Ibn Batoutah
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Ibn Batoutah
Mohammad Bin Abdullah Ibn Batoutah was born in Tangier city (Morocco) in the lunar year 703. In the lunar year 725 determined to visit the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Nabi) in Mecca and Prophet Mohammad’s mosque in Medina to be a beginning for a long journey covered most of Islamic world, China and Rome.
Ibn Batoutah got the most of the opportunities at his disposal to resume his studies and promote his knowledge. In Damascus, Baghdad and Shiraz attended lectures organized by distinctive scholars at that time; he studied the most important books in Hadith and jurisprudence as he mentioned in his recorded trips, his prolong stay in Mecca helped him in continuing his knowledge and refining his ideas.
Mecca was at that time the most important religious center in the Islamic world, staying there would guarantee for an individual to get reward in the day of resurrection and other benefits such as: being acquainted with grand scholars from various countries and getting familiar with most important incidents in the Islamic world. For the importance of Ibn Batoutah’s it would be enough to say that without referring to that book it would be impossible to investigate the social and political situations that the Islamic world was experiencing at the first half of the eighth lunar century.
The following is a brief of Ibn Batoutah’s seven voyages to Mecca:
“I left Tangier my birthplace on Thursday the second of Rajab in the lunar year 725, intending to visit the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Nabi) in Mecca and the holy shrine of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). At that time my father was still alive and I was 22 years old”.
Ibn Batoutah went to Medina through Tunisia, Alexandria, Cairo, Jerusalem, Tyre, Tripoli, Aleppo, Antakya and Damascus, explaining inhabitants’ customs, religions and the landmarks of those cities.
In Egypt, Ibn Batoutah talked about ceremonies regarding Hajj dubbed as “the day of rotating cargo”, that day was a distinctive one in Egypt, four main judges along with the treasurer and jurisprudents and high ranks in the state would ride their horses and head towards castle’s gate, where King Nasser was there, for that particular occasion people from different sects would gather and follow the cargo in Cairo and other cities of Egypt. That ceremony would take place in Rajab month, there enthusiasm and passion would agitate and everybody would prepare himself to the big season of Hajj.
Ibn Batoutah prepared a list of Damascus’s religious scholars who taught him prior to his departure from that city.
From Damascus to Medina:
On the first day of Shawal month in the lunar year 726, Hajj caravan left Damascus and reached Koswah village, I was with them, the head of that caravan was Prince Saif Al-Dean Joyan, and his judge Sharaf Al-Dean Al-Azraee Al-Horany, Sadr Al-Dean Al-Ammary, the Maliki scholar joined us in Hajj caravan also. Some Arabs called “Al-Ajarimah” accompanied us in that voyage; their Prince was Mohammad Bin Rafia, from Koswah we arrived at a village called Sanamien (two idols).
From there we headed towards a small town called Zaraah in Horan area. Then we went to Bosra, a small city, it was a custom for the caravan to stay there for four days in order to allow those who remained in Damascus to join it. The grand Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) came to Bosra city prior to revelation while he was trading for Khadijah (pbuh), there is a big mosque built on the spot of his camel knees, many people from Horan come to this city for shopping prior to their departure to Mecca.
Then pilgrims head for to a place called Jeezah to the South of Amman, they stay there for one day and then they go to Al-Lojoon which has plenty of potable water, and from there they head to Al-Kirk fortress. Our caravan stayed outside Kirk fortress for four days at a place called Al-Thaniah, visitors prepared themselves to enter the vast desert, and after two days we arrived at That Al-Hajj then at Tabook where we stayed four days there to have rest and quench camels’ thirst.
During our travel in the desert the caravan wouldn’t stop day and night in order to avoid robbers and possible dangers! On the fifth day of our departure from Tabook we arrived at Al-Hijr well, distance from Al-Hijr and Olah was less than a day, and on the third day we reached suburbs of the holy city of Medina.
On the evening of that day we entered the Masjid Al-Nabi in Medina, we paid respect to the grand Prophet (pbuh) then we performed prayer in the holy shrine between Prophet’s grave and his pulpit, then we touched the remaining piece of palm tree trunk that yearned for the Prophet (pbuh), that trunk was stick to a pillar between the grave and pulpit to the right of who performs prayer towards holy Kaaba.
The Mosque and the holy shrine of the grand Prophet (pbuh):
The sacred mosque’s shape is rectangle; its four walls covered by flagstones, at the center of the courtyard there are pebbles and sand, and a street covered by carved stones surrounds the Masjid Al-Nabi. The holy shrine is located to the East of the mosque, it has a strange shape I can’t describe it, and covered by marvelous marble which has been perfumed by musk and scent for long ages!
At the middle of the shrine there is a small pool covered by marble and at Kiblah direction there is a prayer niche, it was said that this place was Fatima’s house (pbuh), and it was said also that her grave was there! God knows!!
Historians said that the Kiblah was set up by the Prophet (pbuh) himself, but some said that Gabriel (pbuh) he asked the Prophet to build it there! At the beginning Jerusalem was the Kiblah for Muslims, and then it was switched to Mecca after sixteen months or seventeen months!
Holy shrines in Medina:
One of sacred sites outside Medina is “Bakea Al-Gharkad”, it is located to the East of Medina, and you may reach there from Bakea door. An individual would find the grave of Safiah the daughter of Abdul Mottaleb on the left when he wants to leave the cemetery; she was the aunt of the Prophet (pbuh) and mother of Al-Zobair Bin Al-Awwam, in front of her grave there is the grave of Abu Abdullah Malik Bin Anas, it has a small dome, in front of it the grave of Abraham the son of the Prophet (pbuh) is located and it had a white dome, on the right of that there is the grave of Abdul Rahman the son of Omar Bin Al-Khattab, known as Abu Shahmah.
