The Dimensions and Area of the Shrine of Sahib al-Zaman in Hilla: A Review through Social History

Abstract

The Shrine of Sahib al-Zaman is regarded as the most important Shiʿi pilgrimage site in the city of Hilla. Today, it consists of a small chamber measuring approximately 35 square meters, located in an area predominantly inhabited by Sunnis.
However, a review of Ibn Battuta’s accounts of his two journeys to the city of Hilla, together with other historical evidence—such as the illustrated manuscript of Bayan Manazil Safar al-ʿIraqayn by Nasuh Matrakçi, as well as other surviving manuscripts—suggests that the shrine was considerably larger in previous centuries and was situated within one of the major Shiʿi scholarly and cultural centers of Hilla.