The Bab Ludd (Gate of Lod, Arabic: باب اللد) possibly refers to a gate of ancient city of Lod. Today a small Mamluk/Ottoman era structure marks the site of a water-well, known as the Bab Ludd. An early Muslim eschatological tradition [see N4] describes how al-Dajjal will install, for fourty days or years before the Judgement Day, a regime of tyranny and licentiousness in the world, which will be followed by a world-wide conversion to Islam. The site was revered by the Muslims of Palestine, who as early as the 80's of the 8th century used to come to Lod to celebrate its festival known as the 'id Ludd.
The significance of this site is derived from a number of Hadiths of prophet Muhammad, which mention that the slaying of Dajjal will happen at a site called Bab Ludd (possibly a gate of ancient city of Lod).
In a tradition quoted by Ibn Murajja, dating back to at least middle of the 8th century CE, handed down through the Jerusalem family of Salam bin Qaysar, it is mentioned: "I heard my father say that Lod Gate, about which the prophet "peace be upon him" said that here Jesus, the son of May, would kill al-Dajjal [the Antichrist], is not the church gate near Ramla, but the western gate David, close ('inda) to Mihrab Dawud "peace be upon him" and known as the Lod Gate (Bab Ludd)". [See N1]
Many traditions describe the death of al-Dajjal at the hands of Jesus at the gate of Lod (Ludd) [see N2], near Lod [see N3] or near the eastern gate of Lod, as well as other places in Palestione. It should be noted that in the afore-mentioned Jerusalem tradition, Bab Ludd is also referred to as the gate of the church close to Ramla. Does the transmitter mean the Church of Saint George in Lod? This is apparently the case, though one cannot help but wonder he does not mention the church specifically or even Lod as the site of the Church.
The identification of this site as "the Bab Ludd" is speculative at best, since the traditions about the slaying of al-Dajjal at Bab Ludd make no mention of a church, but only of Lod Gate or a gate close to Lod or the eastern Lod Gate. Saint George's church is described in the mid-10th century CE by the Muslim historian/scholar al-Muqaddasi as a splended church, at the gate of which Jesus was to kill al-Dajjal.
circa
It is a small nearly-square structure built over a now defunct water-well. Constructed out of ashlar stones, it was originally built during the Mamluk era and later reconstructed in the Ottoman times. The mouth of the wall itself is constructed out of limestone, dating back to sirca 13-14th century CE. The structre can be entered from an arched portal on the eastern side. There is a mihrab (inspect) in the southern wall.
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The Madain Project is an online archive of Abrahamic History and Archaeology.
Abrahamic History & Archaeology is the study of history and archaeology with respect to the three Abrahamic Faiths without considering the religious and theological aspects. The goal of Abrahamic History is to understand how and why the religious doctrines and behaviours have evlovled and changed over time. Searching for patterns in the evolution of significant cultural events such as the development of farming, the emergence of cities, or the collapse of major civilizations for clues of why and how these have influenced the three major Abrahamic religions.
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