“Regarding Gaza I travelled to the city away from Abraham [Hebron], new mosque from which is actually regarding female, however, good-sized, build, towering and you may loft, and you will situated out of squared rocks. . . They say that Solomon demanded the latest jinn to create it. “(Gibb, p. 55.)
Inside part, you will learn much regarding Islam! Before you can discover Ibn Battuta’s journey, you may want specific history regarding the extremely important prophets which he will inform regarding. Maybe you have observed Adam and eve as well as their sons Cain and Abel? Have you figured out regarding Prophet Muhammad? These types of and others was produced within chapter.
Ibn Battuta kept Cairo and you can going so you can Damascus, Syria along side Royal Path. The latest Mamluk regulators planned caravans to bring pilgrims and merchants collectively that it trail. Brand new Mamluks checked passports, taxed the fresh new merchants, and you will strictly tracked who was going in and you will out of their region.
That it part of the Mamluk Kingdom had been for the fierce fights with Mongol Intruders. Away from 1260 with the very early 1300s, the fresh Mamluk fighters been able to push the fresh Mongol armies aside away from Damascus and you will north Syria, and you will left him or her from taking Egypt and Palestine. The fresh new Mongols got absorbed Baghdad and far of the Abbasid Kingdom because of the 1258 trapping and you may damaging urban centers as they went.
The newest Mamluk armies protected this new empire and you may kept open the fresh new change pathways additionally the pilgrimage paths. Together one part of the station soldiers towards the horseback dragged carpeting or mats in order to smooth the new sand a night. Another morning the latest soldiers sought out anybody who got remaining songs in the mud, pursued her or him and you may punished him or her severely.
Damascus was including a moment money to your Mamluk, an excellent city one Ibn Battuta merely must find! Away from Damascus he might connect with good Hajj caravan and you may done his trip to Mecca safely. But there were most other holy internet observe with this part out-of his excursion: Hebron, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and much more! And you can a blast of pilgrims involved these types of urban centers underneath the cover of your own Mamluk Sultan.
This is a chart of your own Mamluk Empire plus the Mongol Khanates within 12 months 1294. For individuals who contrast so it for the map from Ibn Battuta’s vacations, you’ll see you to definitely by the point Ibn Battuta embarked to the their travels when you look at the 1325, the Mamluks had destroyed region into the Mongols. Mention this new moved on border in the field of progressive-day Iraq.
Hebron are an excellent holy web site to have Muslims, Christians, and you will Jews because it’s brand new burial place of “fathers” or “patriarchs” away from monotheism (belief in one God): Abraham, Isaac, and you will Jacob. Near Hebron are also holy internet, like the burial place out-of Lot.
People say one Muhammad himself went to this holy site (including Bethlehem) so you can hope to your their Nights Travel, deciding to make the websites more holy and you will worth pilgrimage.
Do you know regarding Abraham?
“Out-of Gaza We visited the metropolis from Abraham [Hebron], the newest mosque where are off feminine, but reasonable, construction, imposing and you can attic, and you can centered out of squared stones. . . It is said that Solomon commanded the new jinn to build they. ” [Gibb, p. dine app app 55.]
With it is the sacred cavern with the latest graves away from Abraham, Isaac, and you can Jacob, reverse being around three graves, being the ones from the spouses
Then he arrived in Jerusalem that has been an extremely small-town during the time, with an inhabitants from no more than ten,one hundred thousand. “Its defensive wall space had been within the ruins, element of the water-supply needed to be earned. plus it try found on not one of essential trade routes. ” [Dunn, p. 56.] Yet, because of its crucial shrines and you can sanctuaries, it absolutely was a fundamental element of Ibn Battuta’s pilgrimage: “God ennoble [Jerusalem] – third inside brilliance following the one or two sacred Mosques [out of Mecca and you will Medina] while the place of ascension of Apostle of Jesus [Muhammed] – God bless him and present him peace – whence he was caught up to your heaven.”[Gibb, p. 77.] Here he decided to go to the Sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque while the Dome of Rock. The fresh new silver-domed Al-Aqsa Mosque is produced in 691 across in the Dome from the newest Material.