CHAPTER VIII.

El Hilla — Karbela— Bagdad — Abu Said, now King Irak — Ibn Batuta accompanies his army —

Samarra — Tekrit —Island of Ibn Omar — Nisibin — Sinjar — Dara — Mardin — Bagdad — Mosul
—Mecca.

I NEXT arrived at the city of “El Hilla,* which runs far along by the side
of the Euphrates. Its inhabitants are all followers of the twelve Imams. We
have here a mosque, over the gate of which is an extended veil of silk.
They call it the Mosque of the last ’'Imam. It is said, that Mohammed
Ibn El Hasan El Askari entered this mosque, and became concealed in it.
This person is, according to them, the Imam Mehdi (or leader), who has
long been expected. It is a practice with them to come daily, armed to

. ” . iDi “

* Ann. Mosl. tom. iii. p. 716. This is very near the site of ancient Babylon. El Harawl tells
us that the Jews make pilgrimages to the graves of Ezekiel and Joseph, which they believe to
be here. See Mr. Rich’s Notice of the Ruins of Babylon; Les Mines del’Oriente, tom. iii.
f The following is the creed of the Shiah on this subject, as given by the author of the Dabistan :

HiKij ^ iS

i ^1** tXc ^ L ** . r. ^ I

j*Uoi '^3} ^

f \ x*j y j\} (Xkst*

y\ Jji j\ xq

(X&ly:?.. tL^ j y j\ ^ (Xl jUwJ

ub UJjy. y^y • It is established among the

Imamla (followers of the Imams), that the Imam" Mohammed Ibn Askari is still alive,
but that he is invisible. This they term the less, and greater concealment. The less
concealment lasted seventy-three years, and happened in the times of Muatamid of the
house of Abbas, in the year 266 (A. H.). The greater concealment happened in the time of
RazI, the son of Muktadir, of the house of Abbas. The difference between these two conceal-
ments is this : that in the less, a book and ministers were mediatorial between the Imam and
the pious of the people : but in the greater, all communication was cut off. The first Wakeel
was Othman Ibn Said El Omari; and, after him, by command of the Imam of his time,
it was transferred to his son Abu Jaafar Mohammed, w'ho executed the office about fifty
years. After him Abu El Kasim Hosain Ibn Ruh Ibn Abi Bahr Nawbakhti, who after-
wards left it by will to Abu El Hasan Ali Ibn Mohammed El Samari ; and he was the last

46

PERSIA.

the number of a hundred, to the door of this mosque, bringing with them a
beast saddled and bridled, a great number of persons also with drums and
trumpets, and to say. Come forth. Lord of the age, for tyranny and base-
ness now abounds ; this then is the time for thy egress, that, by thy
means, God may divide between truth and falsehood. They wait till night,
and then return to their homes. I next came to Karbela, and there visited
the meshhed of the Imam El Hosain, the son of Ali.^ This is one of the
greatest meshheds. The inhabitants are of the sect of the twelve Imams.

• V

of the Wakeels. When he was sick the Shiah asked him, who should hold this sacred
office after him ; upon which he drew out an instrument forbidding a will, which is this :

