PETRA: THE MASTERPIECE! Land of The Prophets (Part 4 of 5).

Land of The Prophets (Ardh al-Anbia)

(Part 4 of 5)

Petra: The Masterpiece!

Amazing Rock-Carving

By Thamudian Nomads

In 2019 Million-Plus Tourists Visited

The UNESCO World Wonder

(M. Javed Naseem)

The historic “rose city” of Petra (in Arabic: ‘al-Batra’) is a symbolic identity of Jordan, and it is located in Wadi Musa (The Valley of Moses). It is referred to as ‘stone’ because of its amazing rock-cut dwellings and mountain-carved houses. It was originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu. This city is a historical and archaeological wonder of the world. Petra lies on the slope of Madbah Mountain (Jabal al-Madbah) in the south of Jordan, in Arabah valley that runs from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It’s about 300km from the capital Amman city.

Petra is believed to have been settled as early as 9,000 BC, and it was possibly established in the 4th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom. The Nabataeans were the nomadic tribes of Arab people who traveled between Hijaz/Arabia and Syria via Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. The Nabataeans worked marvelously hard and established trade routes in the rough terrains and deserts. Through the trading business, the Nabataeans earned a lot and became wealthy and prosperous. They established Petra as their capital and the business hub.

According to Wikipedia, the earliest historical reference to Petra was an unsuccessful attack on the city ordered by Antigonus-I, in 312 BC, and recorded by various Greek historians. The Nabataeans were, unlike their enemies, accustomed to living in the barren deserts, and were able to repel attacks by taking advantage of the area's mountainous terrain. They were particularly skillful in harvesting rainwater, agriculture and stone carving. Petra flourished in the 1st century AD, when its famous Khazaneh (Treasury) structure – believed to be the mausoleum of Nabataean king Aretas-IV – was built, and its population peaked at an estimated 20,000 inhabitants.  

Although the Nabataean kingdom became a client state of the Roman Empire in the first century BC, it was only in 106 AD that it lost its independence. Petra fell to the Romans, who annexed Nabataea and renamed it as Arabia Petraea. Petra's importance declined as sea trade routes emerged, and after an earthquake in 363, destroyed many structures. In the Byzantine era several Christian churches were built, but the city continued to decline, and by the early Islamic era it was abandoned except for a handful of nomads. It remained unknown to the world until it was rediscovered in 1812 by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

The city is accessed through a 1.2-kilometre-long (0.75 mi) gorge called the Siq, which leads directly to the Khazneh (Treasury). Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system, Petra is also called the Rose City due to the color of the stone out of which it is carved. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage". In 2007, Al-Khazneh was voted as one of the New7-Wonders of the World. Petra is a symbol of Jordan, as well as Jordan's most-visited tourist attraction. Tourist numbers peaked in November 2019, when the figure exceeded one-million mark.

(Courtesy: Wikipedia.com)

Chronological Order of Major Prophets

The Middle East hosted most of the major Prophets of Allah. There were also many other Prophets who passed before or in between those mentioned in the list below. The Quran mentions about 25 of the Prophets but Allah made it clear in the Quran that there were many others about whom we don’t know anything. The tradition says there were a total of 124,000 Prophets/Messengers of God that passed in the universe since its inception. Only Allah knows best, man can only guess.

Major Prophets: Noah, Hud, Saleh, Ibrahim, Loot (Lot), Yaqoub (Jacob), Shoayb (Jethro), Joseph (Yousuf), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad. May Allah bless the souls of all of them!

Prophets Noah, Hud and Saleh passed in succession. The people/nation of Prophet Hud were called ‘Aad’. Actually they were the people who survived the great floods of Noah.

After the great floods during the period of Prophet Nouh (Noah), survivors fled the affected areas and settled on the higher land or mountains. The nations of Prophets Hud and Saleh, were, as a matter of fact, the same people of different generations, settled on the mountains in the region between Hijaz (today’s Saudi Arabia) and greater Palestine (now Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel) area. In the Quran, they are referred to as the nation of Thamud. Historians call them “Thamudians”. They traveled from the southern lands of Arabia, via Egypt, to the north in Syria. The main area of activities for the Prophets of Allah was generally (but not limited to) the Dead Sea, Palestine, the Jordan Valley and Syria.