Near that grave you could see the graves of Akeel Bin Abu Talib, Abdullah Bin Jaafar Bin Abu Talib, and near them the graves of Prophet’s wives. Next to that there is a courtyard contains graves of Abbas Bin Abdul Mottaleb, Prophet’s uncle, and Hassan the son of Ali Bin Abu Talib (pbuh), this grave has a golden dome and located to the right of the cemetery’s gate. Those two graves are higher than the ground covered with silver plates.
In Bakea there are graves for immigrants from Mecca and followers of the Prophet (pbuh) in Medina in addition to companions of the Prophet (pbuh), most of these graves are unknown.
Qubaa is another holy site in Medina; it is located about two miles from the holy city, you may reach there among palm trees.
This area contains the mosque that was built on pious and gratification, it has a square shape and contains a white hermitage could be seen from a distance. At the center of the mosque there is the place where Prophet’s camel kneeled, and people pray there seeking blessings. At the Kiblah side of the mosque there is a prayer niche where the Prophet (pbuh) performed his prayer for the first time there.
Another site outside Medina a place dubbed as oil stones, it was said that oil was poured out when the Prophet (pbuh) touched one of those stones. To the North of that place there is Bothaah well, and near to it there is Satan Mountain which shouted on the day of Ohod battle: “I killed your Prophet”!
Near the ditch that the Prophet ordered to be diged in order to confront the parties that came to fight Islam army there is a fortress dubbed as bachelors’ fortress!
Ohod is another site outside Medina, that is the blessed mountain which Prophet (pbuh) said about it: “Ohod is a mountain likes us and we like it also”!
This mountain is located about three miles of Medina; all martyrs were buried near that mountain.
There is also the grave of Hamzah, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) uncle, and the graves of Ohod martyrs, on the way to Ohod there is a mosque ascribed to Ali Bin Abe Talib (pbuh) and another mosque ascribed to Selman Al-Farsi (the Persian), in addition to Fattah mosque where Fattah chapter in holy Koran was revealed.
Towards Mecca:
We left Medina heading towards Mecca, at first we reached Thee Al-Halifah mosque where the grand Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) put on ihram garments for omra, this mosque is far from Medina about five miles, and it is considered as the last point of Medina boundaries. Near to that mosque there is Akik valley, there I took off my sewed clothes and performed ritual ablution and put on ihram garment then I prayed preparing myself for Hajj rituals.
I kept reciting the allegiance to the almighty God in every plain desert and mountain till I reached Ali’s mountain pass, we spent our night there.
Then we left that place heading for Al-Rawhaa, after that we arrived at Al-Safraa, later we reached Bader area where almighty God granted victory to his Prophet (pbuh) and uprooted the infidels! In Bader area there is a spring and the place in which infidels were dragged, but today that place has been changed to a garden! Clemency Mountain (Al-Rahmah) in which angels disembarked is located to the left side of Al-Safraa, and near that place there is drums’ mountain (Al-Tobool), inhabitants near that mountain allege that they hear drums’ sounds on Thursday evening! In addition to that, there is the location where the Prophet (pbuh) set up an arbor and prays to his God asking him the victory.
Then we left Bader to the desert known as Kaa Al-Bazwaa, from there pilgrims from Egypt and Morocco put on ihram garment, it is near Al-Johfah.
We spent three days in the way till we reached Khalies from Rabigh, then we went to Osfan, from this valley most of fruits and vegetables are being sent to Mecca.
Then we left that valley while every individual was delighted for achieving his goal and desire very soon!
In the early morning we arrived the holy city of Mecca, we rushed to the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) and the shelter of Abraham (pbuh) and the revelation place for Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), we entered the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Nabi) through Shaibah’s door, we saw the holy Kaaba as if it was a bride sitting on bridal thrown surrounded by thousands of God’s guests, then we circumambulated around Kaaba and touched the black stone where prayers are accepted by almighty God, then I performed my prayer behind the holy shrine of Abraham (pbuh) and touched the curtains of the holy Kaaba near the Moltazem that is located between the door of Kaaba and the black stone where prayers are accepted by almighty God, after that we drank water from Zam Zam Well where the Prophet (pbuh) drank water, then we performed Al-Saai (endeavor) between Safa and Marwa, we hired a house near the door of Abraham (pbuh).
Mecca city:
Mecca is a big city with attached buildings, located in a valley surrounded by several mountains; a comer wouldn’t see the city till he reaches there, all Hajj rituals’ sites, such as Arafat, Mina and Masher are located to the East of Mecca.
Mecca has three gates, Al-Moalla gate from the top of the city and Al-Shabeekah gate from below of the city, it is dubbed as omra gate also, it is located to the West of the city, road to Medina, Egypt, Sham and Jeddah ends there, in addition to Al-Masfal gate which is located in the South of the city, and from there Khalid Bin Al-Waleed entered the holy city on the victory day.
Mecca city, as almighty God said in the holy Koran is located in a dry valley lacks any kind of agriculture, but God’s blessings covered this holy city, people from all parts of the world rush to it, and all kinds of fruit are being sent to it, I personally tasted grapes, figs, pearls and dates that I haven’t tasted before in my life! Whatever goods you think of you may find them in that holy city!!
The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) is located at the center of the city; it is a vast area, its length from East to West more than four hundred meters that is what Al-Azraky said. The mosque’s width is not less than its length. The holy Kaaba is at the centre of the mosque it is so nice that any tongue can’t describe its beauty. The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram)’s three flagstones organized in a way that a viewer thinks they constitute one flagstone, and its pillars are 491one except that pillar which is in Dar Al-Nadwah that has been annexed to the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram).
