Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2403
The Year 96
الْكَلَامُ عَلَى مَا يَتَعَلَّقُ بِرَأْسِ يَحْيَى بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ وَرَوَى ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ وَاقَدٍ قَالَ: وَكَّلَنِي الْوَلِيدُ عَلَى الْعُمَّالِ فِي بِنَاءِ جَامِعِ دِمَشْقَ فَوَجَدْنَا فِيهِ مَغَارَةً، فَعَرَّفْنَا الْوَلِيدَ ذَلِكَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ اللَّيْلُ وَافَانَا وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ الشَّمْعُ، فَنَزَلَ فَإِذَا هِيَ كَنِيسَةٌ لَطِيفَةٌ ثَلَاثَةُ أَذْرُعٍ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ أَذْرُعٍ، وَإِذَا فِيهَا صُنْدُوقٌ، فَفَتَحَ الصُّنْدُوقَ فَإِذَا فِيهِ سَفَطٌ، وَفِي السَّفَطِ رَأْسُ يَحْيَى بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ، مَكْتُوبٌ عَلَيْهِ: هَذَا رَأْسُ يَحْيَى بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا. فَأَمَرَ بِهِ الْوَلِيدُ فَرُدَّ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ. وَقَالَ: اجْعَلُوا الْعَمُودَ الَّذِي فَوْقَهُ مُغَيَّرًا مِنْ بَيْنِ الْأَعْمِدَةِ. فَجُعِلَ عَلَيْهِ عَمُودٌ مُسَفَّطَ الرَّأْسِ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ وَاقَدٍ: أَنَّ ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعَ كَانَ تَحْتَ رُكْنٍ مِنْ أَرْكَانِ الْقُبَّةِ يَعْنِي قَبْلَ أَنْ تُبْنَى قَالَ: وَكَانَ عَلَى الرَّأْسِ شَعْرٌ وَبَشَرٌ. وَقَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ وَاقَدٍ، قَالَ: حَضَرْتُ رَأْسَ يَحْيَى بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا، وَقَدْ أُخْرِجَ مِنَ اللِّيطَةِ الْقِبْلِيَّةِ الشَّرْقِيَّةِ الَّتِي عِنْدَ مَجْلِسِ بُجَيْلَةَ، فَوُضِعَ تَحْتَ عَمُودِ السِّبْطِ السَّكَاسِكِ. قَالَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ، وَالْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ: هُوَ الْعَمُودُ الرَّابِعُ الْمُسَفَّطُ. وَرَوَى أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ الْبِرَامِيِّ، بسنده عَنْ أَبِي زِيَادٍ، وَأَبِي أُمَيَّةَ الشَّعْبَانِيَّيْنِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: صَلَاةٌ فِي مَسْجِدِ دِمَشْقَ بِثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ صَلَاةٍ. وَهَذَا غَرِيبٌ جِدًّا. وَرَوَى ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ، مِنْ طَرِيقِ أَبِي مُسْهِرٍ، عَنِ الْمُنْذِرِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ مَوْلَى أَمِّ عَمْرٍو بِنْتِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَدْ سَمَّاهُ أَنَّ وَاثِلَةَ بْنَ الْأَسْقَعِ خَرَجَ مِنْ بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي يَلِي بَابَ جَيْرُونَ فَلَقِيَهُ كَعْبُ الْأَحْبَارِ، فَقَالَ: أَيْنَ تُرِيدُ؟ قَالَ وَاثِلَةُ: أُرِيدُ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ. فَقَالَ: تَعَالَ حَتَّى أُرِيَكَ مَوْضِعًا فِي هَذَا الْمَسْجِدِ، مَنْ صَلَّى فِيهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا صَلَّى فِي بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ. فَذَهَبَ بِهِ فَأَرَاهُ مَا بَيْنَ الْبَابِ الْأَصْفَرِ الَّذِي يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْوَالِي إِلَى الْحَنِيَّةِ يَعْنِي الْقَنْطَرَةَ الْغَرْبِيَّةَ فَقَالَ: مَنْ صَلَّى فِيمَا بَيْنَ هَذَيْنِ فَكَأَنَّمَا صَلَّى فِي بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ. فَقَالَ وَاثِل?