ببل

Root entry · 3 derived lemmas

This root entry primarily discusses the place name 'Babylon' (Bābil) in Iraq. It explores its geographical location, its association with magic and wine, and its historical and religious significance, particularly in Islamic tradition and Hadith.

Derived headwords

بَابِلname

1.
Babylonboth
A place in Iraq, also said to be a place from which magic and wine are attributed.

وما أنزل على الملكين ببابل — and what was sent down to the two angels at Babylon

البَابِلِيّadjective

1.
Babylonianboth
Relating to or originating from Babylon. In the context of the verse, it refers to something from Babylon.

يكويهم بالبابلي الممقر — he burns them with the Babylonian al-Mumqar

سماnoun

1.
a type of incenseclassical
A specific type of incense, mentioned as being referred to by 'al-Bābilī' in a poetic context.

Parallel reading

بابل: موضع بالعراق، وقيل: موضع إليه ينسب السحر والخمر

Babylon: a place in Iraq, and it is said to be a place from which magic and wine are attributed.

لا ينصرف لتأنيثه وذلك أن اسم كل شيء مؤنث إذا كان أكثر من ثلاثة أحرف فإنه لا ينصرف في المعرفة

It is indeclinable due to its feminine nature, and that is because the name of anything feminine, if it has more than three letters, is indeclinable in the definite state.

وما أنزل على الملكين ببابل

and what was sent down to the two angels at Babylon

ببابل لم تعصر، فجاءت سلافة ... تخالط قنديدا، ومسكا مختما

In Babylon, it was not pressed, so the pure juice came... mixing with qindid and sealed musk.

يكوي بها مهج النفوس، كأنما ... يكويهم بالبابلي الممقر

He burns the souls of the living with it, as if... he burns them with the Babylonian al-Mumqar.

عنى بالبابلي هنا سما

He meant by 'al-Bābilī' here 'sama'.

إن حبي نهاني أن أصلي في أرض بابل فإنها ملعونة

Indeed, my beloved forbade me from praying in the land of Babylon, for it is cursed.

بابل: هذا الصقع المعروف بأرض العراق، وألفه غير مهموزة

Babylon: this known region in the land of Iraq, and its alif is not hamzated.

في إسناد هذا الحديث مقال

There is some debate regarding the chain of narration of this Hadith.

ولا أعلم أحدا من العلماء حرم الصلاة في أرض بابل

And I do not know of any scholar who prohibited prayer in the land of Babylon.

ويشبه إن ثبت هذا الحديث أن يكون نهاه أن يتخذها وطنا ومقاما

It is likely, if this Hadith is authentic, that it meant he was forbidden from taking it as a homeland and a place of residence.

فإذا أقام بها كانت صلاته فيها

So if he resided there, his prayer would be in it.

وهذا من باب التعليق في علم البيان أو لعل النهي له خاصة، ألا تراه قال: نهاني؟

This is from the category of conditional statements in rhetoric, or perhaps the prohibition was specific to him, do you not see he said: 'He forbade me'?

ومثله حديثه الآخر: نهاني أن أقرأ ساجدا وراكعا و لا أقول نهاكم

And similar to this is his other Hadith: 'He forbade me from reciting while prostrating and bowing, and I should not say 'He forbade you'.

ولعل ذلك إنذار منه بما لقي من المحنة بالكوفة، وهي من أرض بابل

And perhaps that was a warning from him about the tribulation he faced in Kufa, which is from the land of Babylon.