The Quran Says:

“To the Aad people, (We sent) Hud, one of

their (own) brethren. He said: O my people!

Worship Allah! You have no other god but

Him; will you not fear (Allah)?"

(al-Quran 7:65)

Before the Aad people were destroyed for their corrupt, sinful way of life and rebellion to Allah, the pious/righteous people, along with their Prophets, were saved. They migrated to safer places. Allah says in the Quran:

“We saved him and those who adhered to him.

by Our mercy; and We cut off the roots of those

who rejected Our signs and did not believe.”

(al-Quran 7:72)

After the Aad people of Prophet Hud were destroyed, the survivors flourished, multiplied and spread over mountain areas. They were called Thamud people. They became the nation of Prophet Saleh. The Quran says:

“To the Thamud people (We sent) Salih, one of

their own brethren. He said: "O my people! Worship

Allah! You have no other god but Him….”

(al-Quran 7:73)

Prophet Saleh pleaded with his people and we learn from those pleas that they were very skilful people who built castles and palaces in the plains, and also carved out homes in the mountains. In the Quran, we see these verses:

"And remember how He made you inheritors

after the Aad people and gave you habitations

in the land. You build for yourselves palaces and

castles in (open) plains, and carve out homes in

the mountains; so bring to remembrance the

benefits (you have received) from Allah, and

refrain from evil and mischief on the earth."

(al-Quran 7:74)

But like their ancestors Aad, the people of Thamud also adopted corrupt and evil ways of life, disobeying Allah. Therefore, they were punished and their towns were destroyed, sparing those who were righteous. The Quran tells us:

“Then they hamstrung the she-camel, and insolently

defied the order of their Lord, saying: "O Salih! Bring

about your threats, if you are a messenger (of Allah)!"

So the earthquake took them unaware, and they lay

prostrate in their homes in the morning!”

(al-Quran 7:77-78)

Prophet Loot or Lut (Lot) was also sent to the same region, southern Jordan, to the people of Sodom, Gomorrah and neighboring towns.

In the Bible, we also find the references to the people of Aad and Thamud, who lived in the houses carved in the mountains and rocks.

The Bible Says:

“The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle’s, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord. “Edom will become an object of horror; all who pass by, will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds. As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns,” says the Lord, “so no one will live there, no people will dwell in it.” – (Jeremiah 49:16-18)

“He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.” – (Daniel 11:41)

“The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They wwere Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.” – (Ruth 1:2)

Mada’in Saleh (Saudi Arabia)

Petra is known by many names. It has a long history and has seen many rules including Roman and Byzantine. Its ancient name was Hegra (or al-Hijr) meaning the Stone-land or the Rocky Place. Saudi Arabia claims that the real home of Nabataean people (or the Thamudians), the nation of Prophet Saleh, was the “Mada’in Saleh” – an archaeological site 20km north of the town al-Ula, which is 400km north-west of Madinah (Hijaz), the town of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). This site is about 500km south-east of Petra (Jordan).

Al-Hijr is a small village. It belongs to Wadi al-Gura and is located inside the Ithlib mountains. It was the homeland of the Thamudians. The mountains and their carvings are very similar to Petra site. There are also signs of Lihyanite and Roman occupation, apart from Nabataean rule.
With the immense influx of Western tourists, the Pyramids of Egypt and Petra of Jordan are making endless money from tourism. Saudi Arabia wants to exploit the opportunity too and has started promoting Mada’in Saleh as a tourist attraction.

In 2008, UNESCO declared Mada’in Saleh a site of patrimony, thus becoming Saudi Arabia’s first World Heritage Site. It was chosen for its well-preserved Thamudian remains, especially the 131 rock-cut monumental tombs, with their elaborately ornamented façades, of the Nabataean Kingdom.

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AL-SALT: TOMB OF NABI SHOAYB. Bethany: Where Jesus Was Baptised by Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist).