ةُ: إِنَّهُ لَمَجْلِسِي وَمَجْلِسُ قَوْمِي. قَالَ كَعْبٌ: هُوَ ذَاكَ. وَهَذَا أَيْضًا غَرِيبٌ جِدًّا وَمُنْكَرٌ، وَلَا يُعْتَمَدُ عَلَى مِثْلِهِ. وَعَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا أَمَرَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بِبِنَاءِ مَسْجِدِ دِمَشْقَ وَجَدُوا فِي حَائِطِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْقِبْلِيِّ لَوْحًا مِنْ حَجَرٍ فِيهِ كِتَابٌ نَقْشٌ، فَأَتَوْا بِهِ الْوَلِيدَ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَى الرُّومِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَخْرِجُوهُ، ثُمَّ بَعَثَ إِلَى الْعِبْرَانِيِّينَ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَخْرِجُوهُ، ثُمَّ بَعَثَ إِلَى مَنْ كَانَ بِدِمَشْقَ مِنْ بَقِيَّةِ الْأَشْبَانِ، فَلَمْ يَسْتَخْرِجُوهُ. فَدُلَّ عَلَى وَهْبِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ أَخْبَرَهُ بِمَوْضِعِ ذَلِكَ اللَّوْحِ، فَوَجَدُوهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْحَائِطِ وَيُقَالُ: إِنْ ذَلِكَ الْحَائِطَ بَنَاهُ هُودٌ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ وَهْبٌ حَرَّكَ رَأْسَهُ وَقَرَأَهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، ابْنَ آدَمَ، لَوْ رَأَيْتَ يَسِيرَ مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ أَجَلِكَ، لَزَهَدْتَ فِي طُولِ مَا تَرْجُو مِنْ أَمَلِكَ، وَإِنَّمَا تَلْقَى نَدَمَكَ. لَوْ قَدْ زَلَّتْ بِكَ قَدَمُكَ، وَأَسْلَمَكَ أَهْلُكَ وَحَشَمُكَ، وَانْصَرَفَ عَنْكَ الْحَبِيبُ، وَوَدَّعَكَ الْقَرِيبُ، ثُمَّ صِرْتَ تُدْعَى فَلَا تُجِيبُ، فَلَا أَنْتَ إِلَى أَهْلِكَ عَائِدٌ، وَلَا فِي عَمَلِكَ زَائِدٌ، فَاعْمَلْ لِنَفْسِكَ قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَقَبْلَ الْحَسْرَةِ وَالنَّدَامَةِ، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَحِلَّ بِكَ أَجَلُكَ، وَتُنْزَعَ مِنْكَ رُوحُكَ، فَلَا يَنْفَعُكَ مَالٌ جَمَعْتَهُ، وَلَا وَلَدٌ وَلَدْتَهُ، وَلَا أَخٌ تَرَكْتَهُ، ثُمَّ تَصِيرُ إِلَى بَرْزَخِ الثَّرَى، وَمُجَاوَرَةِ الْمَوْتَى، فَاغْتَنِمِ الْحَيَاةَ قَبْلَ الْمَوْتِ، وَالْقُوَّةَ قَبْلَ الضَّعْفِ، وَالصِّحَّةَ قَبْلَ السَّقَمِ، قَبْلَ أَنْ تُؤْخَذَ بِالْكَظْمِ، وَيُحَالَ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ الْعَمَلِ. وَكُتِبَ فِي زَمَنِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ، عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ بسنده: لَمَّا كَانَ فِي أَيَّامِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ وَبِنَائِهِ الْمَسْجِدَ احْتَفَرُوا فِيهِ مَوْضِعًا، فَوَجَدُوا بَابًا مِنْ حِجَارَةٍ مُغْلَقًا، فَلَمْ يَفْتَحُوهُ، وَأَعْلَمُوا بِهِ الْوَلِيدَ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْ دَارِهِ حَتَّى وَقَفَ عَلَيْهِ، وَفُتِحَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَإِذَا دَاخِلُهُ مَغَارَةٌ فِيهَا تَمْثَالُ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْ حِجَارَةٍ عَلَى فَرَسٍ مِنْ حِجَارَةٍ فِي يَدِ التَّمْثَالِ الْوَاحِدَةِ الدُّرَّةُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ فِي الْمِحْرَابِ، وَيَدُهُ الْأُخْرَى مَقْبُوضَةٌ، فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَكُسِرَتْ، فَإِذَا فِيهَا حَبَّتَانِ; حَبَّةُ قَمْحٍ وَحَبَّةُ شَعِيرٍ، فَسَأَلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: لَوْ تَرَكْتَ الْكَفَّ لَمْ تَكْسِرْهَا لَمْ يُسَوِّسْ فِي هَذَا الْبَلَدِ قَمْحٌ وَلَا شَعِيرٌ. وَقَالَ الْحَافِظُ أَحْمَدُ الْوَرَّاقُ، وَكَانَ قَدْ عُمِّرَ مِائَةَ سَنَةٍ: سَمِعْتُ بَعْضَ الشُّيُوخِ يَقُولُ: لَمَّا دَخَلَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ دِمَشْقَ وَجَدُوا عَلَى الْعَمُودِ الَّذِي عَلَى الْمِقْسِلَّاطِ عَلَى السَّفُّودِ الْحَدِيدِ الَّذِي فِي أَعْلَاهُ صَنَمًا مَادًّا يَدَهُ بِكَفٍّ مُطْبَقَةٍ، فَكَسَرُوهُ، فَإِذَا فِي يَدِهِ حَبَّةُ قَمْحٍ، فَسَأَلُوا عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقِيلَ لَهُمْ: هَذِهِ الْحَبَّةُ الْقَمْحِ جَعَلَهَا حُكَمَاءُ الْيُونَانِ فِي كَفِّ هَذَا الصَّنَمِ طِلَّسْمًا، حَتَّى لَا يُسَوِّسَ الْقَمْحُ، وَلَوْ أَقَامَ سِنِينَ كَثِيرَةً. قَالَ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ: وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَنَا هَذَا السَّفُّودَ عَلَى قَنَاطِرِ كَنِيسَةِ الْمِقْسِلَّاطِ، فَلَمَّا هُدِمَتِ الْقَنَاطِرُ ذَهَبَ. قُلْتُ: كَنِيسَةُ الْمِقْسِلَّاطِ كَانَتْ مَبْنِيَّةً فَوْقَ الْقَنَاطِرِ الَّتِي فِي السُّوقِ الْكَبِيرِ، عِنْدَ الصَّابُونِيِّينَ وَالْعَطَّارِينَ الْيَوْمَ، وَعِنْدَهَا اجْتَمَعَتْ جُيُوشُ الْإِسْلَامِ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ دِمَشْقَ، دَخَلَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ مِنْ بَابِ الْجَابِيَةِ، وَخَالِدٌ مِنَ الْبَابِ الشَّرْقِيِّ، وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ مِنْ بَابِ الْجَابِيَةِ الصَّغِيرِ، كَمَا قَدَّمْنَا، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ وَالْمِنَّةُ. وَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ التَّمِيمِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُزَنِيِّ: سَمِعْتُ جَمَاعَةً مِنْ شُيُوخِ أَهْلِ دِمَشْقَ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ فِي سَقْفِ مَسْجِدِ الْجَامِعِ طَلَاسِمَ عَمِلَهَا الْحُكَمَاءُ فِي السَّقْفِ، مِمَّا يَلِي الْحَائِطَ الْقِبْلِيَّ، فِيهَا طَلَاسِمُ لِلصَّنُونِيَّاتِ، لَا تَدْخُلُهُ وَلَا تُعَشِّشُ فِيهِ مِنْ جِهَةِ الْأَوْسَاخِ الَّتِي تَكُونُ مِنْهَا، وَلَا يَدْخُلُهُ غُرَابٌ، وَطِلَّسْمٌ لِلْفَأْرِ وَالْحَيَّاتِ وَالْعَقَارِبِ مَا أَبْصَرَ النَّاسُ مِنْ هَذَا شَيْئًا إِلَّا الْفَأْرَ، وَيُشَكُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ عُدِمَ طِلَّسْمُهَا وَطِلَّسْمٌ لِلْعَنْكَبُوتِ حَتَّى لَا يَنْسِجَ فِي زَوَايَاهُ، فَيَرْكَبُهُ الْغُبَارُ وَالْوَسَخُ. قَالَ الْحَافِظُ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ: وَسَمِعْتُ جَدِّي أَبَا الْفَضْلِ يَحْيَى بْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْقَاضِيَ، يَذْكُرُ أَنَّهُ أَدْرَكَ فِي الْجَامِعِ قَبْلَ حَرِيقِهِ طِلَّسْمَاتٍ لِسَائِرِ الْحَشَرَاتِ، مُعَلَّقَةً فِي السَّقْفِ فَوْقَ الْبَطَائِنِ مِمَّا يَلِي السُّبْعَ، وَأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ يُوجَدُ فِي الْجَامِعِ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْحَشَرَاتِ قَبْلَ الْحَرِيقِ، فَلَمَّا احْتَرَقَتِ الطِّلَّسْمَاتُ وُجِدَتْ، وَكَانَ حَرِيقُ الْجَامِعِ لَيْلَةَ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَسِتِّينَ وَأَرْبَعِمِائَةٍ. وَقَدْ كَانَتْ بِدِمَشْقَ طِلَّسْمَاتٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا سِوَى الْعَمُودِ الَّذِي بِسُوقِ الْعَلَبِيِّينَ الْيَوْمَ الَّذِي فِي أَعْلَاهُ مِثْلُ الْكُرَةِ الْعَظِيمَةِ، وَهُوَ لِعُسْرِ بَوْلِ الدَّوَابِّ إِذَا دَارُوا بِالدَّابَّةِ حَوْلَهُ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ انْطَلَقَ. وَقَدْ كَانَ شَيْخُنَا الْعَلَّامَةُ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَّةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ يَقُولُ: إِنَّمَا هَذَا قَبْرُ مُشْرِكٍ مُتَمَرِّدٍ مَدْفُونٌ هُنَالِكَ يُعَذَّبُ، فَإِذَا سَمِعَتِ الدَّابَّةُ صِيَاحَهُ فَزِعَتْ فَانْطَلَقَ طَبْعُهَا. قَالَ: وَلِهَذَا يَذْهَبُونَ بِالدَّوَابِّ إِلَى مَقَابِرِ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى إِذَا مَغَلَتْ فَيَنْطَلِقُ طِبَاعُهَا وَتَرُوثُ، وَمَا ذَاكَ إِلَّا أَنَّهَا تَسْمَعُ أَصْوَاتَهُمْ وَهُمْ يُعَذَّبُونَ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ The discussion regarding the head of Yaḥyā b. Zakariyyā (peace be upon them both) Ibn ʿAsākir narrated, from Zayd b. Wāqid, who said: Al-Walīd appointed me over the workers in the construction of the Jāmiʿ of Damascus. We found in it a cave, and we informed al-Walīd of that. When night came, he came to us with candles before him, and he descended, and behold, it was a small church, three cubits by three cubits, and in it was a chest. He opened the chest, and behold, in it was a basket, and in the basket was the head of Yaḥyā b. Zakariyyā (peace be upon them both), on which was written: “This is the head of Yaḥyā b. Zakariyyā.” Al-Walīd ordered that it be returned to the place, and he said: “Make the column that is above it distinct from among the columns.” So a column with a basket-shaped capital was placed over it. In another narration, from Zayd b. Wāqid: That place was under a corner of the corners of the dome, that