Saqifa Bani Sa'ida: Difference between revisions

'''Saqīfa Banī Sāʿida''' (سقیفه بني ساعده) was a loggia in Medina where a group of Muslims gathered there after the demise of the Prophet (s) and, according to Shi‘a believes, usurped the caliphate of Ali b. Abi Talib (a) and gave allegiance to Abubakr as the successor of the Prophet (s).

A roofed building which has a loggia is called saqifa. It seems that some Arab tribes or maybe all of them had such a place where they gathered to consult each other and make decisions on public affairs.

Saqifa Bani Sa‘ida belonged to the tribe of Banu Sa‘ida b. Ka‘b b. Khazraj. It was situated near Masjid al-Nabi and was well known historically. Saqifa was located on the western side of Masjid al-Nabi beside the well of Bida‘a. Sa‘d b. ‘Ibada, who was the candidate of Ansar for caliphate, lived near Saqifa. It is remarkable that the importance of this place is due to the historical event in which a small number of Muslims paid allegiance to Abubakr.

There is no information in the books of history what happened to this place before 1030 AH. In 1030 AH, a person called Ali Pasha constructed a building upon Saqifa to preserve it. The picture of this building has been printed in Athar al-Madina al-Munawwara by ‘Abd al-Quddus Ansari.

In 1383 AH, the building was destroyed so that a library and a hall for public meetings with the name of Saqifa Bani Sa‘ida could be built in its place and the neighboring area. But, no action was made after destruction. The land, in which Saqifa was located, incorporated a garden (2740 meters square) and a power plant (1905 meters square) before expansion. This triangle land was located among Sultana St., Munakha St., and al-Suhaymi St.