"الجغرافيا الشرقية لابن حوقل، رحّالة عربي من القرن العاشر" [‎٤‎٢] (٣٨٨/٩٥)

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mountains; and is well watered by streams whieh flow around.
The land about it produees trees, and is well cultivated by husband
men. This tract is called ^ Gh It extends about one
merhileh by two. There is not, in all Syria, a more delightful
place. There is a bridge in the midst of the city of Demeshk, by
which a horseman may pass over the w ater, which goes on to the
villages of Ghouteh, and runs amongst their inns, and hot-baths,
and shops.
Here is one of the largest mosques in all the land ot the Mus
sulmans, part of which was built in ancient times by the
Sabians. Then it fell into the possession of the Greeks, and
became a place of religious worship to them. After that, it fell
into the hands of the Jews, and of certain princes who adored
idols; and at that time they put to death Yahiah, the son of Za-
chariah, to whom be peace! and fixed his head
upon a pole, before "the gate of this temple, at the place which
they call v'-r 1 Bah Jeroud (probably Jews'-gate.)
It then passed into the hands of the Christians, who performed in it,
likewise, their religious ceremonies, until, at length, it came into
the possession of the True Believers (the Mussulmans), to whom it
serves as a mosque. At the same spot where the head of Yalua
ben Zachariah had been fixed, the head of Hosein, the son of Ah,
to whom be peace! was also exposed.
UTM in his time ' caused this buil<im e t0 be
repaired, and beautified with pavements of marble, and also pil-