There was a prominent and respected family among the Arabs. They hated slaughter, pillaging and profiteering, and had a house of prayer named Ayadrus, after its founder who lies buried within it. His followers consider him a prophet, make vows to him, and visit his grave once a year to hold a hilloula (festive memorial celebration) of sorts. This house of prayer is important and holy even among the desert-dwellers, and has been a godsend to Jews, who have found shelter and protection there at times when desert robbers who came to kill and plunder suddenly attacked their village.