The Wall Is Built Of
Solid Stone, About Five Feet In Height, And Four In Thickness, Cased
All Over With
White marble, and inscribed with prayers and invocations
[p.307] neatly sculptured upon the stone in modern characters.[FN#34]
These and the casing are the work of El Ghoury, the Egyptian sultan, in
A.H. 917. The walk round the Kaabah is performed on the outside of the
wall—the nearer to it the better.”
“Round the Kaabah is a good pavement of marble[FN#35] about eight inches
below the level of the great square; it was laid in A.H. 981, by order
of the sultan, and describes an irregular oval; it is surrounded by
thirty-two slender gilt pillars, or rather poles, between every two of
which are suspended seven glass lamps, always lighted after
sunset.[FN#36] Beyond the poles is a second pavement, about eight paces
broad, somewhat elevated above the first, but of coarser work; then
another six inches higher, and eighteen paces broad, upon which stand
several small buildings; beyond this is the gravelled ground; so that
two broad steps may be said to lead from the square down to the Kaabah.
The small buildings just mentioned which surround the Kaabah are the
five Makams,[FN#37] with the well
[p.308] of Zem Zem, the arch called Bab es Salam, and the Mambar.”
“Opposite the four sides of the Kaabah stand four other small buildings,
where the Imaums of the orthodox Mohammedan sects, the Hanefy, Shafey,
Hanbaly, and Maleky take their station, and guide the congregation in
their prayers. The Makam el Maleky on the south, and that of Hanbaly
opposite the Black Stone, are small pavilions open on all sides, and
supported by four slender pillars, with a light sloping roof,
terminating in a point, exactly in the style of Indian pagodas.[FN#38]
The Makam el Hanafy, which is the largest, being fifteen paces by
eight, is open on all sides, and supported by twelve small pillars; it
has an upper story, also open, where the Mueddin who calls to prayers
takes his stand. This was built in A.H. 923, by Sultan Selim I.; it was
afterwards rebuilt by Khoshgeldy, governor of Djidda, in 947; but all
the four Makams, as they now stand, were built in A.H. 1074. The
Makam-es’-Shafey is over the well Zem Zem, to which it serves as an upper
chamber.[FN#39]”
“Near their respective Makams the adherents of the four different sects
seat themselves for prayers. During my stay at Meccah the Hanefys
always began their prayer first; but, according to Muselman custom, the
Shafeys should pray first in the Mosque; then the Hanefys, Malekys, and
Hanbalys. The prayer of the Maghreb is an exception, which they are all
enjoined to utter together.[FN#40]
[p.309] The Makam el Hanbaly is the place where the officers of
government and other great people are seated during prayers: here the
Pasha and the sheriff are placed, and in their absence the eunuchs of
the temple.
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