Dictionary of Islam

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DICTIONARY OF ISLAM.

DABBATU 'L-ARZ

Lit. "The Reptile of the Earth." A monster who shall arise in the last day, and shall cry unto the people of the earth that mankind have not believed in the revelations of God (vide Qur'an, Surah xxvii. 84): "And when sentence falls upon them we will bring forth a beast out of the earth, that shall speak to them and say, 'Men of our signs would not be sure.'" According to the Traditions he will be the third sign of the coming resurrection, and will come forth from the mountain of Sufah. (Mishkat, xxiii. c. iv.) Both Sale and Rodwell have confounded the Dabbatu 'l-Arz with the Al-Jassasah, the spy, mentioned in a tradition by Fatimah (Mishkat, xxiii. c. iv.), and which is held to be a demon now in existence. [AL-JASSASAH.] For a description of the Dabbah, see the article on the RESURRECTION.

DABUR "The West wind." A term used by the Sufis to express the lust of the flesh, and its overwhelming power in the heart of man. (Abdu 'r-Razzaq's Dictionary of Suf I Terms.)

DAHHA Plural of the Persian ten. The ten days of the Muharram during which public mourning for 'Ali and his sons is observed by Shi'ah Muhammadans (Wilson's Glossary of Indian Terms.)

AD-DAHR "A long space of time." A title given to the LXXVIth Chapter of the Qur'an; called also Silratu 'Insan, "The chapter of Man." The title is taken from the first verse of the chapter: "Did not there pass over man a long space of time?"

DAHRI

One who believes in the eternity of matter, and asserts that the duration of this world is from eternity, and denies the Day of Resurrection and Judgement; an Atheist (Ghiyasu 'l-I-ghat, in loco.)

DAIN A debt contracted with some definite term fixed for repayments, as distinguished from qarz, which is used for a loan given without any fixed term for repayment. [DEBT.]

DAJJAL Lit. "false, lying." The name given in the Hadis to certain religious imposters who shall appear in the world; a term equivalent to our use of the word Antichrist. Muhammad is related to have said there would be about thirty.

The Masihu 'd-Dajjal, or "the lying Christ," it is said, will be the last of the Dajjals, for an account of whom refer to the article on MASIHU 'D-DAJJAL.

DALIL "An argument; a proof." Dalil burhani, "a convincing argument." Dalil qat'i, "a decisive proof."

DAMASCUS. Arabic Dimashq According to Jalilu 'd-din Suyuti, Damascus is the second sacred city in Syria, Jerusalem being the first; and some have thought it must be the "Iram of the columns" mentioned in the Qur'an, Surah lxxxix. 6, although this is not the view of most Muslim writers. [IRAM] Damascus is not mentioned in the Qur'an. With regard to the date of the erection of the city, Muhammadan historians differ. Some say it was built by a slave named Dimashq, who belonged to Abraham, having been given to the patriarch by Nimrod; others say Dimashq was a slave belonging to Alexander the Great, and that the city was built in his day.

Damascus was taken by Khalid in the reign of the Khalifah 'Umar, A.H. 13. and it became the capital of the Umaiyade Khalifahs under Mu'awiyah, A.H. 41, and remained the chief city of Islam until the fall of that

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dynasty, A.H 132, when the Abbassides moved their capital first to al-Kufah, and the to Bagdad.

The great mosque at Damascus was erected by 'Abdu 'l Malik ibn Marwan, the fifth Khalifah of the Umaiyades. It was commenced A.H. 86 and finished in ten years, being erected on the ruins of an ancients Greek temple and of a Christian church.

The account, as given by Jalain d-din Suyuti, in his History of the Temple of Jerusalem is curious and interesting, showing that for a time the Muslims and Christians worshiped in the same building together.

Here (in Damascus) all the servants of God joined and built a church to worship God in. Some say, however, that this church was built by the Greeks; for Abdu'llah Ibn Abbas, having marched against Damascus and besieged it, demolished the walls, after he had entered the city by storm. Then there fell down a stone, having certain letters inscribed thereon in the Greek language. They therefore sent to bring a certain monk who could read Greek; but he said, 'Bring me in pitch the impression of the letters on the stone, which he found to be as follows: 'Woe unto thee, mother of shame! Pious is he who inflicts upon thee with usury the ill which God designs for thee in retribution. Woe unto thee from five eyes, who shall destroy thy wall after four thousand years.' Now, 'Abdu'llah's entire name was 'Abdu'llah Ibn 'Abdi 'Ilah Ibn 'Abbas Ibn 'Abdu 'l-Muqallib.

