A 13th Century Zawiyah "Sheikh Jarrah" in Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Sheikh Jarrah, Zawiyah

Abstract

Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in the world, has hosted many civilizations and different beliefs throughout its long history. It is possible to read the traces of every civilization and belief in the city of Jerusalem. In 1099 (Fatimi land), Jerusalem was captured by the Crusaders and ruled as the Latin Crusader Kingdom until 1187. Jerusalem, which was taken back by Saladin on this date, became an Islamic land again. Through the zawiyas, one of the most important institutions of Islamic civilizations, the religion of Islam was spread and rooted, and they played an active role in the development and settlement of the area they were in. The zawiyas, which can be called by different names in different geographies, are structures with similar functions. Sheikh Jarrah, who is the subject of the article, also established a zawiya outside the walls of Jerusalem after Jerusalem was taken by Saladin Ayyubi.  The zawiyah has many features, from Islamic education and the spread of Islam to offering accommodation for visitors and reconstruction of the place where it is located.. After Sheikh Jarrah died in 1201, he was buried next to his zawiyah and a tomb was built on it. In the 19th century, a mosque was added to the said building program. It is understood that the zawiyah, which was a foundation work in this century, no longer had any income and needed repair. The article aims to shed light on the historical development of Sheikh Jarrah, a 13th century zawiyah, and its situation in the 19th century (with reference to the archive document and period photographs).