 73, 387
Mihraj, 508, £•>»-•
Minarets of the Aksa Mosque at
Jerusalem, 148, 170
Minarets of the Damascus
Mosque, 230, 246, 254, 264,
269
Minaret where Jesus will de-
scend, 254, 259, 264
Minarets built square in Syria,
21
Mihrab or Prayer Niche, Mean-
ing of the term, 97
Mihrab DaOd in the HaramArea,
167, 168, 171, 213
Mihrab Dadd in the Castle of
Jerusalem, 162
Mihrab al Khidr (Elias, or St.
George), 164, 165
Mihrab Mariyam (of Mary), 164-
166
Mihrab Mu'awiyah, 106, in
Mihrab 'Omar, 102, 106, in
Mihrab Ya'kOb (of Jacob), 162,
164, 165, 171
Mihrab Zakariyyd, in, 161, 164-
166, 170
Mikna, 508, Ua*.
Mile, Arab, 49
Mimis (or Maimis), 24, 39 ; of
Ghazzah, 508, vj-U**
Mimas (or Maimis), Convent of,
431
Al Mimds (Orontes), 59
Mirabel, Castle of, 472
Al Mizzah, 237, 272, 508, *>*3I
Nahr al Mizzah, 235, 266
Mogrebin, or Dung Gate of Jeru-
salem, 214, 215
Monastery (see under Dair)
Montfort, 495
Months, Solar, in use among the
Syrians, 21
Montreal (I^ Crac, Petra
Deserti), 41, 479
Mopsuestia (Al Massissah), 26,
27, 37, 38, 62, 63, 78, 82, 505
Mosaic work at Damascus, 228-
230, 241, 262, 268 ; at Jeru-
salem, 124
Moses, 74 ; Death of, 533 ;
Tomb of, 240 ; Rock of, 264,
369, 370, 548, 550, 552 ; Rock
he struck, 470, 497 ; marks of
his footsteps, 254; at Sinai,
547
Mosque, or " Masjid," Technical
meaning of the term, 94-97
Mosque, Aksa, 89-113, 178, 179
Mosque of Cordova, 103
Mosque of Ibn TOldn at Cairo,
94-97
Mosque of 'Omar, in the Aksil at
Jerusalem, 112; at Ascalon,
402
Mosque of Omayyads at Damas-
cus, 227-229, 232-234, 238,
241-252, 267-272
Mosque, The White, at Ramlah,
303y 305
Mosques, Peculiarities of, in
Syria, 21
Mount Ebal and Gerizim, 74
INDEX.
593
211, 218-220
Mount Sinai, 73, 547
Mount Tabor, 75, 434
Mountains of Syria and Pales-
tine, 72-82
Al Mu'atham (Sultan al Malik),
his fortress on Mount Tabor,
75
Mount Hor, 73 Mukrai, 259, »^/^
Mount of Olives, 72, 74 162, Al Muktadir-billah, Khalif, bis
mother's gift of a gate to the
Dome of the Rock, 123
Hisn al Mulawwan, 506, 509,
MO mi yd, or Asphalt, 64-66
Al Munaitirah, 509, SjUjm^I
Munayyir, cloth, 19
Hisn MOrah, 509, ijy»
M£iri, or Muria Sauce, 20
Mu'in, or Ma'an, 39, 508,
Mu'awiyah, Khalif, institutes the i Murran, 509, oV »
District of Kinnasrin, 25 ; his Al Miitafikah, 510, fiXai^l
Expedition against Amorium,
37 ; makes Damascus his
capital, 225, 232 ; his palace
of the Khadri, 229, 231, 232,
234, 238, 245, 248, 270;
buried at Damascus, 234, 272
Miitah, 41, 509, bSy»
Al Muthakkab, 510, i-r^fi^*
" Muthiral Ghirdm,''ihQ author
of — two works, 1 1
Nabak, or Nabk fruit, 18
Mudi, a measure (Modius), 48-'Nabi Samwil, 433
Al Mudir, Spring of, 500 [50
Al Mughatti, the Covered part,
or Main building, of a Mosque,
96
Al Muhajjah, 509, 6«»»Ji
An Nabk, 511, «jM*
Nabtal, 511, J^u
Nabulus (Neapolis, Shechem),
28-30, 39>4^ 380, ^^'y water
of, 20, 511-514
Muhammad, the Prophet, his Nahlah (the Bee), 514, i^
Night Journey, tradition of, Nahr, the Rivers of Syria, 52-
89 ; his sojourn at Bostra, I 64
426, 428; his Mantle pre-' An Na'im, 352, (^UJi
served, 384; his Platter pre- Hisn an Na'imah, 514,
served, 7 7 ; Prayer Station of, I L^\^\ ^^yos^
and Dome in the Haram Area, An Nairab, or An Nirab, 235,
121, 123, 154, 156, 164, 170 272, 514, «^^i
Muhammad ibn Kala'dn, Sultan, : Nakab 'Azib, 515, *^'}^
his Inscription in the Dome of Nakab Shitir, 515, ;Ua
the Rock, 135
Al Muhammadiyyah, 444, 509,
Muhbil, 509, J^»«
Mujir ad EHn, his Works, 1 2 1
Al Mukaddasi, his Geography, 5
Mukis, 509, <j-H^
Mukhddat al Alawi, the Ford of
the Alide, 444 j
An Naml, Wadi, 402, 403, 413,
549, J^l ^1^
Naphthali, Tomb, 470
Nastbin, 515, ^^y*-*-^
Nasir-i-Khusrau, the traveller,
his Diary, 6
An Nisirah (Nazareth), 301,
>UI
Nawi (Neve), 515, •>*
38
S94
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS,
AnNaw^kir, 5i6,>M>Ji
Nawarza, 388, «>;^U
Nawaz, 516, >y
Nazareth^ 301
Neapolis, Shechem (see Nibulus)
Nebo, 470, 471, 533
Nibtdn, 516, o>^
Nihlin, 516, er^
Nikinnis, 516, ij-sfi»
NSl, Indigo, 396, 397
Nimrod (NimrQd ibn K{ish),?32
Nimrln, or Nimr^ 33
Noah, his dwelling-place, 77 ; at
Damascus, 232 ; enters the
Ark, 386; tomb of, 316, 422,
480
Nob^ 415
An Nukhail, 516, J«AhJ»
An Nu*man ibn Bashir, tomb,
497
An Numraniyyah, 516, M/^'
Nusair, and the Nusairiyyah
Sect, 78, 460
Jabal an Nusairiyyah, 79, 352,
Jabal Nusrah, 309, ly^ J-«^
Oak tree, called Tree of the
Balance, 412
