Manfuha
Encyclopedia
Manfuha was an ancient village in the Nejd region of central Saudi Arabia
. Established on the edge of the narrow, fertile valley known as Wadi Hanifa
, Manfuha was until the mid-20th century considered a twin village to the current Saudi capital of Riyadh
.
According to Yaqut's 13th century geographical encyclopedia Mu'jam Al-Buldan
, Manfuha was built a few centuries before Islam
at the same time as Hajr (now Riyadh) by members of the Banu Hanifa
tribe and their cousins from the tribe of Bakr. Manfuha was home to the famous Arab poet Al-A'sha
, who died at around the same time as the Muslim
prophet Muhammad
, but little is heard of Manfuha after that time. At the turn of the 20th century, its population was made up largely of members of Banu Hanifa
and Bakr (who by now had come to identify themselves with the related tribe of 'Anizzah), as well as members of Tamim and Subay'
. Like all Nejdi towns, its population also included a large percentage of non-tribally-affiliated tradesmen (sonnaa), as well as many slaves and freedmen working as agricultural laborers. Like Riyadh, the town was surrounded by gardens and palm groves.
In the late 18th century, Manfuha fell under the rule of the energetic ruler of Riyadh, Deham ibn Dawwas, who at the time was vigorously resisting the expansion of the new Wahhabist state established by the Al Saud clan of neighboring Diriyah
(see First Saudi State
). Both towns eventually succumbed to the Saudis, however, who ruled over Manfuha until their state was destroyed by an Ottoman
-Egypt
ian invasion in 1818. From then on, the town's fortunes largely followed those of its neighbor, Riyadh, returning to Saudi rule under Turki ibn Abdallah
in 1824, then falling under the rule of the Al Rashid
clan of Ha'il
in the 1890s, before reverting to Saudi rule less than ten years later under the founder of Saudi Arabia
, Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud.
As the neighboring Saudi capital expanded exponentially in the 20th century, fueled by the country's oil wealth, the walls of both Manfuha and Riyadh were torn down, and Manfuha was quickly swallowed in whole by the growing metropolis. Today, Manfuha is among the poorer districts of Riyadh. Most of its original inhabitants have left to newer districts of the capital, and the area is now mostly inhabited by low-income guest-workers from Egypt and South Asia
, as well as the families of former African slaves. Some of the town's old mud-brick buildings remain, as well as an ancient observation tower. A wide avenue cuts through the center of Manfuha, named Al-A'sha Street, after its most famous son.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. Established on the edge of the narrow, fertile valley known as Wadi Hanifa
Wadi Hanifa
Wadi Hanifa is a wadi or valley in the Nejd region in central Saudi Arabia. The valley runs for a length of from north to south, cutting through the city of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia...
, Manfuha was until the mid-20th century considered a twin village to the current Saudi capital of Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
.
According to Yaqut's 13th century geographical encyclopedia Mu'jam Al-Buldan
Mu'jam Al-Buldan
Mu'jam al-buldan is a book by Yaqut al-Hamawi, a Muslim scholar who is famous for his encyclopedic books.Al-Hamawi started the book in 1224 and finished in 1228, one year before he died....
, Manfuha was built a few centuries before Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
at the same time as Hajr (now Riyadh) by members of the Banu Hanifa
Banu Hanifa
Banu Hanifa were an ancient Arab tribe inhabiting the area of al-Yamama in the central region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. The tribe belonged to the great Rabi'ah branch of North Arabian tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Abd al-Qays, Bakr, and Taghlib...
tribe and their cousins from the tribe of Bakr. Manfuha was home to the famous Arab poet Al-A'sha
Al-A'sha
Al-A'sha or Maymun Ibn Qays Al-a'sha was an Arabic Jahiliyyah poet from Manfuha, Arabia.He was widely traveled and was nicknamed Al-A'sha which means "night-blind" after he lost his sight. One of his qasidah or odes is sometimes included in the Mu'allaqat, an early Arabic poetry collection....
, who died at around the same time as the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, but little is heard of Manfuha after that time. At the turn of the 20th century, its population was made up largely of members of Banu Hanifa
Banu Hanifa
Banu Hanifa were an ancient Arab tribe inhabiting the area of al-Yamama in the central region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. The tribe belonged to the great Rabi'ah branch of North Arabian tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Abd al-Qays, Bakr, and Taghlib...
and Bakr (who by now had come to identify themselves with the related tribe of 'Anizzah), as well as members of Tamim and Subay'
Subay'
Subay are a Sunni Muslim tribe of central Saudi Arabia. The tribe is of North Arabian stock, and traces its lineage to the large, ancient tribe of Banu 'Amir, also known as 'Amir ibn Sa'sa'a, who came to dominate Nejd in the medieval period....
. Like all Nejdi towns, its population also included a large percentage of non-tribally-affiliated tradesmen (sonnaa), as well as many slaves and freedmen working as agricultural laborers. Like Riyadh, the town was surrounded by gardens and palm groves.
In the late 18th century, Manfuha fell under the rule of the energetic ruler of Riyadh, Deham ibn Dawwas, who at the time was vigorously resisting the expansion of the new Wahhabist state established by the Al Saud clan of neighboring Diriyah
Diriyah
Al-Diriyah is a town in Saudi Arabia located on the northwestern outskirts of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Diriyah was the original home of the Saudi royal family, and served as the capital of the first Saudi dynasty from 1744 to 1818...
(see First Saudi State
First Saudi State
The First Saudi State was established in the year 1744 when imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Prince Muhammad ibn Saud formed an alliance to establish a religious & political sovereignty determined to cleanse the Arabian Peninsula of heretical practices and deviations from orthodox Islam...
). Both towns eventually succumbed to the Saudis, however, who ruled over Manfuha until their state was destroyed by an Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
-Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian invasion in 1818. From then on, the town's fortunes largely followed those of its neighbor, Riyadh, returning to Saudi rule under Turki ibn Abdallah
Turki ibn Abdallah
*Fahd bin Turki*Jiluwi bin Turki*Faisal bin Turki*Abdallah bin TurkiTurki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad was the founder of the Second Saudi State and ruled the area of Najd during the period from 1821-1834 following administration by the Ottoman Empire.-Kingship:Leadership of the House of Saud passed...
in 1824, then falling under the rule of the Al Rashid
Rashidi
Al Rasheed, the House of Rashid, or the House of Rasheed were a historic dynasty of the Arabian Peninsula, and the most formidable enemies of the House of Saud in Nejd...
clan of Ha'il
Ha'il
Ha'il , also spelled Hail, Ha'yel, or Hayil, is an oasis city in Nejd in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It is the capital of the Ha'il Province. The city has a population of 356,876 according to Ha'il Province....
in the 1890s, before reverting to Saudi rule less than ten years later under the founder of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud.
As the neighboring Saudi capital expanded exponentially in the 20th century, fueled by the country's oil wealth, the walls of both Manfuha and Riyadh were torn down, and Manfuha was quickly swallowed in whole by the growing metropolis. Today, Manfuha is among the poorer districts of Riyadh. Most of its original inhabitants have left to newer districts of the capital, and the area is now mostly inhabited by low-income guest-workers from Egypt and South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, as well as the families of former African slaves. Some of the town's old mud-brick buildings remain, as well as an ancient observation tower. A wide avenue cuts through the center of Manfuha, named Al-A'sha Street, after its most famous son.