ZS1: Imam Nawawi Shrine at Nawah

Amir knocked our door around 09:10 hours, however, mainly due to the hectic journey from Alexandria-Cairo-Latakia and Damascus, we hastily responded 5 minutes later. That was not good though, because it has affected the rest of the program. Hence the hustle of coming up with the catch-up plan. Anyway, 15 minutes later, we commenced our Day 1 Agenda to Busra by 10-seat coaster prearranged by Amir. As I have mentioned earlier, it was indeed a good idea to have a ‘tourist guide’ like Amir. Besides showing and guiding us to the historical places, etc., he arranged and negotiated another aspect like transportation, accommodation and even helped us (especially Nana) to deal with the Syrian on the shopping things. Less headache and worries!! It was killing three birds with one stone.

As part of the catch-up plan, we had our run-away breakfast inside our coaster. It was purely scrumptious Syrian delicacies, Mahalli, etc. Used to have fried rice in the morning, but to avoid hypoglycemia and hunger wreck havoc our mood, we walloped all whar Amir had bought us. The first visit was the tomb of Imam Nawawi at Nawah. We arrived there at around 11:30 and spent about 15 minutes exploring the area. Amir explained us on the history of the tomb and briefly on the Imam Nawawi’s biography.

A little bit about his biography: The full name of Imam Nawawi is Abu Zakaria Mohiuddin Yahya, son of Sharaf AnÄNawawi. Nawawi refers to the district where he was born in 631 AH, called Nawa, in the suburb of the city of Howran. He was very popular on the Islamic Sharia’ah legal matters. His father, a virtuous and pious man, resolved to arrange for proper and befitting education as he had discovered the symptoms of heavenly intelligence and wisdom in his promising child at an early stage.

It is claimed that his body was buried under the tree (in the above photo) when he passed away in 676 AH. Al Fatihah....The Caretaker of this graveyard shown us some quranic verses that appeared on the trunk of the tree that proven the piousness of the Imam Nawawi. Allah hu alam - Allah swt knows best.

Imam Nawawi had endless thirst for knowledge, proven from his daily practice of studies. He used to read daily twelve lessons and write explanation and commentary of every lesson and made important additions. Whatever the book he read, he put down the marginal notes and explanations on that book. His intelligence, hard work, love, and devotion with his studies amazed his teachers. Other than reading and writing, he spent his time contemplating on the interacted and complex issues and in finding their solutions. This learned Imam had a very short life though, but even during this short period, he had written a large number of books on different subjects - a masterpiece and a treasure of knowledge.

Stunned and amazed by the stories, and what we saw in front of us, we left the place with mixed feeling.

ZS3: Prophet Ayub a.s. Shrine

We arrived at the Prophet Ayub a.s.’s tomb around 11:09 hours. The area is facing the Golan Height or Joulan in local dialect, located along the highway to Busra. The place was well-maintained and taken care by the Local. It has few basic facilities, such as, toilets, drinkable water supply, prayer room, etc. for the visitors.
Well known for his notable patience, Prophet Ayub a.s. was from Syria and had two wives. He had become very sick and the illness spanned over 15 years. During that time, the exterior of his body became infested with worms. He believed that his flesh was the food for these creatures of Allah and to show his devotion to Allah, he allowed the worms to eat of his flesh. If a worm would fall off, he would pick it back up and put it back on his flesh.The sickness repulsed the people of Syria to the extent that he had to leave the area. Only one of his two wives chose to travel with him. They left Syria and travelled to the mountain top where his remains now lie.
During a very critical stage of his illness, Hazrat Jabriel a.s. visited him and conveyed ‘salam’, when a worm was eating his tongue. He was not able to answer to the salutation - salam of Jabriel a.s.. Jabriel a.s. came again and enquired him why he was not able to answer the salam. Prophet Ayub a.s. then, explained to Jibriel a.s, a worm was feeding from his tongue and he would have shaken his tongue or given answer to him then the worm would have lost his food.
This great act of this pleased Allah swt and as stated, his sickness lasted over 15 years. It is said that, when the worms began to eat inside his mouth, Prophet Ayub a.s. realized his breaking point and finally asked Allah for mercy. In response to this request, aware of the years of devotion and hardship, it is believed that Allah swt instructed Prophet Ayub a.s. to step out from his house and place his foot in a particular spot. When doing so a small hole in the ground opened up and from within the ground an outpouring of water occurred right next to his foot.
Allah swt then, instructed him to drink this water and upon doing so, he was not only cured of his sickness but his body was restored to the health of an 18-year-old young man. Prophet Ayub a.s. then lived until the age of 92 when he finally died and was put to rest in the very spot he dwelled all these years after his departure from Syria. In my opinion, until now, Prophet Ayub a.s.'s body remains in the same spot claimed to be at Salalah, Oman. The tomb that we went (in Syria), was, I think, the place where he inhabited before he was ‘expelled’ by the Locals then. Allah hu Alam – Allah swt knows best.

