Tazrut
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tazrut (Amazigh: ⵜⴰⵣⵔⵓⵜ,[1] Arabic: تازروت) is a medieval mountain city in Algeria. in 893, it served as the capital of the nascent Fatimid Empire and its Dar al-hijra.[2][3][4] It is located in the commune of Aïn Mellouk in Mila province.
Tazrut
| |
|---|---|
Location in Algeria | |
| Coordinates: 36°17′26″N 6°6′20″E / 36.29056°N 6.10556°E [5] | |
| Country | |
| Province | Mila Province |
| Elevation | 1,002 m (3,287 ft) |
It was chosen by the missionary Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī as a second base for spreading the Isma'ili Dawah among the Kutama tribes, both politically and religiously. during this formative stage, Tazrut held a sacred status among Isma'ili Fatimids, as it was the first Dār al-Hijra established by Abū ʿAbd Allāh and his supporters from the Kutama tribe, symbolizing the religious and ideological center of the movement.[6] it retained this role until the Fatimids transferred their capital to Ikjan in October 902,[7][8] which subsequently became the new base of the movement.
Historians have long debated the precise transcription of the word Tazrut. Ibn al-Athir referred to it as Nasron, while Al-Nuwayri recorded it as Tāzrat, and Al-Maqrizi named it Tasrot. However, Al-Qadi al-Nu'man identified it as Tazrut, which is considered the correct spelling. This is corroborated by a Numidian era inscription found on one of the region's rocks, where it is written as Tazrut. The name itself is of Amazigh origin, meaning "the greate rock."[9] The term locally means 'the rocky hill.' It is also nicknamed 'The City,' a place that, according to local inhabitants, can be accessed through a cave entrance.[10]