Olive tree, on Mount Sinai, 73
Olives first planted, at Hims,
353
Olives, Mount of, 72, 74, 162,
211, 218-220
Olives, Mount of, at Nibulus,
5^3
*Omar Khalif builds a Mosque
at Jerusalem, 90, 91 ; his con-
quest of Jerusalem, and find-
ing of the Rock, 139-144 ;
Injunction as to the position
of the Aksa, 99 ; Monument
of, at Gaza, 442
Omar ibn 'Abd al Aziz, Khalif,
and the Great Damascus
Mosque, 229, 242, 263, 265 ;
his Mosque at Damascus, 249,
270; his Palace, 251, 257,
271 ; his tomb, 432-434, 497 ;
finishes Ramlah Mosque, 303
Omayyad Mosque at Damascus,
227-229, 232-234, 238, 241-
252, 267-272
Omayyad Khalifs, their Tombs,
253
Orange culture in Syria, 17
Orontes river, 59-61, 70, 72,
354-360, 375, 385
Othman, Khalif, his almshouse
at Jerusalem, 221 ; his Kurin
at Damascus, 248, 264, 269
Orthosia, 350
Oune (of Ptolemy), 387
Ovens used by the Syrians, 23
Overwhelming Lake, the Dead
Sea, 64
Pagrae (Baghris), 37, 38, 42, 71,
407
Palaestina, prima, secunda and
tertia, 26
Palestine (see Filastin)
Palm tree of Jesus at Bethle-
hem, 298, 300
Palmyra (Tadmur), 15, 35, 36,
39» 540-542
Paneas (Baniyas), 15, 34, 39,
380, 418
Pai>er, manufacture of, 19
Papyrus, 68
Paradisus (Jiisiyah), 39, 40, 427,
467
Par an, 73, 440, 527
Pavement of the Mosques in
Syria, 21
Pella (Fahl), 380, 439
Petra (Wadi Musa), 548
Petra, not Ar Rakim, 277
INDEX,
595
Petra Deserti (Crac), 479
Petra Incisa, 403
Pharaoh's Garden at Bairfit,
400
Pharaoh's Cap at Jerusalem,
218-219
Philadelphia ('Amman), 15, 18,
29, 32, ZZ^ 35> 39, 41, 379,
391-393
Phoenicia Prima et Secunda, 26
Pitch- wells, 423
Plague of 'Amwds, 394
Platanus, Mansio, 416
Pliny, his canal at Damascus,
266 ; said to have built Paneas,
419
Podendon, 407
Poilike, 509
Pomegranates of Harim, 449
Pools (see under Birkat)
Port of Acre, 328
Port of Tyre, 344
Porta Aurea, Golden Gate of
Jerusalem, 184
Porta Speciosa, 215
Products peculiar to Syria, 16
Prune called At Tari, 16
Ptolemais (Acre), 30, 32, 39,
41, 328-334, 379
Pyramus river (Jaihdn), 62, 505,
506
Rabab, 517,*^^
Rabad ad Dirain, 517, ^:^}*^\ J^.)
Ra'ban, 36, 517, ^^)
At Rabbah, 495,
Ar Rabbah, for Ar Rayyah
(Rabbetha), 288, 291, 292,
h) for h)
Rabbath Amnion ('Amman), 29,
32, 33, 35, 39, 41, 379, 39 1-
393
Rabbath Moab (Maab), 15, 19,
31, 32, 39, 381, 393,494
Rachel (Rdhil), Tomb, 299
Rafaniyyah (Raphania), 39, 40,
420, 517, M;
Rafh, 27-29, 517, c*->
Rahbah ash Sham, 517, f»liJ» l^)
Rahbah Khalid, 518, oJU. l^^
Rahit, Meadow of, 503
Ar Ra'ibiyyah, 350, &«^'^'
Raisdn, 518, oy^-)
Rajaliyyah, 352, M^;
Rajil, 518, >•;
Ar Rakim, and the Cave of the
Seven Sleepers, 274-286, 392,
Ar Rakkah, 518, &5^i
Rdmah, 518, ^*^
Ar Rami, 346, ^^tP'
Ar Ramlah, 15, 28, 39, 41, 303-
308, &i*^' ; its water, 20 ; river
of, 56; veils of, 16
Rammadah of Ramlah (i), 519,
Rammidah of Halab (2), 519
Ramdsah, 519, l^y»\)
Ransoming of captives, 23
Raphania (see Rafaniyyah)
Ar Ras, 60, 61, ^}\
Ras Abu Muhammad, 549
Ras al 'Ain, 472
Ras al Hisn, 519
Ras Karah, 478
Jabal Ris al Khinzir, 519
Ar Ra'sha, 519, Ujj^i
Rashid ad Din, chief of the
assassins, his tomb, 352
Ar Rass, 276, ^)\
Rastan (Arethusa), 61, 358, 380,
519, ^j^S-J
Rati, Rotl, or RitI, pound weight,
48, 50, 51
Ar Rdwandan, 60, 520, o^^^j^*
Rdwiyah, 520, A^y^
Rayas, 520, ^)
Rayyah, for Rabbah, 288
38—2
s^
PALESTISE USDER THE MOSLEMS.
Ar-Rarran, Jahal, 55, 529,
Reb&xa. Tomb oi, 310, 318,
Reuben, Tomb oC 341, 467
Revenues of Svria at various
epochs, 44-48
Rhinocolura (Al 'Aiish), 41, 397
Ribat, or watch stations, on the
Syrian coast, 2^
Rice culture, 411
Richard Coeur de Lion, 316
Rifi Ehstrict, 29, 30
Riha (i) (or Ariha, JerichoX 15,
18, 28-32, 53, 288, 381, 396,
^j : Water o(j 20, 396
Riha, near Halab (2), 520
Rijah ibn Hayah, 144
The Rock, and Dome of the
Rock (see Jerusalem)
Roofs of Mosques in Syria, 21
Rose-water of Damascus, price
paid, 266
Royal £11, 49
Ruad, 399
Ar-Rubbah, 288, 291, 292, i-tj^
Rubrica Sinopica, 19
Rubwah, 521, %y
Ar Ruhbah, 521, i-e^jJ>
ROhin, 521, ^js^^j
At Raj, 490, c^jM
Riimah, 521, &«^;
Rumailah, 521, i^J^
Ar Rusafkh (i, of Hishim), 36,
352, 521.523, AiU.^; Monas-
tery of, 432
Ar Rusafah (2, Hisn^ 352, 523
Rdsis, 523, u-*-^-?
Hisn ROsCis, 523, ^rr^^ er*^
Ruwat, Ruwath, or Ruwad, 35,
oi^^ or ^j ,«yi^^
RQyin, 523, ^^kv
'9 measure, 48
As Sab* (1), 523, ^--J«
As Sab' (2, Beersheba), 523
Sabaeans, Obsenations of, 61
Sabadir, 61, >*^—
Sabastiyah (i, Samaria), 28,
523, ftjV. J..