(al jpA aJJl b

(al Jjb <_v?.' Aai cJo’bj

(al L—jjliiSb ) < — jjJjjll

^

L::.-^3b cu;lij LUiijj ^ . “ In the name of the compas-

sionate and merciful God. O Ali, son of Mohammed of Samaria, may God increase the reward
of thy brethren by thee : but thou art a dead man : between me and thee are (only) six days.
Arrange thy matters, therefore, and turn towards no one for supplying thy place after thy death :
for now has happened the complete concealment : nor shall there be a revelation, except by the
permission of God, whose memorial be reverenced, till after the duration of the age, and hearts
shall be hardened, and the earth shall be filled with violence. But there shall come out of my
people one who shall lay claim to a testimony. He, however, who shall lay claim to this before
the outgoing of El Sofyanl and the shout, that man is the antichrist, the corrupter. There is no
power or virtue except in the great God.” He died in the middle of the month Shaaban, An. Hej.
328. See my Persian Controversies, p. 433. I have been the more particular in explaining
this passage, in order to shew the great similarity there is, between the Shiah and our own
Millenarians in this respect. The Shiah expect the Mehdi to appear, when^ Mohammed and
Jesus are also to descend from heaven, and this is to happen at the end of an age or dispensation,
when the world shall be filled with oppression and sin. Upon this occasion, they further tell us,
there is to be a general resurrection of the wicked, and then a horrible slaughter is to ensue : and
after this the earthly Paradise is to commence. It is my intention hereafter to shew, that the
Mohammedans have retained this from the early heretics, as well as many other things peculiar
to one or other of their sects.

* At this place Hosain was killed. Annales Moslem, tom i. pp. 389-391; and DTIerbelot under
Kerbela.

PERSIA.

47

I next arrived at Bagdad, which, notwithstanding the injuries it has
sustained, is still one of the largest of cities. Its inhabitants are mostly
of the sect of Hanbal. In this place is the grave of "^Abu Hanifa, over
which is a cell, and a mosque. Not far off is the grave of the Imam ^Ahmed
Ibn Hanbal as also that of 'El Shiball,'j' of “Sari El Sakti,J of ^Bashar
El Hafi,§ of “Baud El Tai,|| and of Abu Kasim El '^Jonaid,^ all of them
Imams of the Sufis. When I entered Bagdad, the Sultan of the two Iraks
and Khorasan was “Abu Said Bahadur Khan, son of Mohammed Khuda

* Two of the leaders of the four principal sects of the Mohammedans, see D’Herbelot, sub
vocibus, i. e. Abou-Hanifah, and Hanbal.

f JamI calls him ^ OjXvJl and tells us, that he was contemporary with Jonaid.

In his history, which occurs in the last quarter of the we have some very

strange miracles recorded of him, which, however, are not worth copying out.

t This saint, according to the culs.^, where his history will be found a little from the

beginning, was the preceptor of Jonaid, and the rest of the enlightened of Bagdad. His full
name was ^Uo...U jjAall surname ( jjU He was contempo-

rary with the following.

^ Thefullnameofthis saint, according to the culs.^ a little from the beginning, where his

history will be found, is (Jlsll eVr- ^ j-‘-> and the surname jjI

Bashar Ibn El Harith Ibn Abd El Rahman, surnamed Abu Nasr; he died A. H. 227 — A. D. 841.

I

II See the Annales Muslem. tom. ii. p. 41. In the Itinerary of El Harawl, the graves of these

worthies are placed ajyJjAJb in the part of Bagdad termed Shunizia, and they receive the
titles of Jljol Abdal, Awlia, pious persons, and martyrs. In the

we are told, that is the burying ground situated on the west side of Bagdad, and

that several of the above-mentioned saints are buried there : and that there is a mosque and inn
for the Sufis in this ground.

^ This, according to JamT, is a saint of the second class : his surname was Abul Kasim
(ci-wl his title Kawarirl, Zajaj, and Khazaz

He was one of the three who flourished, A. H. 298-9 (A. D. 910-11) who in intellectual powers
are without a fourth ^ Ail

(^^^1 CulsA') &c.

48

TURKEY IN ASIA.

