'Picture of the Mosque of Khaif and Mina'. Photographer: H. A. Mirza & Sons

Content

Genre/Subject Matter

This photograph was taken from an elevated view northeast of the Masjid al-Khayf in Mina, seven kilometres east of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. Mina is a station of the hadj , where pilgrims camp out on the 8th, 11th, 12th (and some on the 13th) of Dhul-Hijjah, as can be seen in this image.

The regular, white-washed crenellated perimeter wall of the mosque is broken to the right of the taller minaret by an iwan-like entrance and a taller structure, which appears damaged. Several earthenware or wooden vessels placed adjacent to a wall in the centre foreground bear a resemblance to the Ibrīqs illustrated by Christian Snouck Hurgronje in his 1888 publication, Bilder-Atlas zu Mekka . As such, they may have a ceremonial function, or indeed be vessels for carrying water from the Zemzem well. Compare also the vessels in evidence in Photo 174/10.

Amongst the many and varying tents pitched before the mosque in the middle-ground are a wide variety of beasts of burden, such as horses, camels and donkeys, some of which are carrying litters – often used to carry women on long journeys throughout the Arabian peninsula. Due to the relatively slow shutter speed required to capture this image, many of the figures are blurred, particularly within the open space before the mosque in the left of the image.

Inscriptions

Recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. :

Upper centre: ‘Picture of the Mosque of Khaif and Mina’

‘The mosque of Khaif and Mina is the house of mercy

The eminent, blessed, and famous place of worship.

The wise friend of God [i.e., Abraham] himself brought for sacrifice to this place, Isma'il’

To the right and left of the image:

‘Located at the foot of the mountain, it is a building of stone. It has an open courtyard in the middle of which is a domed building. Here the ritual prayer consists of five cycles. There is a tradition that most prophets have assembled here and prayed. This is the very field where Abraham, blessings be upon him, had intended to sacrifice his beloved son Isma'il in accordance with divine command. It is on this ground that he had him [Isma'il] lie down and stroked his neck with a knife. However, God the merciful, having accepted this sacrifice sanctioned that a ram be sacrificed instead.’

Lower centre: 'H. A. Mirza & Sons, Photographers, Chandni Chowk, Delhi'

Lower right corner, along right edge, in pencil: ‘9’ ‘146’

Verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. :

In pen, upper right corner:

‘I.O / 146

4th [?] [? 07?] [illegible]’

Recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. :

In red ink on lower centre right of image and – faintly – beneath lower left intersection of cruciform double-barred frame:

رجسطری شده

[superscript ط]

Labels

Labels ( verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. ):

1 – Letterpress

‘146 H. A. Mirza and Sons, Photographers.

نقشه مسجد حنیف و منا (Naqsha-i-Masjid-i-

Hanif wa Mina. A photo. [sic] of the mosque

Hanif-o-Mina with a brief description.)

One sheet. Published by the Photogra-

phers: Delhi. (Octr. 15, 1907.)

14 x 18º. Litho. Ist Edition.

Price, Re. I, A. 4.’

2 – Ink stamp

‘India Office

19 May 1909

Library.’

Other Notes

The image was formerly referred to as ‘Hanif-o-Mina mosque, Medina’

Extent and format

1 b&w photographic print held within a blue card window mount

It is part of

Album of 'Views of Mecca and Medina' by H. A. Mirza & Sons, Photographers

42 images

Ref: Photo 174

Physical characteristics

Dimensions

Mount (external): 3450 x 445 mm

Mount (internal): 200 x 276 mm [landscape]

Format

Photographic print held within window mount in landscape format

Materials

Mottled blue-tinted window mount, card, gelatin silver The principal photographic process used for black and white photography from the 1870s. print, indigo ink (printed), red ink (hand-painted)

Condition

Mount is mildly bowed, with light staining along all edges, particularly lower. Dark spatter-marks extend from the upper left corner to the lower left corner along the left edge and are unknown in origin. There is a slight tear in the surface material along lower edge, four and a half centimetres from lower left corner. Light staining, scuffing and wrinkling is also visible on the paper verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. backing.

The print shows no sign of toning and is distorted gently throughout.

Foliation

9 (146)

Process

Gelatin silver The principal photographic process used for black and white photography from the 1870s. print

Written in

Urdu and English in Arabic and Latin script

Type

Photograph

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: Visual Arts

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

Photo 174/9

Former British Library reference

146

History of this record

Date(s)

c 1907

Related material

Places

Medina MunawwarahMecca

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'Picture of the Mosque of Khaif and Mina'. Photographer: H. A. Mirza & Sons, British Library: Visual Arts, Photo 174/9, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023493445.0x000009> [accessed 23 April 2024]

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