On The Basis Of The Kaabah, Just Over The Maajan, Is An
Ancient Cufic Inscription; But This I Was Unable To Decipher, And Had
No Opportunity Of Copying It.”
“On the west (north-west) side of the Kaabah, about two feet below its
summit, is the famous Myzab, or
Water-spout,[FN#28] through which the
rain-water collected on the roof of the building is discharged, so as
to fall upon the ground; it is about four feet in length, and six
inches in breadth, as well as I could judge from below, with borders
equal in height to its breadth. At the
[p.305] mouth hangs what is called the beard of the Myzab; a gilt
board, over which the water flows. This spout was sent hither from
Constantinople in A.H. 981, and is reported to be of pure gold. The
pavement round the Kaabah, below the Myzab, was laid down in A.H. 826,
and consists of various coloured stones, forming a very handsome
specimen of mosaic. There are two large slabs of fine verdi
antico[FN#29] in the centre, which, according to Makrizi, were sent
thither, as presents from Cairo, in A.H. 241. This is the spot where,
according to Mohammedan tradition, Ismayl the son of Ibrahim, and his
mother Hajirah are buried; and here it is meritorious for the pilgrim
to recite a prayer of two Rikats. On this side is a semicircular wall,
the two extremities of which are in a line with the sides of the
Kaabah, and distant from it three or four feet,[FN#30] leaving an
opening, which leads to the burial-place of Ismayl. The wall bears the
name of El Hatym[FN#31]; and the area
[p.306] which it encloses is called Hedjer or Hedjer Ismayl,[FN#32] on
account of its being separated from the Kaabah: the wall itself also is
sometimes so called.”
“Tradition says that the Kaabah once extended as far as the Hatym, and
that this side having fallen down just at the time of the Hadj, the
expenses of repairing it were demanded from the pilgrims, under a
pretence that the revenues of government were not acquired in a manner
sufficiently pure to admit of their application towards a purpose so
sacred. The sum, however, obtained, proved very inadequate; all that
could be done, therefore, was to raise a wall, which marked the space
formerly occupied by the Kaabah. This tradition, although current among
the Metowefs (cicerones) is at variance with history; which declares
that the Hedjer was built by the Beni Koreish, who contracted the
dimensions of the Kaabah; that it was united to the building by
Hadjadj,[FN#33] and again separated from it by Ibn Zebeyr. It is
asserted by Fasy, that a part of the Hedjer as it now stands was never
comprehended within the Kaabah. The law regards it as a portion of the
Kaabah, inasmuch as it is esteemed equally meritorious to pray in the
Hedjer as in the Kaabah itself; and the pilgrims who have not an
opportunity of entering the latter are permitted to affirm upon oath
that they have prayed in the Kaabah, although they have only prostrated
themselves within the enclosure of the Hatym.
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