Tarikh (al-Tabari) 11
Creation of the heavens and the earth
ذِكْرِ الْبِلَادِ قَالَ كَعْبُ الْأَحْبَارِ: تَجِدُ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ -عَزَّ وَجَلَّ- مَعْنَى التَّوْرَاةِ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ عَلَى صِفَةِ النَّسْرِ، فَالرَّأْسُ الشَّامُ، وَالْجَنَاحَانِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ، وَالذَّنَبُ الْيَمَنُ، وَلَا يَزَالُ النَّاسُ بِخَيْرٍ مَا لَمْ يَقْرَعِ الرَّأْسَ، فَإِذَا قَرَعَ الرَّأْسَ هَلَكَ النَّاسُ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ: الْأَرْضُ كُلُّهَا سَبْعَةُ أَقَالِيمَ ، فَالْإِقْلِيمُ الْأَوَّلُ الْهِنْدُ، وَالثَّانِي الْحِجَازُ، وَالثَّالِثُ مِصْرُ، وَالرَّابِعُ بَابِلُ، وَالْخَامِسُ الرُّومُ، وَالسَّادِسُ التُّرْكُ وَيَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ، وَالسَّابِعُ الصِّينُ، وَمِقْدَارُ كَلِّ إِقْلِيمٍ سَبْعُمِائَةِ فَرْسَخٍ فِي سَبْعِمِائَةِ فَرْسَخٍ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِي ذَلِكَ جَبَلٌ وَلَا وَادٍ، وَالْبَحْرُ الْأَعْظَمُ مُحِيطٌ بِذَلِكَ، كُلُّهُ يُحِيطُ بِهِ جَبَلُ قَافٍ. قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ: الأقليم الأول أَمَّا الْإِقْلِيمُ الْأَوَّلُ: فَإِنَّهُ يَبْتَدِئُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ مِنْ أَقَاصِي بِلَادِ الصِّينِ، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَى بِلَادِ الصِّينِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ مِمَّا يَلِي الْجَنُوبَ، وَفِيهِ مَدِينَةُ مَلَكِ الصِّينِ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فِي جَنُوبِ بِلَادِ الْهِنْدِ، ثُمَّ بِلَادِ السِّنْدِ، ثُمَّ يَقْطَعُ الْبَحْرَ إِلَى جَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِ وَأَرْضِ الْيَمَنِ، فَيَكُونُ فِيهِمْ مِنَ الْمَدَائِنِ الْمَعْرُوفَةِ مَدِينَةُ ظِفَارٍ وَعُمَانَ وَحَضْرَمَوْتَ وَصَنْعَاءَ وَعَدْنَ وَالتَّبَّالَةِ وَجَرْشٍ وَسَبَأٍ، ثُمَّ يَقْطَعُ الْإِقْلِيمَ بَحْرُ الْقُلْزُمِ فَيَمُرُّ فِي بِلَادِ الْحَبَشَةِ وَيَقْطَعُ نِيلَ مِصْرَ، وَفِيهِ مَدِينَةُ مِمْلَكَةِ الْحَبَشَةِ، وَتُسَمَّى جُرْمِي [وَتُسَمَّى] دُونْقَلَةَ مَدِينَةَ النُّوبَةِ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ الْإِقْلِيمُ فِي أَرْضِ الْمَغْرِبِ عَلَى جَنُوبِ بِلَادِ الْبَرْبَرِ إِلَى أَنْ يَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى بَحْرِ الْمَغْرِبِ. الإقليم الثاني وَالْإِقْلِيمُ الثَّانِي: يَبْتَدِئُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَى بِلَادِ الصِّينِ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ عَلَى بِلَادِ الْهِنْدِ، ثُمَّ بِبِلَادِ السِّنْدِ، وَفِيهِ مَدِينَةُ الْمَنْصُورَةِ، وَالدَّيْبَلُ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ لِمُلْتَقَى الْبَحْرِ الْأَخْضَرِ وَبَحْرِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَيَقْطَعُ جَزِيرَةَ الْعَرَبِ - فِي أَرْضِ نَجْدٍ وَأَرْضِ تِهَامَةَ، وَفِيهِ مِنَ الْمَدَائِنِ: الْيَمَامَةُ، وَالْبَحْرَيْنِ، وَهَجَرَ، وَيَثْرِبُ، وَمَكَّةُ، وَالطَّائِفُ، وَجَدَّةُ، ثُمَّ يَقْطَعُ بَحْرَ الْقُلْزُمِ، وَيَمُرُّ بِصَعِيدِ مِصْرَ، فَيَقْطَعُ النَّيْلَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْمَدَائِنِ تُومِنُ، وَأَخْمِيمُ، وَأَسْوَانُ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ فِي أَرْضِ الْمَغْرِبِ عَلَى وَسَطِ بِلَادِ أَفْرِيقِيَّةَ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ عَلَى بِلَادِ الْبَرْبَرِ، وَيَنْتَهِي إِلَى بَحْرِ الْمَغْرِبِ. الإقليم الثالث وَالْإِقْلِيمُ الثَّالِثُ: يَبْتَدِئُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَى شَمَالِ بِلَادِ الصِّينِ، ثُمَّ عَلَى بِلَادِ الْهِنْدِ، ثُمَّ عَلَى شَمَالِ بِلَادِ السِّنْدِ، ثُمَّ عَلَى بِلَادِ كَابُلَ وَكَرْمَانَ، وَسِجِسْتَانَ، وَالسِّيرَجَانَ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ عَلَى سَوَاحِلِ بَحْرِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَفِيهِ مَدِينَةُ إِصْطَخْرَ، وَنَسَا، وَسَابُورَ، وَشِيرَازَ، وَسَيُرَافَ، مَهْرُوبَانَ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ بِكَوْرِ الْأَهْوَازِ، وَالْعِرَاقِ، وَفِيهِ الْبَصْرَةُ، وَوَاسِطُ، وَبَغْدَادُ، وَالْكُوفَةُ، وَالْأَنْبَارُ، وَهِيتُ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ عَلَى بِلَادِ الشَّامِ، وَفِيهِ حِمْصُ وَدِمَشْقُ، وَالصُّوَرُ، وَعَكَّا، وَالطَّبَرِيَّةُ، وَقَيْسَارِيَّةُ، وَبَيْتُ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَالرَّمْلَةُ، وَعَسْقَلَانُ، وَغَزَّةُ، ثُمَّ يَقْطَعُ أَسْفَلَ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ، وَفِيهِ مِنَ الْمُدُنِ هُنَالِكَ تُنِيسُ، وَدِمْيَاطُ، وَفُسْطَاطُ مِصْرَ، وَالْفَيُّومُ، وَالْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ عَلَى بِلَادِ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، وَيَنْتَهِي إِلَى بَحْرِ الْمَغْرِب. الإقليم الرابع وَالْإِقْلِيمُ الرَّابِعُ: يَبْتَدِئُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَيَمُرُّ بِبِلَادِ التِّبْتِ، ثُمَّ عَلَى خُرَاسَانَ، وَفِيهِ: فَرْغَانَةُ، وَسَمَرْقَنْدُ، وَبَلْخُ، وَبُخَارَى، وَهَرَاةَ، وَمُرْوٌ، وَسَرْخَسُ، وَطُوسٌ، وَنَيْسَابُورُ، وَجُرْجَانُ، وَقَوْمَسُ، وَطَبَرِسْتَانُ، وَقَزْوِينُ، وَالرَّيُّ، وَأَصْفَهَانُ، وَقُمُّ، وَهَمَذَانُ وَنَهَاوَنْدُ، وَالدِّينَوَرُ، وَحُلْوَانُ، وَشَهْرَزُورُ، وَسُرَّ مَنْ رَأَى، وَالْمُوصِلُ، وَبَلَدٌ، وَنَصِيبِينُ، وَآمِدُ، وَرَأْسُ عَينٍ، وَقَالِيقَا، وَسُمَيْسَاطُ، وَحَرَّانُ، وَالرَّقَّةُ، وَقَرْقِيسِيَا، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ عَلَى شَمَالِ الشَّامِ، وَفِيهِ مِنَ الْمُدُنِ: بِالسِّرِّ، وَمَنْبَجُ، وَمَلَطِيَّةُ، وَحَلَبُ، وَقَنْسَرِينَ، وَأَنْطَاكِيَّةُ، وَطَرَابُلُسُ، وَالْمُصِيصَةُ، وَصَيْدَا، وَأَزْنَةُ، وَطَرْسُوسُ، وَعَمُورِيَّةُ. ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ فِي بَحْرِ الشَّامِ عَلَى جَزِيرَةِ قُبْرُسَ، ثُمَّ فِي أَرْضِ الْمَغْرِبِ عَلَى بِلَادِ طَنْجَةَ، وَيَنْتَهِي إِلَى بَحْرِ الْمَغْرِبِ. الإقليم الخامس وَالْإِقْلِيمُ الْخَامِسُ: يَبْتَدِئُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ مِنْ بِلَادِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ عَلَى شَمَالِ خُرَاسَانَ، وَفِيهِ: خَوَارِزْمُ، وَشَاشُ، وَأَذْرَبِيجَانُ، وَسِنْجَارُ، وَأَخْلَاطُ، ثُمَّ يَمُرُّ فِي بِلَادِ الرُّومِ عَلَى خَرَشَةَ، وَرُومِيَّةَ، وَيَمُرُّ عَلَى بِلَادِ الْأَنْدَلُسِ حَتَّى يَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى بَحْرِ الْمَغْرِبِ. الإقليم السادس وَالْإِقْلِيمُ السَّادِسُ: يَبْتَدِئُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَى بِلَادِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ، ثُمَّ عَلَى بِلَادِ الْخَزْرِ، وَيَمُرُّ عَلَى الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ، وَيَنْتَهِي إِلَى بَحْرِ الْمَغْرِبِ. الإقليم السابع وَالْإِقْلِيمُ السَّابِعُ: يَبْتَدِئُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ مِنْ شَمَالِ بِلَادِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ، ثُمَّ عَلَى بِلَادِ التُّرْكِ ثُمَّ عَلَى سَوَاحِلِ بَحْرِ جُرْجَانَ، ثُمَّ يَقْطَعُ بَحْرَ الرُّومِ، فَيَمُرُّ عَلَى الصَّقَالِبَةِ، وَيَنْتَهِي إِلَى بَحْرِ الْمَغْرِبِ. وَذَكَرَ غَيْرُهُ: أَنَّ الْمَسْكُونَ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ عَلَى تَفَاوُتِ أَقْطَارِهِ مَقْسُومٌ بَيْنَ سَبْعِ أُمَمٍ، وَهُمْ: الصِّينُ، وَالْهِنْدُ، وَالسُّودَانُ، وَالْبَرْبَرُ، وَالرُّومُ، وَالتُّرْكُ، وَالْفُرْسُ، وَالْفُرْسُ فِي وَسَطِ هَذِهِ الْمَمَالِكِ. قَالَ الْأَزْهَرِيُّ: وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ الْإِقْلِيمُ إِقْلِيمًا لِأَنَّهُ مَقْلُومٌ مِنَ الْأَقَالِيمِ الَّتِي بُنِيَ نَاحِيَتُهُ، أَيْ مَقْطُوعٌ عَنْهُ. وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ: الْأَمْصَارُ الْمَدِينَةُ، وَالشَّامُ، وَمِصْرُ، وَالْجَزِيرَةُ، وَالْكُوفَةُ، وَالْبَصْرَةُ، وَالْبَحْرَيْنِ. وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ: هِيَ عَشَرَةٌ، فَزَادَ: دِمَشْقُ، وَحِمْصُ، وَالْأُرْدُنُّ، وَفِلَسْطِينُ، وَقَنْسَرِينَ. وَقَالَ الْأَصْمَعِيُّ: الْعِرَاقَانِ الْبَصْرَةُ، وَالْكُوفَةُ. وَسَوَادُ الْبَصْرَةِ: الْأَهْوَازُ، وَفَارِسُ. وَسَوَادُ الْكُوفَةِ مَنْ كَسْكُرَ إِلَى حُلْوَانَ. وَقَدْ ذُكِرَ عَنْ بَطْلَيْمُوسَ الْمَلِكِ أَنَّهُ أَحْصَى مُدُنَ الدُّنْيَا فِي زَمَانِهِ، فَإِذَا هِيَ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ وَمِائَتَا مَدِينَةٍ. وَيُقَالُ: بِلَادُ الْأَنْدَلُسِ مَسِيرَةُ شَهْرٍ فِي مَثَلِهِ يَحْتَوِي أَرْبَعِينَ مَدِينَةً، وَبِلَادُ سَرَنْدِيبَ مَسِيرَةُ ثَمَانِينَ فَرْسَخًا فِي مِثْلِهَا، وَفِي بِلَادِ رُومِيَّةَ أَلْفٌ وَمِائَتَا كَنِيسَةٍ، وَأَرْبَعُونَ أَلْفَ حَمَّامٍ، وَبِهَا سُوقٌ لِلطَّيْرِ فَرْسَخٌ، وَلَا يَقْدِرُ غَرِيبٌ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهَا إِلَّا بِدَلِيلٍ، لِأَنَّ مَدْخَلَهَا دُفُّ تَقْرِيحٍ، وَلَا يَقِفُ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا أَصْلَهَانُ، وَكَذَلِكَ عَمُورِيَّةُ عَظِيمَةٌ، زَعَمُوا أَنَّ حَوْلَ سُورِهَا أَلْفَ عَمُودٍ وَمِائَتَيْ عَمُودٍ، وَعِشْرِينَ عَمُودًا فِيهَا رَهَابِينُ. عجائب القسطنطينية وَفِي الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ مِنَ الْعَجَائِبِ سَبْعَةُ أَسْوَارٍ سُمْكُ سُورِهَا الْكَبِيرِ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرُونَ ذِرَاعًا، وَسُمْكُ سُورِ الْفَصِيلِ عَشْرَةُ أَذْرُعٍ، وَسُمْكُ الْفَصِيلِ مِمَّا يَلِي الْبَحْرَ خَمْسَةُ أَذْرُعٍ، وَبَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ الْبَحْرِ وَجْهٌ يَكُونُ نَحْوَ خَمْسِينَ ذِرَاعًا، فِي سُورِهَا مِائَةُ بَابٍ. وَمَمْلَكَةُ الرُّومِ يَدْخُلُ فِيهَا حُدُودُ الصَّقَالِبَةِ، وَمَنْ جَاوَرَهُمْ، وَالسَّرِيرُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْحَزْرِ مَسِيرَةُ فَرْسَخَيْنِ. وَيُقَالُ: كَانَ هَذَا السَّرِيرُ لِبَعْضِ الْأَكَاسِرَةِ، وَدِيوَانُ مَلِكِ الرُّومِ مَوْسُومٌ عَلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفِ رَجْلٍ، عَلَى كُلِّ عَشْرَةِ آلَافٍ بِطْرِيقٌ، جَزَائِرُ الرُّومِ خَمْسٌ: جَزِيرَةُ قُبْرُصَ، وَدُوْرُهَا مَسِيرَةُ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا، وَجَزِيرَةُ أَقْرِيطِسَ، وَدُوُرَهَا مَسِيرَةُ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا وَجَزِيرَةُ الرَّاهِبِ، وَبِهَا يُخَصُّ الْخَدَمُ، وَجَزِيرَةُ الْفِضَّةِ، وَجَزِيرَةُ الصَّقَلِّيَّةِ، وَدُورُهَا مَسِيرَةُ خَمْسَةَ عَشْرَةَ يَوْمًا، وَهِيَ بِإِزَاءِ أَفْرِيقِيَّةَ، وَالْحَبَشِيَّةُ عَلَى بَحْرِ الْقَلْزَمِ، وَبَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ الْمِصْرِ مَفَازَةٌ فِيهَا مَعْدِنُ الذَّهَبِ، وَمَدِينَةُ أَصْحَابِ الْكَهْفِ مِنْ عَمَلِ الرُّومِ، وَالْكَهْفِ فِي جَبَلِ بَابِجِلُوسَ، وَأَمَّا أَصْحَابُ الرَّقِيمِ فَبِحُرِيَّةَ، وَهِيَ رُسْتَاقٌ بَيْنَ عَمُورِيَّةَ وَبِنْتِيهَ. وَأَمَّا طُولُ بِلَادِ الصِّينِ عَلَى الْبَحْرِ فَمَسِيرَةُ شَهْرَيْنِ بِهَا، وَبِهَا ثَلَاثُمِائَةِ مَدِينَةٍ كُلِّهَا عَامِرَةٌ. وَيُقَالُ مَا دَخَلَ الصِّينَ أَحَدٌ وَاشْتَهَى أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنْهَا سِيَّمَا بِلَادٌ مِنَ الصِّينِ يُدْعَى الْأَشْبِيلَا، يَكُونُ بِهَا الذَّهَبُ الْكَثِيرُ. وَالْهِنْدُ سَبْعَةُ أَجْنَاسٍ، وَهُمْ اثْنَتَانِ وَأَرْبَعُونَ مِلَّةً، مِنْهُمِ الْبَرَاهِمَةُ. وَمَدِينَةُ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِ عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ، بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ مِصْرَ أَرْبَعُونَ فَرْسَخًا، بَنَاهَا الْإِسْكَنْدَرُ الْأَوَّلُ، وَهُوَ ذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ، فِي ثَلَاثِمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ. وَبَلَغَنَا أَنَّ أَهْلَهَا مَكَثُوا سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً لَا يَمْشُونَ فِيهَا بِالنَّهَارِ إِلَّا بِخِرَقٍ سُودٍ حِيَالَ أَعْيُنِهِمْ، مَخَافَةً عَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ مِنْ شِدَّةِ بَيَاضِ حِيطَانِهَا. وَفِيهَا الْمَنَارَةُ الَّتِي هِيَ أَحَدُ عَجَائِبِ الدُّنْيَا، يَصْعَدُ عَلَى أَعْلَاهَا مَشْيًا وَلَا يَبِينُ لِمَنْ يَصْعَدُهَا أَنَّهُ يَرْتَقِي، لِأَنَّهُ يَدُورُ وَلَا يَنْقُلُ قَدَمَيْهِ عَلَى دَرَجٍ، إِنَّمَا يَمْشِي كَأَنَّهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ، وَكَانَ فِيهَا سِوَى أَهْلِهَا سِتُّمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ خَوَلًا لِأَهْلِهَا. وَمَدِينَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ الَّتِي كَانَ يَنْزِلُهَا، كَانَ لَهَا سَبْعُونَ بَابًا، وَجَعَلَ حِيطَانِهَا بِالْحَدِيدِ، وَالصُّفْرِ مَبْنِيَّةً، وَأَجْرَى فِيهَا الْأَنْهَارَ، وَنَصَبَ سَرِيرَهُ فِي وَسَطِ الْأَنْهَارِ، فَكَانَ الْمَاءُ يَجْرِي تَحْتَ سَرِيرِهِ بِمِقْدَارٍ يُسْتَحْسَنُ وَلَا يَضُرُّ. وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّ أَنْزَهَ الْأَرْضِ وَأَجْمَعَهَا طِيبًا وَحُسْنَ مُسْتَشْرَفٍ سَمَرْقَنْدُ. قَالُوا: وَأَحْسَنُ الْأَرْضِ مَصْنُوعَةُ الرَّيِّ، وَأَحْسَنُهَا مَفْرُوقَةُ جُرْجَانَ وَطَبَرِسْتَانَ، وَأَحْسَنُهَا مُسْتَخْرَجَةً نَيْسَابُورُ، وَأَحْسَنُهَا قَدِيمًا وَحَدِيثًا جُنْدِيسَابُورُ، وَلَهَا حُسْنُ الْأَنْهَارِ، وَأَعْظْمُ بِلَادِ اللَّهِ بِرْكَةُ الشَّامِ ، وَأَكْثَرُهَا أَنْهَارًا الْبَصْرَةُ، وَأَعْدَلُهَا هَوَاءً الْيَمَنُ وَأَغْنَاهَا مِنَ الدَّوَابِّ وَالْبُرْسِ أَصْفَهَانُ، وَأَرَشُّهَا الْعِرَاقُ. وَذَكَرَ أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ الْأَزْهَرِيُّ: أَنَّ جَابُلْقَ وَجَابُلْسَ مَدِينَتَانِ، إِحْدَاهُمَا بِالْمُشْرِقِ، وَالْأُخْرَى بِالْمَغْرِبِ، لَيْسَ وَرَاهُمَا. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: بِفَتْحِ اللَّامِ فِيهِمَا. وعن عُسَيْلُ بْنُ ذَكْوَانَ، قَالَ: قَالَ الْأَصْمَعِيُّ: أَحْسَنُ الدُّنْيَا ثَلَاثَةُ أَنْهَارٍ، نَهْرُ الْأَيْلَةِ، وَغُوطَةُ دِمَشْقَ، وَسَمَرْقَنْدَ، وَحُشُوشُ الدُّنْيَا ثَلَاثَةٌ: عُمَانُ، وَأَرْدَبِيلُ، وَهِيتُ. أول قرية عَنْ عُرْوَةَ: أَنَّ الْفَرْعَ أَوَّلُ قَرْيَةٍ مَارَتْ لِأُمِّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الثَّمَرَ بِمَكَّةَ ، وَكَانَتْ مِنْ عَمَلِ عَادٍ، شُقَّتْ لَهَا بَيْنَ جَبَلَيْنِ ثُمَّ كَمَّلَتِ السَّبِيلَ فِيهِ. قَالَ بَعْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ: سُمِّيَتْ خُرَاسَانُ بِخُرَاسِمِ الشَّمْسِ، أَيْ مَطْلَعِ الشَّمْسِ. وَحَدُّ خُرَاسَانَ مِنَ الدَّامِغَانِ إِلَى شَطِّ نَهْرِ بَلْخٍ، وَعَرْضُهَا مِنْ حَدِّ زَرَنْجَ إِلَى حَدِّ جُرْجَانَ، وَمُدُنُهَا الْكِبَارُ أَرْبَعَةٌ: نَيْسَابُورُ، وَمَرْوٌ، وَهَرَاةُ، وَبَلْخٌ. وَأَوَّلُهَا مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ الْعِرَاقِ نَيْسَابُورُ، بَنَاهَا سَابُورُ ذُو الْأَكْتَافِ. وَتَفْسِيرُ خُوَارِزْمَ: أَرْضُ الْهَوَانِ، لِأَنَّ أَهْلَهَا لَا يُطِيعُونَ إِلَى عَلَى هَوَانٍ. بَلْخٌ بَنَاهَا لِهْرَاسِبُ. هَرَاةُ بَنَاهَا الضَّحَّاكُ. مَرْوٌ بَنَاهَا مَرْوُ الشَّاهِجَانُ، تَفْسِيرُ مَرْوٍ: مَرْجٌ، وَالشَّاهُ:الْمَلِكُ، وَالْجَانُ: الرُّوحُ، وَكَأَنَّهُ يُقَالُ: مَرَجَ نَفْسُ الْمَلِكِ. مُوقَانِ، وَأَرْدَبِيلُ، وَالْبَيْلَقَانُ، وَجُرْجَانُ، وَحُورَانُ سُمِّيَتْ بِأَسْمَاءِ أَصْحَابِهَا. حُلْوَانُ بِحُلْوَانَ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ السَّحَّارِ بْنِ قُضَاعَةَ. رَامْهُرْمُزُ بَنَاهَا هُرْمُزُ بْنُ شَابُورُ، وَالْمَذُّ وَالْهِنْدُ إِخْوَانٌ مِنْ أَوْلَادِ سَامٍ. الصِّينُ سُمِّيَتْ بِصِينَ بْنِ يَعْبُرَ بِحَدِّ مَا بَيْنَ الْحِجَازِ وَالشَّامِ إِلَى الطَّائِفِ. تِهَامَةٌ مَا سَائِرَ الْبَحْرِ بِمَكَّةَ. الْمُوصِلُ سُمِّيَتْ لِأَنَّهَا وَصَلَتْ مَا بَيْنَ دِجْلَةَ وَالْفُرَاتِ. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ مَمْلَكَةَ الْإِسْلَامِ شَرْقُهَا أَرْضُ الْهِنْدِ، وَغَرْبُهَا مَمْلَكَةُ الرُّومِ، وَشَمَالُهَا مَمْلَكَةُ الصِّينِ، وَجَنُوبُهَا بَحْرُ فَارِسَ. وَأَمَّا مَمْلَكَةُ فَارِسَ فَشَرْقُهَا بِلَادُ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَغَرْبُهَا وَجَنُوبُهَا الْبَحْرُ الْمُحِيطُ. وعَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ: قَالَتِ الصِّحَّةُ أَنَا لَاحِقَةٌ بِأَرْضِ الْعَرَبِ، قَالَ الْجُوعُ: أَنَا مَعَكَ، قَالَ الْإِيمَانُ: أَنَا لَاحِقٌ بِأَرْضِ الشَّامِ، قَالَ الْمَوْتُ: أَنَا مَعَكَ، قَالَ الْمُلْكَ. أَنَا لَاحِقٌ بِأَرْضِ الْعِرَاقِ، قَالَ الْقَتْلُ: أَنَا مَعَكَ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the lands Kaʿb al-Aḥbār said: You find in the Book of God—Mighty and Majestic—the meaning of the Torah that the earth is in the form of an eagle. The head is Syria, the two wings are the east and the west, and the tail is Yemen. People remain in good as long as the head is not struck; when the head is struck, people perish. Another scholar said: The whole earth is seven climes. The first clime is India, the second the Hijaz, the third Egypt, the fourth Babylon, the fifth Rome, the sixth the Turks and Gog and Magog, and the seventh China. The extent of each clime is seven hundred parasangs by seven hundred parasangs, not including any mountain or valley, and the Great Sea surrounds all of that, all of it surrounded by Mount Qāf. Abū al-Ḥasan Aḥmad b. Jaʿfar said: The first clime As for the first clime: It begins in the east from the farthest lands of China, passing through the lands of China along the sea coast on the southern side. In it is the city of the king of China. Then it passes along the sea coast south of the lands of India, then the lands of Sind, then it crosses the sea to the Arabian Peninsula and the land of Yemen. Among its well-known cities are the city of Ẓafār, Oman, Hadramawt, Sanaa, Aden, al-Tabālah, Jarsh, and Saba. Then the clime crosses the Sea of Qulzum, passing through the lands of Abyssinia and crossing the Nile of Egypt. In it is the city of the kingdom of Abyssinia, called Jurmī [also called] Dongola, the city of Nubia. Then the clime passes through the lands of the Maghreb south of the Berber lands until it reaches the Western Sea. The second clime As for the second clime: It begins in the east, passing through the lands of China, then through the