Again, the historian Ibn Isahir says: When God had granted unto the Muslims the possession, as conquerors of the whole of Syria. He granted them among other cities that of Damascus with its dependencies. Thus God sent down His mercy upon them, and the commander in chief of the army (besieging Damascus), who was either Abu Ubaidah or, as some say, Khalid Ibn al-Walid, wrote a treaty of capitulation and articles of surrender. By these he settled and appointed fourteen churches to remain in the hands of the Muslims. The church of which we have spoken above was left open and free for future consideration. This was on the plea that Khalid had entered the city at the sword's point by the eastern gate; but that the Christians at the same time were allowed to surrender by Abu Ubaidah, who entered at the western gate, opened under articles. This caused dissension; but at length it was agreed that half the place should be regarded as having capitulated and half as stormed.

"The Muslims therefore took this church and Abu 'Ubaidah made it into a mosque. He was afterwards appointed the Emir of Syria, and was the first who prayed here, all the company of the Companions praying after him in the open area now called the Companion's Tower; but the wall must then have been cut through, hard by the leaning tower, if the Companions really prayed in the 'blessed precinct'. At first, the Christians and Muslims entered by the same gate, which was 'the gate of Adoration and Prayer', over against the Qiblah, where the great tower now stands. Afterwards the Christians changed and went into their church by the gate facing the west; the Muslims taking the right-hand mosque. But the Christians were not suffered to chant aloud, or recite their books or strike their bells (or clappers), in order to hounour the Companions with reverence and fear. Also, Mu'awiyah built in his days a house for the Amir, right opposite the mosque. Here he built a green chapel. This palace was noted for its perfection. Here Mu'awiyah dwelt forty years: nor did this state of things change from A.H. 14 to A.H. 88. But Al-Walid Ibn 'Abdu 'l-Malik began to think of destroying the churches, and of adding some to those already in the hands of the Muslims, so as to construct one great mosque; and this because some of the Muslims were sore troubled by hearing the recitations of the Christians from the Gospel and their uplifted voices in prayer. He designed, therefore, to remove them from the Muslims and to annex this spot to the other, so as to make one great mosque. Therefore he called for the Christians, and asked them whether they would depart from those places which were in their hands, receiving in exchange greater portions in lieu thereof; and also retaining four churches not mentioned in the treaty - the Church of Maria, the Church of the Crucified, just within the eastern gate, the Church Talla 'l-Habu, and the Church of the Glorious Mother, occupied previously by the burnishers. This, however, they vehemently refused to do. Thereupon the Khalifah said, 'Bring me then the treaty which you possess since the time of the Companions.' They brought it, therefore, and it was read in al-Walid's presence; when lo! The Church of Thomas, outside the gate of Thomas, hard by the river, did not enter into the treaty, and was one of those called 'the greater of churches left open' (for future disposal). 'There,' he said, 'this will I destroy and convert it into a mosque.' They said, 'Nay, let it alone, O commander of the Faithful, even although not mentioned among the churches, for we are content that you take the chapel of the church.' To this agreement, then he held them, and received from them the Qubbah (or chapel vault, dome) of the church. Then he summoned workmen able to pull down, and assembled all the amirs, chiefs, and great men. But the Christian bishops and priests coming said, 'O commander of the Faithful, we find in our books that whosoever shall demolish this church will go mad.' Then said the Khalifah, 'And I am very willing to be mad with God's inspiration: therefore no one shall demolish it before me.' Then he ascended the western tower, which had two spires, and contained a monastic cell. Here he found a monk, whom he ordered to descend. The monk making difficulties, and lingering, al-Walid took him by the back of his neck, and ceased not pushing him until he had thrown him down stairs. Then he ascended to the most lofty spot in the church above the great altar called 'the Altar of