The Iraqi corner is located in front of Dar Al-Nadwah, there are terraces connected to the wall of Dar Al-Nadwah used by holy Koran readers, writers and tailors.
The holy Kaaba is oblique and it is higher than the ground from three sides about 28 meters and from the forth side between the black stone and Yamani corner 29 meters, while the width from Iraqi corner to the black stone is about five and half meters, and the same width from Yamani corner to the Shami corner. The width from the Iraqi corner to the Northern corner inside Ismael place is about five meters, and the width of Ismael’s place itself is around 20 meters.
Stones used in erecting holy Kaaba are blackish that had been stick together in a way that would never be subjected to erosion by time. The door of holy Kaaba is located between the black stone and the Iraqi corner which is far from the black stone around 2 meters, that place is dubbed as Al-Moltazem, where prayer is accepted by the almighty God. The height of Kaaba door from the ground is about 2 meters and covered with silver plates and its stairs are covered with silver also. The door has two big silver handles with a key.
This door is usually opened on Friday after the prayer and on the anniversary of the birthday of the grand Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), the head of Bani Shaibah tribe puts a chair looks like pulpit on the stairs of Kaaba with the assistance from his aids who hold the curtain that is on the door, when that person opens the door he first kisses the threshold and enters the Kaaba alone, then the rest of that tribe enter Kaaba, later the door would be open for the rest of visitors, prior to that visitors would say: O God! Please open your clemency’s doors, you who are the most merciful.
Inside walls of Kaaba and its ground are covered with colored marble, and it has three pillars, between each one of them around three steps, and they are at the middle of Kaaba.
For a wonder in Kaaba that whenever the door is opened numerous people enter that place, God knows their number, and despite that crowd it would contain it, and Kaaba wouldn’t be empty of visitors day and night! Another wonder from Kaaba that the pigeons and other birds never stand on the surface of holy Kaaba, you may see those birds and pigeons fly over the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), but whenever they come near the Kaaba itself they would avoid flying over it!!
The gutter and Ismael’s place:
The gutter is located at the top of the wall that is after Ismael’s place, it is gilded and its width is around 10 centimeters, while its length is 2 meters. Under that gutter Ismael’s grave where prayer is accepted by almighty God.
That grave is covered by a green marble taking shape of rectangle which resembles a prayer niche connected to a circled marble, and near the Iraqi corner there is the grave of Ismael’s mother, Hajar which has a green marble as well, the distance between two graves is about 2 meters.
The height of the black stone from ground is about one and half meter, tall individuals have to bow in order to kiss it, while short individuals have to do their best in order to reach it! That stone has four connected pieces, it was said in the history that Al-Karmaty, God’s curse upon him, broke the black stone and the people who were their killed him! Some Moroccans were killed in that incident!!
Circumambulation (Tawaf) commences from the black stone, an individual must start his Tawaf from there while holy Kaaba is on his left side.
Abraham’s shrine:
Between the door of Kaaba and the Iraqi corner there is a place its length is about 4 meters and its width is half of that, and its height is around half a meter. This place is called the shrine of Abraham (pbuh), it looks like a small pond, whenever the courtyard of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) is washed, water gather in that place, it is a blessed spot, people shove one another to pray at that place.
Abraham’s shrine is located between the Iraqi corner and Kaaba door, but it is nearer to the door, it has a small dome with a steel window under it, behind it there is a curved place designated for visitors who perform circumambulation’s prayer.
Zam Zam Well:
The dome of Zam Zam Well is located in front of the black stone, the distance between two places is around twenty four steps, while Abraham’ shrine is located to the right of the dome, dome’s door is towards East side, it contains a place for supplying people with water, its height from ground is around one meter, around it there is a bench being used by visitors for performing ablution.
Behind Zam Zam dome there is a place attributed to Abbas Prophet’s uncle, its door towards North, it contains a number of holy Koran and books belong to the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram). There is also a casket contains a Koran written by Zaid Bin Thabit eighteen years after Prophet’s demise. Whenever Mecca faces drought its inhabitants take out that Koran and put it on the stairs of Kaaba’s door and the holy shrine of Abraham (pbuh), then they gather bear-headed praying and invoking to almighty God, and they wouldn’t disperse till almighty God bestows them his compassion and mercy.
The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram)’s doors:
The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) has nineteen doors connected to numerous doors, such as Safa door that opens on five extra doors, this door was known at previous times “Bani Makhzoom’s door”, and it is the biggest door in the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), from this door visitors can reach endeavor (Masaa), It is preferable for a visitor to enter the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) from “Bani Shaibah door”, and leaves the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) after performing circumambulation (Tawaf) from Safa door, going through the two pillars built by Al-Mahdi, the Abbasid caliph.
Ajyad the smaller is another door of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) that is connected with two other doors, and tailors’ door which opens on two doors also, and Prophet’s door that is connected with two doors, in addition to Bani Shaibah door which is located at the corner of the Eastern wall towards North, this door is connected with three doors.
There is another small door that doesn’t bear any name, in addition to Al-Nadwah door, and Al-Sedrah number one, and omra door number one which is considered the most beautiful door in the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), and Abraham door number one, regarding this particular door people differ in its name, some say that it is related to Abraham (pbuh) while others claim that it relates to Abraham Al-Kharzee a non-Arab fellow. There is also Al-Hazwah door which is connected with two doors in addition to a third door that is connected to two doors and Safa door.
The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) has five minarets, one of them is located at Abi cobais corner near Safa door, the second is located at Bani Shaibah corner, the third is near Dar Al-Nadwah, the forth at Al-Sedrah door while the fifth is located at Ajyad corner.
On the top of Abraham’s door there is a magnificent dome can’t be described from inside due to marvelous seen in it, and outside Abraham’s door there is a well known as Abraham’s well.