lands of India, then through the lands of Sind. In it are the city of al-Manṣūrah and al-Daybul. Then it passes to where the Green Sea and the Sea of Basra meet, and it crosses the Arabian Peninsula in the land of Najd and the land of Tihamah. Among its cities are al-Yamāmah, al-Baḥrayn, Hajar, Yathrib, Makkah, al-Ṭāʾif, and Jeddah. Then it crosses the Sea of Qulzum and passes through Upper Egypt, crossing the Nile. Among its cities are Tūmin, Akhmīm, and Aswān. Then it passes through the lands of the Maghreb through the middle of the lands of Ifrīqiya, then through the Berber lands, and ends at the Western Sea. The third clime As for the third clime: It begins in the east, passing north of the lands of China, then through the lands of India, then north of the lands of Sind, then through the lands of Kabul, Kirmān, Sijistān, and al-Sīrajān. Then it passes along the coasts of the Sea of Basra. In it are the city of Iṣṭakhr, Nasā, Sābūr, Shīrāz, Sīrāf, and Mahrūbān. Then it passes through the districts of al-Ahwāz and Iraq. In it are Basra, Wāsiṭ, Baghdad, Kufa, al-Anbār, and Hīt. Then it passes through the lands of Syria. In it are Homs, Damascus, Tyre, Acre, Tiberias, Caesarea, Jerusalem, al-Ramlah, Ascalon, and Gaza. Then it crosses the lower part of Egypt. Among its cities there are Tinnīs, Damietta, Fusṭāṭ of Egypt, al-Fayyūm, and Alexandria. Then it passes through the lands of Ifrīqiya and ends at the Western Sea. The fourth clime As for the fourth clime: It begins in the east, passing through the lands of Tibet, then through Khurasan. In it are Farghānah, Samarqand, Balkh, Bukhara, Herat, Merv, Sarakhs, Ṭūs, Naysābūr, Jurjān, Qūmis, Ṭabaristān, Qazwīn, al-Rayy, Isfahan, Qumm, Hamadhān, Nahāwand, al-Dīnawar, Ḥulwān, Shahrazūr, Sāmarrā, Mosul, Balad, Naṣībīn, Āmid, Raʾs ʿAyn, Qālīqā, Sumaysāṭ, Ḥarrān, al-Raqqah, and Qarqīsiyā. Then it passes north of Syria. Among its cities are Bālis, Manbij, Malaṭyah, Aleppo, Qinnasrīn, Antioch, Tripoli, al-Maṣṣīṣah, Sidon, Adhana, Tarsus, and Amorium. Then it passes through the Syrian Sea to the island of Cyprus, then through the lands of the Maghreb to the lands of Tangier, and ends at the Western Sea. The fifth clime As for the fifth clime: It begins in the east from the lands of Gog and Magog, then passes north of Khurasan. In it are: Khwārizm, al-Shāsh, Azerbaijan, Sinjār, and Akhlāṭ. Then it passes through the lands of the Romans to Kharshana and Rome, then passes through the lands of al-Andalus until it reaches the Western Sea. The sixth clime As for the sixth clime: It begins in the east, passing through the lands of Gog and Magog, then through the lands of the Khazars, then passes through Constantinople, and ends at the Western Sea. The seventh clime As for the seventh clime: It begins in the east from the north of the lands of Gog and Magog, then through the lands of the Turks, then along the coasts of the Sea of Jurjān, then it crosses the Sea of the Romans, passing through the Slavs, and ends at the Western Sea. Another said: The inhabited part of the earth, despite the variation of its regions, is divided among seven nations: the Chinese, the Indians, the Sudanese, the Berbers, the Romans, the Turks, and the Persians; the Persians occupy the center of these kingdoms. Al-Azharī said: The clime is called iqlīm because it is cut off (maqlūm) from the climes upon which