ZS10: The Meeting Place of the 40 Saints

Nana and Afiqah in white & black posed with group of conservative Syrian women and ladies in black. They spent their time and made the visit to this shrine, which they believed the best place to supplicate and pray before Allah swt. They were very friendly and surprisingly supportive.

Maqam Al-Arba’in is a shrine believed to be, by the local and many Muslim Scholars, the place from which the spirit of the 40 Saints or Arba’in in Arabic, descends every night and ascends with the break of dawn. The mihrabs (prayer niches) on the upper floor are believed to be where the Saints or Walis prayed the night vigil prayers every night.Besides the meeting place of the 40 Saints, Amir explained that, the other scared mihrabs on the lower level are believed to be the spots at which Prophet Ibrahim alaihissalam (a.s.) and Prophet Khaidir a.s. met and prayed during their flight through Damascus.

The shrine is built on the site where the Biblican and Quranic murder of Habil, the son of Prophet Adam a.s. by his brother Qabil is believed to have taken place. It has all the basic facilities for visitors and well maintained by the family (tasked by the government authorities, I believed) inherited service of the shrine.

ZS12: Shrines and Tombs of Great Prominent People

About 10 minutes drive passing through the Old city, Souk Hariqah and one of the seven doors of the Old walled city – Bab al Saghir, we arrived at the cemetery around the place called Bab al Saghir where shrines and tombs of many of the prominent people are kept. Visiting the shrine and tomb of prominent figures who had played various significant roles during the early phase of the Islamic history was one of the main items of our agenda. We have heard and read many of their stories during our ta’lim session, from man Muslim scholars and Sheikh. The inspiring success stories (about their sacrifices, perseverance, determination and passion towards the religious duties) of these people – trailblazers on their own businesses - had in one way or another motivated us to pay our visit and tribute. Success stories easily elicit two responses – inspiration and envy – in both circumstances to me are good. When you read the achievement of these personalities (what more you are right in front of their tombs), you either get inspired to aim for higher level or, simply covet the fame and fortune. It is almost impossible not to be untouched by stories of their sacrifices and how mere mortals found ways to surmount the toughest of obstacles to reap their rewards. The true faith that they had subscribed and diligent obedient followers to the great Messenger of Allah swt – the beliefs and principles – are the common factors that conjoined them.
The experience and opportunities of visiting the shrine, crypt and tombs, had further enriched our Islamic knowledge. In this release or entry, I have placed photos of their shrines and tombs with some brief descriptions about their biography, etc., which I had gathered from the internet, books and of course Amir & Azmi. If in any instances however, the information are found to be incorrect, please do drop your comments with no hesitant. There were more than 15 bodies of these people treasured here. Among them was Bilal bin Rabah radiallah hu anh (ra); Abdullah Ibn Maktum ra; the wives of the Messenger of Allah swt and many more.