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The Martyrs.' Here he seized the ends of his sash, which was of a bright yellow colour and fixed them into his belt. Taking, then, an axe into his hand, he struck against the very topmost stone, and brought it down. Then he called the amirs, and desired them to pull down the building as quickly as possible. Hereupon all the Muslims shouted, 'God is great!' three times; also the Christians cried out with their wailing and woe upon the steps of Jairun, where they had assembled. Al-Walid therefore desired the commander of his guard to inflict blows upon them until they should depart which he did. The Muslims then demolished all that the Christians had built on the great square here - altars and buildings and cloisters - until the whole square was one flat surface. He then resolved to build a splendid pile, unrivaled for beauty of architecture, which none could hereafter surpass. Al-Walid therefore commissioned the most eminent architects and mathematicians to build the mosque, according to the model they most preferred. His brother chiefly moved and stirred him up to this undertaking and next to him presided Sulaman 'Abdu 'l-Malik. It is said that al-Walid sent to the king of Greece to demand stonemasons and other workmen for the purpose of building this mosque in the way he desired, sending word that if the king refused, he would overrun his territory with his army, and reduce to utter ruin every church in his dominion, even the Church of Holy City and the Church of Edessa, And utterly destroy every vestige of the Greeks still remaining. The king of Greece sent, therefore, numerous workmen, with a letter, expressing himself thus: 'If thy father knoweth what thou doest, and permits it, then truly I accuse him of disgraceful conduct and blame him more than thee. If he understandeth it not, but thou only art conscious, then I believe thee above him.' When the letter came to al-Walid, he wished to reply unto it and assembled several persons for consultation. One of these was a well known poet who said 'I will answer him, O Commander of the Faithful and of the Book of God.' So said al-Walid 'Where then is that answer?' He replied this verse, 'David and Solomon lo! They a right to the cornfield, a right to the place where the people are shearing their sheep. Also, we are witnesses of their decree for Solomon hath given us to understand it and both (David and Solomon) have come to us as judges and learned men. Al-Walid with this reply, caused great surpirse to the king of Greece. Al-Firsuk alludes to this in these verses: -

"I have made a separation between the Christians and their churches, and between the people who shine and those who are in darkness."

I neglected for a season thus to apportion their happiness, I being a procrastinating vindicator of their grievances."

Thy Lord hath made thee to resolve upon removing their churches from those mosques wherein good words are recited."

The is no god but God. He has no partner. We will never adore any but our Lord, the one God. Our faith is Islam, and our Prophet is Muhammad. This mosque was built, and the churches which stood on the site of the chapel were demolished by order of the servant of God, the Commander of the Faithful, al-Walid Ibn 'Abdu 'l-Malik Ibn Marwan, in the month Zu 'l-Qa'dah, A.H. 86.' Upon another tablet was inscribed the whole of the first chapter of the Qur'an. Here also were depicted the stars, then the morning twilight, then the spiral course of the sun, then the way of living which obtained after the arrival of the Faithful of Damascus. Also, it is said, that all the floor of this mosque was divided into small slabs, and that the stone (carving) of the walls extended to the upmost pinnacle. Above was a great golden vine, and above this were splendid enameled knobs of green, red, blue, and white, whereby were figured and expressed all countries and regions, especially the Ka'bah, above the lower; also all the countries to the right and left (of Makkah), and all the most beautiful shrubs and trees of every region, famous either for their fruits or flowers. The roof had cornices of gold and silver, which branched off into seven separate lights. In the tower of the Companions were two stones - beryls (some say they were the jewels called pearls); they were called 'The Little Ones'. When the candles were put out, they inflamed the eyes by their brilliant light. In the time of al-Amin Ibn ar-Rashid, Sulaiman, captain of the guard, was sent by the Khalifah to Damascus to steal those stones and bring them to him; which he did. When al-Ma'mun discovered this, he sent them to Damascus, as a proof of his brother's misconduct. They afterwards again vanished, and in their place is a glass vessel. In this mosque all the gates from the dome ( gallery) unto the entrance, are open, and have no bars or locks. Over each is a loose curtain. In like manner there is a curtain upon all the walls as far as the bases of the golden vino, above which are the enameled knobs. The capitals of the pillars were thickly covered with dead gilding. Here were also small galleries, to look down from, enclosed on the four sides of the skirting wall. Al-Walid also built the northern minaret, now called the 'Bridegroom's Tower.' As to the western gallery, that existed many ages before, in each corner of this was a cell, raised upon very lofty walls, and used by the Greeks as an observatory. The two northern of these fell, and the two opposite remained. In the year 740, part of the eastern had been burnt. It then fell down, but was built up anew out of the Christian's money, because they had meditated the destruction (of it) by fire. It then was restored after a most beautiful plan. This is the tower (but God knows) upon which Jesus the son of Maria will alight, for Muhammad is reported to have said, 'I saw Jesus son of Maria come forth from near the