'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1005] (42/688)

KAR-KAR
1005
KARBlBAD—
A village of Bahrain Island {q. v.).
KARBALA—
The name of a small tract in the Qadha of the same name v.).
KARBALA QADHA— j
The headquarters division of the Sanjaq of Karbala in the Baghdad Wilayat in 'Iraq
Position and boundaries. —The Qadha of Karbala extends, at a short distance west of
the Euphrates, from the parallel of Musaiyib (or a little above it) down almost to that of
Najaf town : at Musaiyib however it actually touches the river and even reaches a few
miles to the east of it. On the north the Qadha is in contact with that of Dilaim :
on the north-east with that of Kadhimain ; on the east with that of Hindiyah and possibly
with that of Shamlyah ; on the south with that of Najaf; and on the west with the fehaml-
yah Desert.
Topography and inhabitants, —-By far the largest and most important place in the
Qadha is the town of Karbala, described elsewhere under its own name ; but the town of
Musaiyib, the settlement of Shifathah, and the village Sikandariyah are also deserving
of mention and form subjects of separate articles. Razazah in practice belongs to the
Karbala Qadha and is mentioned below in the list of Muqata'ahs, but nominally it is
a separate Qadha. The chief feature of the Karbala district,—apart from the Euphrates
river with which its connection is slight,—is the Husainlyah Canal, running from Musaiyib
to Karbala town and beyond.
The following is a list of the principal Muqata'ahs or agricultural tracts in the Qadha
Tracts.
Razazah.
Salih (Karaid Muham
mad).
Salihlyah.
Sharif (Bad'at).
Shitah.
Sulaiman (Abu).
Sumanah (Bu).
Tahln (Abu).
Tuwairij.
Wand.
Zanit (Abu).
There is also a tract called Jaruf, inhabited by the Janabiyin tribe, on the east bank
of the Euphrates above Musaiyib town. Another tract known as Nasrlyah or
Nasirlyah, occupied by the Jadi, Jahaish, Jarawinah and Qaidhah tribes, is situated
further south on the same side between Musaiyib and the Hindiyah barrage ; it is the
country surrounding the Khan-an-Nasriyah on the Baghdad-Hillah route.
The characteristic tribes of the part of country adjoining the Husainiyah canal are the
Al Bu Masri, Mas'ud and Yasar : those of the Musaiyib neighbourhood are the Janabiyin,
Al Bu Mahaiyi and 'Uwaisat. The desert round Shifathah is occupied by nomads of the
Khawadhir and Al Bu Shibil tribes.
Population. —Karbala Town (50,000), Musaiyib (4,500), and Shifathah (8,000) being
included, the fixed population of the Karbala Qadha is believed to amount to 80,000 souls.
The great majority of these are Shi'ah Muhammadans; but Sunni Muhammadans numbef
about 10,000 and there are about 300 Jews.
Resources. —The rural population, including the inhabitants of Shifathah, are alto
gether engaged in agricultural and pastoral occupations. Dates, wheat, barley, cotton,
opium and tobacco are cultivated by them ; and their livestock include horses, cattle,
buffaloes and sheep. The date palms of the Qadha are estimated at 750,000 trees, of
which some 50,000 belong to the rich settlement of Shifathah. There is in this Qadha
a remarkable salt-field which is said to yield about 500 tons English of salt every year.
It begins on the west side of Razazah and passing to the north-east of Shifathah is said
to reach for many miles to the north-westwards; it is described as a great hollow with
Tracts.
Tracts.
1.
'Aishah (Bad'at).
13.
Ibrahimlyah.
25.
2.
'Amaishiyah.
14.
Janganah.
26.
3.
'Asafiyah.
15.
Jardan (Abu).
27.
4.
Aswad (Bad'at).
16.
Jawaib.
5.
' A wairat- al- Kabirah.
17.
Ji'aitinah.
28.
6
'Awairat-as-Saghirah.
18.
Kamaliyah.
29.
7.
Bahadari.
19.
Karbala.
30.
8.
Bikairah.
20.
Khair-ud-Din.
31.
9.
Earaihah.
21.
Layah.
32.
10.
Haidarlyah.
22.
Qadhi.
33.
11.
Hamudiyah.
23.
Qa'qa'aiyah.
34.
12.
Harudi.
24.
Qartah.
35.