Banda,* * * § which last was one of those Tartar kings who embraced Islamism,
and with his brother-^ Kazan, '|' ruled in these parts. When this Abu Said died,
he left no issue, and the consequence was, his Emirs, each claimed and exer-
cised the rule in those parts in which he had been placed. J When Abu Said
left Bagdad for his own country, I travelled for ten days with him, and
saw, the wonderful arrangement of their march, and their numerous army.
I then went with one of his Emirs to ^Tebrlz, which is a large and beautiful
city.§ In this I lodged one night ; but, when an order came from the
Sultan commanding the Emir ^‘Ala Oddin’s presence in the camp, he set
out the next day, and took me with him. The Sultan, however, became
acquainted with my being there, and sent for me accordingly. I presented
myself to him, and was honoured with a dress and other large presents.
The Emir Ala Oddin told him, that it was my intention to go on the
pilgrimage ; he accordingly ordered such conveyances and provisions for
me as would be necessary for the undertaking. He also wrote to the same
effect to the Emir of Bagdad. I then returned to Bagdad, and claimed
the royal bounty from the Emir. But, as the time for the pilgrimage was
distant, I set out for 'Mosul and '‘Diarbeker. I then went from Bagdad
to the city of ^Samarra,l| which was jn ruins. There had been a ^meshhed

* According to De Guignes “ Aldgiaptou Khan, surnomnie Gaiathedin Khodabendeh Mo-
hammed, meurt le 27 de Ramadhan, A. D. 1316.” And, “ Abousa'id bahadur Khan, fils d’ Ald-
giaptou, regne 19ans; mortle 12 de Rabi elakher, A. D. 1335. Mogols de Perse, oude ITran.”
Histoire Generale des Huns, tom. i. p. 282-3. See also d’Herbelot under Algiaptu, and Abou-
Said.

f See D'Herbelot, art. Gazan, and Annales Muslemici, tom. v. p. 190.

I So De Guignes and others. “ La puissance de ces Moguls finit avec le regne d’ Abousa’id
bahadour Khan. Les princes de la Dynastie des Dgioubaniens mettoient sur le trone, et de-
posoient a leur gre les Khans ses successeurs.” tom. i. p. 283. See Mirkhond, vol. v. sub. an.
Hej; 736, &c., and D’Herbelot sub voce Abou-Said.

§ See Asseman’s Biblioth. Orient, tom. iii. p. ii. p. dccl.xxxiv. and D’Herbelot, art. Tabriz.

II Abulfeda says, cUkc

ir;

TURKEY IN ASIA.

49

in it, dedicated to the last Imam by the Rafiza, as in ” El Hilla. I then
proceeded to "Tekrit,* a large city; then, after many stages, to Mosul.
This is an ancient and strong place. Its citadel ^E1 Hadba is splendid.
From this I went to the island of ®Ibn Omar,f where I arrived after two
days. This is a large city surrounded by a valley, and has thence been
called the Island. The greatest part of it is now in ruins. The inhabitants
are well informed, and are kind to strangers. From this place I went to
*Nisibin,:{; where I arrived after a journey of two days. This is an ancient
city ; but is now mostly in ruins. It abounds in water and gardens, and
is surrounded by a river as with a ^bracelet. Rose-water incomparable in
scent is made here.

I then went to the city of “Sinjar,§ a place abounding with fountains

.jAS. ^ ^

• s

U&liJ

. Sarmar Ray, also called Samar, has its longitude according to the
Atwal in 69° 8', lat. 34° 8' ; according to the Kanan in 69° 45', 34° 50' ; the Rasam 60° 45',
34° 8'. It is said in the Lobab, that Sarmar Ray is a city in Irak above Bagdad : it is a well-
known place. People have abridged its name and called it Samarra. El Moatasim built it, but
it was soon destroyed. It is said in El AazizI that from Sarmar Ray to Okbara is twelve far-
sangs : it is also said to be on the eastern shore of the Tigris. The air and soil of this place
are pure ; but it is said to be now without inhabitants, except in a very few instances, like a
village. Ibn Said says, that El Moatasim built it, and El Wathik added to it the city El
Harunia, and El Mutawakkel the city El JaaferTa, and very much enlarged it. See also D’Her-
belot under Samara. ^ Annales Muslem. tom. ii. pp. 169, 205, 221.