Sabastiyah (2, of SumaisatX 523
Sabbatical River, 57
SabMn, 523, ^^^-fc--
: Sablon d'Acre, 458
Sabtar, Sabtat, 61, ;M-- or «^U-—
' Sabiira, Sabwayaim (Zeboim),
289, 292, r-^^yr^ or t?^?t«
Sabyah, 523, i---
As Sadir, 524, >>UM
!Sadtlm (Sodom), 289, 291, 392,
Safad, or Safat, Kingdom o(^ 41,
City of, 524, «-ft- or oo*
Safi ad Din, his Epitome of
Yakiit, 9
Safira, 525, i^so-
As Safiri}7ah, 525, i*yLJl
As Safiyah, 292, i-M-Jl
"Saff, 525, Ul^
ISafifuriyah (Sepphoris), 32, 525,
, As Safsaf, 526, v-iUAoJi
\ Safura (Zipporah), Tomb of, 445,
470
As Safwani\yah, 526, i-si^a-Ji
As Sahirah, the Place of As-
sembly at the Resurrection,
216, 218-2 20, lytLJk
Sahr, 77, j*-
Sahya, 526, ^£««
Sahyiin, or SihyCin (i, Saone),
80, 526, ors9f^
Sahyiin (2, Sion), Church of,
141, 203, 212 ; Gate of, 213-
Said, son of the Khalif 'Abd al
Malik, said to have built the
Dome of the Rock, 144
INDEX,
597
Saida (i, Sidon), 32, 39, 41, 345-
348 ; called Irbil, 458,' *>t^
Saidd (2, in Hauran), 527
Saif ad Daulah, his conquests,
38 ; his palace, 361
Saihan, Nahr (Sams), 63, 382,
Saiian, 477, 527, o^
Si'ir (Seir), 301, 302, 440, 527,
538, ^^
As Sajdr (river), 42, 406, 415,
527, jy-\^\
Sakar (see Sughar, Zoar), ^
As Sakar iyyah, 527, 547, h^^^^
Sakbd, 527, L&M.
Sakf, 528, »-Jk&-
As Saki, 528. J^\
Sakka, 528, \^
Sakt, Nahr, 238, 1-ft- ^
Sa'l, 528, >o
Sar, 528, e^
Saladin (Salah ad Din), his in-
scription in the Aksi Mosque,
109 ; his inscription in the
Dome of the Rock, 134 ; his
Tomb at Damascus, 264
Salaghtis, 528, ^j^yf^
Sal4m, 528, fi^
Salamiyyah, or Salamaniyyah
(Salaminias), 35, 39. 42, 43,
79» 5'o» 528, S**^
Silih, the Prophet, Tomb of, and
Station of, 329, 332, 487
As Silihiyyah, 529, &aJl«l»
Salkhad, or Sarkhad (Salchah),
426, 529, ^3^j^ or odJU
Salman, Hisn, 454, o^*^ tr*^
Salt from the Dead Sea, 20
As Salt, 41, 529, «tJL-M or IJLJ)
Saiak, 530, j/-
Sal(ikiyyah(Seleucia Pieria),384,
530, &-5^
Sim, 530, fL^
Samakah, red sandstone-hills, 20
Samakin, 53o> vj-j-^*-***
Samalii, 530, yu— or yU-«
Samani reeds and mats, 338,
411
Samanii, porridge, 18
Simirah and the Samaritans,
414, 484, 5 1 1-5 14
As Samawah, 530, S^U-Jl
As Samman, 530, o^^^'
Samnin, 530, ^j*a*->"«
Samosata (Sumaisit), 26, 27, 39,
78, 539
Samuel, Convent of, 433
San'a, 530, bu-» _
Sanijiyah, 530, &fi«^U*-
As Sanaman, or As Sanamain,
530, v:;**-^' or o^*-^'
Sand, called Makkah Sand^ 446
Sandfly, called Dalam, 401
Sandpits, for glass, 423
Jabal Sanir, 32, 78, 79, 295-298,
Sanjah, 531, &^k^
As Sannabrah, 531, V^-^l
Sarafah, 531, &»/*
Sarafand or Sarafandah {Zarep-
hath Sarepta), 531, Sou*^
Sarah, Tomb of, 314, 318, 320,
321, 327
Sardi, 419, 'o^
Sargh, 531, ^r-
Sarh, 531, Cr-
Saris, 531, ^ri;^
Sarjah, 531, l^j^
I Sarkhad (Salchad), 426, 529
jSarmad, 532, *^j^
Sarmin, 36, 80, 291, 532, ^^t^^
SirQniyyah, 532, fi-s»^;L*
Sarus River, 63, 382
Sasakdn, 532, o>^^
As Sath, 532, cX^-J»
Satri, 532, »>-
As SatQrah, well in Safad, 524,
INDEX.
599
Shumaimis, 42, fjM.*^*^
Shuraik ibn Habashah and the
Well of the Leaf, 198-200,
Sibistin, 537, vj;^^-.*- [292
Siddlk, Tomb of, 534
Siddiki, his Tomb and Festival
(Jabal Siddiki), 76
Sidon (Saidi), 32, 39, 41, 345-
348 ; called Irbil, 458
As Sifliyy{in, 537, oW^'
Siffin, Plain, and Battle of, 417
Sihyfin (Saone), 80, 526
Sihyiin (Sion), 141, 203, 212-215
Sl'ir (Seir), 301, 302, 440, 527,
538, j^^
Sijjilin, 538, e^ftUw.
Sikilliyih, 538, SU&o
As Sikkin, Jabal, 81, ^jt^^ J-^
Silkworms of Ascalon, 401
Siloam, Pool of (Sulwan), 74,
162, 179, 212, 220, 223
Siloam, Hospital at. 221
Silphius, Mount, 369-371
Simeon. Tomb of, 423, 467
Simon Peter, or Simon Magnus,
Tomb of, 521
Sinib, 61, s^'**-
Sinai (Jabal at TOr), 73, 547 ;
Convent of, 435
Sinjil (Saint Gilles), 466, 483,
538, >^
Sinnar, 538, j^
As Sir, 'Akabah, 389, ^»
Sirfandakar, 538, jS^xiij^
As Sirit, Bridge of, 162, 164,
165, 171, 218, l^J^l
Sirrin, 538, y^^j*
Sis, or Sisiyah (Little Armenia),
27, 38, 62, 63, 420, 538,
o>».»»'».»M or (j»^*^
Sleepers of Ephesus, Legend of,
274-286
Snobur Pines and Wood of, 411,
455, 533
Soap of Nabulus, 513
Soap of Sarmin, 532
Sodom and Gomorrah, Lake of,
66 ; Legends of, 286-292
Solomon, Circus of, at *Ammin,
392 ; Bath of, 146, 337 ; builds
the Enclosure at Hebron, 318,
319 ; his Pools at Wadi Urtis,
197 ; Tomb, in the I^ke oif
Tiberias, 67, 339, 341 ; Tomb
at Bethlehem, 299 ; I^alace at
Ba'albakk, 297
Le Soudin (Suwaidiyyah), 540
The Spy, Legend of, 290, 540
St. Anne, Mother of the Virgin,
Tomb of, 515
St Barbara's Feast, 21
St: George's Feast, 21
St. Giles, Raymond of, 350
St. Gilles, 538
St. John, Monastery of, 428
I St. Mark, Monastery of, 430
St. Mary's Church, at Jerusalem,
90
St. Paul, Monastery of, 428
SS. Peter and Paul, Monastery
of, 429
St. Peter at Antioch, 371
St. Peter, Tomb of, 521
St. Simeon's Harbour, 434
St. Simeon's Convent, 433
St. Stephen^s Gate, Jerusalem,
ancient and modern, 213-215
St. Thomas, Gate of, and
Village, Damascus, 547
Stones, Great, at Ba'albakk, 295 ;
in the Wall of the Haram Area
at Jerusalem, 179
Saba, 538, W>-
As Subaibah, 419, «-*--<Jl
As Subairah, 539, ij^^)
Sudar, 539, >w»
Sufyan, Hisn, 348
Sugar Culture, 1 7, 348, 480
6oo
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Sughar, Sukar, or Zugharj
(Seghor, Zoar), 15, 1 8, 28, 31,
35» 39» 64. 286-292, 392,
^ or j*-o ; Products of, 18 ;
Water of, 20 ; Lake of, or Dead
Sea, 31, 52-54, 64-67
As Sukhnah, 539, &^5i»-J»
Sulam, 539, fJ^
Sulaiman, Khalif, his bath, 146 ;
Tomb of, 426, 503 ; story of
his slave-girl, 430 ; builds
Palace and Mosque at Ar
Ramlah, 303, 304, 307,
308
Sulphur, Mines of, 20
Sulwan (Siloam), 74, 162, 179,
212, 220, 223. o*y^
Sumaisat (Samosata), 26, 27, 39,
78, 539. ^^-^^
As Summak, Jabal, and the
Sumach tree, 8 1 , 390, ^U-Ji J-j*.
