A Woman Who Built a Road
Zubaidah bint Ja'far, wife of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, witnessed the suffering of pilgrims on the road from Kufa to Makkah and spent her fortune on reservoirs, wells and signal towers — more than 1,400 kilometers of works in the heart of the desert.
Stations of the Road
From Zubala and Al-Tha'labiyya to Fayd and Ma'din Al-Nuqra, stations lay a day's march apart, each with a reservoir, a market and dates. Fayd in Hail was the largest — a full city with fort and souqs.
Why Dates?
Lightweight, imperishable and instantly energizing, the date was the perfect food for a month-long journey. Caravans restocked at Najd oases and carried varieties between regions, shaping the map of Saudi dates we know today.
