EDINBURGH STUDIES IN ISLAMIC ART EDINBURGH STUDIES IN ISLAMIC ART S E R I E S E D I T O R : R O B E R T H I L L E N B R A N D S E R I E S E D I T O R : R O B E R T H I L L E N B R A N D ADVISORY EDITORS: BERNARD O’KANE AND JONATHAN M. BLOOM T This series offers readers easy access to the most up-to-date research across the whole range of Islamic h art, representing various parts of the Islamic world, media and approaches. Books in the series are e i academic monographs of intellectual distinction that mark a significant advance in the field. nS h M r The Shrines of the Alids ein d e in Medieval Syria i s e vo Sunnis, Shi is and the Architecture of Coexistence a f l Stephennie Mulder t S h y re ‘An elegant study of how shrines were the locus of ecumenical veneration in times of heightened sectarian tensions. That the focus iA of the book is Syria constitutes a hopeful reminder that sectarianism was not the historical norm and that architecture can and did a l mediate between divergent religious passions.’ i Nasser Rabbat, Massachusetts Institute of Technology d s The first illustrated, architectural history of the Alid shrines, increasingly endangered by the conflict in Syria The Alids (descendants of the Prophet Muhammad) are among the most revered figures in Islam, beloved by virtually all Muslims, regardless of sectarian affiliation. This study argues that despite the common identification of shrines as ‘Shi i’ spaces, they have in fact always been unique places of pragmatic intersectarian exchange and shared piety, even – and perhaps especially – during periods of sectarian conflict. S t Using a rich variety of previously unexplored sources, including textual, archaeological, architectural and epigraphic evidence, Stephennie e p Mulder shows how these shrines created a unifying Muslim ‘holy land’ in medieval Syria, and proposes a fresh conceptual approach to h thinking about landscape in Islamic art. In doing so, she argues against a common paradigm of medieval sectarian conflict, complicates e n the notion of Sunni Revival and provides new evidence for the negotiated complexity of sectarian interactions in the period. n Key Features i e • Beautifully illustrated with over 120 colour images M • The first study of Syrian Alid shrines as critical sites of Islamic pious practice in some of Islam’s most important cities u The Shrines of the Alids • Uses architecture to present a more nuanced understanding of the history of sectarianism l d • Utilises an unusually wide range of source materials including medieval Arabic textual sources, spatial and architectural analysis, e archaeological investigation, epigraphy and GPS survey r in Medieval Syria Stephennie Mulder is Assistant Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. Sunnis, Shi is and the E d Architecture of Coexistence i n b u Cover image: © iStockphoto.com r g Stephennie Mulder Cover design: Cathy Sprent h The Shrines of the (cid:2)Alids in Medieval Syria MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd ii 2200//1122//22001133 0088::0055 Edinburgh Studies in Islamic Art Series Editor: Professor Robert Hillenbrand Advisory Editors: Bernard O’Kane and Jonathan M. Bloom Titles include: Isfahan and its Palaces: Statecraft, Shi(cid:2)ism and the Architecture of Conviviality in Early Modern Iran Sussan Babaie Text and Image in Medieval Persian Art Sheila S. Blair The Minaret Jonathan