Bash Hezzab

The Bash Hezzab ( ar, بَاشْ حَزَّاب) is the senior Hezzab supervising the Hizb Rateb and Salka in mosques and zawiyas in Algeria according to the Algerian Islamic reference under the supervision of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments.

History

The mosques in Algeria contain many Hezzabine supervised by the ''Bash Hezzab'' along with other employees who take care of these buildings of Muslim ibadah.

Historically, the Djamaâ Sidi Ramdane in the Casbah of Algiers housed one ''Bash Hezzab'' which supervised five ''Hezzabine''.

The mosque of Djamaa el Kebir was served by the mufti of Algiers, assisted by two ''Imams'', under their authority are placed a '' Moudaris'', explicator of the Quran, a ''Bash Hezzab'', head of the readers, six ''Hezzabine'' of first class, and twelve ''Hezzabine'' of second class.

Characteristics

The ''Bash Hezzab'' should be a senior hafiz of the Quran as a whole, with the narration of Warsh recitation.

As for the ''Hezzab'', the condition of memorizing the entire Quran is due to the fact that it is not suitable and acceptable for him to read from the Mus'haf while he leads the ''Hezzabine'' and the group of readers ( ar, ناس الحضور) and directs them at the same time.

It is obligatory for him to obtain a Quran Idjaza from an accredited body such as a zawiya or an ''Islamic institute'' to prove his merit for the position and religious responsibility, and he must possess a strong vocal layer that allows him to dominate the voice over the entirety of the qāriʾs during the Hizb Rateb recitation.

Functions

During the Tilawa of the Hizb Rateb, according to Warsh recitation, the different Hezzabine, or readers of the Quranic Hizb, are placed under the authority of the chief reader, the ''Bash Hezzab'', while the ordinary Talibes may attend or be content to read books of precepts, and finally the muezzins call the faithful to the Salah with the Adhan.

Indeed, the ''Bash Hezzab'' in addition to chairing the ''Halqa'' ( ar, حَلْقَة) of the ''Hizb Rateb'' on a daily basis and ensuring the presence and attendance of the ''Hezzabine'', he welcomes among others the '' Nass al-Houdhour'' ( ar, نَاسُ الْحُضُورِ) who want to listen to the collective recitation or participate through the Quran that they memorize or read on the Mus'hafs.

He works on the reading of Sahih Bukhari throughout the holy month of Rajab in concert with the ''Hezzabine'' and ''Nass al-Houdhour''.

In addition to ensuring the proper conduct of the ''Hizb Rateb'' and the recitation of the ''Sahih Bukhari'', the ''Bash Hezzab'' organizes the reading of educational books of Maliki Madhhab such as Muwatta Imam Malik, Matn Ibn Ashir, and the Risala fiqhiya among others.

When the Salka is organized in a mosque or a zawiya, the ''Bash Hezzab'', through his religious and hierarchical skills, assists the Imam or the Sheikh in the course of this recitation of the entirety of the sixty Hizbs of the Quran in a single day or overnight, whether the ''Salka'' is thus diurnal or nocturnal.

Gallery

File:Ivan Bilibin 182.jpg, ''Hezzabine'' reading the Hizb Rateb
File:Quran Reading.JPG, ''Hezzabine'' reading the Hizb Rateb
File:Bruner-Dvorak, Rudolf - Bosna, medresa 2 (ca 1906).jpg, ''Hezzabine'' reading the Hizb Rateb

See also

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hezzab
Islam in Algeria
Sufism in Algeria
Sufism
Warsh recitation