‘The Oriental geography of Ebn Haukal, an Arabian traveller of the tenth century’ [‎2] (55/388)

( 2 )
But as the particular details of all these seemed unnecessarily
prolix, they are here compressed within a small compass; and in
the present volume, which is entitled Mesalek u Memalek, our plan
is to describe, and to delineate on maps, the various seas or oceans
which surround the land, the inhabited and the desert islands, and
every climate and region of the earth; affixing the name of each,
so that it may be known in the maps; and confining ourselves to
those countries which are the seat of Islam, and the residence of
true believers.
We begin with Arabia, because the Temple of the Lord is
situated there, and the holy Kaaha* is the Navel of the World;
and Mecca is styled, in the sacred writings, " the Parent City," or
" the Mother of Toirns\. Then we proceed to describe the
Deryai-Pars, or Persian Sea, which bounds a
portion of Arabia: then we speak of the western countries,
4-yLo Zemeen-i-Magreh (part of Africa); then we describe
the land ot Egypt, Misr; then Syria, ^ Sham ; then the
rJiJ Deryai Roam, or Mediterranean Ocean; then the
province of Jezireh, Mesopotamia; then Irak
Arabi; then Khuzistan, Susiana; then Pars, or
Farsistan; then Kir man; then qjjhzX * Mansoureh, the
places bordering on ^ j Sind and Hind, the confines of
The square Temple at Mecca; built, according to Mohammedan tradition,
by Abraham.
t Omm al kura. ji !