Letter H

127. Ḥasā | الحسا

aṭ-Ṭafīlah Governorate

Ḥājj fort / Qal‘at, Jāmi‘ / muṣallā and tomb of Shēkh Jellāl ad-Dīn.

JADIS no. 2302147

MEGA no. 11526

Coordinates: 30°50'21.5"N 35°56'01.2"E

30.839292, 35.933675

 

 

Plan: long rectangular chamber, in the middle of the S rampart on the second floor; centralized entrance door, in axis of it high tall miḥrāb incorporated into the S wall.

Measurements: unknown.

Exterior: unknown.

Interior: unknown.

Building Materials: local limestone.

Construction details: Walls constructed in horizontal layers of irregular limestone blocks with well smoothened surfaces bound in their joints with thick mortar packages. The surfaces of the stones forming the barrel vaulted ceiling are left coarse, equally bound with mortar. Walls end ceiling were originally plastered and painted.

Preservation: ruined and abandoned.

Inscription(s): Above the rounded upper end of the miḥrāb was a broad rectangular block with an Arabic inscription in flat relief over six lines. Each line was framed by a cartouche with rounded, slightly pointed lateral ends. This inscription almost disappeared today due to corrosion and lack of conservation. It has been documented by E. R. Brünnow and A. von Domaszewski (Provincia Arabia II, 18 fig. 572, paper squeeze):

 

Transcription:

 

Translation: “How beautiful a place of worship for God. | Built it for piety and erected (by) | A king named al- Muṣṭafā | Our sultan of the lineage of Aḥmad | May there be refuge for him in paradise,| An illuminated house and a dwelling.” (according Provincia Arabia II, 18, translation by RS)

Date(s): The building inscription refers to Sultan Muṣṭafā III (Muṣṭafā-yi sālis, born on 28th January 1717) who ascended the Ottoman throne on 30th October 1757 and ruled until his death on 24th December 1773. The construction of Qal‘at Ḥasā is generally attributed during his reign around 1770 AD.

Traveler Reports: E. R. Brünnow and A. von Domaszewski (Provincia Arabia II, 11-18) quote a number of older traveler reports. None of them makes a specific reference to the praying room of the second floor. A. Musil mentions a venerated tomb: “People also visit there the grave of the sheikh Jellāl ed-Dīn, who belonged to the Khalweti derwish order” (Arabia Petraea I, 84 note 4) For further pilgrim reports see Shqour 2015, 191-193; Shqour 2019, 366-369.

Bibliography: Arabia Petraea I, 84-85 with notes 4-5 (inscription); Provincia Arabia II, 17-18; Darwish 2001, 32-33; Housan 2008,145-159; Petersen 2012, 86-91 fig. 82 pl. 71; Shqour 2015, 183-194; Shqour 2019, 361-370; Schick 2020 , no. 41; for the tomb of the Shēkh see Petersen 2012, 92.

 
Fig. 127.1 Plan of upper floor with mosque, red circle (Petersen 2012, 86 fig.22).
Fig. 127.2 Early Ottoman bridge of the pilgrims route over wādī Ḥasā to the NW of the fortress (TMW-K 2013).
Fig. 127.3 Qal’at exterior from N (TMW-K 2013).
Fig. 127.4 Qal’at exterior from S (TMW-K 2013).
Fig. 127.5 Courtyard seen from N through the entrance gate (TMW-K 2013).
Fig. 127.6 Miḥrāb in upper floor S interior wall, condition 1986 (Petersen 2012, 91 pl. 71).
Fig. 127.7 Miḥrāb in upper floor S interior wall, condition 2009 (UHü).

Figures

[Fig. 127.1 ]
Plan of upper floor with mosque, red circle (Petersen 2012, 86 fig.22).

[Fig. 127.2 ]
Early Ottoman bridge of the pilgrims route over wādī Ḥasā to the NW of the fortress (TMW-K 2013).

[Fig. 127.3 ]
Qal’at exterior from N (TMW-K 2013).

[Fig. 127.4 ]
Qal’at exterior from S (TMW-K 2013).

[Fig. 127.5 ]
Courtyard seen from N through the entrance gate (TMW-K 2013).

[Fig. 127.6 ]
Miḥrāb in upper floor S interior wall, condition 1986 (Petersen 2012, 91 pl. 71).