Bab al-Saghir Cemetery

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Bab al-Saghir Cemetery (Arabic: مقبرة الباب الصغير, romanizedMaqbarat al-Bāb al-Ṣaghīr) is an Islamic cemetery in Damascus, Syria. It is about 200 meters to the southwest of the Bab al-Saghir gate.[4][3]

Maqbarat al-Bāb al-Ṣaghīr
مقبرة الباب الصغير
مَـقْـبَـرَة الْـبَـاب الـصَّـغِـيْـر
From left to right, the graves of Maymunah (Umm Al-Hasan), Asma bint Umais, and Hamidah bint Muslim ibn Aqeel.
Map
Details
EstablishedUmayyad era[2]
Location
CountrySyria[1]
Coordinates33°30′22″N 36°18′23″E / 33.50611°N 36.30639°E / 33.50611; 36.30639[3]

History

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Stephanie Mulder in a book documenting and analyzing medieval Alid shrines in Syria points out that the "tomb [dedicated to Sukayna bint al-Husayn] in the Bab al-Saghir cemetery is consistently mentioned in medieval Arabic sources from the late twelfth century onwards, and the text-based findings relating to its location, original structure, phases of development and various patrons, afford well with the rich architectural evidence documented."[5][page range too broad] The place has notable Islamic interments.[1][6] The 20th century poet Nizar Qabbani is also buried here.

Interments

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Companions of Muhammad

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Alid community

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Umayyad kings

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Shrines and Mosques

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Maqam Ru'us Al-Shuhada

Zarih of Martyrs of Karbala at Bab al-Saghir built by Mohammed Burhanuddin c. 1970.

Maqam Ru'us ash-Shuhada’ (Arabic: مَـقَـام رُؤُوس الـشُّـهَـدَاء, lit.'burial place of head of the martyrs'), also known as Ganj-e-sarha-e-shuhada’-e-Karbala, or Raous al-Shuhada, the former burial place of the heads of the casualties in Husayn's army at Karbala.[1] Among them:

Tomb of Muawiya I

Mosque and tomb of Umm Kulthum

Tomb of Bilal

Cenotaphs

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The following tombs are also found within this cemetery,[1] however these are empty graves (cenotaphs) created for the purpose of ziyārah ({

Other religious significance

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In addition, the area has the well from which the Fourth Shi'ite Imam, Ali Zayn al-Abidin used to perform wuḍú’ (Arabic: وُضُـوء).

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Places to Visit: Damascus". Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project. 24 September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  2. ^ Kramer, H. (12 April 2015). "Bab Al-Saghir Cemetery". The Complete Pilgrim. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  3. ^ a b Demeter, D. (24 September 2014). "Damascus – Bab al-Saghir Cemetery (دمـشـق – مـقـبـرة الـبـاب الـصـغـيـر)". Syria Photo Guide. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  4. ^ Barrani, S. "Bab Al-Saghir Cemetery". Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  5. ^ Mulder, Stephennie (2014). "3". The Shrines of the 'Alids in Medieval Syria: Sunnis, Shi'is and the Architecture of Coexistence. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 129–41. ISBN 978-0-7486-4579-4.
  6. ^ a b "Bab al-Saghir cemetery". IslamicLandmarks.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.