Al-simāt al-khalīl (the Table of Abraham) in Hebron during the Ottoman Period

Abstract

The holy city of Hebron had perhaps the most long established and renowned imäret, called al-simät al-Khalīl, the Table of Abraham, for feeding the poor and needy people, pilgrims, sūfīs, travelers, strangers, and other guests who arrived at its shrines. Gifts of food and large-scale distributions were standard practice during various religious festivals and celebrations, which were not only substantive but comprised a measure of sanctity as well. This thriving table retained its vitality for the region during also the Ottoman period. This study defines the actual operation of this simät in the Ottoman period. For this, the article aims to establish the revenue and expense figures of the simät, and then evaluate personnel records, their wages, and kitchen outlays in order to reach a conclusion about the scope of operations sustained by the simät. It will make use a set of valuable historical sources like waqf account books to be able to provide valuable insights into not only the actual operation of the simät, but also its economic and social role in general.