Jordan: The Land of Prophets

(Part 3 of 5)

As-Salt: Tomb of Nabi Shoayb,

Bethany: Where Jesus Was

Baptised By Prophet Yahya (John),

Son of Prophet Zakariah

Shoayb was the Father-in-law of Moses.

He was from Midian (south of Jordan)

(M. Javed Naseem)

(Tomb of Prophet Shoayb (Jethro) in As-Salt, Jordan)

Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham)

Abraham was the head of the family of messengers of God. He was from a country which is known as Iraq today. He also lived in Syria, Palestine and Egypt and preached there. His final destination was Arabia.

Abraham was one of those Prophets of Allah who had the privilege of spreading the word of God along with other messengers from his family at the same time. Lot was a messenger of Allah and he was Abraham’s nephew. He preached in the central regions of Jordan. Abraham had two sons, the elder son Ishmael (or Ismail) and the younger son Isaac (or Ishaq). Isaac preached in Syria and Palestine. Ishmael assisted his father Abraham in the Arabia and helped him built the holy ‘Kaaba’, which is the centre of Islam today.

(The mosque and tomb of Prophet Shoayb (Jethro) in As-Salt.)

Prophet Shoayb (Jethro or Yitro)

Prophet Shoayb (Shoaib) – Jethro in Bible; Yitro in Torah; also called Reuel – was the father-in-law of Prophet Musa (Moses). He was a shepherd and a well-known priest in Midian or Madyan, a town in the south of Jordan. He gave his daughter Zipporah (also called Rohaya) in marriage to Musa (Moses).

Note: Some say that Jethro was not Shoayb; he was another saint who preached in the same area but centuries after Shoayb’s era. Allah knows best.

(Wadi Shoayb - The Valley of Shoayb (Jethro) in As-Salt, Jordan.)

Prophet Musa’s (Moses’s) Father-in-Law

Prophet Shoayb’s daughter, Zipporah (or Rohaya), became Moses's wife after Moses had fled Pharaoh’s Egypt, having killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. Having fled to Midian, Moses intervened in a water-access dispute between Shoayb’s seven daughters and the local shepherds. Consequently Shoayb invited Moses into his home and offered him hospitality. However, Moses remained conscious that he was a stranger in exile. He named his first son (Shoayb's grandson) “Gershom”, meaning "stranger there".

Moses is said to have worked as a shepherd for Shoayb for 40 years before returning to Egypt to lead the Hebrews to Canaan (now in Israeli territory), the "promised land.” Prophet Shoayb (Jethro) is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus.

Shoayb, Moses' non-Hebrew father-in-law, is a central figure, particularly in the rites and pilgrimages, of the Druze religion. Jethro is revered as the chief prophet in the Druze religion. They believe he was a "hidden" and "true prophet" who communicated directly with God and then passed on that knowledge to Moses, whom they describe as a "recognized" and “revealed” prophet.

Shuayb's mission is often mentioned in the Quran with the mission of Noah, Hud, Saleh and Lot. Scholars have pointed out that these five Prophets exemplify the early prophetic missions: The prophet would be sent to his community; the community would pay no attention to his warning and would instead threaten him with punishment; after years of preaching, God would ask him to leave his community and his people would be subsequently destroyed in a punishment. Scholars interpret the listing of the five prophets to be chronological, with Noah being the only prophet in the list who preached before the Great Flood. He was also a descendant of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham).

Shoayb was selected by Allah as his messenger for the people living in the region of Madyan, south Jordan. They lived in an area surrounded by thick forests. Their general occupation was trading – buying and selling. But they were not very honest people. They often lied to each other and cheated in their trade. They were like merchants from Hell. They opposed Shoayb’s teachings and kicked him out of town.

When Prophet Shoaib and his followers left the township. there came the commandment of Allah to pass. One night a big blast struck the inhabitants of Madyan and by next morning they were lying there, under the debris of their houses, lifeless, as if they had never lived. Allah narrated their account in the Holy Quran:

“So the earthquake seized them,

and morning found them prostrate

in their dwelling-place. Those who

denied Shoaib became as though

they had not dwelt there. Those who

denied Shoaib, they were the losers.”