Sunnuhar, 539, ^U-u-
Sar (Tyre), 19, 30, 32, 39, 41,
342 345> -?r* ; its products, 19 ;
its water, 20
Suratah, 540, i^j^
As Surayyah, 540, l*j^\
As Surbah, 346, i»j-Ji
Sdriya, name of Hims,
356,
Sdriyah, 540, &4;^
Sdriyyah (Syria), 540, &i;^
Surkh, 540, Cr»
Susitha, 540
SQsiyah ( Hippos), 472,
540,
Jabal as Suwid, 462, oi^l J-a.
As Suwaida, 540, lai^l
As Suwaidiyyah (Port of St.
Simon, or St. Simeon's Har-
bour), 39, 59-61, 80, 376, 434,
540, &HAl^-M
Suwiyyah, 540, &*^
Suyala, 540, ^^^^-J'
Suy{iti, Shams ad Din, his
works, 12
Syria, called SAdm, 14 ; called
S&riyyah, 540
Ta'asir, 540, jt-^^
Tabariyyah (Tiberias), 15, 18,
Z^l^^ 39» 42, 334-341, 38o»
383. ^-r^ ; Lake of, 31, 42,
52, 67, 291, 334-336, 340
Tabor, Mount, 75, 434
Tabiin, ovens, 23
Tidhif, 540, ^oU
Tadmur (Palmyra), 15, 35, 36,
39, 540-542, ^^
Taida, or 'J'idi, 442, UjJ
Tailasan, or Tarhah, veils, 22
At Taim, Wadi, 80, 498,
Taimar, 542, y^
Tais, 542, ,j^
Takhiwah, 542, l^
Taka\ 542, e/s
Talfita, 542, U-ais
Talfiyatha, 542, BUis
Tall (Dew), 542, >
Tall (the Hill oQ A'ran, 542,
Tall Bashir (Turbessel), 42,
Tall Dibbin, 481, s:x^ ^
Tall Habash, 543, <jft-e- J*
Tall HamdQn, 543, o^o^^a. Jj
Tall Hamid, 543, *^^ J?
Tall Hardk, 543, J»^ J*"
Tall Harran, 543, o*^ J^
Tall Himdr, 41, >♦*». J»
Tall Hiim, 543, (^ Js
Tall Jabiyah, 460, Iti^ ^
Tall Jazar, 543, j)^ ^
Tall Jubair, 543, jt^ Js
Tall Kabbisin, 543, ^jt*^^ Ji
Tall Kaisan, 543, o^— e^ J5
Tall Kanisah, 477, &-sa^ Js
INDEX,
601
Tall Kashfahan, 543, o^^^ J*
Tall Khalid, 543, ^^ J?
Tall al Kikan, 543, JoM\ J5
Tall Mannas (i, Ma'arrah) Tela-
minia, 544, ^^^ ^
Tall Mannas (2, Hims), 544
Tall Masih, 544, 5^^ j*
Tall Nasibin, 515, v:;---!-i J*
Tall Safiyah (Blanche Garde),
41, 544, &-*U J*
Tall as Sultan, 441, 544, ^^U«*LJI J*
Tall Tajir, 544, /^^ >"
Tamerlane and the Damascus
Mosque, 272
Tamim ad Ddri, his Almshouse,
Tamni, 544, ^<uJ
Tanhaj, 544, ^
Tanks (see Birkat)
l antQrah Fira'Qn, Pharaoh's cap,
so-called Tomb of Absalom,
218, 219
TanQniyah, 544, ieiy*
Taribulus, or Atrabulus (Tripoli),
32, 39» 43i «o» 81, 348-352,
380, v/-^'^ ; Kingdom of, 41
Taraz Mountains, 352, )\^
Tarfulin, 544, J^J
Tariyik (Theriack, Antidote, and
Tariyaki)ryah serpents), 16,
396
Tannis, 544, v/^>
Tarsus, 26, 27, 37, 38, 62, 63, 82,
377, 378, 418, <j-r->
Tartas (Tortosa), 36, 39, 352,
394, 544, u-^>
At Tarftn, 544, o^>^'
Taula', 544, ^y
At Tawahin, 544, v^^-e-'ysJ'
At Tawtlah, 545, fiii>J»
Taxes and Tribute of Syria, 44-
48
At Tayyibah, 545, &«W<
Telaminia (Tall Mannas), 544
Tell or hill (see Tall)
Tell Dibbin, 481
Templars, Knights, 107, 108,
447, 453
Thahr al Himar, 545, >«Ji ^
Jabal ath Thalj, the Mount of
Snow, Hermon, 79, 418, 419,
Thaniyyat al 'Ukab (i, Damas-
cus), 383, 545, w^t M
Thaniyyat al 'Ukab( 2,Massissah),
545
Nahr Thauri, or Thaurah (river),
58, 238, 253, 266, 6^/orl;^^
Theophanes, the Historian, 91,
140
Theriack Antidote, 16, 396
At Thughiir, the Frontier
Fortresses of Syria, Province
of, 26, 27, 37, j^\
Tiberias (see Tabariyyah)
Tibnin (Le Toron), 545, ^^yt^
Jabal Tibnin, 76, ^Jt!^ J-^
Tih (Desert of the Wanderings),
27-29, 41, 425, V
TimQr Leng, or Tamerlane, and
the Damascus Mosque, 272
Kala'at at Tin, 539, ^jt^l &«1*
At Tin and Az Zaitiin, 546,
Hisn at Tinit, 39, 455,
Tinnab, 546, «-r^
Tirah, 546, S>
Tirzahy 540
Toron, Le, 545
Tortosa, 36, 39, 352, 394, 544
Trachonitis (Al Lajji), 41, 425,
492 [434
Transfiguration, Mount of the,
Tripoli (see Tarabulus)
At Taban, 546, o^^^'
At TQbaniyyah, 546, IJ^.^\
Tubbal, 546, J-*
^. m ■■■.»