One of the sacred sites near the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) is the revelation dome, and it is located in Khadejah’s house adjacent to Prophet’s door, and there is a small dome in that house where Fatima (pbuh) was born.
Safa and Marwa:
The distance from Safa door, which is one of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) doors, to Safa itself 76 steps, and the width of Safa is around 17 steps, it has fourteen steps the upper one looks like a bench. The whole distance from Safa and Marwa is around 493 steps, but the distance from Safa to the green pillar 93 steps and from there to another two green pillars is around 75 steps. Marwa has five steps.
The width of Marwa is around 17 steps; the green pillar is located on the left of the visitor that performs endeavor (Al-Saai). The two pillars are located near one of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram)’s doors, one of those two pillars is located near the courtyard of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) while the other opposite to it. Between the first pillar and the other two pillars a visitor must jog instead of walking back and forth.
There is a big market between Safa and Marwa, in this market meat, cereals, oil and fruits are displayed for customers, those who perform Al-Saai are annoyed by the crowd who seek purchasing from that market. There is no other well-organized market as such in Mecca, except drapers and spice dealers near Shaibah door. Between Safa and Marwa there is the house of Abbas Prophet’s uncle which is being used as a residential building for visitors.
Ihram of holy Kaaba:
On the twenty seventh of the lunar month of "Dhu Al-Qadah", curtains of the holy Kaaba would be drawn up to the half of its height from four sides, it is a memorable day in Mecca, and the door of holy Kaaba wouldn’t be opened anymore till the end of stoppage in Arafat.
Hajj religious ceremonies:
On the first day of the lunar month of "Dhu al-Hijjah" drums and rebecks are beaten during prayers time day and night informing visitors and inhabitants of Mecca about the start of Hajj season, that situation remains so till the stoppage in Arafat.
On the seventh day of "Dhu al-Hijjah" an orator delivers his speech teaching the visitors Hajj rituals and telling them about the stoppage day in Arafat. Visitors go early to Mina on the eighth day of "Dhu al-Hijjah" while princes from Egypt, Sham and Iraq spend that night in Mina. Then boastfulness commences between visitors from Egypt, Sham and Iraq in lightening candles, but visitors from Sham are the winners always. On the ninth day of that month visitors leave Mina after Morning Prayers heading for Arafat through Mohassar valley, they usually run from there according to Prophetical Sunna.
Mishar Al-Hiram is a plain ground located between two mountains, surrounded by water tanks; the distance from Mina to Arafat is five miles and the same distance from Mina and Mecca. Arafat has three names, gathering, Arafat and Mishar Al-Hiram.
Arafat is a plain ground surrounded by many mountains, there is Clemency Mountain (Jabal Al-Rahmah) near Arafat, visitors stop there, and there are two flags there pointing to the boundaries between the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) and the place where people could leave state of ritual consecration, near that place there is the valley of Arafat that the Prophet (pbuh) asked Muslims to refrain from stopping there on that particular day.
Visitors must refrain from dispersing due to the heavy congestion in Arafat, some cameleers used to ask visitors to go to the valley of Arafat, as a result their Hajj rituals would null.
Clemency Mountain that we talked about earlier is located among several mountains but it is separated from them and its stones are separated as well.
Hajj rituals:
After sunset on the ninth day of "Dhu Al-Hijjah", we arrived at Mishar Al-Hiram; we performed two night prayers together in accordance to Prophetical Sunna. Next day, after we performed Morning Prayer in Mishar we headed towards Mina. All Mishar area is a stoppage for visitors except Mohassar valley, in that valley visitors jog till they leave it.
From Mishar visitors collect pebbles, it is a desirable deed, and some individuals collect those pebbles around Al-Khaif mosque, when visitors arrive at Mina they start throwing pebbles at Satan, then they offer their sacrifices and after that they shave their hair, by that deed they would be free from state of ritual consecration except using perfumes and having sexual intercourse with women till they perform the final circumambulation. Throwing pebbles at Satan would take place after sunrise of the tenth day of "Dhu Al-Hijjah".
Some visitors perform final circumambulation after offering sacrifices while some others postpone that ritual to the next day.
On the eleventh day of "Dhu Al-Hijjah", visitors throw pebbles at the first and second Satan at the noon then they gather to pray and invoke almighty God in accordance to Prophetical Sunna. On the twelfth day of "Dhu al-Hijjah" visitors rush to Mecca after they threw 49 pebbles while most of them completed throwing 70 pebbles.
The covering of the holy Kaaba:
On the day of offering sacrifice (Eid day), covering of the holy Kaaba was sent from the Egyptian caravan to the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), it was put on the surface of Kaaba, and on the twelfth of "Dhu al-Hijjah" members of Shaibah tribe lowered the covering on the holy Kaaba.
That covering is black color made of silk and padded with flax, and at the top of that covering this verse from holy Koran can be seen:
“God rendered Kaaba the Hiram house rising place for people”.
On four sides of the covering there are verses from holy Koran written in white color that would illuminate because of the black color of the covering.
At these days the door of holy Kaaba would open for Iraqis and visitors from Khorasan and others who arrive with Iraqi caravan, they often remain in Mecca four days after the departure of Egyptian and Shami caravans; they would give alms in big quantities to those who are residing at the suburbs of Mecca and other needy people.
I saw them with my own eyes roaming in the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) in Mecca handing inhabitants of Mecca and those who live at the suburbs of it silver and clothes, and whenever they would see a sleeping individual they would leave gold and silver beside him till he wakes up!
When I accompanied them from Iraq in the lunar year 728 Iraqis did a lot of those things to Mecca’s inhabitants to the extent that gold’s prices dropped in the holy city!
