Visitation and Making Vows at the Shrine of Shaykh Shihāb Al-Dīn

摘要

Visitation (ziyāra) and the making of vows at shrines is a widespread phenomenon throughout Palestine, expressed in two distinct ways: regular, collective visitations and occasional, individual ones. Principally, these visitations were associated with making vows and the performance of rituals. In early Islamic Palestine, the construction of shrines and their visitation originated with the Fatimids (a Shiʿi dynasty based in Egypt), in order to memorialize very distinguished religious figures. Thereafter, the Sunni faith actively adopted the concept and dedicated thousands of sacred places to prophets (anbiyāʾ), Companions of the Prophet (ṣaḥāba), saints (awliyāʾ), holy people (qiddīsūn), martyrs (shuhadāʾ) and the righteous (ṣāliḥūn). The sacred place of Shaykh Shihāb al-Dīn lies approximately 21 km northwest of Jerusalem and nearly 16 km west of Ramallah. Located on top of a natural hill commanding a panoramic view, the site controlled an ancient route connecting the coastal plain with Jerusalem. This place has held religious importance from the Byzantine and Ayyubid–Mamluk periods up to the present day. The site was visited intensively by the inhabitants of Saffa village and the surrounding region for the performance of ritual prayers, commemoration of the Shaykh, the making of vows, burials in its cemetery, and the reading of the Qurʾān. In the last three decades, the frequency of visitation has declined, primarily due to socio-economic and cultural changes in the region and also to ‘awareness’ campaigns carried out by some political and religious groups. Despite the marked decline in visitation to the site, the Shaykh still commands the respect of the people of the western sector of Ramallah province. This article surveys the beliefs of Saffa villagers concerning the supernatural power of Shaykh Shihāb al-Dīn, the traditional protocols of visitation, and the methods used in the performance of vows. Also explored are the psychological and ideological changes in the culture of the local community regarding the status and role of the Shaykh, as one believed by some to assist in realizing various worldly and otherworldly wishes. The present article is based on a field study, a survey of the literature, and archaeological explorations conducted during a brief excavation season.