ZS13:AK1 Ummu Habsah rha

The first in the series of our plan was the shrine of Ummu Hafsah radiaallah hu anha (rha) – may Allah be pleased upon her. But before that, allow me to share my personal opinion about visiting shrines or tombs or graveyards.
Visiting the tombs or shrine or graveyards is in fact encouraged in Islam if it is done according to the purpose for which it was legislated. In Malaysia, it was a usual scene that people visiting and cleaning their families’ tombs a day before the month of Ramadhan and Syawal. That purpose is the exhortation, the recollection as well as the supplication for those who are dead. And, if all this is done according to the Sharia rules in this matter. Imam Muslim narrated from the Hadith of Buraidah that the Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) said: "I have told you before not to visit graves, now visit them indeed". Abu Dawood and Nasai added from the Hadith of Anas ra "They remind you of the Last Day". al-Hakem also added in his narration " They soften the heart (by bringing pity to it) and fill the eyes with tears. But do not say any bad words there". He also added from the Hadith of Ibn Massoud " They makes one renounces worldly pleasures". Muslim also narrated from the Hadith of Abu Hurairah: "They remind of death". So, whoever visits graves for the purposes mentioned in the Hadith and the like and does not say or do any bad things like becoming polytheist because of taking some one as a partner to Allah swt in words or deeds or appealing for help from any but Allah swt or weeping loudly or complain too much over Allah's destiny, their visit is lawful.
Having said all that, I would conclude that visiting shrines or tombs or graves is permissible and commendable act and even proved by the Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) who himself used to visit the martyrs of "Uhd" battle and pray for them. The Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) asked his followers to visit graves as it disenchant them with the world and remind them of the next. Allah hu a’lam – Allah knows best.
Sayeda Hafsah rha, (may Allah be pleased with her) was the daughter of Saidina Umar ibn al Khattab ra. She had been married to someone else, but was widowed when she was eighteen. Saidina Umar ra asked both Saidina Abu Bakr ra and Saidina Uthman ibn Affan ra, one after another, if they would like to marry her, but they both declined because they knew that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had expressed an interest in marrying her. When Saidina Umar ra (may Allah be pleased with him) went to Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) to complain about their behavior, the Prophet smiled, and said, “Hafsah will marry one better than Uthman and Uthman will marry one better than Hafsah.” Saidina Umar ra was startled and then realized that it was Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) was asking for her hand in marriage. He was overcome with delight. They were married just after the battle of Badr, when Sayeda Hafsah rha was about twenty years old and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was fifty-six.
Like Sayeda A’isha rha, Sayeda Hafsah rha memorized the entire Qur’an by heart. The written copy of the Qur’an which was recorded by Zayd ibn Thabit on Abu Bakr’s instructions, and which was then given to Umar for safekeeping, was then given by Umar to Hafsah to look after.
Sayeda Hafsah rha lived with the Prophet in Medina for eight years. She died in 47 AH at the age of sixty-three. May Allah be pleased with her.

