Hajj organizational team of the Grand Mufti’s Office visited the city of Ta’if

During the stay in the holy lands the Grand Mufti’s Office organized a visit to the city of Ta’if for the team which provides the conditions and cares for the proper performance of the rituals of the pilgrims. The city is remarkable for several reasons. It is one of the greenest and most well-maintained cities, for which it is also known as a resort city. But more important is that Muhammad (pbuh) in one hard moment during the early years of his call had visited the city and invited the population to believe in the Only Allah and the message which He sent to the mankind. The people of Ta’if did not responded to this call, but one servant named Addas – a Christian, cordially welcomed the Messenger of Allah, regaled him with the famous grapes of Ta’if and converted to Islam.
During their visit the organizational team visited the remarkable mosque of Ta’if – Abdullah ibn Abbas Mosque. He is a cousin of Muhammad (pbuh) and is one of the most famous scholars especially in the field of the interpretation of the Qur’an (tafsir). He settled in the city during the reign of Abdullah ibn Zubayr and lived seventy years. He died in the city in 68 Hijri year. At his death one white dove came and entered the kafan (the cloth) with which he was covered and did not left him until his funeral.
There is a big library at the Abdullah ibn Abbas Mosque, which is named by him. It was built by the Turkish Governor of Hijaz region Muhammad Rasheed Sharwani Pasha, who died in 1875. However books for the library were donated during the centuries because it was one of the important educational centers. At the beginning of 19th century the number of the books exceeded 10 000, among which there were about thirty sets of the hadith collection of Sahih Bukhari. During 1927 the books from the library’s fund were included to those of Masjid al-Haram. During 1964 the library was opened again.