On the twentieth of "Dhu al-Hijjah" Bin Batoutah left Mecca heading for Baghdad, then he returned to the holy city with Iraqi caravan in the lunar year 728, he remained in Mecca in the years 729 and 730.
In the lunar year 730 Bin Batoutah traveled to Yemen by sea route, and in the lunar year 732 he returned to Mecca in order to perform Hajj rituals once more then he went to India.
Mecca was at that time the most important religious center in the Islamic world, staying there would guarantee for an individual to get reward in the day of resurrection and other benefits such as: being acquainted with grand scholars from various countries and getting familiar with most important incidents in the Islamic world. For the importance of Ibn Batoutah’s it would be enough to say that without referring to that book it would be impossible to investigate the social and political situations that the Islamic world was experiencing at the first half of the eighth lunar century.
The following is a brief of Ibn Batoutah’s seven voyages to Mecca:
“I left Tangier my birthplace on Thursday the second of Rajab in the lunar year 725, intending to visit the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Nabi) in Mecca and the holy shrine of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). At that time my father was still alive and I was 22 years old”.
Ibn Batoutah went to Medina through Tunisia, Alexandria, Cairo, Jerusalem, Tyre, Tripoli, Aleppo, Antakya and Damascus, explaining inhabitants’ customs, religions and the landmarks of those cities.
In Egypt, Ibn Batoutah talked about ceremonies regarding Hajj dubbed as “the day of rotating cargo”, that day was a distinctive one in Egypt, four main judges along with the treasurer and jurisprudents and high ranks in the state would ride their horses and head towards castle’s gate, where King Nasser was there, for that particular occasion people from different sects would gather and follow the cargo in Cairo and other cities of Egypt. That ceremony would take place in Rajab month, there enthusiasm and passion would agitate and everybody would prepare himself to the big season of Hajj.
Ibn Batoutah prepared a list of Damascus’s religious scholars who taught him prior to his departure from that city.
From Damascus to Medina:
On the first day of Shawal month in the lunar year 726, Hajj caravan left Damascus and reached Koswah village, I was with them, the head of that caravan was Prince Saif Al-Dean Joyan, and his judge Sharaf Al-Dean Al-Azraee Al-Horany, Sadr Al-Dean Al-Ammary, the Maliki scholar joined us in Hajj caravan also. Some Arabs called “Al-Ajarimah” accompanied us in that voyage; their Prince was Mohammad Bin Rafia, from Koswah we arrived at a village called Sanamien (two idols).
From there we headed towards a small town called Zaraah in Horan area. Then we went to Bosra, a small city, it was a custom for the caravan to stay there for four days in order to allow those who remained in Damascus to join it. The grand Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) came to Bosra city prior to revelation while he was trading for Khadijah (pbuh), there is a big mosque built on the spot of his camel knees, many people from Horan come to this city for shopping prior to their departure to Mecca.
Then pilgrims head for to a place called Jeezah to the South of Amman, they stay there for one day and then they go to Al-Lojoon which has plenty of potable water, and from there they head to Al-Kirk fortress. Our caravan stayed outside Kirk fortress for four days at a place called Al-Thaniah, visitors prepared themselves to enter the vast desert, and after two days we arrived at That Al-Hajj then at Tabook where we stayed four days there to have rest and quench camels’ thirst.
During our travel in the desert the caravan wouldn’t stop day and night in order to avoid robbers and possible dangers! On the fifth day of our departure from Tabook we arrived at Al-Hijr well, distance from Al-Hijr and Olah was less than a day, and on the third day we reached suburbs of the holy city of Medina.
On the evening of that day we entered the Masjid Al-Nabi in Medina, we paid respect to the grand Prophet (pbuh) then we performed prayer in the holy shrine between Prophet’s grave and his pulpit, then we touched the remaining piece of palm tree trunk that yearned for the Prophet (pbuh), that trunk was stick to a pillar between the grave and pulpit to the right of who performs prayer towards holy Kaaba.
The Mosque and the holy shrine of the grand Prophet (pbuh):
The sacred mosque’s shape is rectangle; its four walls covered by flagstones, at the center of the courtyard there are pebbles and sand, and a street covered by carved stones surrounds the Masjid Al-Nabi. The holy shrine is located to the East of the mosque, it has a strange shape I can’t describe it, and covered by marvelous marble which has been perfumed by musk and scent for long ages!
At the middle of the shrine there is a small pool covered by marble and at Kiblah direction there is a prayer niche, it was said that this place was Fatima’s house (pbuh), and it was said also that her grave was there! God knows!!
Historians said that the Kiblah was set up by the Prophet (pbuh) himself, but some said that Gabriel (pbuh) he asked the Prophet to build it there! At the beginning Jerusalem was the Kiblah for Muslims, and then it was switched to Mecca after sixteen months or seventeen months!
Holy shrines in Medina:
One of sacred sites outside Medina is “Bakea Al-Gharkad”, it is located to the East of Medina, and you may reach there from Bakea door. An individual would find the grave of Safiah the daughter of Abdul Mottaleb on the left when he wants to leave the cemetery; she was the aunt of the Prophet (pbuh) and mother of Al-Zobair Bin Al-Awwam, in front of her grave there is the grave of Abu Abdullah Malik Bin Anas, it has a small dome, in front of it the grave of Abraham the son of the Prophet (pbuh) is located and it had a white dome, on the right of that there is the grave of Abdul Rahman the son of Omar Bin Al-Khattab, known as Abu Shahmah.
Near that grave you could see the graves of Akeel Bin Abu Talib, Abdullah Bin Jaafar Bin Abu Talib, and near them the graves of Prophet’s wives. Next to that there is a courtyard contains graves of Abbas Bin Abdul Mottaleb, Prophet’s uncle, and Hassan the son of Ali Bin Abu Talib (pbuh), this grave has a golden dome and located to the right of the cemetery’s gate. Those two graves are higher than the ground covered with silver plates.