ZS13:AK2 Saidina Bilal Bin Rabah ra

Saidina Bilal bin Rabah radiallahu anhu (ra), may Allah be pleased with him is one of my most admired Companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him). My undisputable obsession with his character and attitude has indeed motivated me flying to Syria to visit his tomb. When approaching the tomb, some kind of mystical feeling and strong emotion aroused through my mind and inner part of me. Tears drained out from my eyes when I was inside the small hall of the shrine. There I was, standing in front the tomb of one of the important figure during the early stage of Islam. The person, whose foot step walking in the Jannah was heard by the Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) in his dream.
Quoted from the book Fadhail ‘Amal written by Maulana Zakaria rah.: is one of the best known galaxy of Sahabah as Muaazin of the Prophet’s saw (peace be upon him) masjid.He was an Abyssinian slave of a disbeliever in Makkah. His conversion to Islam was, naturally, not liken by his master and he was therefore, persecuted mercilessly. Ummayah bin Khalaf who was the worst enemy of Islam, would make him lie down on the burning sand at midday and would place a heavy stone on his chest, so that he could not even move a limb. He would then say to him; “Renounce Islam or swelter or die”. Even under this afflictions, Saidina Bilal ra would exclaim; “Ahad – the one Allah”…,”Ahad” ….”Ahad”.
He was whipped at night and with the cuts thus received, made to lie down on the burning ground during the day to make him either forsake Islam or to die lingering death from wounds. The torturers would get tired and take turns and vie with one another in afflicting more and more painful punishment, but Saidina Bilal ra would not yield. At last, Saidina Abu Bakar ra bought his freedom and he became a free Muslim.
Look how Allah swt rewarded his steadfastness! He was to have the honor of becoming the Prophet’s Muazzin. He was always to remain with him at home and abroad to call out the Azan for Solat. After the Prophet’s death it became very hard for him to continue his stay at Madinah where he would miss him at every step and in every corner. He therefore left Madinah, and decided to pass the rest of his life striving in the path of Allah swt. Once he beheld Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) in his dream saying to him; “O Bilal! How is it that you never visit me?” No sooner did he get up than he set out for Madnah. On reaching there, Saidina Hassan ra and Husain ra requested him to call out the Azaan. He could not refuse them, for they were very dear to him. But as soon as the Azan was called, the people of Madinah cried openly out of their anguish at the memory of the happy old days. Even the women came out of their houses weeping. Saidina Bilal ra left Madinah again after few days and died in Damascus in 20 AH. There are few others tomb beside his and one of them, is claimed to be the tomb of Saidina Jafar Ta'yar ra.
With gloomy sad feeling, we left the place for Zuhur prayer at the nearby Masjid of Islamic College.

ZS13:AK3 Saidina Abdullah bin Ja'far at-Tayyar ra

Abdullah bin Ja’far at-Tayyār ra was the son of the generous sahabat Saidina Ja’far at-Tayyar ra. His tomb is placed next to Saidina Bilal bin Rabah ra and the tomb of his mother Sayeda Asma is about 10 meters from his. Saidina Abdullah bin Ja'far married with his cousin Sayeda Zainab rha, daughter of Saidina Ali ra.

In this entry, however, I share you the story of his great father, Saidina Ja’far at-Tayyar ra whose tomb is placed at Mu’tah Jordan. Saidina Ja’far at-Tayyar ra was the son of Abu Talib ibn 'Abdul Muttalib (the uncle of Prophet Muhammad saw), and the elder brother of the fourth Khalīfah, Ali ibn Abi Talib karammallah hu wajhah. He was raised by his uncle, Abbas ibn 'Abdul Muttalib, for his father was a poor man and had to support a big family.
Saidina Ja’far at-Tayyar ra and his wife Asma Ibni Umays rha spent about ten years in Ethiopia, which became a second home for them. They were granted by Allah swt three children whom they named Abdullah, Muhammad and Awn. In the seventh year of the Hijrah, they left Abyssinia with a group of Muslims and headed for Medinah.
On their arrival at Medinah, Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) was returning from the Battle of Khaybar and on seeing Saidina Ja’far at-Tayyar ra he was very happy and said, "I don't know which event is more cheerful – Ja’far's coming or the Conquest of Khaybar!"