(al-Quran 7:91-92)

Prophet Loot (Lot)

Lot was the nephew of Prophet Abraham and he preached in the regions that, geographically, are part of Jordan and its surrounding countries today. The big towns of Sadom and Gamorrah were situated on the east and west sides of the River Jordan, and are inside of Jordanian and Israeli territory today. Lot was selected as a Messenger of Allah for the people who were extremely perverted. They loved naked lewdness. They went lustfully after the young men instead of women. In today’s language, they were ‘gay’ or ‘homosexuals’.

(Town of Sodom destroyed by rain of Fire and Brimstone.)

God commanded Lot to tell his people to give up their sinful habits and perversion; and fear Allah. But those people were not ready to listen to him. They jeered at Lot. They called Lot and his family ‘the despicable’ and decided to get rid of them. So, they started demanding the expulsion of Lot and his family from their neighborhood. Eventually, they chased Lot and his followers out of the township.

And then came the Commandment of Allah to pass. The towns of Sadom and Gomorrah were destroyed by the rain of fire – the burning brimstones.

According to the Torah, the kingdoms of Sodom and Gomorrah were allied with the cities of Admah, Zeboim, and Bela. These five cities, also known as the “Cities of the Plain” (from Genesis in the Authorized Version), were situated on the Jordan River plain in the southern region of the land of Canaan.

Daily Mirror, UK, adds:

Biblical sin city Sodom FOUND in Jordan,

claim archaeologists after decade-long dig

A dig in the Middle Eastern country could have unearthed ruins from the notorious metropolis of vice. The ancient biblical city of sin Sodom may have been found in Jordan, a team of archaeologists claim. Experts excavating the site, in Tall el Hammam, say they have discovered a Bronze Age city-state that matches "every Sodom criterion".

According to the Bible, book of Genesis, God consumed Sodom and neighboring Gomorrah with fire and brimstone due to their resident's depraved behavior.

"When we explored the area, the choice of Tall el-Hammam as the site of Sodom was virtually a no-brainer since it was at least five to 10 times larger than all the other Bronze Age sites in the entire region."

The site is in the Jordan valley, close to the Dead Sea. It appears to have consisted of an upper and lower city - where inhabitants would live according to their wealth/standard.

(Courtesy: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/biblical-sin-city-sodom-found-6635533)

The Dead Sea: The Lowest Point On Earth

The Dead Sea has a very strategic and religious location. It has become a ‘Holy Sea’ since the historians found the Dead Sea Scrolls there. So many Prophets of God passed by it. Most Prophets who traveled from the south (like Egypt or Arabia) to the north (Syria, Jordan, Palestine, etc.) passed by it. Similarly, the Prophets traveling from the northern areas to Egypt, also passed by the Dead Sea. It touched the lands of Egypt, Palestine, and Jordan; but today its west coast is occupied by Israel.

The Dead Sea, lying 1,300 feet below sea level, is the lowest and most mineral-rich body of water in the world. A significant landmark, too salty to sustain any marine life, the Dead Sea is famous for the water’s mysteriously buoyant qualities which allow people to float across the top of the water, without needing to swim.

(The author at Dead Sea, Jordan)

As well as being famous for its numerous health benefits and year-round warm climate, the Dead Sea also contains a profound heritage. The sea is mentioned numerous times in the bible and has long been associated with mysticism, wonderment, and religious significance in the Biblical era.

(The Dead Sea, south Jordan.)

According to the Biblical narrative, when people hear that Lot was hosting two young guests, the residents of Sodom surrounded his house, angrily demanding that they are released from his protection. The angels then revealed their true nature to Lot, urging him and his family to flee the city before the incoming apocalypse. However, they cautioned Lot and his wife not to turn back and watch the city’s destruction.

(The pillar symbolizing Prophet Loot's wife after destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.)