-^ ^-T- -f=* -i^ f- r-*- "»5- ^7- *i^,!i3->> > ;
- r— - iT^ Prnvmce ii rxe JTorcan. * 27,
^ - ^ —iixnr. "^ -kJJ* -^^nL xnr T'TTatys; ^c. ^3. ^^
,j^ ^"janimn ^"Srisaieinr. S?-**i^-J
r • Mi mil .rrTTznn.^ Tx .rsis. WjdL y f ^
L-r:in 'HtTnnr Eujt. :-^ '^J^^ j*?^ 5-^- 0=^j*
■ "^ Xiiir iL UnnE. or AI Unmd
ZLL -'iUninr iinsi . -^ fj.- 'Jt-iines . fo-^r. 70. 72, 354-
-" ^¥^^ J*f- i^f- -••j^ or ^^^j9
«* <a •■ -^
Timtistr — TjiI Hjsnr, x^ User, Tanb ot 382
rinnussn. 5-.-. i^--v Vjianm. 1 BclEnTasJL, 36, 39, 57,
riW3» :r TiTwo. fj." ,*«» 395- 4=c» 42^ 504
rxwoiiaii. 5>:.-. *-j«» ' Viliiiy . see under Widi >
rizm. :r TizuL p. 5^7- <j*^*^ VercdcSj. or Barid, post stage,
Tjrtt :^ir. ;i. jc j-i- jti^ 4L The \3gin5 Foant at Jerusa-
^a-i-zu.* . rriiiniis cjL ic : lexn. 220
Wadi al Astil, 403, JJi-» ^
CZEU :r V ±ca. -= v ^ '^'^ ^fT^ 41 (and see under
Ucha.ci=. -::- --^^ ' »adiaIBaiiafeaj,237,e-JuJi^
C 7--:f.--:,-" ,,, wlk.J ^^»iJ Botnan, 39, 62, 406, 426,
460, o^ ^9
■ n ^_t •*- -
* ' ' '"" Wadi Jahannam (Valley of
Uc^^Tih. ccnce. 4^- - 1 kedron), 218-220, r^ ^^
a: 'iT-li-kjiiL 552, 507, *«5»-» Wadi al Hirr, 346, ^ ^^
Unun Keis. 336 Wadi Kan'an, 419, 462, 477,
'Uri rr. 54^ y*>-* ^^'^<i» ^'^^ (Petra), 41, 548,
Unik,395, ^^ .v5->-^^
X'rd, 54S, u*j* \^adi an Naml, 402, 403, 413,
OTrf ad Dik, the Cocks Comb, 549, J^ ^^
534 WILdi at Taim, 80, 498, f^ ^
INDEX,
603
Wadi Urtas, 440,
Widi az Zaitun, 423
Al Wadiyain, 549
Wahb ibn Munabbih, the con-
verted Jew, 142
Waibah, measure, 48
Wailah, or Ailah (Eloth, or
Elath), 27, 28, 39, 549, &W or
Wajh al Hajar, 550, ^«»H &^^
Al Wikfisah, 54, &-yty>
Al Walid, the Khalif, builds
Damascus Mosque, 232-234,
236-241, 260-263 ; carries off
columns from Antioch, 368 ;
said to have built the Aksd, 557
Al Walid ibn Muslim, the Tra-
ditionist, 139
Wartanis (i, Sumaisit), 550,
Wartanis (2, Hauran), 550
Watch stations on the coast, 23
Water in Syria, 20
Water-lily, 16
Water-wheels of the Orontes, 59,
359
Weights used in Syria, 50
Well of Job, 220-223
Well of the Leaf, 198, 292 (see
also under Bir)
The White Mosque at Ar Ram-
lah, 305
The ^\llite Minaret at Damascus,
254, 259, 264
^^^lit-Sunday Festival, 21
Wilson, Sir Charles, identifica-
tion of the Gates of the
Haram Area, 173
Windows of stained glass, 244,
267
Wisidah, 550, SoL-^
Al Wu'airah, 550, S^^'
Al Wutr, 550, /yi
Ya'4th, 550, s±M
Yabrin, 550, ^^i^
Yabrud (i, Hims), 511, 550,
Yabriid (2, Jerusalem), 550
Yabas, 550, vrr»
Yafah, or Yafa (Jaffah, Joppa),
24, 28, 29, 39, 41, 381, 550,
&»^ or ^^»
Nahr and Jisr Yaghra (river), 42,
60, 71, 386, 551, l>* j^;
Lake of, 72
Yahiniil (i, Halab), 551, ^y*^
YahmOl (2, Bahasna), 551
Yakid, 551, ^^1
Masjid al Yakin, 551, yji^^ aa— •
Ya'k(ibi, his geography and his-
tory, 3
Yak{it, his geographical works, 8
Yaldan, 552, o*^
YanjalQs, 277, ur^^>^
Nahr al Yarmiik (Hieromax), 31,
42. 53» 54, -^r*^' > ; battle
of. 54, 430
Al Yarukiyyah, 552, &-*^^y>
Yashkiir, Nahr, 238, j^^i ^
,Yasuf, 552, ^^U
jYazdiid {Ashdo.i\ 381, 405,
' Yazid ibn Sallam, 144
Yazid, Nahr (canal), 58, 235,
238, 265, ^ijtj^
Yazfir, SSh)9'h
Yubn^, or Ubna (i, Jabneh, or
Jabneel), 24, 28, 553, ^\ or
Yubna (2, Balka), 553
Yflnis (Jonah), Tomb, 447
' Yusuf (Joseph, pit oQ, 4^9, 465,
477, 483, 527, 538
Viiyin, 553, yjAyi
Zabad, 555, ^;
Az Zabadani, 39, 553, ^^W>J»
Zabatrah, or Zibatrah, 62, 553,.
6o4
PALESTINE UNDER THE MOSLEMS.
Jabal az Zabud, 76, o^yi J-js-
Zabulon, 382, 458
achariah, 132, 269, 523
achariah, Mihrdb of, iii, i6i,
164-166, 170
Zaghbah, 554, M)
Zaid, the Prophet's Freedman,
Tomb of, 510
Jabal az Zaitd (i, the Mount of
Olives), 72, 74, 162, 211, 218-
220, ^>J* J-e^
Jabal az Zaiti (2, at Nabulus),
513
Az.Zaitan, Wadi, 423
Az Zaitiinah, 554, &*ye^l
A^^ZaitQniyyah, 350, i^y^y^^
Zaiza, or Ziza, 393, 554, >>ej>
2^mlakdn, or Zamluka, 555,
^I53u.) or ^50-)
Zanad, or Zabad, 555, ^) or ^j
Zandan, 555, o**^)
Az Zara'ah, or Ad Dard'ah, 555,
1^\jjS\ or &Pl;f^l
Zardani, 555, ^^j)
Zarephath^ 531
Az Zirika, 555, ^)'^\
Nahr Zarka (JabVok), 55, 393
Az Zarki, 41
Az Zaura, 522, \)yj^
Hisn az Zib, 555, ^~r^^
Zibel (Jabalah), 36, 39, 57, 416,
Zlliish, 556, o*^> [459
Zipporah, wife of Moses, Tomb
of, 445, 47o_^
Zu'airah, 483, S^^
Zubaidah, her Alms-house, 407
AzZubd^n, 553, ^^.'}\
Zughar, Sughar, or Sukar (Zoar
ofl^t), 15, 18, 28,31,35,39,
64, 286-292, 392, jft- or yu
ox ^')\ Products of, 18
Sea of Zughar (Dead Sea), 31,
52-54, 64-67
Az ZuhM, Hisn, 404, oUpi
Zullabiyyah, cake, 23
Ziir'ah, 556, w»j>
Zurri, or Zur*, or Zurrah, 381,
425. 529* 556, hh VJy or \j)
Zurri'ah ad Dahhdk, 556,
Zurri'ah Zufar, 556, >) ^\j)
THE END.
BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, CUILDFORDb
A Descriptive List of ilie Books
Pttblished by Alexander P, Watt
London
LONDON
ALEXANDER P. WATT
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Table of Contents of this Catalogue.
PAGE
Across the Jordan. G.Schumacher 9
Altaic Hieroglyphs and Hittite Inscriptions. Major
wOncier «•. ••• ••• •.• ••• .«• ••• o
Americanisms — Old and New. John S. Farmer ... ... 15
Archaeological Mission of M. Germont-Ganneau, The ... 12
Bible and Modem Discoveries, The. Henry A. Harper ... 6
Board School Laryngitis. Greville MacDonald 14
Diseases of the Nose, A Treatise on. Greville MacDonald
Flora and Fauna of Palestine, The. Canon Tristram ... 9
Flora and Fauna of Wady Arabah, The. Chichester Hart 12
Geology of Palestine and Arabia Petrsea, The. Prof. £. Hull 8
Health : A Journal of Domestic and Sanitary Science ... 14
Heth and Moab. Major Conder 7
Jaulan, The. G. Schumacher 9
Terusalem. Sir Charles Warren and Major Conder ... 8
Memoirs, The. {See Survey of Western Palestine)
Mount Scir. Prof. EUiward Hull 8
Name Lists. {See Survey of Western Palestine)
Names and Places in the Old and New Testaments and
Apocrypha. G. Armstrong 10
Names and Places in the New Testament. G. Armstrong 10
Nasal Obstruction. Greville MacDonald 14
Nasal Respiration. Greville MacDonald 14
Our Work in Palestine. W. Besant 10
Pella. G. Schumacher 9
Quarterly Statement II
Satchel Guide, A ... ... ... ... ••• «.. 16
Slang, A Dictionary oC John S. Fanner 15
Special Papers. {See Survey of Western Palestine)
Survey of Palestine, The il
Survey of Western Palestine, The 13
Syrian Stone Lore. Major Conder 8
Tent Work in Palestine. Major Conder 7
Twenty-one Years* Work in the Holy Land. W. Besant... 10
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BooM on )^ale0tfne.
body of explorers, working on well-
defined lines, well instructed as to tfte
places and methods of examination,
and provided with the instruments
required for the conduct of their
work. The following enumeration of
the officers who have worked for the
Society in the field will show the
character and authority of these
names, and the weight which such
names lend to the work in hand.
Col. Sir Charles Wilson, K.C.B.,
K.C.M.G., LL.D., F.R.S., R.E.
Ordnance Surveyor of Jerasalem and the Peninsula of Sinai ;
afterwards of the Intelligence Department. Consul-General of
Anatolia, and now Director of the Ordnance Survey of Great
Britain.
CoL Sir Charles Warren, G.C.B.,
iC.C.M.O., F.R.S*, R*£.
In command of the Excavations at Jerusalem. Governor of
GriqualandWest, Instructor in Surveying at Chatham, late Head
of the Metropolitan Police, Governor of the Straits Settlement
BookjS on ^altatinu $
Major Anderson, C.M.G., R.E.
Who aocompanied Sir Charles (then Captain) Wilson to Jeru-
salem. Died 1879.
Major Conder, R.E.
Surveyor of Western Palestine and portion of Eastern Palestine,
Author of the books detailed below : now on Uie Sta£f of the
Ordnance Survey.
Lieut-Col. Kitchener, C.B., C.M.G.,
R.E.
Who accompanied Major Conder, and completed alone the
Survey of Western Palestine. Late Governor of SuakinL
Captain Mantell, R.E.
Who accompanied liajor Conder in the Eastern Survey.
Edward Henry Palmer, M.A,
Lord Almoner's Professor of Arabic. Cambridge ; Fellow of St
John's College, Cambridge. Explorer of the Desert of Uie
Exodus, Translator of the Koran, and Author of many valuable
Oriental works. Murdered by Arabs, 1883.
C. F. Tyrwhitt Drake, F.R.G.S.
Wlio accompanied Palmer in his journey across the Desert, Burton
in his wanderings about North Svria, and Conder in the Survey
of Western Palestine. Died in Jerusalem, 1875. His literary
remains were collected and published (Bentley & Son) in the
following year.
Charles Clermont-Ganneau.
For many years attached to the French Consulate, Jerusalem ;
now Professor of Sinaitic Archaeology at the Sorbonne.
Edward Hull, LL.D., F.R.S., F.G.S.
Professor of Geology. Dublin. Chief of the Geological Expedi-
tion to the Valley of Akabah in 1885.
25ooii0 on idale0tine.
Conrad Schick.
Who has resided for a great many years at Jerusalem, and is as well
acquainted with the city and with the question at issue as any
person in the world.
Gottlieb Schumacher, C.E.
Of Haifa. A yoimg German engineer who has recently done excel-
lent work for the Society.
Rev. Greville Chester.
This traveller has made several minor expeditions for the Society.
Among them are journeys to the Island of Ruadjfthe Phoenician
Aradus), across the neck of countiv between the Suez Canal and
Gaxa to the seaboard bordering North Syria, &c.
The following are the IVorks Pub-
lishedfor the Society by Mr. Watt:
Henry A. Harper,
Author of ** Illustrated Letters to my Children,"
" Walks in Palestine," &c, &c.
The Bible and Modem Discoveries. With
Map, Index, and Illustrations. In i voL Demy 8vo,
i6s.
The man who could write such a book as the above roust
possess three necessary qualifications. He must have travelled
in Palestine — not, that is, gone on a tour, but actually travelled
in the old sense, which did not mean lying down in one place
at night and going on again in the morning. Next, he must
possess an intimate knowledge of the book to be illustrated,
llie third qualification necessary for one who should add a new
commentary capable of being read and understood by all, is the
power of writing popularly and vividly.
All three qualifications appeared to the Committee of the
Palestine EzplOTation Fund to be possessed by the Author of
Booto on ^aledtfne.
this work. Mr. Henry A. Harper has been a traveller,
not a tourist Not once, but twice his feet have lingered over
these holy fields. He is an artist who has painted the lands of
Palestine, Sinai, and Egypt. He has a profound knowledge of
the Bible, and a deep love for every portion of it; his
reading is not limited to St Paul on the one hand, not
to the book of Job on the other. He knows every part of
the Bible. And, finally, he has shown in his " Letters to mv
Children from the Holy Land " how well he can illustrate with
pen and pencil the scenes of the Bible.