the Hijrah, Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) mobilized an army to confront Byzantine forces in Syria, because a Byzantine governor had treacherously killed one of his emissaries, Saidina Harith bin Umayr al-Azadi ra. He appointed Zayd ibn Harithah ra as commander of the army and gave the following instructions: "If Zayd is wounded or killed, Jafar ibn Abu Talib ra would take over the command. If Jafar ibn Abu Talib is killed or wounded, then your commander would be Abdullah ibn Rawahah ra. If Abdullah ibn Rawahah ra is killed, then let the Muslims choose for themselves a commander."
Albeit all the hardship they faced, the Muslim army battled the Byzantines. Zayd ibn Harithah ra, the beloved companion of Muhammad, was among the first Muslims who was killed in the battle. Jafar ibn Abu Talib ra then assumed command. Mounted on his horse, he penetrated deep into the Byzantine ranks. As he spurred his horse on, he called out: "How wonderful is Paradise as it draws near! How pleasant and cool is its drink! Punishment for the Byzantines is not far away!" Ja’far continued to fight vigorously but was eventually slained.
In the battle of Mu'tah, Saidina Ja'far at-Tayyar ra carried the Banner of Islam and was out-numbered by the enemies and killed. The two arms of one of Prophet Muhammad saw's (peace be upon him) bravest followers and his army's standard-bearer, Saidina Ja’far-e-Tayyar ra were cut off in the battle and he was martyred. When the news reached Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) he cried and prayed for Ja’far's soul and the angel Jibrail a.s. came down and consoled him and said "Ja’far at-Tayyar ra was a brave and loyal soldier. Allah swt has given him everlasting life, and in place of his arms which were cut off in the battle, Allah swt has given and replaced it with a pair of wings".

The pain and grief he felt was intense. Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) went to Saidina Ja’far ay-Tayyar's house and met his wife Asma. She was somehow prepared to receive her absent husband. Asma said: "When the Messenger of Allah approached us, I saw a veil of sadness shrouding his noble face and I became very apprehensive. But I did not dare to ask him about Ja’far for fear that I would hear some unpleasant news. He greeted and asked, “Where are Ja’far's children?” I called them for him and they came and crowded around him happily, each one wanting to claim him for himself. He leaned over and hugged them while tears flowed from his eyes.
“O Messenger of Allah”, I asked, “Why do you cry?” “Have you heard anything about Ja’far and his two companions?” I continued.“Yes,” he replied and continued; “They have attained martyrdom”. The smiles and the laughter vanished from the faces of the little children when they heard their mother crying and wailing.

ZS13:AK4 Sayeda Asma' binti Umays rha

Her first husband was Saidina Ja'far ibn Abu Talib ra aka Saidina Ja’far at-Tayyar ra, also of the Banu Hashim tribe. As mentioned in my early entry, she had three children with Saidina Ja'far ra. After Saidina Ja'far’s death she married Saidina Abu Bakr as-Sidiq ra. Sayeda Asma rha gave birth to their son who they named Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr during their pilgrimage with Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him).

Saidina Abu Bakr ra planned to send Asma and their child back to Medinah, but when Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) learned of his intent he told him to let her continue by making the major ablution, and then rededicating herself in offering the pilgrimage.
When her husband Saidina Abu Bakr ra died, Sayeda Asma ra married Saidina Ali ibn Abu Talib. Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr was adopted by Ali and brought up as his own son. May Allah be pleased with her.

ZS13:AK5 Fatimah as Syugra binti Hussain rha

Fatimah Sugra was Imam Hussain's daughter. Honestly, I don't have much information about her. So did Azmi. During our visit to her shrine, there were group of Indian Shi'a Muslim chanting and offering their prayer at the top level of the shrine. According to Azmi, her body was at the lower level (the above photo) I had spent hours on the internet browsing and searching about her story and alhamdullillah, I managed this story below - quite a touchy story that shed tears from my humble eyes:

When she was about eight years old, she laid on her bed praying that her father would agree to take her. "Ya Allah!", Sugra murmured, "I hope I would not be left alone in Madina!"
Just then she heard her father's foot-steps. She quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes, propped herself into a sitting position and put on a brave smile to convince her father that she was well enough to travel.
Saidina Hussain ra sat on the bed, put his hand on Fatimah Sugra's head and said, "When you were born, my dear. I named you after my mother Fatimah az Zahra. Your grand mother was also known as Saabira, which means the patient one. I want you also to be a saabira and agree to stay in Madina with Ummul Baneen and Umm Salmah. Will you do that?"
What could Fatimah Sugra say? She nodded her head fighting back her tears. Saidina Hussain ra kissed her and left the room.
Whenever the children of the Ahlul Bait were troubled by any thing, they took their problem to Hazrat Abbas. Fatimah Sugra thought of her dear uncle, smiled hopefully, and sent for Abbas. Surely, he would find a way to solve her problem?
Abbas came in. He was accompanied by Ali Akber.
Fatimah Sugra looked at them and said, "I know how much you two love me. How can you then leave me and go away? If I die who will bury me?" They explained her that she was too ill to travel and promised her that they would come and fetch her as soon as they had settled some where.
Fatimah Sugra said, "I will accept that as I do not wish to disobey my father. I will be brave and stay here." She looked lovingly at her brother and added, "Ali Akber, promise me one thing though. When after you get married and return to Madinah, and find Fatimah Sugra gone, promise that you and your bride will visit my grave and recite Fatihah."
Akber and Abbas could not control their tears as they said good bye.
At dawn the caravan departed. Supported by Umm Salmah on one side and Ummul Baneen on the other, Fatimah Sugra waved good-bye. It was difficult to part with Asghar and both Saidina Hussain ra and Bibi Rubaab had to hold and console Fatimah Sugra as she kissed her little brother good-bye.
The story of Kerbala is a tale of five journeys of tears. This was the first journey. From Madina to Mecca. Each journey had its hero and heroine. The hero of this first journey was Imaam Hussain and the heroine was the memory of Fatimah Sugra, his beloved daughter whom he had left behind. Until they turned the corner, Imaam kept looking back. He would bravely smile and wave to his daughter. Ali Akber of course could not even do that because he was unable to control his tears.
As soon as they were out of sight, Saidina Hussain ra stopped his horse and began to sob! It is always so very difficult and so very sad for a parent and child to part!
Days passed into months. Fatimah Sugra would spend her days in the mosque or visiting Ummul Baneen, Hazrat Abbas's mother. Ramadhan passed. Eid was a difficult day for Fatimah Sugra. She kept on thinking of Asghar, and Akber and her darling sister Sakina.

ZS13:AK6 Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum ra

Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum ra was a cousin of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her. His father was Qays ibn Za'id and his mother was Aatikah bint Abdullah. She was called Umm Maktum (Mother of the Concealed One) because she gave birth to a blind child.
His tomb was locked and as per Azmi, this was to avoid unnecessary unlawful activities and ludicrous act by some nonsensical creature. Being able landing our feet around his shrine, however, was some kind of experience for all of us.

Abdullah ra witnessed the rise of Islam in Makkah. He was amongst the first to accept Islam. He lived through the persecution of the Muslims and suffered what the other companions of the Prophet experienced. His attitude, like theirs, was one of firmness, staunch resistance and sacrifice. Neither his dedication nor his faith weakened against the violence of the Quraysh onslaught. In fact, all this only increased his determination to hold on to the religion of Allah swt and his devotion to His messenger, Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him).
Abdullah was devoted to the noble Prophet and he was so eager to memorize the Qur'an that he would not miss any opportunity to achieve his heart's desire. Indeed, his sense of urgency and his insistence could sometimes have been irritating as he, unintentionally, sought to monopolize the attention of Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him).
In this period, Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) was concentrating on the Quraysh notables and was eager that they should become Muslims. On one particular day, he met Utbah ibn Rabiah and his brother Shaybah, Amr ibn Hisham better known as Abu Jahl, Umayyah ibn Khalaf and Walid ibn Mughirah, the father of Khalid ibn Walid who was later to be known as Sayf Allah or 'the sword of God'. He had begun talking and negotiating with them and telling them about Islam. He so much wished that they would respond positively to him and accept Islam or at least call off their persecution of his companions.