The Biblical narrative says that Lot’s wife decided not to heed the angel’s warning, and when she turned back to survey the city’s destruction, God turned her into a pillar of salt.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are Biblical manuscripts, dating back to the third Century BC. They were first found by a Bedouin shepherd called Muhammed edh-Dhib in 1947, who was examining the Qumran Caves, which are located near the northern bank of the Dead Sea. This discovery prompted a full-scale archaeological dig in the caves and many additional parchments were later found.
Today, the Dead Sea Scrolls collection is housed in the Shrine of the Book Monument in the Israel Museum.

(The Dead Sea scrolls, now kept in an Israeli museum.)

Bethany: Prophet Yahya (John) Baptizes Jesus

The Spot Where Christianity Was Born

Bethany Beyond Jordan is the place where Jesus was baptized by Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) in the River Jordan. In Jordan it is known by the Arabic name of Al-Maghtas. It is near the Madaba city. Jordan River is the border between Jordan and Palestine – actually between Jordan and Israel. The Baptism Site is the spot where Christianity was first borm.

{River Jorder separating Jordan from Palestine (now Israel), at Bethany where Prophet Jesus was baptized by Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist)}.

Since there is no Palestine country, Israel controls everything officially. Palestine does not exist for practical purposes. It exists on paper only. Ironically, before 1945, Israel didn’t exist; it was all Palestine that existed for centuries and during the period of Prophets.

(Exact spot where Jesus was baptized by John in the River Jordan. The river has changed its course during time and flows a few meters away now.)

Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) was the son of Prophet Zachariah (or Zakariah). Prophet Zakariah was the Guardian of Maryam (Mary), the mother of Jesus. Both Zakariah and Yahya preached in and around the Jordan Valley. Yahya (John) was well known in the region for baptizing people. He pleaded people to repent and ask God for forgiveness of their sins. Those who confessed to him, he used to give them the baptism in the Jordan River to remove their sins. After the baptism of Jesus, the Prophethood was transferred to Jesus, and Jesus himself started baptizing people. That’s how and where the Christianity was born.

In the Bible, the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan has been described in three of the gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).

The site of Al-Maghtas (Arabic word meaning: baptism or immersion) on the East side of the River in Jordan has been deemed the earliest place of worship. This site was found following the UNESCO-sponsored excavations. Al-Maghtas was visited by Pope John Paul-II in March 2000, and he said: "In my mind I see Jesus coming to the waters of the River Jordan not far from here to be baptized by John the Baptist."

Prophet Yahya (John The Baptist) Was Beheaded

John the Baptist, well-known for baptizing Jesus in the river Jordan, is commonly referred to as the precursor or forerunner of Jesus. They both preached about repentance and the Kingdom of God and criticized the religious leaders of their day.  Additionally, they were both considered martyrs persecuted by officials of the Roman Empire.

According to the gospels of Matthew and Mark, John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya) had been imprisoned because he condemned Empror Herod Antipas for divorcing his wife and unlawfully taking Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Philip-I. On Herod's birthday, Herodias' daughter, Salome, danced before the king and his guests and Herod was so pleased that he promised to give her any request she desired.  Out of revenge for criticizing her marriage to Herod, Herodias told Salome to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.  Although Herod was dismayed by the request, he reluctantly agrees to have John executed in the prison of Machaerus. His head was presented to Salome in a platter.

(Umayyad Mosque -- or Umwi Masjid -- in Damascua, Syria, where the head of Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) is buried in a tomb. His body is buried in Samaria/Sebastia, Palestine.)

Tomb of Yahya (John the Baptist)

The tomb of Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) is situated in the Umayyad Mosque (Umwi Masjid) in Damascus, Syria. His body was buried in Palestine at Samaria, now called Sebastia. According to Christian tradition, (legend had it that) Saint John's head was buried there. Ibn al-Faqih relays the story that during the construction of the mosque, workers found a cave-chapel which had a box containing the head of St. John the Baptist, or Yahya ibn Zakaryah in Islam. Upon learning of that and examining it, al-Walid-I ordered the head to be buried under a specific pillar in the mosque that was later inlaid with marble.

(Tomb of Prophet Yahya or John the Baptist in the Umayyad Mosque (Umwi Masjid) in Damascua, Syria.)

