page_title: Umayyad Mosque
section_title: Religious significance
hierarchical_section_title: Umayyad Mosque / Religious significance
caption_attribution_description: English: Panoramic photomerge of the Umayyad Mosquée, in Damascus, Syria. Euskara: Siriako Damasko hiriko Umayyad Mezkitako panoramika.
context_page_description: The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, located in the old city of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. The mosque is also important in Islam because of its historical and eschatological reports and events associated with the mosque.
  After the Muslim conquest of Damascus in 634, the mosque was built on the site of a Christian basilica dedicated to John the Baptist, honored as a prophet by Christians and Muslims. A legend dating to the sixth century holds that the building contains the head of John the Baptist. Two shrines commemorating Husayn ibn Ali, whose martyrdom is frequently compared to that of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, exist within the building premises. The mosque is also believed by Muslims to be the place where Jesus will return at the End of Days. The mausoleum containing the tomb of Saladin stands in a small garden adjoining the north wall of the mosque.
context_section_description: The Umayyad Mosque holds great significance to Shia and Sunni Muslims, as this was the destination of the ladies and children of the family of Muhammad, made to walk here from Iraq, following the Battle of Karbala. Furthermore, it was the place where they were imprisoned for 60 days.
  The following are structures found within the Mosque that bear great importance:
  West Side:
  The entrance gate (known as "Bāb as-Sā'at") — The door marks the location where the prisoners of Karbalā were made to stand for 72 hours before being brought inside. During this time, Yazīd I had the town and his palace decorated for their arrival(in order to taunt and tease them),
  South Wing (main hall):
  Shrine of John the Baptist (Arabic: Yahyā‎) — According to Al-Suyuti, Ibrahim stated that since the creation of the world the Heavens and the Earth wept only for two people: Yahya and Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad
  A white pulpit — Marks the place where Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin addressed the court of Yazīd after being brought from Karbalā
  Raised floor (in front of the pulpit) — Marks the location where all the ladies and children (the household of Muhammad) were made to stand in the presence of Yazīd
  Wooden balcony (directly opposite the raised floor) – Marks the location where Yazīd sat in the court.
  East Wing:
  A prayer rug and Mihrāb encased in a glass cubicle — Marks the place where Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin used to pray while imprisoned in the castle after the Battle of Karbala
  A metallic, cuboidal indentation in the wall — Marks the place where the head of Husayn ibn Ali was kept for display by Yazīd
  A Zarih — Marks the place where all the other heads of those who fell in Karbalā were kept within the Mosque.
caption: Courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque, view from east (left) towards west (right). Notable structures: Dome of the Clock (far left),[69] and the Minaret of Isa (Jesus).[79]
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