Dhat 'Irq
Dhat 'Irq (Arabic:ذات عرق) is a station and miqat of hajj on the way from Mecca to Kufa. It was the first station at which Imam al-Hussain dwelled on his way from Mecca to Kufa. At this station, Imam met Bishr b. Ghalib, from Banu Asad, and asked him about the state of people of Kufa.
Dhat ‘Iraq in Historical Sources
According to Al-Bahr al-Ra’iq[1] by the Hanafi author Ibn Najim, it is located at the distance of two stages between Dhat ‘Iraq and Mecca. In Al-Furu’[2] , it is said to be located at the distance of two days' travel from Mecca. It is named as such after a small mountain in its locality as indicated on Taj al-’Arus[3]. According to Sunnis, Dhat ‘Iraq marks the timing zone of the people of the east, including Iraq and Khurasan. Traditions recorded by Imamites, however, say that the Messenger of Allah marked al-’Aqiq as the timing zone for the people of Iraq, which is recommended by Imam al-Shafi’i who says so on his book Al-Umm[4], believing that there is no hadith designating Dhat ‘Iraq for such timing, and that it was [second caliph] ‘Umar who designated it as such; this is what al-Bukhari tells us as he quotes [the caliph’s son, ‘Abdullah] Ibn ‘Umar. In Ibn Qudamah's book Al-Mughni[5] , Ibn Abd al-Barr is cited as saying that the wearing of the ihram garb is better done at al-’Aqiq, despite the fact that it was Dhat ‘Iraq that designated the timing zone for all the people of the east [i.e., Muslims residing in the eastern region of the then Islamic domain]. In Fath al-Bari[6] , it is indicated that al-Ghazali, al-Rafi’i, al-Nawawi, and those who documented al-Shafi’i emphatically insist that there is no tradition designating Dhat ‘Iraq a timing zone as such. The Hanafis, Hanbalis, and Shafi’is have all testified to this fact. In Mu’jam al-Buldan[7] , it is indicated that al-’Aqiq is situated in the valley of Thu Halifa, and it is closer to Mecca. Imamite faqihs have been cautious, recommending not to wear the ihram at Dhat ‘Iraq which lies at the end of al-’Aqiq.
Events
Abu ‘Abdullah continued his way. At Dhat ‘Iraq, he met Bishr B. Ghalib and asked him about the people of Kufa. “Their swords are with Banu Umayyah,” he said, “and their hearts are with you.” “You have said the truth,” said the Imam.[8]
Al-Rayyash narrated about those who met Al-Hussain on his way to Kufa. This narrator says, “Having performed the pilgrimage, I set out on the highway alone. As I thus walked, I noticed a number of tents, so I went in their direction and inquired who they belonged to. I was told that they belonged to al-Hussain son of ‘Ali and Fatima, peace be upon all of them.
I went to see him, and I saw him leaning on the entrance of the tent reading a book in his hand. I said, ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed for your sake! What brought you to this desolate land which has neither countryside nor strongholds?
He, peace be upon him, said to me, ‘These people [the Umayyads] terrorized me, and here are the letters of the people of Kufa, my assassins. So, once they do it, leaving no sanctity of Allah without violating it, Allah will send them those who will kill them till they become more debased than a bondmaid's rag'.[9]
Source
References
- ↑ Al-Bahr al-Ra’iq, p. 317, Vol. 2
- ↑ Ibn Muflih, Al-Furu’, p. 216, Vol. 2
- ↑ p. 8, Vol. 7
- ↑ p. 118, Vol. 2
- ↑ Ibn Qudamah, Al-Mughni, p. 257, Vol. 3
- ↑ p. 250, Vol. 3
- ↑ p. 199, Vol. 6
- ↑ Ibn Nama, Muthir al-Ahzan, p. 21
- ↑ On p. 169, Vol. 8, of Al-Bidaya, however, this statement is altered to read: “... more lowly than a bondmaid's scarf,” but I could not make much sense of it, nor is it supported linguistically! The accurate wording is what is indicated above. The rag referred to is used by a woman to insert in her vagina to absorb her menstrual blood.