Bayt al-Faqīh or Beit al-Faqih (archaic Betelfaguy;[1]Arabic: بيت الفـــقيةBayt al-Faqīh, 'House of the Jurist') is a city in Al Hudaydah Governorate in Yemen. It is located on the pilgrimage and trade route across the Tihamah plain between Al Hudaydah and Ta'izz. It is 50 km south of Al Hudaydah and 150 km southwest of the Yemeni capital of San‘a’ and lies at an altitude of 122 m. Its population was 28,773 in the 1994 census and estimated at 41,652 in 2005.
Bayt al-Faqih was founded by, and named after, the renowned Rasulid-era jurist Ahmad ibn Ujayl, who taught here during his lifetime.[2] The 15th-century author Ahmad al-Sharji wrote: "There were no villages here before the establishment of the faqih. When he settled in this place, the people came to live near him."[2] The place was originally called Bayt al-Faqih Ahmad ibn ʽUjayl, which was then shortened to Bayt al-Faqih.[2] When Ahmad ibn Ujayl died in 1291 (690 AH), he was buried in the family cemetery, and a mausoleum was built up around his tomb.[2] His mausoleum is located a bit to the west of the modern town, and the whole complex is surrounded by a small wall.[2]
Ahmad ibn Ujayl enjoyed an especially close relationship with the Rasulid sultans, who exempted Bayt al-Faqih from taxation.[2] The town also served as a political sanctuary, during Ahmad ibn Ujayl's life and after, with only one known incident where the Rasulids arrested someone who had taken refuge in Bayt al-Faqih: in 1346 or 1347 (747 AH), a faqih named Ali ibn Abi Bakr al-Fariqi sought refuge here from the Rasulid sultan al-Mujahid Ali, but the sultan's agents "did not hesitate to arrest him".[2] This arrangement continued through the 15th century, when Ahmad al-Sharji wrote that Bayt al-Faqih still enjoyed tax exemption and served as a place of refuge.[2]
Ibn Battuta visited the grave of the individual for whom the city is named after, the celebrated jurist Ahmad b. Musa b. Ali Ujail (1212-1291).[3]
A Zaranig man
Although today most of the population of Bayt al-Faqih work the weaving or jewelry industries, the city was historically known as the source of coffee exported through the port of Mocha. The Qasimi Zaydi imams established it as a centralized coffee emporium for this purpose in the mid-seventeenth century; at its peak it attracted many merchants from Jidda, Basra, and elsewhere.[4] The town's Friday souk (market) is a remnant of the town's once-thriving coffee trade.
Danish Arabia expeditionEdit
Map of Yemen, drawn by Carsten Niebuhr, 1763
Bayt al-Faqih is one of the desert towns visited by the explorers of the Danish Arabia expedition (1761–67). Given the location of the town in the middle of the Tihamah plain, it served as a headquarters for the exploration of the area in all directions. In particular, the cartographer Carsten Niebuhr used the town as a base for a series of long reconnaissances into the desert to gather information for his map of Yemen, which was widely used until the twentieth century. As shown on the map, Beit el-Fakih (sic) is the central crossing point of the routes connecting Loheia (Al Luḩayyah), Saná (Sanaa) and Mochha (Mocha).
As described by Thorkild Hansen in his historical recounting of the expedition
...coffee dealers from the Hejaz, Egypt, Syria, Turkey and Morocco, indeed even from Persia and India, came to visit Beit el-Fakih to buy; yet it was far from being a wealthy town. There were only a few stone-built houses; the majority of the population lived in straw huts built in random confusion in the narrow dusty street, where the camels of the coffee traders passed by[5]
ReferencesEdit
^Wild, Antony (2005). Coffee: A Dark History. W. W. Norton. p. 105. ISBN0-393-06071-3. Retrieved 2010-06-21. Coffee: a dark history.
^ abcdefghMochtari de Pierrepont, Zacharie (2014). "Aḥmad Ibn ʿUjayl and Bayt al-Faqīh: the birth of a sacred site". Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies. 44: 287–97. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^Battutah, Ibn (2002). The Travels of Ibn Battutah. London: Picador. pp. 84–85, 306. ISBN9780330418799.
^Um, Nancy (2017). Shipped but Not Sold: Material Culture and the Social Protocols of Trade during Yemen's Age of Coffee. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. pp. 3–4. ISBN9780824866402.
