Souq Al-Hudarah

(Al-Hudarah Market)

Souq Al-Hudarah is also called Al-Sauwiqah and Souq Al-Qumaashah. It was an old souq (market) that was built along the side of (ancient) Shaari�a Al-Hudarah (Al-Hudarah Street). It started in front of Baab As-Salaam (the Gate of Peace), in the southwest of Madinah and ran approximately west, proceeding meanderingly to end at Al-Baab Al-Masri (The Egyptian Gate). The earth of the souq was paved with stones that were old and most likely smooth, as they were from the lava field and were comparable to sponge.

The small shops therein, amounting to four hundred, were old structures built in the oriental style, having between two and four stories and embellished wooden portals.

Most of the proprietorships in this souq sold cloth. On the seventeenth of the month of Rajab in 1397 A.H., whilst the people were having lunch, a fire broke out in one of the shops. It was caused by an electrical contact that lit by chance and was carried by the light breeze that gusted. The fire jumped from shop to shop because of the weather and was abetted by the merchandise, which was highly flammable. The fire grasped all directions and no one was able to extinguish it because of the dry and arid conditions which prevailed. All of the structures were affected and consequently some of them collapsed. The responsible committee decided to remove all of them and convert the area into a square, which flowed into grounds of the Prophet�s Mosque. The presence of this commercial souq was thus abruptly ended.Most of its area was embraced by the last expansion of the Prophet�s Mosque, as it became covered by the enlarged edifice and its surrounding plazas.

Souq Al-Manaakhah

Souq Al-Manaakhah is the market that was established by the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) for the people of Madinah. The Muslims had been complaining to him of the domination and tyrannical control that the Jews held in most of the markets of Madinah at that time, which was in the Souq of Bani Qainaqaa�a. He chose this location and subsequently called it Souq Al-Manaakhah, as it became the stopping place of the commercial caravans and those of pilgrims and visitors, as the camels knelt-down (tunaakhu) in it.

At the beginning, the market was vacant land extending in a rectangle from Masjid Al-Musalaa (Al-Ghamaamah) southerly, to Jabal Sili�a on the north. Structures were not permitted in it. The merchants would bring their wares for display at any place in the morning and remove them back to their homes in the evening.

During the time of Al-Khulafaa� Al-Rashideen, (the Rightly Guided Caliphs), a supervisor was assigned to inspect the commerce and search for fraud. The position eventually evolved into Al-Muhtasib (�Inspector of Weights and Measures�). In the Al-Ummawi period, the Governor of Al-Madinah, Ibraahim bin Hishaam built structures on the land of the souq and began to rent shops and locations to merchants, for the account of the Khalifah, Hishaam bin �Abd Al-Malik. With that, an ordered system was established for the souq and managing it became easy. The Madinan merchants, however, abhorred it because of the rent they had to pay and therefore increase the cost of their merchandise accordingly. After the death of the Khalifah they razed it and returned the area to its former status of vacant land.

Throughout successive eras, structures appeared gradually by degree, but large areas were left vacant in which the caravan camels could kneel down. Other undeveloped areas were set aside for those coming from the desert to display their goods, as well as those from distant lands.

This souq became the main market of Madinah after the exodus of Bani Qainaqaa�a, containing all varieties of what was needed. Trading reached an apogee in the season of the Hajj and visitation. At this time merchandise returned with the caravans that had come from different lands and the from Islamic world, thus the movement of sales and exchange activities was achieved.

When Fakhri Baashaa succeeded as Governor of Al-Madinah, during the latter part of the Al-�Uthmaani period, he demolished the shops and business places, in order to systemise and fortify the defence of Al-Madinah.

During the Al-Haashemi period, shops of tin sheets were erected in it, which continued into the Sa�udi era. They remained, as modern residential and commercial structures appeared, but it was not long before they eventually disappeared completely for a second time during the expansion project of the Prophet�s Mosque. The accompanying scheme for the surrounding district involved an excavation along the extension of the souq. This was for the tunnel which begins at the location of the pass that went to Ash-Shaam and ends at the start of Qurbaan Street. This tunnel, which serves to facilitate the movement of vehicular traffic around the mosque was specifically designed so that its roof would serve pedestrian traffic. The wall of the mosque reaches the site of the old market and rising on its western periphery are massive residential and commercial complexes that preserve the historic name of this souq. It has become a landmark of the landmarks of cultural distinction

Souq Bani Qainaqaa�a

This market was referred to by this name because of the Jewish tribe, Bani Qainaqaa�a, that was inhabiting the area that surrounded it. They had many shops in it. It was also called Souq Al-Jusr (the Bridge) because of the presence of a bridge over Waadi But�haan. This market was old and famous.

In the beginning, it was akin to a continuation of the seasonal market that occupied vacant land. Merchants and shoppers would come, at the known times, vying with each other to buy and sell and with respect to prices. They would meet Hassan bin Thaabit, Al-Naabighah Al-Dthabyaani and Qais bin Al-Khudthaim.

Then the Jews erected shops on the site. It was the important commercial market of Madinah in the pre-Islamic period, congested with large crowds. Trading was proliferate in it and the clamour of the sell and purchase transactions was heard from afar. This market was celebrated for its merchandise especially jewelry, adornments, decoration, weapons and housewares. Women flocked to it to purchase jewelry. This market continued standing until the third year of the hijrah. The Jews drafted on it and controlled the commercial movement and activities. Thus, the Muslims were restricted in influence and authority after the hijrah. They requested of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) that he form a market for them. He established the Souq Al-Manaakhah for them. This market disappeared in the third year of the hijrah, after the Battle of Badr. Ibn Hishaam has reported that the reason that it ceased to exist was because of what happened to a Muslim woman, who displayed her wares in the market for sale. She sat at the goldsmith, who wanted her to uncover her face. She refused, (he surreptitiously) fastened the edge of her thobe from the back (to something) and when she moved she was uncovered. She cried out and a Muslim man jumped and killed the goldsmith. Then, the Jews gathered around him and killed him. The Prophet (Peace be upon him), with his Companions, laid siege to them until they surrendered. His judgment against them was that they be banished from Al-Madinah, forever.