In 2001, Pope John Paul II visited the mosque, primarily to visit the relics of John the Baptist. It was the first time a pope paid a visit to a mosque. Similar to the account of John the Baptist in the Bible, the birth of the Prophet Yahya in the Quran is miraculous, since Zakariah and his wife were unable to conceive together—before Zakariah’s desperate prayers for a child were answered.

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THE BLESSED TREE OF SAFAWI, The Blue Mosque, The Roman Theater, The Amman Citadel.

The Holy Land (Ardh al-Anbia)

(Part 2 of 5)

The Blessed Tree Of Safawi,

The Blue Mosque,

The Roman Theater,

The Citadel of Amman

(M. Javed Naseem)

(The Blessed Tree of Safawi where Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w., took shelter on his way to Syria.)

In ancient times, Jordan was part of the original Palestine – the Holy Land; the Land of the Prophets. During that period of time and history, today’s countries of Jordan and Lebanon did not exist. It was all Syria in the north; Palestine in the middle; Iraq and Persia (Iran) in the east; and Egypt in the south. Hijaz and Yemen formed the south-east. The west was occupied by the Mediterranean Sea. The north part of Syria and Turkey were under Byzantine Empire.

Emergence of Islam changed the course of history. The Byzantine and the Romans were forced to leave Middle East that eventually became entirely Muslim. But the ruins of those empires are still scattered all over Middle East. Ruined Elfi theaters and big Roman columns still decorate the landscape in countries like Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Arabia, Iraq, etc. Today’s Jordan has common borders with Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Amman is the capital of today’s Jordan, ruled by the Hashemite family. In the historic past, Amman was called Philadelphia. It is famous for many of its landmarks and historical monuments. Except for the desert, Amman is constructed on a hilly area – miles and miles of ups and downs – difficult to drive but more difficult to walk on foot. Actually, the whole country is hilly and mountainous.

In the second week of October 2019, Jordan’s King Abdullah and the visiting Head of Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, inaugurated the Visitors Centre at the site of the Blessed Tree in Safawi, where Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, rested on his way to Syria. The Prophet (s.a.w.) was in a trade caravan, in the company of his uncle Abu Taalib. He rested under this tree, taking shelter from the scorching heat of sun. At this point, a well-known Christian monk Bahira also met him and saw how the tree was protecting the young man (Muhammad, s.a.w.) with its thick shade and fanning cool breeze with its leaves. Bahira observed the situation with interest and  predicted that the young man (Mohammad, s.a.w.) would become a Prophet of Allah one day. Eventually, Bahira's prediction came true and at the age of 40, Mohammad (s.a.w.) declared his Prophethood. The Blessed Tree, estimated to be 1,500 years old, is a religious and historical site in Jordan.

 

The miraculous thing about the tree is that for miles and miles around, there is no other tree in sight in that desert. There is also no water. But the holy tree has always a small pond of water on one side. During spring and summer times, the tree shows its real volume when it is covered with fresh green leaves. It provides shade to a huge area of ground where a whole caravan can take rest. The tree has also been given the title of the “Living Companion (Sahabi) of the Prophet”.

(Jordan’s King Abdullah and Head of Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, inaugurating the visitor centre at the site of the Blessed Tree in Safawi, where Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.), rested on his way to Syria (Photo Royal Court/Jordan Times))

King Abdullah gave the head of the Chechen Republic a tour of the pond adjacent to the site of the Blessed Tree. Because of that event, the Blessed Tree site also got an asphalt road access. Before that, there was only rough rocky and dirt pavement leading to the site. Thank you Mr. Kadyrov for helping the visitors with an asphalt road!

The film “The Blessed Tree”

A film has also been produced depicting the story of the tree and the meeting of the two religions (Christianity and Islam) – a Christian monk Bahira met Prophet Mohammad at this site under the same tree, and predicted of his prophethood.

Most of the visitors don’t know about this holy and historic site. It’s more than 150km towards east from the capital Amman city, close to the border of Iraq. It takes about two hours drive from Amman. The round trip can take more than 4 hours (a half day). The visitors need to take the road to the city of Sahab; then to al-Azraq and from there (about 13km) to Safawi. The signs have been posted.

