Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansar concerning the Day of Buath....
BITS ‘N’ PIECES
Narrated by Aisha (R.A)
Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansar concerning the Day of Buath. And they were not singers. Abu Bakr said protesting, "Musical instruments of Satan in the house of Allah's Apostle!" It happened on the 'Id day and Allah's Apostle said, "O Abu Bakr! There is an 'Id for every nation and this is our 'Id."
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 72
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are believed to have been constructed during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon remain one of history’s greatest mysteries and marvels. Often regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, these legendary gardens were said to have been built in the ancient city of Babylon, near present-day Baghdad, Iraq. Although no definitive archaeological evidence has been found, historical accounts suggest that they were a breathtaking feat of engineering and horticulture.
The gardens are believed to have been constructed during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BCE). According to ancient sources, the king built them for his wife, Queen Amytis of Media, who longed for the lush green landscapes of her homeland. To ease her homesickness, Nebuchadnezzar reportedly created an artificial paradise with tiered gardens filled with exotic plants, trees, and flowers.
The gardens were described as an engineering wonder. They were supposedly built on multi-level terraces, supported by stone columns and watered by an advanced irrigation system. Some historians suggest that an Archimedean screw or a chain pump lifted water from the Euphrates River to irrigate the plants. This would have been an impressive technological achievement in an era without modern machinery.
The primary accounts of the Hanging Gardens come from Greek historians such as Strabo and Philo of Byzantium. They described an awe-inspiring structure with lush greenery cascading down terraces, resembling a mountain covered in vegetation. The gardens were said to have featured towering palm trees, fragrant flowers, and shaded walkways where people could escape the heat of Babylon’s desert climate.
However, these descriptions were written centuries after the gardens were supposedly built, raising doubts about their existence. Some scholars believe the Hanging Gardens may have been a mythical creation or confused with other famous gardens in the region.
Unlike other ancient wonders, no physical remains of the Hanging Gardens have been found. Some theories suggest they were destroyed by earthquakes or war, while others argue they may have been located in Nineveh, not Babylon.
Despite the uncertainty, the Hanging Gardens continue to captivate imaginations worldwide. Whether real or legendary, they symbolize human ingenuity, love and the desire to create beauty in even the harshest environments.
