Mamluk Studies Review Vol. VI (2002)

18 DONALD P. LITTLE, MAMLUK MADRASAHS
Besides tombs the qubbah contained space for prayers and teaching. For these
purposes an imam was to be appointed to lead Muslims in prayer five times a day
and a shaykh to teach Prophetic tradition. In addition there were to be twenty-five
Quran readers who took turns in reciting and in praying for the endower, his
family, and Muslims in general. 40 Four freed eunuchs of the sultan or his father
were to be assigned to the qubbah for unspecified duties. Judging, however, from
the example of those eunuchs appointed to the tomb chamber in the Qala≠wu≠n
complex, their constant attendance there served as a reminder of the gravitas
(na≠mu≠s) of the deceased sultan and of the decorum which was to be maintained in
the burial chamber. 41 A doorkeeper limited access to the qubbah and the madrasah.
Two special janitors (qa≠’im) and three caretakers (farra≠sh) were to be responsible
for cleaning and furnishing the chamber, its court, ambulatory, and water basin. 42
The endower instructed that "the necessary carpets, inlaid candlesticks, brass basins,
and other implements be provided," such as lamps, water utensils, spittoons, and
"red and white ‘Abada≠n| mats." 43
THE MADRASAH
The waqf|yah actually names the four scholars who were to serve as professors in
the madrasah, three of whom were chief qadis, the only exception being the
Shafi‘i mudarris. 44 These four are designated to teach the applications of fiqh at
convenient times between sunrise and sunset. Preceding these lessons, each class
is to recite passages from the Quran and, following the lessons, conduct prayers
for the endower. 45 The controller is to appoint an unspecified number of teaching
assistants who are charged, as in al-Asyu≠t¸|'s model,
to examine their students and to provide explanations and corrections
to those who need them, encouraging them to work without stint in
extra repetition and explication. . . . 46
40
Ibid., 64.
41
See Ah˝mad ibn ‘Al| al-Maqr|z|, Al-Mawa≠‘iz˛ wa-al-I‘tiba≠r bi-Dhikr al-Khit¸at¸ wa-al-A±tha≠r (Cairo,
1854), 2:380.
42
Al-Nuwayr|, Niha≠yah, 32:65.
43
Ibid., 74, 66.
44
Ibid., 60–61.
45
Ibid., 66–67.
46
Ibid., 67.
© 2002, 2012 Middle East Documentation Center, The University of Chicago.
http://mamluk.uchicago.edu/MamlukStudiesReview_VI_2002.pdf