In Bakea there are graves for immigrants from Mecca and followers of the Prophet (pbuh) in Medina in addition to companions of the Prophet (pbuh), most of these graves are unknown.
Qubaa is another holy site in Medina; it is located about two miles from the holy city, you may reach there among palm trees.
This area contains the mosque that was built on pious and gratification, it has a square shape and contains a white hermitage could be seen from a distance. At the center of the mosque there is the place where Prophet’s camel kneeled, and people pray there seeking blessings. At the Kiblah side of the mosque there is a prayer niche where the Prophet (pbuh) performed his prayer for the first time there.
Another site outside Medina a place dubbed as oil stones, it was said that oil was poured out when the Prophet (pbuh) touched one of those stones. To the North of that place there is Bothaah well, and near to it there is Satan Mountain which shouted on the day of Ohod battle: “I killed your Prophet”!
Near the ditch that the Prophet ordered to be diged in order to confront the parties that came to fight Islam army there is a fortress dubbed as bachelors’ fortress!
Ohod is another site outside Medina, that is the blessed mountain which Prophet (pbuh) said about it: “Ohod is a mountain likes us and we like it also”!
This mountain is located about three miles of Medina; all martyrs were buried near that mountain.
There is also the grave of Hamzah, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) uncle, and the graves of Ohod martyrs, on the way to Ohod there is a mosque ascribed to Ali Bin Abe Talib (pbuh) and another mosque ascribed to Selman Al-Farsi (the Persian), in addition to Fattah mosque where Fattah chapter in holy Koran was revealed.
Towards Mecca:
We left Medina heading towards Mecca, at first we reached Thee Al-Halifah mosque where the grand Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) put on ihram garments for omra, this mosque is far from Medina about five miles, and it is considered as the last point of Medina boundaries. Near to that mosque there is Akik valley, there I took off my sewed clothes and performed ritual ablution and put on ihram garment then I prayed preparing myself for Hajj rituals.
I kept reciting the allegiance to the almighty God in every plain desert and mountain till I reached Ali’s mountain pass, we spent our night there.
Then we left that place heading for Al-Rawhaa, after that we arrived at Al-Safraa, later we reached Bader area where almighty God granted victory to his Prophet (pbuh) and uprooted the infidels! In Bader area there is a spring and the place in which infidels were dragged, but today that place has been changed to a garden! Clemency Mountain (Al-Rahmah) in which angels disembarked is located to the left side of Al-Safraa, and near that place there is drums’ mountain (Al-Tobool), inhabitants near that mountain allege that they hear drums’ sounds on Thursday evening! In addition to that, there is the location where the Prophet (pbuh) set up an arbor and prays to his God asking him the victory.
Then we left Bader to the desert known as Kaa Al-Bazwaa, from there pilgrims from Egypt and Morocco put on ihram garment, it is near Al-Johfah.
We spent three days in the way till we reached Khalies from Rabigh, then we went to Osfan, from this valley most of fruits and vegetables are being sent to Mecca.
Then we left that valley while every individual was delighted for achieving his goal and desire very soon!
In the early morning we arrived the holy city of Mecca, we rushed to the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) and the shelter of Abraham (pbuh) and the revelation place for Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), we entered the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Nabi) through Shaibah’s door, we saw the holy Kaaba as if it was a bride sitting on bridal thrown surrounded by thousands of God’s guests, then we circumambulated around Kaaba and touched the black stone where prayers are accepted by almighty God, then I performed my prayer behind the holy shrine of Abraham (pbuh) and touched the curtains of the holy Kaaba near the Moltazem that is located between the door of Kaaba and the black stone where prayers are accepted by almighty God, after that we drank water from Zam Zam Well where the Prophet (pbuh) drank water, then we performed Al-Saai (endeavor) between Safa and Marwa, we hired a house near the door of Abraham (pbuh).
Mecca city:
Mecca is a big city with attached buildings, located in a valley surrounded by several mountains; a comer wouldn’t see the city till he reaches there, all Hajj rituals’ sites, such as Arafat, Mina and Masher are located to the East of Mecca.
Mecca has three gates, Al-Moalla gate from the top of the city and Al-Shabeekah gate from below of the city, it is dubbed as omra gate also, it is located to the West of the city, road to Medina, Egypt, Sham and Jeddah ends there, in addition to Al-Masfal gate which is located in the South of the city, and from there Khalid Bin Al-Waleed entered the holy city on the victory day.
Mecca city, as almighty God said in the holy Koran is located in a dry valley lacks any kind of agriculture, but God’s blessings covered this holy city, people from all parts of the world rush to it, and all kinds of fruit are being sent to it, I personally tasted grapes, figs, pearls and dates that I haven’t tasted before in my life! Whatever goods you think of you may find them in that holy city!!
The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) is located at the center of the city; it is a vast area, its length from East to West more than four hundred meters that is what Al-Azraky said. The mosque’s width is not less than its length. The holy Kaaba is at the centre of the mosque it is so nice that any tongue can’t describe its beauty. The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram)’s three flagstones organized in a way that a viewer thinks they constitute one flagstone, and its pillars are 491one except that pillar which is in Dar Al-Nadwah that has been annexed to the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram).
The Iraqi corner is located in front of Dar Al-Nadwah, there are terraces connected to the wall of Dar Al-Nadwah used by holy Koran readers, writers and tailors.
The holy Kaaba is oblique and it is higher than the ground from three sides about 28 meters and from the forth side between the black stone and Yamani corner 29 meters, while the width from Iraqi corner to the black stone is about five and half meters, and the same width from Yamani corner to the Shami corner. The width from the Iraqi corner to the Northern corner inside Ismael place is about five meters, and the width of Ismael’s place itself is around 20 meters.