its region was built, meaning separated from it. Al-Ḥasan said: The amṣār are Madinah, Syria, Egypt, al-Jazīrah, Kufa, Basra, and al-Baḥrayn. Qatādah said: They are ten, adding Damascus, Homs, Jordan, Palestine, and Qinnasrīn. Al-Aṣmaʿī said: The two Iraqs are Basra and Kufa. The sawād of Basra is al-Ahwāz and Persia. The sawād of Kufa is from Kaskar to Ḥulwān. It is mentioned on the authority of Ptolemy the king that he counted the cities of the world in his time and found them to be four thousand two hundred cities. It is said: The lands of al-Andalus are a month's journey by a similar measure and contain forty cities. The lands of Sarandīb are eighty parasangs by a similar measure. In the lands of Rome, there are one thousand two hundred churches and forty thousand baths. It has a bird market a parasang long, and no stranger can enter it except with a guide, because its entrance is a narrow pass, and only its people know it. Likewise, Amorium is great; they claim that around its wall are one thousand two hundred and twenty columns, with monks in them. Wonders of Constantinople In Constantinople there are wonders: seven walls. The thickness of its great wall is twenty-one cubits, the thickness of the inner wall is ten cubits, and the thickness of the inner wall on the sea side is five cubits. Between it and the sea is a space of about fifty cubits. In its wall are one hundred gates. The kingdom of the Romans includes the borders of the Slavs and those adjacent to them. The throne between it and the Khazars is a distance of two parasangs. It is said that this throne belonged to one of the Khosrows. The dīwān of the king of the Romans is marked for one hundred thousand men, over every ten thousand a patrician. The islands of the Romans are five: the island of Cyprus, whose circuit is a journey of sixteen days; the island of Crete, whose circuit is a journey of fifteen days; the island of the Monk, where servants are chosen; the island of Silver; and the island of Sicily, whose circuit is a journey of fifteen days, opposite Ifrīqiya. Abyssinia is on the Sea of Qulzum, and between it and Egypt is a desert in which is a gold mine. The city of the Companions of the Cave is in the territory of the Romans, and the cave is in the mountain of Bābijlūs. As for the Companions of al-Raqīm, they are in Ḥuriyya, which is a district between Amorium and Bintīh. As for the length of the lands of China along the sea, it is a journey of two months. In it are three hundred cities, all flourishing. It is said that no one enters China and desires to leave it, especially the lands of China called al-Ashbīlā, where there is much gold. India consists of seven races, and they follow forty-two religions, among them the Brahmins. The city of Alexandria is on the sea coast, between it and Egypt are forty parasangs. It was built by Alexander the First, who is Dhū al-Qarnayn, in three hundred years. It has reached us that its people continued for seventy years not to walk in it during the day except with black cloths over their eyes, fearing for their sight from the intense whiteness of its walls. In it is the lighthouse, which is one of the wonders of the world; one ascends to its top on foot, and it does not appear to the one ascending that he is climbing, because he circles and does not move his feet on steps, but walks as if on the ground. In