Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque
| Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque مسجد السيدة زينب |
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| Basic information | |
| Location |
 Sayyidah Zaynab, Syria
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| Geographic coordinates | 33°26′40″N 36°20′27″E / 33.44444°N 36.34083°ECoordinates: 33°26′40″N 36°20′27″E / 33.44444°N 36.34083°E |
| Affiliation | Shia Islam |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Rida Mourtada |
| Architectural type | Mosque |
| Completed | 1990 |
| Dome(s) | 1 |
Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque (Arabic: مسجد السيدة زينب) is a mosque located in the city of Sayyidah Zaynab, in the southern suburbs of Damascus, Syria. According to Shia Muslim tradition, the mosque contains the grave of Zaynab, the daughter of ‘Alī and Fātimah and granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Sunni Muslim tradition places Zaynab's tomb in the mosque of the same name in Cairo, Egypt. The tomb became a center of Shia religious studies in Syria and a destination of mass pilgrimage by Shia Muslims from across the Muslim world, beginning in the 1980s. The zenith of visitation normally occurs in the summer. The present-day mosque that hosts the tomb was built in 1990.
The shrine is an example of Shia architecture and the dome is gold-leafed. There is also a large mosque adjoining the shrine which can accommodate more than 1,300 people in it and a further 150 in the attached courtyards. The resting place of Sayyidah Zaynab is enclosed within a cage-like structure, found directly beneath the golden dome. The doors of the shrine are made of pure gold with mirror works on the roof and walls. The two tall minarets of the shrine are an excellent example of the architecture. The shrine has a large market in front of it with many religious things readily available.
The shrine has been managed by the Murthadha family since the fourteenth century. Financially, the shrine has been funded mainly by the Iranian government following 1979. Given their financial investment, the ideological direction of the shrine and the prayer hall follow Ayatollah Khamanei. The Lebanese Hezbollah displays several posters and sets at the shrine.
The shrine is dominated by pilgrims until it is closed at 9 pm after the Isha prayer. The majority of the pilgrims are Iranians, Indians, Pakistanis, as well as Kuwaiti, Bahraini, Lebanese, and Iraqi (Shia) Arabs. A community of Afghan refugees who fled from violence in their country now live in the area surrounding the shrine. Sufis also visit the shrine. Prayers are led by Ayatullah Mujtaba Hussaini and Muslims from all ethnic backgrounds can be found praying there.
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Wikipedia