is, before it was built. He said: There was hair and skin on the head. Al-Walīd b. Muslim said, from Zayd b. Wāqid, who said: I was present when the head of Yaḥyā b. Zakariyyā was brought out from the eastern qiblī līṭa that is near the majlis of Bujayla, and it was placed under the column of the Sabṭ of Sakāsik. Al-Awzāʿī and al-Walīd b. Muslim said: It is the fourth column, the one with the basket-shaped capital. Abū Bakr b. al-Birāmī narrated, with his chain from Abū Ziyād and Abū Umayya al-Shaʿbānī, from Sufyān al-Thawrī, that he said: A prayer in the mosque of Damascus is [equal to] thirty thousand prayers. This is very strange. Ibn ʿAsākir narrated, through Abū Mushir, from al-Mundhir b. Nāfiʿ, the mawlā of Umm ʿAmr bt. Marwān, from his father—and in one narration: from a man whom he named—that Wāthila b. al-Asqaʿ went out from the gate of the mosque that is next to the gate of Jayrūn, and Kaʿb al-Aḥbār met him and said: “Where do you want [to go]?” Wāthila said: “I want to go to Jerusalem.” He said: “Come, so that I may show you a place in this mosque: whoever prays in it, it is as if he prayed in Jerusalem.” He went with him and showed him the area between the yellow gate from which the governor comes out and the ḥaniyya, that is, the western arch. He said: “Whoever prays between these two, it is as if he prayed in Jerusalem.” Wāthila said: “It is indeed my sitting place and the sitting place of my people.” Kaʿb said: “It is that.” This too is very strange and objectionable, and reliance should not be placed on anything like it. From al-Walīd b. Muslim, who said: When al-Walīd b. ʿAbd al-Malik ordered the construction of the mosque of Damascus, they found in the qiblī wall of the mosque a stone tablet with writing engraved on it. They brought it to al-Walīd. He sent to the Byzantines, but they could not decipher it. Then he sent to the Hebrews, but they could not decipher it. Then he sent to those in Damascus who were remnants of the Spaniards, but they could not decipher it. Then he was directed to Wahb b. Munabbih, and he sent for him. When he came to him, he told him of the location of that tablet. They found it in that wall—and it is said that that wall was built by Hūd ﷺ. When Wahb looked at it, he moved his head and read it, and behold, it said: In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. O son of Adam, if you saw how little of your appointed term remains, you would renounce the length of what you hope for from your expectations. You will only meet your regret, if your foot should slip, and your family and servants abandon you, and the beloved turns away from you, and the near one bids you farewell. Then you will be called but will not answer. You will not return to your family, nor will you add to your deeds. So work for yourself before the Day of Resurrection, and before regret and remorse, before your term befalls you, and your soul is taken from you. Then no wealth you collected will benefit you, nor a child you begot, nor a brother you left. Then you will go to the grave’s barzakh and the company of the dead. So seize life before death, strength before weakness, and health before sickness, before you are seized by anguish, and a barrier is placed between you and [your] deeds. And it was written in the time of Sulaymān b. Dāwūd (peace be upon them both). Ibn ʿAsākir said, with his chain: When it was in the days of al-Walīd b. ʿAbd al-Malik and his construction of the mosque, they dug a place in it and found a door of stone, closed. They did not open it, and they informed al-Walīd of it. He went out from his residence until he stood over it, and it was opened before him. Behold, inside it was a cave, and