`Earthquakes occurred in various years after that [1684-1705 in
Damascus and Syria, we know that, but they were not written
down.
Until this year, 1117, I had never seen the like of the succession
of earthquakes which occurred day and night. They began
on the night of Tuesday 7 Sha'ban: we were in our house which
we had built on Mount Qasyun and the Salihiyah. The first earthquake
occurred at ten at night and woke us up. We got out of
bed and prayed. We were told that when the people of Damascus
saw the roofs sway and heard the clatter, they thought that thieves
were running on the roofs...
After 11 hours of the night had passed, a stronger earthquake
occurred, driving us out into the yard where we heard the
people of Damascus crying out and shouting. This second earthquake
lasted for two or three degrees. Two or three degrees later a
lighter quake occurred. Things continued like this until Ramadan
began, a light earthquake continuing every day and night, some
people feeling them and some not. The second above-mentioned
earthquake caused some houses to fall, destroyed walls and shook
roofs and buildings in Damascus and its surrounding villages to
such an extent that many people were killed in the debris. The
top of the eastern minaret of the Umayyad Mosque was split and
two stones fell from the top of the western minaret, but caused
no damage. The upper portion of the Murshidiyah minaret fell in
Salihiyah, as did the minaret of the Afram mosque and part of the
buildings in Magharat al-Damm up on Mt Qasyun.
We heard that the Qastal fortress and its villages were
destroyed, and also a monastery in Yabrud, and many houses in
the villages. Then it happened that a feast was held and the people
were participating in festivities, displays, and various kinds of
entertainments. Light earthquakes occurred which some felt and
feared but others did not notice . . (al-Nablusi, in Hafiz 1982).
