Tomb of Daniel

Tomb of Daniel
آرامگاه دانیال نبی
The Tomb of Daniel
Religion
Affiliation	Islam Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Mausoleum
Status	Active
Location
Location	Susa, Khuzestan province
Country	Iran
Location of the tomb in Iran

Geographic coordinates	32°11′25″N 48°14′37″E
Shrine(s)	One: (Daniel)

The Book of Daniel mentions that Daniel lived in Babylon and may have visited the palace of Susa, Iran,^[2] but the place where he died is not specified; the tradition preserved among the Jews and Muslims is that he was buried in Susa. Today the Tomb of Daniel in Susa is a popular attraction among local Muslims and Iran's Jewish community alike.

The earliest mention of Daniel's Tomb published in Europe is given by Benjamin of Tudela who visited Asia between 1160 and 1163 CE. In the façade of one of its many synagogues, Benjamin was shown the tomb assigned by tradition to Daniel. Benjamin declared however, that the tomb does not hold Daniel's remains, which were said to have been discovered at Susa about 640 CE. The remains were supposed to bring good fortune and bitter quarrels arose because of them between the inhabitants of the two banks of the Choaspes River. Those who lived on the side on which Daniel's grave was situated were rich and happy, while those on the opposite side were poor and in want; the latter, therefore, wished the bier of Daniel to be moved to their side of the river. They finally agreed that the bier should rest alternately one year on each side. The agreement was carried out for many years, until the Seljuk shah Sanjar, on visiting the city, stopped the practice, holding that the continual removal of the bier was disrespectful to the prophet. He ordered the bier to be fastened with chains to the bridge, directly in the middle of the structure; and he erected a chapel on the spot for both Muslims and Jews. The king also forbade fishing in the river within a mile of Daniel's bier.^[3]^[4] Benjamin mentioned that the place was a dangerous one for navigation, since godless persons perish immediately on passing it; and the water under the bier is distinguished by the presence of goldfish.

Muslim traditions agree in stating that Daniel was buried at Susa, and a similar tradition was current among the Syriac writers.^[5] Al-Baladhuri (ninth century) stated that when the conqueror Abu Musa al-Ash'ari came to Susa in 638 CE, he found the coffin of Daniel, which had been brought thither from Babylon in order to bring down rain during a period of drought.^[6] Abu Musa referred the matter to the calif Umar, who ordered the coffin to be buried, which was done by sinking it to the bottom of one of the streams nearby.^[7]

A similar account is given by 10th-century Arab chronicler Ibn Hawqal who wrote:^[8]^[9]

"In the city of Susa there is a river and I have heard that in the time of Abu Musa al Ashari a coffin was found there; it is said to contain the bones of Daniel the Prophet. The people held it in great veneration and in times of distress, famine or droughts brought it out and prayed for rain. Abu Mousa Al Ashoari ordered that the coffin be encased with three coverings and submerged it in the river so that it could not be viewed. The grave can be seen by anyone who dives to the bottom of the water".

Istakhri gave a similar account and added that the Jews were accustomed to make a circuit around Daniel's tomb and to draw water in its neighborhood.^[10] Al-Muqaddasi referred to the contention between the people of Susa and those of Tustar.^[11] A slightly divergent tradition was reported by Ibn Taimiyyah who stated that the body was found in Tustar; that at night thirteen graves were dug, and it was put in one of these—a sign according him, that the early Muslims were opposed to the worship of the tombs of holy men.^[12]

William Ouseley, in Walpole's Memoirs of the East, described the Tomb of Daniel in Susa as being situated in:^{[citation needed]}

"… a most beautiful spot, washed by a clear running stream and shaded by planes and other trees of ample foliage. The building is of Mahomedan date and is inhabited by a solitary Dervish, who shows the spot where the prophet is buried beneath, a small and simple square brick mausoleum, said to be (without probability) coeval with his death. It has, however, neither date nor inscription to prove the truth or falsehood of the Dervish's assertion. The small river running at the foot of this building, which is called the Bellerau, it has been said flows immediately over the prophets Tomb, and from the transparency of the water, his coffin was to be seen at the bottom; but the Dervish and the natives whom I questioned remembered no tradition corroborating such a fact; on the contrary; it has at all times been customary with the people of the country to resort hither on certain days of the months, when they offer up their prayers at the tomb I have mentioned, in supplication to the prophet's shade."

The current tomb was renovated and repaired in 1870 CE by order of Shia scholar Sheikh Jafar Shooshtari, the work was executed by Haj Mulla Hassan Memar. Later Mulla Hassan's son, Mulla Javad carried out further renovations on the site.^[13]

More information Name, Images ...

Name	Location	Established	Remarks
Mala Amir	Khuzestan		The Jewish Encyclopedia noted that a five-day journey from Dezful, near Mala Amir, in Khuzestan of Iran, there was another sacred, tomb said to be that of Daniel.^{[citation needed]}
Mosque of the Prophet Daniel, Kirkuk	Kirkuk, Iraq	7th century CE	This site is located in the Kirkuk Citadel. It was formerly a synagogue, but converted into a mosque during the reign of Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz. Every year, thousands of people from around the world visit the mosque to offer prayers and make pilgrimage to the grave of the Prophet Daniel and Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah who are allegedly buried next to him.^{[citation needed]}
Tomb of the Prophet Daniel	Mosul, Iraq	1813 CE	Originally a mosque founded by the governor Ma'ruf ibn Ibrahim al-Sulayman, the tomb of the Prophet Daniel was discovered at a later date. The site was rebuilt in the 1980s, but it was completely demolished in 2014 by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.^{[citation needed]}
Mausoleum of St. Daniel	Samarkand, Uzbekistan	14th century CE	The tomb of Daniel in Samarkand was rebuilt in the 20th century. Inside, the grave is at least 18 m (59 ft) long, underneath a marble sarcophagus covered with a green cloth. According to the local legend, Tamerlane attempted to conquer Syria for many years, but was unsuccessful. One of his ministers suggested it was because the saint from the biblical times, Daniel, was buried there. Timur then sent his army to where Daniel was entombed in Syria, and after a fierce fight with the Syrians, was able to take some of his remains back to Uzbekistan. It is also said that on the day Daniel was entombed a natural source of water sprung up at that spot, and it is believed by locals that its water has the power to heal.^[14]
Mausoleum of Danyal	Tarsus, Turkey		The mosque and tomb complex was built atop some Roman-era ruins. The tomb was unearthed in 2006 during an excavation, and it was attributed to Prophet Daniel due to an erroneous legend that the Prophet was buried there.^{[citation needed]}
Tarsus Grand Mosque	Tarsus, Turkey		The backroom of the mosque contains two graves which are attributed to Daniel and Seth. Next to both graves is the grave of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Ma'mun.^{[citation needed]}
Tomb of Sidi Deniane	Jorf El Yhoudi, Oriental, Morocco		This site is located at Jorf El Yhoudi, known as Cliff of the Jews. The grave of Daniel, also known as Sidi Deniane is located within the structure.^{[citation needed]}

Susa‌, Iran

Other recorded locations of the Tomb of Daniel

See also

References

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