CHAPTER IX
Wâṣiṭ al-ʿIrâḳ
The first cathedral mosques. ʿAbd-al-Ḥamid ibn-Wâsiʿ al-Khatli-l-Ḥâsib from al-Ḥasan ibn-Ṣâliḥ:—The first cathedral mosque[1] built in as-Sawâd was that of al-Madâʾin built by Saʿd and his companions. It was later made larger and stronger under the supervision of Ḥudhaifah ibn-al-Yamân who died at al-Mada'in in the year 36. After that, Saʿd established the mosque of al-Kûfah and that of al-Anbâr.
Wâsiṭ built by al-Ḥajjâj. The city of Wâsiṭ was built in the year 83 or 84 by al-Ḥajjâj who also built its mosque, castle and Ḳubbat al-Khaḍrâʾ.[2] The site of Wâsiṭ having been covered with reeds [ḳaṣab], the city acquired the name of Wâsiṭ al-Ḳaṣab. This city is equidistant from al-Ahwâz, al-Baṣrah and al-Kûfah. Ibn-al-Ḳirrîyah remarks, "He [al-Ḥajjâj] has built it but not in his town, and shall leave it but not for his son."
One of the sheikhs of Wâsiṭ from other sheikhs:—When al-Ḥajjâj completed the erection of Wâsiṭ, he wrote to ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân, "I have built a city in a hollow of the ground [kirsh] between al-Jabal and al-Miṣrain, and called it Wâsiṭ [lying halfway between]." That is why the people of Wâsiṭ were called the Kirshîyûn.[3] Before he
- ↑ Masjid jâmiʿ == the chief mosque of the city in which people assemble on Friday for prayer and the khuṭbah.
- ↑ i. e., "the green dome." It was later occupied by al-Manṣûr and called Bâb adh-Dhahab. Le Strange, 31 seq.; Yâḳût, vol. i, p. 683; Yaʿḳûbi, Buldân, p. 240, and Taʾrîkh, vol. ii, p. 450; Ṭabari, vol. iii, p. 326.
- ↑ Tâj al-ʿArûs, s. v. kirsh.
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