At a glance
- Era
- Pre-Islamic Arabia
- Region
- Egypt & Nile
- Review
- Completeness 3/5 · Help complete it
Overview
Al-Mal'ab ("the playing field") is an ancient site in Alexandria, where its people held a festival every year. A ball was thrown there, and whoever it fell into the sleeve of was made king 2.
According to al-Maqrizi
Al-Maqrizi, quoting al-Qada'i, lists the playing field among Alexandria's wonders, with the lighthouse and the pillars. People gathered there one day of the year and a ball was thrown; it fell into no one's lap but that of the king of Egypt 3.
He says that Amr ibn al-As attended one of their festivals, the ball fell into his lap, and he afterwards ruled the land 3.
The episode of Amr ibn al-As
Al-Umari reports that Amr ibn al-As attended it in the Jahiliyya, and the ball fell into his sleeve. They said that the custom had been abolished, because such a thing cannot be owned 2.
The site afterwards
On the site of this playing field, the Banu Khalif built their palace, which is named after them. It is in Alexandria 2.
Connections
- Located in
- Alexandria
- Related to
- Amr ibn al-As
People and things also explored
The Conquest of Alexandria· The Roman Recapture of Alexandria and Its Recovery from Manuel· Amud al-Sawari (Pompey's Pillar)· the Alexandria rising and its recovery (25 AH)· Ali spares Amr ibn al-As after he was exposed· Amr's Dismissal and Ibn Abi Sarh's Sole Charge of Egypt· The Battle of Dathin· The Battle of Uhud
Sources
- Masalik al-absar fi mamalik al-amsar — al-Umari (1924 printing) , p. 241-242
- Masalik al-absar fi mamalik al-amsar — al-Umari (1924 printing) , p.241-242
- Al-Maqrizi, al-Mawaiz wa-l-i'tibar bi-dhikr al-khitat wa-l-athar (al-Khitat al-Maqriziyya), ed. Muhammad Zaynhum and Madiha al-Sharqawi (Cairo: Maktabat Madbuli, 1998) , p.484
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “the Hippodrome of Alexandria”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/place/malab-iskandariyya/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-24.