Mohammed Al-Zahrani
TAIF — The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) has said a site in Bani Saad village in Taif had nothing to do with Halima Al-Saadiya, who was the wet nurse of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
It was thought that the village, 85 km south of Taif city, was named after Halima Bint Abi Dhuayb Abdullah Bin Al-Harith — popular in Islamic history as Halima Al-Saadiya (Halima the Lucky) —who is believed to have lived there about 1500 years ago.
[caption id="attachment_39937" align="alignleft" width="300"]
The site of what was believed to be an ancient mosque in Bani Saad village, 85 km from Taif city. — Okaz photo[/caption]
“There is no scientific evidence to prove that Halima Al-Saadiya lived in Bani Saad,” said Dr. Saad Al-Rashid, adviser to SCTA President Prince Sultan Bin Salman.
He said a team from the project for taking care of Islamic historical sites visited the village in Taif on the directives of Prince Sultan after press reports about the presence of a house that belonged to Al-Saadiya in Bani Saad.
“But the team could not find any scientific evidence to prove that the place belonged to Al-Saadiya in that period of history. There were no antiquities or historical engravings or any other reasonable evidence to confirm the report that the place belonged to Al-Saadiya,” he said.
“No authentic sources have endorsed the idea that there was a village named after Al-Saadiya,” Al-Rashid told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. However, some well-informed sources have pointed out that Bani Saad family of Al-Saadiya had lived in the desert.
“This location should not be mentioned as the place of Halima Al-Saadiya either on SCTA maps or Islamic history sites or any other document until the completion of studies on the topic,” he explained.
The SCTA team has found an open mosque on an mountainous area surrounded by stacked stones. The mosque had three small rectangular stone walls whose height does not exceed 50 cm. Some visitors have put sheets and prayer mats on the floor.
“It looks like a hut for storing fodder and cannot be considered as a house or mosque,” the SCTA official said.
The team later visited a number of historical sites in Aqeeq Ushaira to compare antiquities and relics there with historical texts.
After studying historical texts and geographical sites, the team later reached the conclusion that Bani Saad where the Prophet had spent his childhood is likely to be located north of Taif.
“It is located between Qarn Al-Manazil (Al-Sail Al-Kabir) to Aqeeq Ushaira,” Al-Rashid said, adding that the team reached the conclusion on the basis historical sources and modern studies.
Prince Sultan has endorsed the team’s recommendations and has forwarded the report to Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal with his covering letter. Copies of the report were also forwarded to the Taif governor and the city’s mayor.
Tribal claims
The sheikh of Al-Dhuaybat tribe, however, confirmed speculations that Halima Al-Saadiya had resided in Bani Saad.
Obaidallah Bin Abdullah Dakheelallah Al-Thubaiti said he disagrees with the claims of SCTH and King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives that there was no record of Halima Al-Saadiya’s links to Bani Saad village.
He said there are factual evidence and historical artifacts which prove Halima Al-Saadiya did indeed belong to the village on Al-Shuwaihtah Valley.
“The village is northeast of Taif and historians of the past had confirmed Bani Saad village is the home of Halima Al-Saadiya. I am very surprised to hear this historical fact being refuted. The commission should have consulted the tribes of the area. We know our history more than any expert,” said Al-Thubaiti.
He also said there are artifacts with relics and inscriptions that prove the commission’s view to be incorrect.
“The village is known among the people as the village of Halima Al-Saadiya. Visitors and tourists from all over the world would come to see the village and to visit the house where Halima Al-Saadiya lived,” said Al-Thubaiti.