(The Cave of the Seven Sleepers, between Amman and Sahab city.)

The visitors can also take advantage of the vicinity of Sahab city to go to the famous Cave of the Seven Sleepers or the site of Ass-hab al-Kahf (picture above).

Amman Citadel (Amman Fort/Qalaa)

The Temple of Hercules is a historic site in the Citadel of Amman, Jordan. As per archeologists, it is thought to be the most significant Roman structure in the Amman Citadel. It is located in the city center but on the highest point of the hill called “Jabal al-Qalaa.”

According to an inscription, the temple was built during Geminius Marcianus rule when he was governor of the Province of Arabia (AD 162-166). The Roman Theater belongs to the same period. The Amman Citadel covers a big area on top of the hill in downtown Amman. You can walk up there or take a taxi to the site.

Archaeologists believe that since there were no remains of additional columns, the temple was probably not finished, and the marble was used to build the Byzantine Church nearby.
The site also contains fragments of a colossal stone statue, identified as Hercules, and estimated to have been over 12 m (39 ft) tall. It was probably destroyed in an earthquake. All that remains are three fingers and an elbow.

The Roman Theater

The Roman Theater of Amman is a 6,000-seat, 2nd-century Roman theater and it is one of the most famous landmarks in the capital. It dates back to the Roman period when the city was known as Philadelphia. The theatre and the nearby Odeon are flanking the new Hashemite Plaza from the south and the east respectively.

This theater was built during the reign of Antonius Pius (138-161 CE). The large and steeply raked structure could seat about 6,000 people: built into the hillside, it was oriented north to keep the sun off the spectators.

It was divided into three horizontal sections (diazomata). Side entrances (paradoi) existed at ground level, one leading to the orchestra and the other to the stage. Rooms behind these entrances now house the Jordan Museum of Popular Tradition on the one side, and the Jordan Folklore Museum Jordan on the other side.

The theatre is now used as a venue for cultural activities including the Amman International Book Fair, the Amman Marathon prize ceremony, and musical concerts, most notably the al-Balad Music Festival.

The Blue Mosque (King Abdullah Mosque)

We (me and my wife) were fortunate to offer Friday prayer (Salaat-al-Jumaa) at this magnificent mosque which is not far from the city center. This beautiful and huge mosque was built in the memory of King Abdullah-I and is thus named King Abdullah Mosque or the Blue Mosque because of its beautiful blue-green mosaic marble dome. The mosque was built in Amman, the Jordanian capital, between 1982 and 1989. It is capped by a magnificent blue mosaic dome.

Non-Muslim tourists are also allowed to visit the mosque. Men must have long trousers on and women must cover their heads, arms and legs. A hooded gown (Abaya) is provided free of charge for this purpose.

Completed in 1989 as a memorial by the late King Hussein to his grandfather, this blue-domed landmark can house up to 7000 worshippers, with a further 3000 in the courtyard. There is also a small women’s section for 500 worshippers and a much smaller royal enclosure. The cavernous, octagonal prayer hall is capped by a magnificent blue dome 35m in diameter, decorated with Quranic inscriptions.

The Islamic Museum inside the mosque houses a small collection of photographs and personal effects of King Abdullah-I. Pieces of ancient pottery are also on display together with coins and stone engravings.

Al-Husseini Mosque

This is a great historic mosque with links to the Khulfa-e-Raashideen. Al-Husseini Mosque is the oldest mosque in Amman, the Jordanian capital. This mosque was rebuilt by King Abdullah-I of Jordan, in 1932, on the site of the mosque that was built by the second Caliph of Islam, Umar bin al-Khattab around 640-AD.

I had the opportunity of offering Asr (afternoon) prayer at this mosque. We were wandering in the shopping area of the Downtown Amman when we heard the Adhan (Azaan). I grabbed the opportunity and entered the mosque. This mosque is always crowded because it is in the middle of the shopping area in downtown. Around the mosque, there are two famous Souqs (shopping markets); one is called Souq Bukharia (good for souvenirs, clothing and gifts) while the other is called Souq al-Sukar (for fruits, vegetables, nuts and spices, etc.).

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