Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 136, April 2016, pp. 1-35. | Page 13
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Alakhyaf, Abu Alza‟faran, Abu Shibel, Abu Ala‟bas, Abu Alhareth.
Al-Dumairi mentioned also that Hamza bin Abd Almutaleb (Uncle of Prophet
Mohammed Peace Be Upon Him) was named “Asadu Allah” (Allah‟s Lion)
[because he was a brave man and a fierce warrior and a lion hunter in Mecca;
and he was known wearing his famous lion coat] (Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
According to Al-Dumairi the lion was living around Mecca, Arabia in the time of
Hamza and Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) in the 7th Century, and he
mentions that a man („Utba bin Abi Lahab) was devoured by a lion in Al-Zarqa‟a,
Ard Al-Sham (in Jordan); and tells about a story between safeena (Mawla
[servant] of Prophet Mohammed [PBUH]) and a lion in Ard Al-Roum [Byzantine
Empire] (in Turkey); Al-Dumairi also tells the story of Prophet Daniel in the
lions‟ den in Babel [Babylon] (in Iraq), under the reign of the Persian King Darius
(Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
Al-Dumairi in his Reference Book “Hayat Al-Haywan Al-Kubra” writes also
about the lions‟ behaviour; and also on the medical benefits when using the
different lion body parts in curing different diseases. He goes further and writes
about the interpretation of dreams; when somebody dreams about a lion or a
young lion in a certain situation (Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
The Asiatic or Persian Lion (Panthera leo persica) in Palestine:
بسم الله الزحمن الزحيم . فما ل ُم عن التذكزة ُعزضين . كأن ُم ُ ُ ٌ ُستنفز ٌ . فزت من قسورة . صدق الله العظيم
ة
ه حمز م
م
ه
“Then what is wrong with them that they turn away from receiving admonition.
As if they were frightened Wild Asses. Fleeing from a lion (Qaswara)." (The Holy
Qur‟an, Suret Al-Muddather, Aya 49-51).
Lions are the most powerful of all carnivorous animals. Although not now found
in Palestine, they must have been in ancient times very numerous there. They
had their lairs in the forests (The Bible: Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 12:8; Amos 3:4), in
the caves of the mountains (Song of Solomon 4:8; Nahum 2:12), and in the
canebrakes on the banks of the Jordan (Jeremiah 49:19; Jeremiah 50:44; Zechariah
11:3) (Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
"Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings
shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: everyone who goes out of
them shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their
backslidings are increased." (The Bible, Jeremiah, 5:6).
"Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; she has lifted up her voice
against me: therefore have I hated it." (The Bible, Jeremiah, 12:8).
"Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? Will a young lion cry out of
his den, if he has taken nothing?" (The Bible, Amos, 3:4) (Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
"Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the
Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 136 – April 2016