Stones used in erecting holy Kaaba are blackish that had been stick together in a way that would never be subjected to erosion by time. The door of holy Kaaba is located between the black stone and the Iraqi corner which is far from the black stone around 2 meters, that place is dubbed as Al-Moltazem, where prayer is accepted by the almighty God. The height of Kaaba door from the ground is about 2 meters and covered with silver plates and its stairs are covered with silver also. The door has two big silver handles with a key.
This door is usually opened on Friday after the prayer and on the anniversary of the birthday of the grand Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), the head of Bani Shaibah tribe puts a chair looks like pulpit on the stairs of Kaaba with the assistance from his aids who hold the curtain that is on the door, when that person opens the door he first kisses the threshold and enters the Kaaba alone, then the rest of that tribe enter Kaaba, later the door would be open for the rest of visitors, prior to that visitors would say: O God! Please open your clemency’s doors, you who are the most merciful.
Inside walls of Kaaba and its ground are covered with colored marble, and it has three pillars, between each one of them around three steps, and they are at the middle of Kaaba.
For a wonder in Kaaba that whenever the door is opened numerous people enter that place, God knows their number, and despite that crowd it would contain it, and Kaaba wouldn’t be empty of visitors day and night! Another wonder from Kaaba that the pigeons and other birds never stand on the surface of holy Kaaba, you may see those birds and pigeons fly over the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), but whenever they come near the Kaaba itself they would avoid flying over it!!
The gutter and Ismael’s place:
The gutter is located at the top of the wall that is after Ismael’s place, it is gilded and its width is around 10 centimeters, while its length is 2 meters. Under that gutter Ismael’s grave where prayer is accepted by almighty God.
That grave is covered by a green marble taking shape of rectangle which resembles a prayer niche connected to a circled marble, and near the Iraqi corner there is the grave of Ismael’s mother, Hajar which has a green marble as well, the distance between two graves is about 2 meters.
The height of the black stone from ground is about one and half meter, tall individuals have to bow in order to kiss it, while short individuals have to do their best in order to reach it! That stone has four connected pieces, it was said in the history that Al-Karmaty, God’s curse upon him, broke the black stone and the people who were their killed him! Some Moroccans were killed in that incident!!
Circumambulation (Tawaf) commences from the black stone, an individual must start his Tawaf from there while holy Kaaba is on his left side.
Abraham’s shrine:
Between the door of Kaaba and the Iraqi corner there is a place its length is about 4 meters and its width is half of that, and its height is around half a meter. This place is called the shrine of Abraham (pbuh), it looks like a small pond, whenever the courtyard of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) is washed, water gather in that place, it is a blessed spot, people shove one another to pray at that place.
Abraham’s shrine is located between the Iraqi corner and Kaaba door, but it is nearer to the door, it has a small dome with a steel window under it, behind it there is a curved place designated for visitors who perform circumambulation’s prayer.
Zam Zam Well:
The dome of Zam Zam Well is located in front of the black stone, the distance between two places is around twenty four steps, while Abraham’ shrine is located to the right of the dome, dome’s door is towards East side, it contains a place for supplying people with water, its height from ground is around one meter, around it there is a bench being used by visitors for performing ablution.
Behind Zam Zam dome there is a place attributed to Abbas Prophet’s uncle, its door towards North, it contains a number of holy Koran and books belong to the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram). There is also a casket contains a Koran written by Zaid Bin Thabit eighteen years after Prophet’s demise. Whenever Mecca faces drought its inhabitants take out that Koran and put it on the stairs of Kaaba’s door and the holy shrine of Abraham (pbuh), then they gather bear-headed praying and invoking to almighty God, and they wouldn’t disperse till almighty God bestows them his compassion and mercy.
The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram)’s doors:
The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) has nineteen doors connected to numerous doors, such as Safa door that opens on five extra doors, this door was known at previous times “Bani Makhzoom’s door”, and it is the biggest door in the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), from this door visitors can reach endeavor (Masaa), It is preferable for a visitor to enter the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) from “Bani Shaibah door”, and leaves the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) after performing circumambulation (Tawaf) from Safa door, going through the two pillars built by Al-Mahdi, the Abbasid caliph.
Ajyad the smaller is another door of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) that is connected with two other doors, and tailors’ door which opens on two doors also, and Prophet’s door that is connected with two doors, in addition to Bani Shaibah door which is located at the corner of the Eastern wall towards North, this door is connected with three doors.
There is another small door that doesn’t bear any name, in addition to Al-Nadwah door, and Al-Sedrah number one, and omra door number one which is considered the most beautiful door in the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), and Abraham door number one, regarding this particular door people differ in its name, some say that it is related to Abraham (pbuh) while others claim that it relates to Abraham Al-Kharzee a non-Arab fellow. There is also Al-Hazwah door which is connected with two doors in addition to a third door that is connected to two doors and Safa door.
The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) has five minarets, one of them is located at Abi cobais corner near Safa door, the second is located at Bani Shaibah corner, the third is near Dar Al-Nadwah, the forth at Al-Sedrah door while the fifth is located at Ajyad corner.
On the top of Abraham’s door there is a magnificent dome can’t be described from inside due to marvelous seen in it, and outside Abraham’s door there is a well known as Abraham’s well.
One of the sacred sites near the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) is the revelation dome, and it is located in Khadejah’s house adjacent to Prophet’s door, and there is a small dome in that house where Fatima (pbuh) was born.
