Travels of Ibn Baṭṭūṭa
Medina (al-Madīna al-Munawwara)
Title
Qurʾānic cantillation and singing at the mosque
Short description
Qurʾānic cantillation and singing at the mosque during the nights.
Text on source
وكانت إقامتنا بالمدينة الشريفة في هذه الوجهة أربعة أيام، وفي كل ليلة نبيت بالمسجد الكريم والناس قد حلقوا في صحنه حلقًا وأوقدوا الشمع الكثير وبينهم ربعات القرآن الكريم يتلونه وبعضهم يَذْكُرون الله وبعضهم في مشاهدة التربة الطاهرة — زادها الله طيبًا — والحداة بكل جانب يترنمون بمدح رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم تسليمًا، وهكذا دَأَبَ الناسفي تلك الليالي المباركة ويجودون بالصدقات الكثيرة على المجاورين والمحتاجين [ص. ٩٠]
English translation
Our stay at al-Madina the Illustrious on this journey lasted four days. We spent each night in the holy mosque, where everyone [engaged in pious exercises]; some, having formed circles in the court and lit a quantity of candles, and with book-rests in their midst [on which were placed volumes] of the Holy Qurʾān, were reciting [yatlūna-hu] from it; some were intoning hymns of praise to God [yaḏkurūna allāh]; others were occupied in contemplation of the Immaculate Tomb (God increase it in sweetness); while on every side were singers [ḥudā] chanting [yatarnimūna] in eulogy of the Apostle of God (God bless and give him peace). This is the custom observed by all [visitors to al-Madlna] during those blessed nights, and they also bestow large sums in alms upon the 'sojourners' and the needy.
Folios/Pages
182
Date
1326 circa
Observations on the events description
The expression "intoning hymns of praise to God" [yaḏkurūna allāh] may refer to ḏikr considering the verb used. Most of the parts related to Medina and Mecca are copied from Ibn al-Jubayr's travelogue who visited the holy cities around 1185.
The dots on the map indicate the places where sound and music events were described. They don't represent travel stages.
Participants
No other participants in this event description.
How to quote
Pintimalli A., "Qurʾānic cantillation and singing at the mosque" (Event description), Echos. Sound Ecosystems in Travelogues. Published 2024 07 19.doi: 10.25430/echos.travels.130
This work is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 