While he was thus engaged, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum came up and asked him to read a verse from the Qur'an.
"O messenger of Allah," he said, "teach me from what Allah swt has taught you." The Prophet frowned and turned away from him. He turned his attention instead to the prestigious group of Quraysh, hoping that they would become Muslims and that by their acceptance of Islam they would bring greatness to the religion of Allah and strengthen his mission. As soon as he had finished speaking to them and had left their company, he suddenly felt partially blinded and his head began to throb violently. At this point the following revelation came to him:
"He frowned and turned away when the blind man approached him! Yet for all you knew, (O Muhammad), he might perhaps have grown in purity or have been reminded of the Truth, and helped by this reminder. Now as for him who believes himself to be self-sufficient to him you gave your whole attention, although you are not accountable for his failure to attain to purity. But as for him who came unto you full of eagerness and in awe of Allah, him did you disregard.
Nay, verily, this is but a reminder and so, whoever is willing may remember Him in the light of His revelations blest with dignity, lofty and pure, borne by the hands of messengers, noble and most virtuous." (Surah Abasa 80: 116).
These are the sixteen verses which were revealed to the noble Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) about Abdullah ibn Umm Maktumرsixteen verses that have continued to be recited from that time till today and shall continue to be recited.
From that day Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) did not cease to be generous to Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, to ask him about his affairs, to fulfil his needs and take him into his council whenever he approached. This is not strange. Was he not censured by Allah in a most severe manner on Abdullah's account? In fact, in later years, he often greeted Ibn Umm Maktum with these words of humility:
"Welcome unto him on whose account my Sustainer has rebuked me."

ZS13:AK7 Sayeda Fidhah rha

Sayeda Fidhah rha was a helper to Prophet Muhammad saw. Will update later.

ZS13:AK8 Muawiyyah & Ahlul Bayt ra

In the above photo, is the tomb of Muawiyyah I and other Ahlul Bayt; Abdel Malik bin Marwan ra, Al Walid bin Abdel Malik ra, Fudhalah bin Ubaidullah ra, Suhail bin Hanzalah ra, Aus as Saqafi ra, and Wallah bin Asqa ra. We could not enter the shrine as it was fenced and locked to avoid any contempt and insolence behavior by other sects. Al-Fatihah.

ZS13:AK9 Ummu Habibah rha

The tombs of Ummu Habibah rha and Ummu Salamah rha were together in one well maintained area within the cemetery of the Bab Al Saghir. Equipped with good facilities, etc. the place was one of the most memorable experience for all of us. Ummu Habibah rha, daughter of Abu Sufyan and her first husband, Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh, the brother of Zaynab bint Jahsh, were among the first people to embrace Islam in Makkah. They were among those early Muslims who emigrated to Abyssinia in order to be safe. Once in Abyssinia, however, Ubaydullah abandoned Islam and converted to Christian. He tried to convert her, but she stood fast. This put Umm Habibah in a difficult position, since a Muslim woman can only be married to be a Muslim man. She could no longer live with her husband, and once they had been divorced, she could not return to her father, who was still busy fighting the Muslims. So she remained with her daughter in Abyssinia, living a very simple life in isolation, waiting to see what Allah would decree for her.One day, as Umm Habibah rha sat in her solitary room, a stranger in a strange land far from her home, a maidservant knocked on her door and said that she had been sent by the Negus who had a message for her. The message was that the Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) had asked for her hand in marriage, and that if she accepted this proposal that she was to name one of the accepted this proposal then she was to name one of the Muslims in Abyssinia as her wakil – representative, so that the marriage ceremony could take place in Abyssinia even though she was not in the same place as the Prophet saw (peace be upon him).

She married Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) in 1 AH, although she did not actually live with him in Medinah until 7 AH, when the Prophet was sixty years old and she was thirty-five. Ummu Habibah rha spent four years of her life with Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) and lived for another thirty-three years after he had died, dying at the age of seventy-two in 44 AH, may Allah be pleased with her.