* See Ulenbroek’s Iracae Persiae descriptio. Proleg. p. 40 Asseman, Biblioth, Orient, tom.
iii. P. II., p. dcclxxxiii. ; and D’Herbelot sub voce Tacrit.

-j- “ Le Geziret ben Omar,” says De Guignes (tom. i. p. 257) “ est une ville batie par les
descendans d’Omar dans une isle du Tigre, au-dessus de Moussoul. Elle etoit de la dependance
du Royaume de Moussoul, sous le regne de Seifeddin gazi.” See D’Herbelot, art. Gezirat ;
Asseman, Bibl. Orient., tom. iii. P. II. p. dccli. “ Qui Ibn-omar qualis fuerit non liquet,” says
Mr. Ewald in his Mesopotamia of El Wakedl.

X For an account of this place under the Christians, see Asseman’s Biblioth. Orient., tom. iii.
P. II, pp. dcclxvii-viii. El Harawl tells us, that there is a jujube tree here, about which strange
things are said, and also a Greek inscription which will cure pains in the back, &c. ejusdem
farinse. See also D’Herbelot under Nassibin.

§ El Harawl says of this place : ^ ^

H

V

50

TURKEY IN ASIA.

and rivers, much like Damascus. The inhabitants are Kurds, a generous
and warlike people. At this place I saw the Sheikh ^E1 Salih El Wall El
Aabid Abd Alla El Kurd!, the theologian : I met him with a party on the
highest part of the mountain. They say, that he does not break his fast
of forty days,* except with a crust of barley-bread. Many miracles are
ascribed to him. I then went to the city of “'Dara;j' then to^^MardlnJ in
which there is a very celebrated and strong citadel. The Sultan of Mardin,
at the time I entered it, was El Melik El Salih the son of ^ El Melik El
Mansur. § This is a very generous prince, and much praised by the poets,
on whom he bestows splendid gifts.

I now returned through Mosul to Bagdad, and there found the con-
veyances ready for the pilgrimage. With these I proceeded, and arrived

. . 1J!5 “ . ^U\ "

(y) CivU y \jbJ\

. j*h:i

upon the mountain, and within it is the hill of Kambar. It is said that the ark of Noah struck
upon an eminence (tooth of the mountain, and thence received a fracture : the place was
hence called Sinjar, because he resided (jU- jara) upon it. But the truth is, the city was
built by Sinjar, son of Malik, son of El Dhaar, and to him the name relates. In like manner Amid
is named after Amid son of El Somaid, because he built it ; and Roha (Edessa) received its name
from Roha the daughter of Bolaid, son of Malik, (son) of El Dhaar, because it was built by him.”
I have deemed it important to make this extract to shew among other things, that according to
the Orientals, places take their names from persons, and not the contrary, as some, with the great
Bochart at their head, have supposed. See Asseman, Biblioth. Orient,, tom. iii. P. II, p. dcclxxix,
and Mr. Ewald’s Mesopotamia of El Wakedi, p. xv. Annal. Muslem., tom iii. p. 702. D’Her-
belot, art. Sangiar.

* This fasting, which however continues only during the day, is one of the qualifications of a
saint in the East.

f Here, according to El Harawl, are ruins to be seen, which may be referred to the times of
Darius . Oy y See Mr. Ewald’s “ Libri Wakedii de

Mesopotamise expugnatae Historia,” p. xiv.

J See Asseman’s Biblioth. Orient., tom. iii. P. II, p. dcclxii.

§ It will be in vain to look into De Guignes for this and several other princes mentioned in
these travels. The truth seems to be, Mr. De Guignes had not documents before him by any
means so ample as he felt necessary for his purpose : to supply these chasms is a consummation
devoutly to be wished.

TURKEY IN ASIA.

51

at Mecca in the same year ; and remained there during another. In the
second year arrived the caravan from Irak, v^ith a great quantity of alms
for the support of those ^vho w^ere staying at Mecca and Medina.