Al-Saḥūl (Arabic: وادي السحول) is both a town and a wadi located between the city of Ibb and al-Makhadir District in Ibb Governorate, Yemen. It was known as Mikhlaf as-Saḥūl, "mikhlaf" being the name of administrative divisions in ancient Yemen. Al-Sahul was called Miṣr al-Yaman (The Egypt of Yemen) because of its abundance of corn. It is famous for its inhabitants' white cotton clothes, the Saḥūlīyya or Saḥūlī.[1] [2] According to Hadith, the Islamic prophet Muhammad was "shrouded in three Saḥūlī white cotton garments none of which was a long shirt or turban."[3] [4] [1] According to the British orientalist James Heyworth-Dunne, As-Saḥūl was also known globally for its "exquisite striped cloaks".[5]
The As-Saḥūl Valley is inhabited by the Sharʿab tribe, the Waḥaḍah tribe, and clans of al-Kalaʿ.[6]
Mikhlaf As-Saḥūl previously had other names, such as "Mikhlaf Ja'far" after Ja'far al-Manakhi, the founder of the Manakhis Emirate, and "Mikhlaf al-Kalaʿ".[6]