30 Rada'a

Rada'a

Selma al-Radi

The area of Rada'a has a long history dating to pre-Islamic times as evidenced by the numerous sites (historic and pre­ historic), ruins, dams, inscriptions and graffiti that abound in the surrounding countryside. In pre-Islamic times the re­ gion lay between the ancient kingdoms of Rada'a. Radman and Himyar; it was therefore an Photo: C. Liu/e/Aga Khan A wards. important focal area with contacts to the east, south, north and to the immediate west. The town of Rada'a also owes its origin arches of openings and for decorative Amir ibn-Abd ai-Wahab (according to a to pre-Islamic times when it was probably purposes. Most window fan-lights are legend the first in to die of a located to the north of the present day made by double or triple arches, each bullet fired by the invading Mamluk town. The imposing citadel, built on a containing the largest possible single troops in 1517) who began to build the natural outcrop rising above the plain, is plane of alabaster. The double arch with Madrasat al-'Amiriya in Rada'a in 1504 pre-Islamic in origin but has seen much alabaster above the windows and the A.D. change and has been remodelled and en­ fusion of mud and brick in construction The is two-stories high with the and ornamentation are the most original larged in the intervening periods. Today prayer hall and the study sections on the tbe town spreads out along the plain at elements of the local architecture in first floor while the ground floor consists the foot of the citadel. Its main western Rada'a. of small shops on the exterior and large gate still stands, together with sections of During the early part of the Islamic vaulted rooms in the interior. The inside stone wall. period and with the westward shift of of the prayer hall is almost entirely Although the town's public spaces are power, Rada'a was neglected and became covered with painted geometric designs, somewhat neglected, the external aspects a backwater town. It remained so until stucco inscriptions and painted plaster of buildings show concern for their out­ the fifteenth century when it emerged work. The whole building measures some ward appearance. Most of the architec­ under the Tahirids. This short-lived but 23 by 40 metres. The madrasa was pur­ ture is of mud, although stone may be dynamic dynasty, which took over the posely neglected by the Zaydi imams that used for the ground floor, and there are lands of the Rasulid kingdom, was res­ followed the Shafi'i Tahirids, and its waqf some buildings (mostly governmental) ponsible for numerous building projects lands and records were confiscated. Ini­ built wholly of stone and brick in adapted including the water system in and tial repair work is now being carried out styles. The quality of mud construction is in , Juban, Muqranah by the Directorate of Antiquities, the refined, including brickwork in the mud (their capital city) and Rada'a. It was the Ministry of Awqaf, and the Dutch walls both as a structural element for the last king of the , Government.