On Monday 26th Shaban, which was 25th Pashons, early in the morning,
a violent earthquake was felt
which caused terror among men. Seized with terror, everyone leapt down from his bed and cried out
to the all-powerful God. The shaking lasted for a long time: the shocks were like the movement of a
sieve, or like that of a bird lowering and lifting its wings. In all there were three violent shocks,
which shook buildings, caused doors to tremble and roof-joists to crack: [these shocks] threatened to
ruin buildings in poor repair or on an elevated or very high site. There were further shocks around
midday of the same day; but only a small number of people felt them, because they were weak and did
not last long. On that night there was extreme cold, which obliged one to cover up more than usual.
This was followed in the day by extreme heat, and a violent, pestilential wind which stopped people's
breathing and suffocated them. It is rare for Egypt to suffer an earthquake as violent as that.
Then we received news, which had passed from one to another, that the earthquake was felt at the same
time in far countries and in very distant cities. I think that it is most certain that at the same
time a great part of the earth felt the shock, from Qus as far as Damietta, Alexandria, the sea
coast of Syria, and the whole of Syria in its entire length and breadth. Many settlements disappeared
totally without leaving the slightest trace, and an innumerable multitude of men perished. I know of
not a single city in Syria which suffered less in this earthquake than Jerusalem: this city sustained
only very slight damage. The ravages caused by this event were far greater in the regions inhabited by
the Franks, than in the Muslim territories.
We have heard it said that the earthquake was felt as far as Akhlat and in the neighbouring districts,
as well as on the island of Cyprus. The rising of the sea and agitation of the waves was a most terrible
sight to behold, something quite unrecognisable: the waters parted in diverse places, and divided up into
masses like mountains; boats found themselves on dry land, and a great quantity of fish was thrown on to
the shore. We also received letters from Syria, Damascus and Hamat, which contain details of this earthquake.
I personally received two, which I will report in exactly the same way as that in which they were written.
Copy of the letter from Hamat
On Monday 26th Shaban, in the early morning, it was as if the earth had moved and the mountains were being
agitated in different ways. Everyone imagined that this was the earthquake which should precede the Last
Judgment. The earthquake was felt twice on that day: the first time it lasted about an hour; the second
shock was not so long, but stronger. Many fortresses were damaged by it, among which was the fortress of
Hamah, in spite of the solidity of its construction; that of Barin, even though it was tightly furbished
and light, was also damaged, as well as the fortress of Baalbek, notwithstanding its strength and firmily.
As yet we have received no news to give from the cities and fortresses far from here.
On Tuesday 27th of the same month, around the time of midday prayer, there was another earthquake which
was felt by all men, whether awake or asleep; we suffered another shock on the same day at the time of
afternoon prayer. From the news which we then received from Damascus it was learnt that the earthquake
destroyed the eastern minaret of the great mosque, the largest part of the building, called the Kallaseh,
and the entire hospital, together with many houses which fell on their inhabitants, killing them.
Copy of the letter from Damascus
"I have the honour to write to you-this letter, to inform you of the earthquake which took place during the
night of Monday 26th Shaban, at the break of dawn, and which lasted for quite some time. One of us said that
it lasted long enough to read the surat of the Koran entitled 'The Cavern'. One of the oldest men of Damascus
attests that he had never felt anything equal to it. Among other damage caused by it in the city, sixteen
crenellations of the great mosque and one of the minarets fell; another was split, as well as the leaden
dome. The building called the Kallaseh was swallowed up, as the earth was open, and two men died; a man
also died at the gate called the Gate of Jirun. There were several cracks in diverse parts of the mosque,
and a great number of the city's houses fell.
The following details were reported to us regarding the countries occupied by the Muslims. Paneas and Safet
were partly overthrown; in the latter town only the son of the governor survived. Tebnin suffered the same
fate. In Nablus not a wall remains upright, except in the Street of the Samaritans. It is said that Jerusalem,
thanks be to God,, has suffered nothing. As for Beit Jan, not even the foundations of the walls remain,
everything having been swallowed up in the ground. Most of the cities in the province of Hauran have been
destroyed, and of none of them can it be said, 'Here was a certain town'. It is said that the greater part
of Acre has been overthrown, as well as a third of the city of Tyre, Irka and Safith have been swallowed up.
On Mt Lebanon, there is a defile between the two mountains where people go to pick green rhubarb: we are
told that the two mountains came together and swallowed up the men who were there, numbering almost 200.
In all, many things are said about this earthquake. On the four days following shocks continued to be
felt day and night.
(`Abd al-Latif, r.e. 262/414).