M. Bloom The ‘Wonders of Creation’: A Study of the Ilkhanid ‘London Qazwini’ Stefano Carboni Islamic Chinoiserie: The Art of Mongol Iran Yuka Kadoi The Shrines of the (cid:2)Alids in Medieval Syria: Sunnis, Shi(cid:2)is and the Architecture of Coexistence Stephennie Mulder (cid:2)Amirid Artistic and Cultural Patronage in Al-Andalus Mariam Rosser Owen China’s Early Mosques Nancy Steinhardt www.euppublishing.com/series/esii MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd iiii 2200//1122//22001133 0088::0055 The Shrines of the (cid:2) Alids in Medieval Syria Sunnis, Shi(cid:2)is and the Architecture of Coexistence Stephennie Mulder MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd iiiiii 2200//0011//22001144 1111::3366 In memory of Obaida Habbal (1987–2013) © Stephennie Mulder, 2014 Edinburgh University Press Ltd 22 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LF www.euppublishing.com Typeset in 10/12 pt Trump Medieval by Servis Filmsetting Ltd, Stockport, Cheshire, and printed and bound in Spain by GraphyCems A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 0 7486 4579 4 (hardback) The right of Stephennie Mulder to be identifi ed as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (SI No. 2498). Published in association with al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait. MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd iivv 2200//1122//22001133 0088::0055 Contents List of Figures and Maps vi Series Editor’s Foreword xi Acknowledgements xii INTRODUCTION ‘A Road for All Muslims’ 1 CHAPTER 1 A Mashhad at Balis 18 CHAPTER 2 Aleppo: An Experiment in Islamic Ecumenism 63 CHAPTER 3 Eclectic Ecumenism: The Cemetery of Bab al-Saghir in Damascus 114 CHAPTER 4 Perpetual Patronage: Four Damascene (cid:2)Alid Shrines 186 CHAPTER 5 A Landscape of Deeds: (cid:2)Alid Shrines and the Construction of Islamic Sacred Topography 247 CONCLUSION A Time of Miracles 267 Bibliography 275 Illustration Acknowledgements 286 Index 288 MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd vv 2200//1122//22001133 0088::0055 Figures and Maps Figures 1.1 Balis mashhad, main mi˙råb 18 1.2 Modern graves near Balis mashhad 19 1.3 Traces of stucco decoration at the base of the mi˙råb 20 1.4 View from prayer hall northward 20 1.5 View south across central room 21 1.6 Ruins of the city of Balis, seen from Lake Assad 23 1.7 Ruins of the Byzantine praetorium 23 1.8 View south along eastern city wall of Balis, from within the praetorium 23 1.9 Plan, Emar and Balis 25 1.10 SS Sergius and Bacchus 26 1.11 Plan of excavations in 1996 and 1998 26 1.12 Minaret at Balis 29 1.13 Plan, Qasr 31 1.14 Stucco panels from Balis, National Museum of Damascus 32 1.15 View of cliffs near the mashhad 33 1.16 South-east corner of prayer hall prior to Syrian- Princeton excavations 34 1.17 Damascus Museum stucco panels, central mi˙råb 36 1.18 Plan of mashhad as partially excavated in 2006 40 1.19 View showing collapsed exterior wall at south-east corner 42 1.20 Mi˙råb niche cut into south wall of prayer hall, south- east corner 43 1.21 East-central room, view towards south 43 1.22 Hallway on north side of east-central room 44 1.23 View east over east-central room 44 1.24 Latrines, view looking south-west 45 1.25 North-east corner of north-east room showing earlier wall structures below fl oor 45 1.26 Central area (courtyard) looking south 46 1.27 View down into cistern 47 MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd vvii 2200//1122//22001133 0088::0055 FIGURES AND MAPS vii 1.28 View southward across central area 47 1.29 Main entrance, view towards south 48 1.30 Oven installation east of the main entrance 48 1.31 Pit feature 49 1.32 Reused basalt block in western face of doorway 50 1.33 Fallen squinches in rubble of doorway 51 1.34a and 1.34b Details of main mi˙råb 53 1.35 Stucco fragments from Balis mashhad 54 2.1 Mashhad al-Muhassin, view of entrance portal and east wall 69 2.2 Aleppo, Mashhad al-Muhassin (Mashhad al-Dikka), plan 69 2.3 Mashhad al-Muhassin, tomb chamber 70 2.4 Aleppo, Mashhad al-Muhassin, portal 71 2.5 Aleppo, Mashhad al-Muhassin, portal, elevation and section 72 2.6 View upward into stone muqarnas dome over entrance 76 2.7 Mashhad al-Muhassin, view from the west 77 2.8 Mashhad al-Muhassin, south wall of courtyard 77 2.9 Inscription of al-Malik al-Zahir 78 2.10 Mashhad al-Muhassin, view east from under main dome of prayer hall 78 2.11 Mashhad al-Muhassin, north wall of courtyard 79 2.12 Mashhad al-Muhassin, inscription of al-(cid:2)Aziz 79 2.13 Aleppo, Mashhad al-Husayn, east façade 83 2.14 Aleppo, Mashhad al-Husayn, plan 84 2.15 Mashhad al-Husayn, exterior courtyard 85 2.16 Mashhad al-Husayn, main portal giving entrance to shrine area 86 2.17 Mashhad al-Husayn, interior courtyard, view towards western iwån 88 2.18 Portal of al-Husayn, elevation and section drawing 91 2.19 Mashhad al-Husayn, foundation inscription 92 2.20 Mashhad al-Husayn, view into main portal 93 2.21 Mashhad al-Husayn, detail, right lateral face of portal bay 94 2.22 and 2.23 Mashhad al-Husayn, details, forward face of portal bay 94 2.24 Mashhad al-Husayn, detail, forward face of portal bay 95 2.25 Mashhad al-Husayn, view upward into muqarnas dome 96 2.26 View of the Caliph al-Nasir li-Din Allah’s inscription on the gate of the serdab (cave) of the shrine of Imam al-Mahdi 104 3.1 Mausoleum of Bilal al-Habashi, north elevation 119 3.2 Mausoleum of Bilal al-Habashi, plan 120 3.3 Herzfeld’s drawing of the Ayyubid arch that once formed the entrance to the tomb of Bilal al-Habashi 121 MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd vviiii 2200//1122//22001133 0088::0055 viii THE SHRINES OF THE (cid:2)ALIDS IN MEDIEVAL SYRIA 3.4 Inscriptions for Ibn (cid:2)Aqil and al-Shahrazuri in south-east corner of the mausoleum of Bilal al-Habashi 122 3.5 Inscription for al-Shahrazuri 123 3.6 Mausoleum of Bilal al-Habashi, inscription at foot of his grave 124 3.7 Inscription on lintel of west-facing entrance to mausoleum of Bilal al-Habashi 126 3.8 Inscription in the name of (cid:2)Uthman Agha, over the west-facing entrance to the mausoleum of Bilal al-Habashi 127 3.9 Western elevation of mausoleum of Sukayna and Umm Kulthum and mausoleum of the Qalandariyya 130 3.10 Plan, upper level, mausoleum of Sukayna and Umm Kulthum and mausoleum of the Qalandariyya 131 3.11 Hallway in crypt of Sukayna and Umm Kulthum, view from stairway, facing east 134 3.12 Plan, crypt of Sukayna and Umm Kulthum 134 3.13 Doorway to crypt of Sukayna, as seen from the hallway, facing north 134 3.14 View of multiple phases of buttressing, looking out door towards hallway from inside crypt of Sukayna 135 3.15 Mi˙råb in crypt of Umm Kulthum 135 3.16 Cenotaph of Sukayna 137 3.17 South-eastern corner of mausoleum of the Qalandariyya 142 3.18 Entrance to mausoleum of