^Hansen, Thorkild (1962). Arabia Felix: The Danish Expedition of 1761-1767. New York Review Books, p. 227.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bayt al-Faqih.
with information on Bayt Al-Faqih at Yemen Old Splendour Tours
bayt, faqih, bayt, faqīh, beit, faqih, archaic, betelfaguy, arabic, بيت, الفـــقية, bayt, faqīh, house, jurist, city, hudaydah, governorate, yemen, located, pilgrimage, trade, route, across, tihamah, plain, between, hudaydah, south, hudaydah, southwest, yemeni. Bayt al Faqih or Beit al Faqih archaic Betelfaguy 1 Arabic بيت الفـــقية Bayt al Faqih House of the Jurist is a city in Al Hudaydah Governorate in Yemen It is located on the pilgrimage and trade route across the Tihamah plain between Al Hudaydah and Ta izz It is 50 km south of Al Hudaydah and 150 km southwest of the Yemeni capital of San a and lies at an altitude of 122 m Its population was 28 773 in the 1994 census and estimated at 41 652 in 2005 Bayt al Faqih بيت الفـــقيةMarket of Bayt al FaqihBayt al FaqihLocation in YemenCoordinates 14 30 58 N 43 10 28 E 14 51611 N 43 17444 E 14 51611 43 17444Country YemenGovernorateAl Hudaydah GovernorateTime zoneUTC 3 Yemen Standard Time Contents 1 History 1 1 Name 1 2 Danish Arabia expedition 2 References 3 External linksHistory EditName Edit Bayt al Faqih was founded by and named after the renowned Rasulid era jurist Ahmad ibn Ujayl who taught here during his lifetime 2 The 15th century author Ahmad al Sharji wrote There were no villages here before the establishment of the faqih When he settled in this place the people came to live near him 2 The place was originally called Bayt al Faqih Ahmad ibn ʽUjayl which was then shortened to Bayt al Faqih 2 When Ahmad ibn Ujayl died in 1291 690 AH he was buried in the family cemetery and a mausoleum was built up around his tomb 2 His mausoleum is located a bit to the west of the modern town and the whole complex is surrounded by a small wall 2 Ahmad ibn Ujayl enjoyed an especially close relationship with the Rasulid sultans who exempted Bayt al Faqih from taxation 2 The town also served as a political sanctuary during Ahmad ibn Ujayl s life and after with only one known incident where the Rasulids arrested someone who had taken refuge in Bayt al Faqih in 1346 or 1347 747 AH a faqih named Ali ibn Abi Bakr al Fariqi sought refuge here from the Rasulid sultan al Mujahid Ali but the sultan s agents did not hesitate to arrest him 2 This arrangement continued through the 15th century when Ahmad al Sharji wrote that Bayt al Faqih still enjoyed tax exemption and served as a place of refuge 2 Ibn Battuta visited the grave of the individual for whom the city is named after the celebrated jurist Ahmad b Musa b Ali Ujail 1212 1291 3 nbsp A Zaranig manAlthough today most of the population of Bayt al Faqih work the weaving or jewelry industries the city was historically known as the source of coffee exported through the port of Mocha The Qasimi Zaydi imams established it as a centralized coffee emporium for this purpose in the mid seventeenth century at its peak it attracted many merchants from Jidda Basra and elsewhere 4 The town s Friday souk market is a remnant of the town s once thriving coffee trade Danish Arabia expedition Edit nbsp Map of Yemen drawn by Carsten Niebuhr 1763Bayt al Faqih is one of the desert towns visited by the explorers of the Danish Arabia expedition 1761 67 Given the location of the town in the middle of the Tihamah plain it served as a headquarters for the exploration of the area in all directions In particular the cartographer Carsten Niebuhr used the town as a base for a series of long reconnaissances into the desert to gather information for his map of Yemen which was widely used until the twentieth century As shown on the map Beit el Fakih sic is the central crossing point of the routes connecting Loheia Al Luḩayyah Sana Sanaa and Mochha Mocha As described by Thorkild Hansen in his historical recounting of the expedition coffee dealers from the Hejaz Egypt Syria Turkey and Morocco indeed even from Persia and India came to visit Beit el Fakih to buy yet it was far from being a wealthy town There were only a few stone built houses the majority of the population lived in straw huts built in random confusion in the narrow dusty street where the camels of the coffee traders passed by 5 References Edit Wild Antony 2005 Coffee A Dark History W W Norton p 105 ISBN 0 393 06071 3 Retrieved 2010 06 21 Coffee a dark history a b c d e f g h Mochtari de Pierrepont Zacharie 2014 Aḥmad Ibn ʿUjayl and Bayt al Faqih the birth of a sacred site Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 44 287 97 Retrieved 22 February 2021 Battutah Ibn 2002 The Travels of Ibn Battutah London Picador pp 84 85 306 ISBN 9780330418799 Um Nancy 2017 Shipped but Not Sold Material Culture and the Social Protocols of Trade during Yemen s Age of Coffee Honolulu University of Hawai i Press pp 3 4 ISBN 9780824866402 Hansen Thorkild 1962 Arabia Felix The Danish Expedition of 1761 1767 New York Review Books p 227 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bayt al Faqih Hodeidah with information on Bayt Al Faqih at Yemen Old Splendour Tours14 30 58 N 43 19 28 E 14 51611 N 43 32444 E 14 51611 43 32444 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bayt al Faqih amp oldid 1131483877, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