it, besides its inhabitants, were six hundred thousand Jews as servants to its people. The city of Pharaoh, which he used to inhabit, had seventy gates, and he made its walls of iron and brass, built with them, and made rivers flow through it, and placed his throne in the middle of the rivers, so the water flowed beneath his throne in a pleasing measure without harm. It is said that the most pleasant and most wholesome land is Samarqand. They said: The most beautifully built land is al-Rayy, the most beautifully divided is Jurjān and Ṭabaristān, the most beautifully laid out is Naysābūr, and the best in old and new times is Jundīsābūr, which has beautiful rivers. The greatest land of God in blessing is Syria, the most abundant in rivers is Basra, the most temperate in air is Yemen, the richest in beasts of burden and fine horses is Isfahan, and the moistest is Iraq. Abū Manṣūr al-Azharī mentioned: Jābulq and Jābuls are two cities, one in the east and the other in the west, beyond which there is nothing. Some said: With a fathah on the lām in both. On the authority of ʿUsayl b. Dhakwān, who said: Al-Aṣmaʿī said: The best things in the world are three rivers: the river of Eilat, the Ghūṭah of Damascus, and Samarqand. The filthiest places in the world are three: Oman, Ardabīl, and Hīt. The first village On the authority of ʿUrwah: Al-Farʿ was the first village that brought fruit to the mother of Ismāʿīl the Prophet ﷺ in Makkah. It was built by the people of ʿĀd; a pass was cut for her between two mountains, then the road was completed in it. Some scholars said: Khurasan was named from khurāsim al-shams, meaning the rising of the sun. The boundary of Khurasan is from al-Dāmghān to the bank of the Balkh River, and its width is from the boundary of Zaranj to the boundary of Jurjān. Its great cities are four: Naysābūr, Merv, Herat, and Balkh. The first from the direction of Iraq is Naysābūr, built by Sābūr Dhū al-Aktāf. The interpretation of Khwārizm is "the land of humiliation," because its people obey only through humiliation. Balkh was built by Lihrāsb. Herat was built by al-Ḍaḥḥāk. Merv was built by Merv al-Shāhijān. The interpretation of Merv is "meadow"; al-shāh is "the king"; al-jān is "the spirit"; as if it is said: "the meadow of the king's soul." Mūqān, Ardabīl, al-Baylaqān, Jurjān, and Ḥawrān were named after their founders. Ḥulwān is after Ḥulwān b. ʿUmar b. al-Saḥḥār b. Quḍāʿah. Rāmhurmuz was built by Hurmuz b. Sābūr. The Medes and the Indians are brothers among the descendants of Shem. China is named after Ṣīn b. Yaʿbur, at the boundary between the Hijaz and Syria up to al-Ṭāʾif. Tihamah is what faces the sea at Makkah. Mosul is so named because it connects (waṣalat) between the Tigris and the Euphrates. Know that the kingdom of Islam has as its east the land of India, its west the kingdom of the Romans, its north the kingdom of China, and its south the Sea of Persia. As for the kingdom of Persia, its east is the lands of Islam, and its west and south are the encompassing sea. On the authority of Ḥakīm b. Jābir, who said: Health said: "I am going to the land of the Arabs." Hunger said: "I am with you." Faith said: "I am going to the land of Syria." Death said: "I am with you." Kingship said: "I am going to the land of Iraq." Killing said: "I am with you."
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