Zabeed

Photos of Tihama reed huts

Zabid is away from the Red sea by 25km. Zabid in ancient times was settlements for some tribes, the most important of which is the Ash’er tribe. It began to rely on Grazing, then Agriculture.

Zabid houses combined the architectural splendors in many domains along the succession of its rule by the different dynasty each of which added some of its special affinities in the different domains.

The facades of houses tell a story of a glorious past. The dazzling richly ornamented walls alters, pedestals, pillars and wooden gates reveal the aesthetics aspects of architecture.

(Below) The Ash’er Mosque which was built by Abu Mousa Al Ashaari during the 8th year Ah. This town was adopted by Mohammed Bin Zayad, the founder of the Zaiydite dynasty as his capital (819 AD-1018AD)

The Al Asha’ir mosque was established by the Prophet’s companion Abu Mousa Al Asha’ri in 629 A.D. One of the first mosques in Yemen, it was built immediatly after the Yemenis embraced Islam and hence hold cosuderable spiritual and historical importance.

Like other mosques and schools which survived time and history, the Al Asha’ir Mosque is known for its porches made for expatriate students from all over yemen and the Islamic world. It became a destination for all ascetics, worshippers and the pious who visited the mosque for its sacredness and spirituality. As the poet says, “ if you pray in Al Asha’ir Mosque and you extrolled God several times at pulpits, then you will smell the odor of Eden while Allah the Almighty is watching you.”

The town has 29 mosques and 53 Koran schools. The town of Zabid is one of the most famous religious and scientific centers not only of Yemen, but also all over the Islamic world. The first educators of Al-Azhar University of Egypt came from Zabid. The schools OF Zabid taught the interpretations of all Islamic sects; Shafie’, Maliki, Hanfi, Hanbli and Ismaeli Some of these schools, bearing their original names, still stand. Zabid was a “university city” unlike our modern campus sense of the word. Teaching took place in various mosques and colleges.