Page 16 - Arabian Studies (V)

6 Arabian Studies V
according to these geographers, al-Suqya, not Wadi ’1-Qura, was
the point at which the Syrian and Egyptian routes converged.28
According to Hamad al-Jasir, al-Suqya lies in Wadi. ’1-Qura. He
says that it lies at the point at which Wadi ’1-Jizl and Wadi l’Qura
converge.29 Ibn Habib, alone among the Arab geographers, records
that al-Suqya is a village in Wadi ’1-Qura.30 Al-Hasan al-Isfahani
describes Wadi ’I-Qura as being north of al-Suqya and south of al-
‘Awall (al-‘Ula).31 Ibn al-Faqlh says that the Red Sea borders Wadi
’1-Qura32 but he is doubtlessly mistaken Al-Isjakhrl states that al-
Ta’if is a small town near Wadi ’1 Qura33, but he is also mistaken
because al-Ta’if lies south-east of Mecca (Umm al-Qura) and far
away from Wadi *1-Qura. Al-Mas‘udl says that al-Jinab is parallel
to Wadi ’1-Qura and Khaybar, mentioning the distance between
Medina and Wadi ’1-Qura as seven days journey.34 Ibn Sa‘d, in
relating the news of the Islamic military action against the Ghatafan
tribes, mentions that al-Jinab is parallel to Silah, Khaybar and
Wadi ’1-Qura.35 He assesses the distance between Wadi ’1-Qura and
Medina as seven days march.36 Al-Jinab is identified by al-Jasir with
the wide area which stretches east of Khaybar to the north of Tayma’,
and which is now called al-Jahra.37 Nasr, followed by Ibn Khal­
dun,38 places Harrat al-Nar (volcanic rocks) between Wadi ’1-Qura
and Tayma’. The correct location of Harrat al-Nar according to
al-Jasir, is given by al-Hajari. It is now called Harrat Khaybar39 and
lies to the south-east of Wadi ’1-Qura. Al-Hamdani claims that the
distance from Medina to Wadi ’1-Qura is five days’ journey by the
route of al-Marwah (the conventional route) and four days through
Hi$n BanI ‘Uthman in Najd.40 Al-Hamdani according to al-
Wohaibi, seems to have incorrect information about Wadi
’1-Qura.41 In respect to the distance between Wadi ’1-Qura
and Tayma’, al-Sakunl and al-MaqdisI say it is four days on the
Syrian caravan route.42 Al-MaqdisI also assesses the distance
between Wadi ’1-Qura and al-Manhab near Fayd (in Najd) as five
days journey.43 Yaqut quotes al-Sakunl to the effect that the
distance between Fayd and Wadi ’1-Qura through aPUraymah
equals six days march.44 At any rate the distance from Medina to al-
‘Ula, the main town in Wadi ’1-Qura today, by the conventional
route is about 350 km. or 360 km. passing through Khaybar. The
latter route is in use today. The distance from al-‘Ula to Tayma’ in
the north-east is about 170 km. by the desert track.
Al-Bakri mentions that there is a Hijaz for Wadi ’1-Qura and
Tayma’, but he does not elaborate on this claim.45 Al-IdrlsI
includes Wadi ’1-Qura among the famous places ‘in the fifth part of
the third climate’.46 Al-BIrunl in his Qanun locates it in the second
climate, saying that the longitude of Wadi ’1-Qura is 50° and its