In this new work, therefore, the Author has attempted a thing
hitherto untried. He has taken the sacred history as related in
the BibUt step by step, and has retold it with explanations and
illustrations drawn from modem research and from personal
observation. He has, in short, written a book which it is hoped
will prove that long-desired popular connection of scientific ex-
ploration with the subject whidi exploration was intended to
illustrate.
Major Conder, R.E.
Tent Work in Palestine. In i vol. 8vo.
Illustrated. 6s.
A popular account of the Survey of Western Palestine, freely
illustrated by drawings made by the Author himself. This is
not a dry record of the sepulchres, or a descriptive catalogue of
the ruins, springs, and valleys, but a continuous narrative full of
observations upon the manners and customs of the people, the
Biblical associations of the sites, the Holy City and its memories,
and is based upon a six years' experience in the country itself.
No other modem traveller has enjoyed the same advantages as
Major Conder, or has used his opportunities to better purpose.
Heth and Moab. In i vol. 8vo. Illustrated.
6s.
Under the above title Major Conder provides a narrative, as
bright and as full of interest as ' ' Tent Work," of the Expedition
for The Survey of Eastern Palestine, How the party begnn
by a flying visit to North Syria in order to discover the Holy
City (Kadesh) of the children of Heth ; how they succeeded in
their search, and what they saw ; how they fared across the
Jordan, and what discoveries they made there, will be found in
this volume.
8 Boo&jS on iBaIedtfne«
Syrian Stone Lore. In i vol. 8vo. Illustrated.
6s.
This volume, the least knowu of Major Conder's works,
probably on account of its somewhat unattractive title, is, none
the less the most valuable to the Biblical student It attempts
a task never before approached — ^the reconstruction of Palestine
from its monuments. It shows, in fact, all thai we shtmldhnow
of Syria if there were no Bible at all, and it illustrates the Bible
from the monuments which remain.
Altaic Hieroglyphs and Hittite Inscriptions.
In I voL 8vo, 5s.
This book is an attempt to read the Hittite inscriptions. It
is not yet possible to say how for the Author has succeeded. It
is certain, however, that he has, as yet, seen no reason to change
his views since the publication of the work.
Sir Chas. Warren and Major Conder.
Jerusalem. Illustrated, with a Portfolio of 50
Sheets of Designs and Plans. In i vol. 4to, £s 5s.
This great work, which is also included in that entitled.
" The Survey of Western Palestine" (see page 13), is certainly
by far the most important book on the subject that has ever
appeared. It includes the whole of the discoveries made in and
around the Holy City from the Ordinance Survey in 1865, until
its publication in 1885. It also contains a bridf history of the
city, an account of its monuments, &&
Prof. Edward Hull, F.R.S., etc.
The Geology of Palestine and Arabia
Petraea. With Illustrations and Coloured Maps.
In I vol., uniform with the " Jerusalem " volume and
" The Survey of Western Palestine." 4to, ;£i is.
Mount Seir. Illustrated. In i vol. 8vo, 6s.
This book is a popular, brightly written account of a bold
and adventurous journey across Sinai, up the Valley of the
Akabah, and round the shores of the Dead Sea. &c. . during the
Geolo^cal Expedition.
25OO&0 on 19ale0tftie«
Gottlieb Schumacher, C.E.
Across the Jordan. Maps and Illustrations.
In I vol. 8vo, 6s.
This book is the history of a short Survey undertaken by Herr
Schumacher for the Coinmiitee of the Palestine Exploration
Fund in the little known and deeply interesting country of tlie
Hauran.
The Jaulan. Containing 144 Illustrations, as
well as Plans and Coloured Maps. In i vol. 8vo,6s.
This is the record of a journey for the survey of a district
hardly ever trodden by Europeans, and full of strange and in-
teresting monuments.
Pella. With Map and 24 Illustrations. In
I vol Paper covers, 2s. 6d.
A Survey of Fahil, the ancient Fella, first home of the Chris-
tians after their retreat from Jerusalem.
All these books by Herr SchUniacher are most valuable and
interesting. They treat of portions of country little known,
rardy visited, and never before surveyed. Herr Schumacher
plans and sketches the ruins with ability and carefulness.
All three volumes are strongly recommended.
Canon Tristram, F.R.S. LL.D., etc.
The Flora and Fauna of Palestine. With 20
Full-page Illustrations, of which 13 are coloured by
hand. In i vol. 4to, £^ 3s.
This noble work— also incliicied in the series entitled, " ITie
Survey of Western Palestine " (see page 13)— contains a com-
plete catalogue of all the vertebrate Fauna, including the fresh-
water fishes ; the most singular portion of the Palestine Fauna,
the terrestrial and lluviatile mollusca, and phanerogamic plants
and the ferns. 'ITie Hebrew names, so far as known {i.e., every
Hebrew name found in the Bible), and the vernacular Arabic
names are given ; the authority and original description of
every species is given in reference, and the geographical area of
each species, which in ever^ case has been carctully worked out.
Short accounts are given of the most interesting and conspicuous
species, and the &hes of the Sea of Galilee are very fiilly
described.
BooM on )PdIedtfne. n
The Quarterly Statement.
Published in Januar}', April, July, and
October, of each year. Each part 2S. 6d. Cloth
cases for binding four parts, is. od.
This journal commenced in March, 1869, and has been con-
tinued without a break to the present time. It is an invaluable
repository of discovery and research recorded from day to day ;
not only in presenting finished results, but the unfinished work
in progress. Here may be read Conder's letters written in the
field, the reports of Palmer, Drake, Kitchener, Clermont-
Ganneau, and others, with notes by occasional travellers ;
speculative and controversial papers, and all kinds of ess^s and
papers on subjects connected with the Holy Land. It is a
monument of Palestinian research. Unfortunately, a complete
edition is very rare, and is worth a great deal It is issued
free to subscribers, and is priced at 2s. 6d. to the public. It
was edited from 1869 to z888 by Mr. Walter Besant. and is
now edited by Dr. Chaplin, for many years Medical Officer in
Jerusalem.
The Survey of Palestine
Consists of the following three volumes,
uniform in size and appearance with the work en-
titled, "The Sur\ey of Western Palestine.' For
price and other particulars see below.
The Survey of Eastern Palestine. This Sur-
vey, commenced by Major Conder, and stopped by order of the
Turkish Government, consists of 500 square miles.
The country is fiill of interest, and abounds with mins of
places Biblical and Classical. Among these ruins are most
wonderful fields of dolmens and stone circles. Major Conder
has made drawings of these. They are also Special Surveys of
all the most important ruins in the district surveyed.
The map of the Survey, reduced to the scale of one-third, vrill
be added to the volume
All Major Conder's drawings and plans, numbering more
than 350, have been engraved.
The Memoirs supplied by Major Conder have been printed
under his supervision. Among them are descriptions, with
plans and drawings, of Heshbon, Amman (Rabboth Amnion),
'Arak el Emir (the Castle of Hyrcanus). the Persian building
formerly considered a Byzantine Church, and other interesting
remains. This volume is now ready, and being issued to
subscribers.