in it was a statue of a man of stone, on a horse of stone. In one hand of the statue was the pearl that was in the miḥrāb, and its other hand was clenched. He ordered it to be broken, and behold, in it were two grains: a grain of wheat and a grain of barley. He asked about that, and it was said to him: “If you had left the palm and not broken it, neither wheat nor barley in this land would have become worm-eaten.” Al-Ḥāfiẓ Aḥmad al-Warrāq, who had lived a hundred years, said: I heard some of the elders say: When the Muslims entered Damascus, they found on the column that is on the Miqsallāṭ, on the iron skewer that is at its top, an idol stretching out its hand with a closed palm. They broke it, and behold, in its hand was a grain of wheat. They asked about that, and it was said to them: “This grain of wheat was placed by the sages of the Greeks in the palm of this idol as a talisman, so that wheat would not become worm-eaten, even if it remained for many years.” Ibn ʿAsākir said: I myself saw this skewer on the arches of the Church of al-Miqsallāṭ, and when the arches were demolished, it disappeared. I say: The Church of al-Miqsallāṭ was built above the arches that are in the great market, near the soap-makers and the perfume-sellers today. Near it the armies of Islam gathered on the day of the conquest of Damascus: Abū ʿUbayda entered from the Gate of al-Jābiya, Khālid from the eastern gate, and Yazīd b. Abī Sufyān from the small Gate of al-Jābiya, as we have mentioned before. To God be praise and grace. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz al-Tamīmī said, from Abū Naṣr ʿAbd al-Wahhāb b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Muzanī: I heard a group of the elders of the people of Damascus say: In the ceiling of the congregational mosque there are talismans made by the sages in the ceiling, on the side facing the qiblī wall. Among them are talismans for the martens, so that they do not enter it or nest in it, because of the filth that comes from them, and no crow enters it; and a talisman for mice, snakes, and scorpions—people have seen nothing of these except the mouse, and it is doubtful whether its talisman has ceased to exist; and a talisman for the spider, so that it does not weave in its corners, whereupon dust and dirt would accumulate on it. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir said: I heard my grandfather Abū al-Faḍl Yaḥyā b. ʿAlī al-Qāḍī mention that he saw in the mosque, before its fire, talismans for all kinds of insects, hanging in the ceiling above the linings, on the side facing the seventh part, and that no insect of any kind was found in the mosque before the fire. When the talismans burned, they were found. The fire of the mosque was on the night of the middle of Shaʿbān, after the afternoon prayer, in the year four hundred sixty-one. There were many talismans in Damascus, and none of them remain except the column that is in the market of the ʿAlabiyyīn today, at the top of which is something like a great ball. It is for difficulty of urination in animals: if they circle the animal around it three times, it releases. Our shaykh, the erudite Abū al-ʿAbbās Ibn Taymiyya (may God have mercy on him) used to say: This is only the grave of a rebellious polytheist buried there, who is being tormented. When the animal hears his screaming, it becomes frightened, and its nature is released. He said: This is why they take animals to the graves of the Jews and Christians when they have colic, and their natures are released and they defecate. That is only because they hear their voices as they are being tormented. And God knows best.
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