the congregational mosque, so that the whole complex would serve the Muslims alone and the building would be spacious enough for their ever-growing numbers. He therefore summoned the Christians and asked them to vacate that portion, offering them many land grants in compensation and guaranteeing them the continued possession of four churches that had not been covered by the original pact: the Church of Mary, the Church of al-Muṣallaba inside the Eastern Gate, the Church of Tell al-Jubn, and the Church of Ḥumayd ibn Dirra on Darb al-Ṣaql. They refused, and did so most emphatically.
He said, “Bring me your treaty.” They produced the document dating from the time of the Companions, and it was read out in al-Walīd’s presence. It emerged that the Church of Thomas—standing outside Bāb Tūmā on the riverbank—had not been included in the covenant; it was, according to reports, larger than Kanīsat Mariḥnā.
Al-Walīd declared, “I shall demolish it and make it a mosque.” They replied, “Let the Commander of the Faithful leave that church and the other churches you have mentioned as they are, and we will gladly and willingly cede to you the remainder of this church.” He therefore confirmed to them those churches and took possession of the rest of the present one.
It is also said that when this weighed heavily upon al-Walīd and the Christians rejected his proposal, someone advised him to measure the city from the Eastern Gate to the Gate of Jābiya. When they did so, they found that the church fell within the portion conquered ʿanwatan (by force). Measuring from the Eastern Gate to the Gate of Jābiya, they located the midpoint roughly at the Rīḥān market, which placed the church inside the territory taken by force, so he appropriated it. ⦗1⦘
It is related that al-Mughīra, the freedman of al-Walīd, said: “I entered upon al-Walīd and found him distressed, so I asked, ‘What troubles you, O Commander of the Faithful?’ He answered, ‘The Muslims have increased in number and the mosque is too cramped for them. I summoned the Christians and offered them money for the remainder of this church so that I could add it to the mosque, but they refused.’ I said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, I have something that will dispel your anxiety.’ He asked, ‘What is it?’ I said, ‘When the Companions captured Damascus, Khālid ibn al-Walīd entered through the Eastern Gate by the sword. On hearing this, the townspeople rushed to Abū ʿUbaydah seeking amān, which he granted them, and they opened for him the Gate of Jābiya, so Abū ʿUbaydah entered under a pact. Let us therefore measure: whatever territory the sword reached is ours, and whatever came under the pact remains in their hands. I hope the entire church will fall within the lands conquered ʿanwatan and thus be incorporated into the mosque.’ Al-Walīd replied, ‘You have relieved me—undertake the task yourself.’ So al-Mughīra measured from the Eastern Gate toward the Gate of Jābiya up to the Rīḥān market and found that the sword’s reach extended four cubits and a fraction beyond the great bridge, placing the church inside the mosque. Al-Walīd then informed the Christians: ‘This whole church lies in the territory taken ʿanwatan; it belongs to us, not to you.’ They said, ‘You first paid us money and granted us estates, and we refused. In your generosity, let the Commander of the Faithful come to terms with us: leave these four churches in our hands and we will relinquish to you the rest of this church.’ He therefore concluded an agreement with them to keep those four churches, and Allah knows best.
It is also said that he compensated them with a church near Ḥammām al-Qāsim ⦗2⦘ just inside Bāb al-Farādis; they called it Mariḥnā after the one that had been demolished, even mounting the dedicatory stone of the original church over the replacement. Allah knows best.