12 Booli0 on ^ale0tfne«
The Archaeological Mission of M. Clermont-
Ganneau. More than ten years have elapsed since these
drawings were placed in the hands of the Committee by M.
Clermont-GanneatL They are most exquisitely drawn by M.
Lecomte. and are chiefly of architectural value. It is most
desirable that they should no longer be withhdd from the
world. The only possible way of publishing them is by
subscription in this manner.
The blocks are 484 in number. Of these about la have
already been published, the whole of the rest having remained
locked up, inaccessible to any one but the members of the
Committee.
The letterpress will be descriptive of the plates, and not
longer than is necessary.
M. Clermont-Ganneau will supervise the whole. This volume
will be issued shortly.
The Flora and Fauna of the Wady Arabah.
Mr. Chichester Hart accompanied Professor Hull in his Geo-
logical Expedition as naturalist This volume is the outcome
of the journey. It contains — A. An Analysis of the Flora and
Fauna of Sinai, with general remarks on 'ts botany and thai
of the Dead Sea Basin. By H. Chichester Hart K Insecta.
C. Mollusci. D. Keptilia. E. Aves. F. Mammalia.
As regards the Illustrations to tliis volume it is enough to
state that they will be in the same style and equal to those in
Canon Tristram's Flora and Fauna of Palestine.
These three volumes are not sold separately.
The edition is limited to 500 copies, and the type will be dis-
tributed immediately after printing.
The subscribers to the first edition (250 copies) of the
"Survey of Western Palestine," are entitled to receive these
volumes at the reduced price of jf 7 7s.
No copies will be disposed of under the price of £^^ 7s. the
set
The first 250 subscribers are entitled to the reduction in price,
whether they be subscribers to the first work or not ; but ihe
[)rice will be £12. Z2s. to all subsequent subscribers, unless they
are subscribers to the " Survry of Western Palestine."
An lUtistrated Circular giving further particulars will be
scftl, post Jree^ on application.
BookiBt oti t^alecirfne. 13
The Survey of Western Palestine.
Less than 20 sets of this magnificent work
now remain. The price of these has heen fixed
at 25 guineas each. The set will never be reprinted,
with the exception of the two volumes '' Flora and
Fauna " and " Jerusalem." It consists of the follow-
ing in seven uniform volumes. 4to.
The Memoirs. Being the Notes taken in the
Field by Major Conder, D.C.L.. R.E.. and Colonel Kitchener.
C. M. G. , A. D. C. R. £. , re-written and arranged after their return.
With hundreds of illustrations of tombs, ruins, &&, drawn
expressly for these volumes, and not to be found anywhere else.
3 vols.
The Name Lists. Transliterated from the
Arabic with translation by Major Conder, R.R, and edited by
Professor K. H. Palmer, z vol
The Volume of Special Papers. Consisting
mostly of reprints of important papers from the " Quarterly State-
ment." by Col. Sir Charles Wilson, K.C.B.. K.C.M.G., F.R.S.,
D.C.L., LL.D.. R-E. ; Col. Sir Charles Warren. G.C.M.G.,
K.C.R, F.R.S., R.E. ; Major Conder, D.C.L., R.E. ; M.
Clermont-Ganneau. Mr. GreviUe Chester. &c. i voL
The Flora and Fauna of Palestine. With
many Illustrations (hand-painted). By Canon Tristram, LL. D. ,
K.R.S. I vol. This volume may be had separately. For
further particulars see page 9.
The Jerusalem Volume. With a Portfolio of
50 Plates. By Col. Sir Charles Warren. G.C.M.G., and Major
Conder, D.C.I^, R.E. i vol. This volume may be had
separately. For price and all particulars see page 8.
The Maps.
An Illustrated Circular giving all information about the
above will be sent, post free^ on application.
14 a^e&fcal Booli0«
Medical Publications.
Greville MacDonald, M.D. Lond.
A Treatise on Diseases of the Nose, with
Chromolithographs, numerous Woodcuts, and Plates.
In I vol. Post 8vo. Cloth extra.
Ready early in February,
Nasal Obstruction, in Relation to Throat
and Ear Disease. In i vol. Demy 8vo, with two
plates, 5s.
" Where many specialists have in thdr writing made ood-
fusion worse confounded, Dr. MacDonald has attempted, and
we think with success, to make matters plain Dealing
with a matter with which the general practitioner is bat little
acquainted, Dr. MacDonald has supplied materials for accurate
diagnosis and prompt and effectual treatment, and in sach a
way as to be within the grasp of those who have no special
trainmg in the kind of work treated of in the book." — The
Lancet.
On the Respiratory Functions of the Nose,
and their Relation to certain Pathological Conditions.
In I vol. Demy 8vo. Illustrated. 5s.
Board School Laryngitis. Second Edition.
Demy 8va Paper covers, is.
Health.
A Journal of Domestic and Sanitary
Science for Lay Readers. Published every Friday,
price 2d. Edited by Dr. Andrew Wilson, F.R.S.E.
To be had of all newsagents, and at all railway
bookstalls. Bonuses are given to yearly subscribers
of los. lod., entitling them to receive "Health,*'
post free, for one year. For particulars sec " Health ."
" Health " is written in plain and non- technical lanfruagc* and
in a thoroughlv popular style, thus adapting itself ror the
instraction of all cla»es in sanitary and health science.
i|3eto 9)icttonarfe0« 15
John S. Farmer.
Slang and its Analogues. In 3 vols. Fools-
cap 4to, printed in antique style, to the number of
500 copies for England, and 250 for America, each
copy being numbered and signed. The set, in half
calf, parchment sides, ;f 5 5s. Vol. i is now ready, and
being issued to subscribers.
A dictionary, historical and comparative, (on the lines of
Dr. Murray's New English Dictionary) of the heterodox
speech of all classes of society for more than 300 years. With
Synonyms in English, French, German, Italian, &c.
"For the first time in a dictionary the subject of English
ilang is seriously treated Recent works have been catch-
pennies, and Mr. Farmer is the first to treat the subject of slang
in a manner commensurate with its importance. .... His book
commends itself warmly to our readers, and its progress cannot
be otherwise than interesting. It is artistically got up, and its
type and paper are all that can be desired. As it is issued in a
umited edition it can scarcely fail of becoming a prized pos-
session."— NoUs and Queries,
A Prospectus giving further particulars will be sent on
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Americanisms : Old and . New. In I vol.
Foolscap 4to, printed in antique style, and bound in
vellum. £;i 2s.
A book for the library, desk, or general reading; for
journalists. Members of Parliament, public speakers, and all
professional men. It is a dictionary of words, phrases, and
colloquialisms peculiar to the United States, British America,
the West Indies, &c., &c., together with their derivation,
meaning, and application.
" Certainly the best and completest dictionary of American-
isms at present existing." — A then (P urn,
A Prospectus giving further particulars will be sent on
application.
1 6 SL &atcl)el (EufDe, (Etc.
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ment of " Health " wherein space is devoted every week to the
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A Satchel Guide.
For the Vacation Tourist in Europe. Roan
flexible. Small 8vo, 6s .
Thoroughly revised throughout, and printed from entirely
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