367. Sōm al-Shunnāq | سوم الشناق

Irbid Governorate

Maqām Wēli Abū Dardā’ (‘Uwaymir ibn Zayd al-Khazrajī al-Anṣārī)

JADIS no. 2222015

MEGA no. 2885; 17249

Coordinates: 32°35'24.1"N 35°47'37.0"E

32.590028, 35.793611

Plan: The new maqām building rises on a terrace of Hellenistic or early Roman origin in a landscape commanding position. The new mausoleum is of rectangular plan oriented from E to W with door in the N. Each one square window opens in the middle of W and S walls. To the N is another covered new mausoleum of smaller size for family burials.

Measurements: 25.57 m²

Exterior: 6.10 x 5.15 m, artificial terrace ca. 20 x 10 m

Interior: ca. 5.50 x 4.65 m

Building Materials: local limestone and occasionally use of single basalt blocks.

Construction details: new maqām of concrete with stone revetment; on top of the roof a small pseudo-dome, whitewashed. The terrace consists of well-dressed ancient massive blocks, partly arranged in header-and stretcher bondage.

Preservation: On hill top are the walls of massive limestone blocks of an ancient terrace. Many of the ancient blocks have been extracted to be used for lining recent tombs. The new maqām has been erected on it and is accessible via a concrete staircase from the W. The tomb is protected by a new rectangular building and it is visited by locals and foreign pilgrims for Muslim prayer.

Inscription(s): Above the entrance a new renovation inscription engraved on a white limestone slab.

Translation: “The construction of the shrine of the venerable Companion Abū al-Dardā’ was completed in the reign of His Majesty King Ḥussein on 1 Rajab 1386 H(ijri) corresponding to 15/10/1966 AD” (NAt, edited by RS).

Date(s): The present building has been inaugurated on 15^th October 1966.

Traveler Reports: “West of the village is the shrine called the Weli Abû Dêrdâ, which is carefully maintained by the villagers” (Schumacher 1890 [reprint 2010]). “... Ein Eichenbaum über dem Grab eines wili kennzeichnet den Hügel als heiligen Ort; und das ist er seit alters schon, denn neben dem Grab tritt, von Säulenstümpfen flankiert, die Gebetsnische einer Moschee aus dem Boden heraus” (Mittmann 1970).

Bibliography: Schumacher 1890 (reprint 2010) 142; Mittmann 1970, 32; Daire 1988, 120 s.v Sōm; Hiyyari 2008, 55; Rawadiyah 2007, I, 662; HSJ 64-65; Redlinger 2014, 14 fig. 8; Hattab 2015, 38-39; Samman - Tabbah 2019, 72-73 no. 21.