Safa and Marwa:
The distance from Safa door, which is one of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) doors, to Safa itself 76 steps, and the width of Safa is around 17 steps, it has fourteen steps the upper one looks like a bench. The whole distance from Safa and Marwa is around 493 steps, but the distance from Safa to the green pillar 93 steps and from there to another two green pillars is around 75 steps. Marwa has five steps.
The width of Marwa is around 17 steps; the green pillar is located on the left of the visitor that performs endeavor (Al-Saai). The two pillars are located near one of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram)’s doors, one of those two pillars is located near the courtyard of the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) while the other opposite to it. Between the first pillar and the other two pillars a visitor must jog instead of walking back and forth.
There is a big market between Safa and Marwa, in this market meat, cereals, oil and fruits are displayed for customers, those who perform Al-Saai are annoyed by the crowd who seek purchasing from that market. There is no other well-organized market as such in Mecca, except drapers and spice dealers near Shaibah door. Between Safa and Marwa there is the house of Abbas Prophet’s uncle which is being used as a residential building for visitors.
Ihram of holy Kaaba:
On the twenty seventh of the lunar month of "Dhu Al-Qadah", curtains of the holy Kaaba would be drawn up to the half of its height from four sides, it is a memorable day in Mecca, and the door of holy Kaaba wouldn’t be opened anymore till the end of stoppage in Arafat.
Hajj religious ceremonies:
On the first day of the lunar month of "Dhu al-Hijjah" drums and rebecks are beaten during prayers time day and night informing visitors and inhabitants of Mecca about the start of Hajj season, that situation remains so till the stoppage in Arafat.
On the seventh day of "Dhu al-Hijjah" an orator delivers his speech teaching the visitors Hajj rituals and telling them about the stoppage day in Arafat. Visitors go early to Mina on the eighth day of "Dhu al-Hijjah" while princes from Egypt, Sham and Iraq spend that night in Mina. Then boastfulness commences between visitors from Egypt, Sham and Iraq in lightening candles, but visitors from Sham are the winners always. On the ninth day of that month visitors leave Mina after Morning Prayers heading for Arafat through Mohassar valley, they usually run from there according to Prophetical Sunna.
Mishar Al-Hiram is a plain ground located between two mountains, surrounded by water tanks; the distance from Mina to Arafat is five miles and the same distance from Mina and Mecca. Arafat has three names, gathering, Arafat and Mishar Al-Hiram.
Arafat is a plain ground surrounded by many mountains, there is Clemency Mountain (Jabal Al-Rahmah) near Arafat, visitors stop there, and there are two flags there pointing to the boundaries between the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) and the place where people could leave state of ritual consecration, near that place there is the valley of Arafat that the Prophet (pbuh) asked Muslims to refrain from stopping there on that particular day.
Visitors must refrain from dispersing due to the heavy congestion in Arafat, some cameleers used to ask visitors to go to the valley of Arafat, as a result their Hajj rituals would null.
Clemency Mountain that we talked about earlier is located among several mountains but it is separated from them and its stones are separated as well.
Hajj rituals:
After sunset on the ninth day of "Dhu Al-Hijjah", we arrived at Mishar Al-Hiram; we performed two night prayers together in accordance to Prophetical Sunna. Next day, after we performed Morning Prayer in Mishar we headed towards Mina. All Mishar area is a stoppage for visitors except Mohassar valley, in that valley visitors jog till they leave it.
From Mishar visitors collect pebbles, it is a desirable deed, and some individuals collect those pebbles around Al-Khaif mosque, when visitors arrive at Mina they start throwing pebbles at Satan, then they offer their sacrifices and after that they shave their hair, by that deed they would be free from state of ritual consecration except using perfumes and having sexual intercourse with women till they perform the final circumambulation. Throwing pebbles at Satan would take place after sunrise of the tenth day of "Dhu Al-Hijjah".
Some visitors perform final circumambulation after offering sacrifices while some others postpone that ritual to the next day.
On the eleventh day of "Dhu Al-Hijjah", visitors throw pebbles at the first and second Satan at the noon then they gather to pray and invoke almighty God in accordance to Prophetical Sunna. On the twelfth day of "Dhu al-Hijjah" visitors rush to Mecca after they threw 49 pebbles while most of them completed throwing 70 pebbles.
The covering of the holy Kaaba:
On the day of offering sacrifice (Eid day), covering of the holy Kaaba was sent from the Egyptian caravan to the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), it was put on the surface of Kaaba, and on the twelfth of "Dhu al-Hijjah" members of Shaibah tribe lowered the covering on the holy Kaaba.
That covering is black color made of silk and padded with flax, and at the top of that covering this verse from holy Koran can be seen:
“God rendered Kaaba the Hiram house rising place for people”.
On four sides of the covering there are verses from holy Koran written in white color that would illuminate because of the black color of the covering.
At these days the door of holy Kaaba would open for Iraqis and visitors from Khorasan and others who arrive with Iraqi caravan, they often remain in Mecca four days after the departure of Egyptian and Shami caravans; they would give alms in big quantities to those who are residing at the suburbs of Mecca and other needy people.
I saw them with my own eyes roaming in the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) in Mecca handing inhabitants of Mecca and those who live at the suburbs of it silver and clothes, and whenever they would see a sleeping individual they would leave gold and silver beside him till he wakes up!
When I accompanied them from Iraq in the lunar year 728 Iraqis did a lot of those things to Mecca’s inhabitants to the extent that gold’s prices dropped in the holy city!
On the twentieth of "Dhu al-Hijjah" Bin Batoutah left Mecca heading for Baghdad, then he returned to the holy city with Iraqi caravan in the lunar year 728, he remained in Mecca in the years 729 and 730.
In the lunar year 730 Bin Batoutah traveled to Yemen by sea route, and in the lunar year 732 he returned to Mecca in order to perform Hajj rituals once more then he went to India.
