visitor enters the body of the mosque— rich in tile-work,
the large court in particular,— and an exit is obtained by
the M’jedleei'n door, leading into the Attarin.
The actual tomb and its surroundings are the finest
in Morocco.* Here lie Mulai Idrees II. and his brother
Mohammed I. The sarcophagus itself resembles
The Tomb. . r ,
a large casket-shaped chest about seven teet by
three, and three feet high to the edge, with a raised
lid, flat on the top, about eighteen inches higher, to
which the sides slope from the edge. It is covered with
rich, gold-embroidered cloth, and both surrounded and
surmounted by gilt censers, with a taller one in the
centre. These, and most of the gilt ornaments are reputed
to be gold, but this it is impossible to ascertain during
an ordinary visit, f
Gold-braided hangings adorn the walls, and carpets—
both native and European— the floors. Exquisitely carved
and painted arabesques give warmth to the
ceiling, t from which are suspended lanterns and
chandeliers in profusion, one of the former being of great
size— eight feet high, it is said. These are interspersed
with numerous oil-lamps—tumblers with floating wicks,—
while several handsome candle-sticks stand on the floor,
so that there is no lack of glare, and the heat when the
* For many of these minor details I have relied on the description of
my native servant, -whom I sent in to make a closer examination than
was possible for. me.
t Rohlfs speaks of this display as contrary to' the teachings of the
Koridn, and mentions a massive silver plate under glass, with an inscription
in gold letters, which I did not see.1
J “ I have been told that the ceiling of the Mosque of Mulai Idrees
is the repository for State documents of high importance, such as, for
instance, the papers of- allegiance of Fez to successive Sultans, and the
like. I remember hearing, when Mulai Abd el Aziz succeeded in 1894,
that a formal copy of the document attesting the allegiance of Fez to the
new sultan had been deposited there.”—J. M a c Iv e r Ma c L e o d .
place is crowded, must be intense, especially when it is
remembered how many of the worshippers bring candles.
Among other conspicuous ornaments, after the native
fashion, are two large “ grand-father clocks, and three
round gilt time-pieces. To the left of the sarcophagus,
regarded from the mosque, stands the alms-thest, richly
ornamented ; and before the tomb is the monbar or pulpit,
from the foot of which the motions of the worshippers
are led by the imam, so that, while facirig the east,
they also face the shrine.
The reputed sanctity of this spot is so great that although
it might mean death or acceptance o f Islam for
an “ infidel” to be found in any mosque in keputed
Morocco, this one is by far the most dangerous Sanctity.
to visit, and only two or three Europeans have
ever entered it.* The natives believe that the angel
Gabriel periodically visits the shrine, and that if any
worshipper has the good luck to touch the hem of his
garment, his admission to Paradise is secured. The
chance of such a fortunate event is enough in itself to
attract these conscience-stricken sinners, and doubtless
accounts in some measure for the crowds who daily pay
their respects there.
Separated from the Mosque of Mulai Idrees by the
kaïsarîyah, a little further down the hill to the south,
is the famous mosque of the Karûeein. Its Karûeeïn
foundations were laid .on the first day of
Ramadan, A.C. 859, by a widow who had bought the
ground and supplied the building expenses from a large
inherited fortune. All materials were found upon the
spot, the well from which the water was drawn still
existing in the courtyard. Since 918 A.C. the Friday
* Caillé did so in 1825.
f Some authors state that a sister of this widow supplied the fund for
the building of the Andalûs Mosque.