DAR LAYAN - Medieval Routes to Mecca: A Study of the Darb Zubaidah Pilgrim Trail

The story of Darb Zubaydah reflects the grandeur and vision of the Abbasid Caliphs, who built a remarkable highway across the desert from Kufa to Mecca to facilitate the Hajj pilgrimage. This medieval engineering feat enabled hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to travel safely, but over time, the decline of the empire’s resources left travelers vulnerable to bandits and nature, leading to the abandonment of the route. Today, remnants such as bridges and reservoirs remain scattered in the deserts of Arabia. The book, based on the extensive research of Dr. Saad Al-Rashid in collaboration with Peter Webb, offers a significant contribution to understanding the history of the Hajj pilgrimage. Language: English