Halal Travel Guide: Damascus - Shia Holy Sites in the Old City
Reposted from the web
Summary: Damascus Old City contains important Shia holy sites, including Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque near the old city's northern gate. This account keeps the source's shrine names, religious history, location details, photographs, and travel observations.
The most important Shia holy site in the old city of Damascus is the Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque, located inside the Gate of Paradise at the north gate of the old city. People say the young daughter of Imam Hussein, Ruqayya, is buried inside. The mosque dates back to the 15th century and was rebuilt to its current size in 1985.
Ruqayya was born in 676 and was only three years old during the Battle of Karbala in 680. She was taken by the Umayyad dynasty to the capital, Damascus, and passed away shortly after arriving. Early books record that one night, a four-year-old daughter of Hussein woke up crying from a nightmare. She asked about her father, saying she had just seen him in great pain in her dream. The girl's crying woke the Umayyad Caliph Yazid I. He asked his men why she was crying and then ordered them to bring Hussein's head to the girl. The girl was terrified when she saw the head and passed away a few days later. Shia Muslims view her passing as martyrdom, which freed her from the suffering caused by the Umayyads.
I joined a Shia congregation (jama'at) for the first time at the Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque in Damascus. There are big differences between Shia and Sunni namaz. First, the content of the call to prayer (adhan) is different. When we stand with our hands folded, they keep their hands at their sides, and they prostrate on natural materials, usually clay tablets. They raise their hands multiple times during dua and hold their hands out to make dua. The rows are not tight, and it is fine to have some space between people. After the afternoon prayer (asr), they recite praises for a while, then stand up to call the adhan again for the sunset prayer (maghrib).
The friends (dosti) at the mosque were very tolerant of me. They were not unfriendly because I am Sunni and all greeted me with smiles. Because Assad has close ties with Iran, the new government has banned Iranians from entering Syria, so the number of Shia friends visiting here has dropped significantly. When the new government first took power, many Syrian Shia fled their homes for fear of being accused of colluding with Iran. Many have returned now that the government has provided guarantees. The Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque is currently operating normally. Aside from a security post at the entrance, everything else is normal.
Another Shia holy site in the old city of Damascus is the tomb of Sakina bint Al Hussein and Umm Kulthum bint Ali, located inside the Bab al-Saghir cemetery in the south. Unfortunately, the tomb was closed when I arrived after Friday prayer (Jumu'ah), so I could not go inside.
Sakina was another daughter of Imam Hussein. She was taken to Damascus and imprisoned after the Battle of Karbala in 680. In Shia ceremonies commemorating the Battle of Karbala, Sakina is usually the one who tells the story of the battle. People perform scenes of Sakina jumping in front of her father's horse to spend the last few seconds with him before he is killed. Sakina was later released and returned to Medina. Early historical records describe her as beautiful, generous, and humble, and she was known for her eloquence and poetry. Sakina has tombs in Medina, Damascus, and Cairo, but people generally believe she is buried in Medina, while the tombs in Damascus and Cairo represent the longing people have for her.
Umm Kulthum was the youngest daughter of Imam Ali and Lady Fatimah. After the Battle of Karbala in 680, she was taken prisoner to Damascus. Once released, she returned to Medina and became a narrator of Shia hadith. There are two different accounts regarding the location of her tomb, with some saying it is in Medina and others saying it is in Damascus.
Summary: Damascus Old City contains important Shia holy sites, including Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque near the old city's northern gate. This account keeps the source's shrine names, religious history, location details, photographs, and travel observations.
The most important Shia holy site in the old city of Damascus is the Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque, located inside the Gate of Paradise at the north gate of the old city. People say the young daughter of Imam Hussein, Ruqayya, is buried inside. The mosque dates back to the 15th century and was rebuilt to its current size in 1985.
Ruqayya was born in 676 and was only three years old during the Battle of Karbala in 680. She was taken by the Umayyad dynasty to the capital, Damascus, and passed away shortly after arriving. Early books record that one night, a four-year-old daughter of Hussein woke up crying from a nightmare. She asked about her father, saying she had just seen him in great pain in her dream. The girl's crying woke the Umayyad Caliph Yazid I. He asked his men why she was crying and then ordered them to bring Hussein's head to the girl. The girl was terrified when she saw the head and passed away a few days later. Shia Muslims view her passing as martyrdom, which freed her from the suffering caused by the Umayyads.
I joined a Shia congregation (jama'at) for the first time at the Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque in Damascus. There are big differences between Shia and Sunni namaz. First, the content of the call to prayer (adhan) is different. When we stand with our hands folded, they keep their hands at their sides, and they prostrate on natural materials, usually clay tablets. They raise their hands multiple times during dua and hold their hands out to make dua. The rows are not tight, and it is fine to have some space between people. After the afternoon prayer (asr), they recite praises for a while, then stand up to call the adhan again for the sunset prayer (maghrib).
The friends (dosti) at the mosque were very tolerant of me. They were not unfriendly because I am Sunni and all greeted me with smiles. Because Assad has close ties with Iran, the new government has banned Iranians from entering Syria, so the number of Shia friends visiting here has dropped significantly. When the new government first took power, many Syrian Shia fled their homes for fear of being accused of colluding with Iran. Many have returned now that the government has provided guarantees. The Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque is currently operating normally. Aside from a security post at the entrance, everything else is normal.
Another Shia holy site in the old city of Damascus is the tomb of Sakina bint Al Hussein and Umm Kulthum bint Ali, located inside the Bab al-Saghir cemetery in the south. Unfortunately, the tomb was closed when I arrived after Friday prayer (Jumu'ah), so I could not go inside.
Sakina was another daughter of Imam Hussein. She was taken to Damascus and imprisoned after the Battle of Karbala in 680. In Shia ceremonies commemorating the Battle of Karbala, Sakina is usually the one who tells the story of the battle. People perform scenes of Sakina jumping in front of her father's horse to spend the last few seconds with him before he is killed. Sakina was later released and returned to Medina. Early historical records describe her as beautiful, generous, and humble, and she was known for her eloquence and poetry. Sakina has tombs in Medina, Damascus, and Cairo, but people generally believe she is buried in Medina, while the tombs in Damascus and Cairo represent the longing people have for her.
Umm Kulthum was the youngest daughter of Imam Ali and Lady Fatimah. After the Battle of Karbala in 680, she was taken prisoner to Damascus. Once released, she returned to Medina and became a narrator of Shia hadith. There are two different accounts regarding the location of her tomb, with some saying it is in Medina and others saying it is in Damascus.
