Zarqa Al-Yamamah| The Visionary Heroine of Al-Yamamah
AI visualization of Zarqa Al-Yamamah |
Zarqa Al-Yamamah, also known as "Anz," was a woman from the "Jadis" tribe, renowned for her beauty, often compared to the moon on a full night.
She lived in Al-Yamamah, a vast region once called "Joe," and was distinguished by her exceptional eyesight, enabling her to see objects at great distances.
This extraordinary ability earned her the name "Zarqa Al-Yamamah", In Al-Yamamah, two large and powerful tribes resided, often engaging in wars.
Zarqa Al-Yamamah played a critical role in these conflicts by assisting her tribe, She would stand atop a high mountain, spotting the movements and directions of enemy forces.
This foresight allowed her tribe to prepare for battles, leading to repeated victories, In her honor, boys and girls would cheer and greet her with admiration.
Zarqa Al-Yamamah: A Warning Ignored, A City Fallen
Zarqa Al-Yamamah |
Zarqa Al-Yamamah had the extraordinary ability to see as far as a two-day march, A man named Riah bin Morra, who served as a minister to King Hassan.
spoke of her to his king and said, "O King, I have a married sister in the city of Jadis named Zarqa, She can see a person from a distance of a day and a whole night’s march and I fear she will spot us and warn her people, allowing them to prepare for us."
To counter this, the king ordered his men to cut tree branches and hide behind them to deceive Zarqa Al-Yamamah.
Riah cautioned the king, saying, "Her eyesight is even stronger at night.", Nonetheless, the army marched under the cover of darkness, concealing themselves with the cut branches.
As the enemy approached Al-Yamamah, Zarqa Al-Yamamah saw them and warned her people, saying, "O Al-Jadis, the trees are moving toward you, and the first horses of the Himyar tribe’s army are upon us."
However, her people dismissed her warning, mocking and disbelieving her.
As a result, the enemy armies arrived undetected, overwhelming her tribe, They seized the city, and when the enemy king confronted Zarqa, he asked her, "What did you see?, She replied, "I saw the trees, and behind them, men."
In response, the king ordered her eyes to be gouged out to eliminate the threat she posed, He then commanded that she be crucified at the city gate.
From that day onward, the city’s name was changed from "Jadis" or "Joe," as mentioned in historical references, to "Al-Yamamah."
That was The Tragic End of Zarqa Al-Yamamah and The name "Zarqa Al-Yamamah" became one of the most renowned figures in ancient Arab history.
The story of Zarqa Al-Yamamah is believed to have occurred during the Jahiliyah era. Historians have dated the events to the tenth century before the Hijrah, while some orientalists have suggested it took place around 250 BC, Al-Yamamah is most likely the current Riyadh region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.