Marḥala () was an ancient Arab unit of distance traditionally defined as the length of a day’s journey on foot or by camel under ordinary travel conditions. Estimates of its length vary, but it is generally considered to correspond to 40–45 kilometers (24.5–28 miles) in modern measurement.Kamus Dewan, p. 999, 4th edition

The Marḥala served as a practical measure for organizing travel routes, particularly for trade caravans and pilgrimage journeys, where distances were often calculated in terms of stages or “day’s marches”. Prominent geographers such as al-Baladhuri, Yaqut al-Ḥamawi, and al-Idrisi«من إشبيلية إلى مدينة قرمونة مرحلة، ومن قرمونة إلى مدينة إستجة مرحلة». الإدريسي، نزهة المشتاق في اختراق الآفاق. (in Arabic) employed the term to describe distances between cities, regions, and stations along major travel routes.

See also

Ancient Arabic units of measurement Arabic mile League: old European unit of distance

References