| Famous
Mosques in Tripoli :
|
The Grand Mosque
and its Madrasahs
After the
destruction of the port city of Tripoli in 1289 by the army of Qala’un, the Sultan
decided to build a new city inland at the foot of "Pilgrim’s Mountain"
where a Crusader bourg had developed over the years, around the castle of Saint-GilIes.
Qala’un gave orders that amosque be erected on the emplacement there of the gutted
Crusader church, once Saint Mary’s of the Tower.This church apparently had been
founded in the early twelfth century but was severely damaged in a severe quake on June
29, 1170, just a few years before the union of the County of Tripoli with the House of
Antioch. In rebuilding the fallen church Bohemund IV, prince of Antioch and
fifth count of Tripoli, probably took into his service Italian architects who gave the
structure its "Lombard" tower. Although this quarter was set ablaze by orders of
Qala’un the tower did not collapse and was turned into a minaret and incorporated in
the Grand Mosque. After the death of Qala’un in 1294 his son, Malik al-Ashraf Salah
ed-Din Khalil, provided the main (north) Crusader portal of the mosque with a vaulted
porch and took steps to strengthen the foundations against destruction by future
earthquakes. The portal is a striking example of architecture of theCrusader period . It
is Romanesque in style with a slightly pointed and deep arch having three archivolts, two
of which are decorated with zigzags and resting on pilasters of the thick wall. The other
is decorated with two bands of plain molding and rests on slender columns with sculptured
leaf design capitals. The three line inscription on the lintel commemorates the
restoration work done on the mosque by Qala’un’s son, Khalil in 1294 (A.H. 693).
The first line reads: "In the name of Allah... the construction of this blessed
mosque has been ordered by our most powerful Sultan, Master of princes of the Arabs and
Persians, conqueror of frontiers, destroyer of the infidel". Then follows
the name and titles of the sultan and the name of the nd’ib or governor of Tripoli at
the time, Izzedin Aibek. The courtyard surrounded by arcades was added to the mosque in
1315 (A.H.715) by Qala’un’s younger son, Malik an-Nasir who succeeded his
brother Khalil." The pulpit was built in the mosque by Emir Qaratay, Mamluk
nd’ib of Tripoli in the year 1326 (A.H.726). A marble plaque placed above
a mihráb in the mosque commemorates the decoration of this prayer niche by another
governor of Tripoli, Emir Azdemir on July 2, 1478 (A.H.883)). The mosque has undergone
little changes since this time and, except for its Crusader elements, can be considered as
a Mamluk period building. Top
Its "Lombard" tower has three stories of arched windows on each side.
The top story s north and south windows are triple, as are those of the story below. The
east and west sides have only double windows at these levels. Below, all four sides have a
pair of windows of reduced size . The single columns between the pairs of windows and the
double columns of the triple windows have Romanesque capitals except those on the upper
story of the tower.
To the east there is
another portal which is of the Crusader period. It has a deep round
arch with two bands of decorations, the outer one presents an elaborate design, the inner
a simple rope pattern. The Arabic inscription on the lintel rests on Crusader corbel It is
a decree by Emir Djanim, nd’ib of Tripoli, abolishing the practice of giving gifts to
officials in the office of the hdjib a -ho ujdb or Grand Chamberlain. It appears that
gifts of spices, perfumes, sugar and vinegar were given, according to an old custom, to
those in charge of disputed claims in the office of the Grand Chamberlain and to other
officials in the province who administered the domains and other property holdings of the
Sultan. The decree abolishes this custom. It also protects the inhabitants of Tripoli from
forced sales of soap, oil and potassium carbonate, as well as from any other future
exactions which may be forthcoming from these offices. The decree, dated July 8,1502
(A.H.908) ends with "Praise be to Allah. An examination of the contents of
this decree shows that the principal commercial activity of Tripoli at this period was
centered on the manufacture of silk, soap and the production of potassium carbonate.
Top
And, finally, an inscription of the Marnluk
Sultan Shaikh fitted into the wall above the lintel of the southeast entry of the Grand
Mosque shows the Sultan’s pre-occupation with current abuses:
PRAISE BE TO
ALLAH... It HAS BEEN COMMANDED BY SULTAN ALMALIK AL-MUAYYAD ABU-L-NASER SHAIKH, MAY ALLAH
HONOR HIM AND GIVE HIM AUTHORITY TO ABOLISH INJUSTICES WHICH ARE TO THE PREJUDICE OF THE
INHABITANTS OF TRIPOLI, THAT IS, WE HOARDING
OF PROVISIONS SUCH AS WHEAT, MEAT AND BREAD
AND THEIR FORCED
SALE AT EXCESSIVE PRICES AND OTHER ABUSES OF
THIS SORT, SO THAT
SUCH PRACTICES ARE NOT RENEWED AND ARE
FORBIDDEN UNDER THIS
FLOURISHLNC REIGN. MAY ALLAH PRRSERVE THE
SULTAN AND MARE
HIS REIGN LONG OVER THE MUSLIMS . PRAISE BE
TO ALLAH
JUNE 6,1414 (A.H. 817).
Top
This is just one of the many inscriptions found in the mosques and madrasahs of Tripoli which
not only dates the buildings but also casts light on the daily life and problems in the
city in the days of the Mamluks. Set in the walls of mosques and madrasahs the decrees of
the sultans and Mamluk governors of Tripoli list abuses which existed at the time and
attempts made to correct them. All taxes not provided for in the Koran or hadith were
regarded as injustices. The decrees curbed the activities of dishonest officials and, in a
final attempt to see that justice is done, the wording of the decree puts the reform under
the protection of the Prophet.Top
In the vicinity of the Grand Mosque of Tripoli, or actually
attached to it, are six Mamluk ,madrasahs, Islamic schools founded for the explanation and
interpretation of the Roran and the presentation of the hadtth or sayings of the Prophet.
Adjacent to the madrasahs are the tombs of their benefactors. The most elaborate is the
al-Qartawiya, built by Emir Qaratay, Mamluk governor of Tripoli from 1316 to 1326 and
again from 1332 to 1333. Itis located outside the east portal of the mosque and has been
built, it is believed, on the emplacement of the baptistry of Saint Mary’s of the
Tower. Slender columns with leafed capitals decorate its north portal and mihrab (prayer
niche) in the interior and may have originally come from the Crusader construction.
Top
Historical References |
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| Eng.Lamia
KHAYAT |
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