the Qalandariyya, with entrance to Sukayna and Umm Kulthum on right 143 3.19 Entrance to mausoleum of the Qalandariyya, with Baybars’ inscription on the lintel 144 3.20 Detail, inscription of Baybars 144 3.21 Mausoleum of Fatima al-Sughra 147 3.22 Mausoleum of Fatima al-Sughra, plan of upper level 147 3.23 Mausoleum of Fatima al-Sughra, plan of crypt level 148 3.24 East and south faces of stone sarcophagus in mausoleum of Fatima al-Sughra 149 3.25 Distant view from the north-west, Masjid Maqam Ru(cid:3)us al-Shuhada(cid:3) Karbala(cid:3) 151 3.26 Masjid Maqam Ru(cid:3)us al-Shuhada(cid:3) Karbala(cid:3), plan 152 3.27 Ottoman mausoleum in fi rst courtyard of Masjid Maqam Ru(cid:3)us al-Shuhada(cid:3) Karbala(cid:3) 153 3.28 Maqam Ru(cid:3)us al-Shuhada(cid:3) Karbala(cid:3), view from fi rst courtyard into second courtyard 154 3.29 Well in south-east corner of second courtyard 154 3.30 Stone upright in north-east corner of second courtyard 155 3.31 Basalt basin under cupola at the centre of second courtyard 155 MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd vviiiiii 2200//1122//22001133 0088::0055 FIGURES AND MAPS ix 3.32 Pilgrim tying fabric to a metal pipe inside the basalt basin 156 3.33 Inscription over entrance to Ottoman shrine in fi rst courtyard, Masjid Maqam Ru(cid:3)us al-Shuhada(cid:3) Karbala(cid:3) 157 3.34 Mausoleum of (cid:2)Abdallah b. Zayn al-(cid:2)Abidin 158 3.35 Plan, mausoleum of (cid:2)Abdallah b. Zayn al-(cid:2)Abidin 159 3.36 Dome of mausoleum of (cid:2)Abdallah b. Zayn al-(cid:2)Abidin 160 3.37 Palm tree motif in the spandrels of the interior arches 161 3.38 Foundation inscription, mausoleum of (cid:2)Abdallah b. Zayn al-(cid:2)Abidin 161 3.39 Exterior, mausoleum of Aban ibn Ruqayya 163 3.40 Plan, mausoleum of Aban ibn Ruqayya 164 3.41 Aban ibn Ruqayya, Ottoman-era painted dome with inscriptions praising four Sunni caliphs 164 3.42 Inscriptions praising al-Hasan and al-Husayn 165 3.43 Cenotaph, mausoleum of Aban ibn Ruqayya 166 3.44 Stela, mausoleum of Aban ibn Ruqayya 166 3.45 Mausoleum of Asma(cid:3), Maymuna and Hamida 168 3.46 Plan, upper level, mausoleum of Asma(cid:3), Maymuna and Hamida 169 3.47 Plan, crypt level, mausoleum of Asma(cid:3), Maymuna and Hamida 169 3.48 Blind arches in north wall of crypt of mausoleum of Asma(cid:3), Maymuna and Hamida 170 3.49 Crypt, staircase with uneven wall masonry and blind window-like structure on top left 171 3.50 Mausoleum of (cid:2)Abdallah ibn Ja(cid:2)far al-Sadiq 172 3.51 Plan, mausoleum of (cid:2)Abdallah ibn Ja(cid:2)far al-Sadiq 173 3.52 Modern inscription over entrance to mausoleum of (cid:2)Abdallah ibn Ja(cid:2)far al-Sadiq 173 3.53 Mausoleum of Sayyida Fidda 174 3.54 Plan, mausoleum of Sayyida Fidda 175 3.55 Stone upright to the right of the door of mausoleum of Sayyida Fidda 176 3.56 Inscription over door of mausoleum of Sayyida Fidda 176 4.1 Damascus, neo-Safavid dome of Mashhad Sayyida Ruqayya 189 4.2 Outside the western wall of the shrine of Sayyida Ruqayya in the evening 190 4.3 Portal and neo-Safavid dome of Mashhad Sayyida Ruqayya, as seen from surrounding streets 191 4.4 Interior of Mashhad Sayyida Ruqayya, showing tomb enclosure and mirror-mosaic dome 192 4.5 Portico in the courtyard of the Umayyad mosque 202 4.6 Transept of the prayer hall, Umayyad mosque 202 MMUULLDDEERR 99778800774488664455779944 PPRRIINNTT..iinndddd iixx 2200//1122//22001133 0088::0055