An Ottoman sabil near Bab al-Silsilah, built by Qasim Pasha in 1527 and supplied with water from ponds established by the Ottoman Sultan. Suleiman the Magnificent outside Jerusalem. It was restored by the Reconstruction Committee in 1997 and includes water taps for ablution with stone benches.
the site
Sabil Qasim Pasha is located to the east of Ashrafieh SchoolAnd to the south of Orange pond On the western side of Al-Aqsa Mosquesouthwest Dome of the Rock.
History of the path
The path was renewed and rebuilt by a ruler Egypt Qasim Pasha (which is why it was named after him), during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the year 933 AH/1527 AD in Ottoman eraHe sent money for the reconstruction, which was supervised by Abd Rabbuh Mustafa.
On the western façade of the Sabil there is a plaque on which is engraved the following: “This blessed path was established seeking the face of God Almighty and seeking His pleasure during the days of our Lord, the Great Sultan Thani Suleiman, in the king of the world, Sultan Suleiman, son of Sultan Salim Khan, the prince of the princes of the Arabs and the Persians, our Maulana Qasim Pasha, may God make it easy for him.” Whatever he wishes is at the hand of the poor servant of God, Abd Rabbuh Mustafa, in the last ten days of the holy month of Shaban in the year 933.”
It is also known as the Gate of Court, in reference to the Gate of the Silsila, which is located near it. It is a path for ablution and is currently used for ablution and drinking. The path is still busy and attracts large numbers of visitors to Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform ablution from it.
It is likely that the path was built at the site of the fountain established by the Mamluk Sultan Qaytbay, south of Mastaba Sabil Qaitbay As I mentioned Mujir al-Din al-Ulaimi al-Hanbali.
This was confirmed by Muhammad bin Khidr al-Rumi (982 AH/1574 AD), who lived at the beginning of the Ottoman era, when he said, “Including also the two paths towards the Ashrafi school, which are attributed to the late Sultan Qaytbay, one is Hanafi and the other is Shafi’i.”
It can be understood from Al-Rumi’s statement that the path of Qaytbay was for the ablution of the Shafi’is (the doctrine of the Mamluk state), while the path of the immoral – Qasim Pasha later – was for the ablution of the Hanafis (the doctrine of the Ottoman state).
Description of the path
The path is octagonal in shape, surmounted by a helmet-shaped dome, and has 16 spigots. It drops about 1.43 meters below the level of the mosque so that the water from the path’s canal coming from under the Bab al-Silsilah flows into its tank, and descends to the sabil’s spigots by four steps from its eight sides.
In front of each tap there is a stone bench for those performing ablution to sit, and at the bottom of the path there is a channel for draining water, and its walls are decorated with floral engravings.
The sabil has an octagonal canopy made of wood covered with lead. It blocks the sun’s rays from its users in the summer and the rain in the winter.
The path was even supplied with water British Mandate Through a canal starting from Solomon’s Pools, it was then supplied by public water pipes, and the road was restored in 1418 AH/1997 AD.