ZS13:AK10 Ummu Salamah rha

Umm Salama Hind binti Abi Umayya radiallhhu anha (rha) had been among the first people to embrace Islam in the early days of the Muslim community in Makkah. They had suffered at the hands of the Kufr Quraish who had tried to force them to abandon their new faith. Her first husband, Abdullah ibn Abdul Asad ra, was badly wounded during the battle of Uhud. At first his wound appeared to respond well to treatment, but then his wounds re opened after an expedition against the Banu Abdul Asad, and after that they refused to heal and he remained bedridden. Once while Umm Salama rha was nursing him, he said to her, “I once heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that whenever a calamity afflicts anyone he should say what Allah has commanded him to say: ‘Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un!’ ‘Surely we come from Allah and surely to Him we return!’ and then he should say, ‘O Lord, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in return, which only You, the Exalted the Mighty, can give.’”Abu Salama ra remained sick in bed for several days. One morning Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) came to see him. The visit was longer than usual, and while the Prophet was still at his bedside, Abu Salama ra died.
All the Muslims in Medina were aware of Umm Salama’s situation, and when her idda period of four months and ten days were over, Abu Bakr proposed marriage to her, but she refused. Then Umar asked her to marry him, but again she refused. Then Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) himself asked for her hand in marriage. “O Messenger of Allah,” Umm Salama rha replied, “I have three main characteristics: I am a woman who is extremely jealous and I am afraid that you will see something in me that will make you angry and cause Allah to punish me; I am a woman who is already advanced in age; and I am a woman who has many children.”
“As for your jealousy,” answered the Prophet saw (peace be upon him), “I pray to Allah the Almighty to take it away from you. As for your age, I am older than you. As for your many children, they belong to Allah and His Messenger.”
The Prophet’s answered eased her heart, and so they were married in Shawal, 4 AH. Allah swt has answered her prayer and gave her better than Abu Salama. From that day on, Umm Salama was not only the mother of Salama, but also became the ‘Mother of the Believers’ ‘Umm al Muminin’.Umm Salama was not the only wife to have been widowed as a result of the battle of Uhud, and thanks to this marriage, many of the Companions followed Prophet Muhammad saw’s (peace be upon him) example, marrying widows and thereby bringing them and their children into the circle of their families, instead of leaving them to struggle on their own.

Umm Salama rha was married to Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) for seven years until his death in 10 AH. She continued to live for a long time, outliving all the other wives of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them, until she died in 61 AH, at the age of eighty four, may Allah be pleased with her.

ZS13:AK11 Abdullah ibn Jafar al-Sadiq ra

Abdullah al-Aftah ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq was the eldest surviving son of Ja'far al-Sadiq, and the full-brother of Isma'il ibn Jafar. Abdullah’s title “al-Aftah” derives from the Arabic words “aftah al-ra’s” (broad-headed) or “aftah al-rijlayn” (broad-footed) used to describe his appearance.
His father, Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq born in 702 CE or 17th Rabi al-Awwal 83 H is said to be highly respected for his great Islamic scholarship, pious character, and academic contributions. As a child, Ja'far Al-Sadiq studied under his grandfather, Zayn al-Abidin. After his grandfather's death, he studied under and accompanied his father, Muhammad al-Baqir, until Muhammad al-Baqir died in 733.
Ja'far Al-Sadiq became well versed in Islamic sciences, including Hadith, Sunnah, and the Qur'an. In addition to his knowledge of Islamic sciences, Ja'far Al-Sadiq was also an adept in natural sciences, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, anatomy, alchemy and other subjects.

The foremost Islamic alchemist, Abu Musa Jabir ibn Hayyan, known in Europe as Geber, was Ja'far Al-Sadiq's most prominent student. Ja'far Al-Sadiq was known for his liberal views on learning, and was keen to have discourse with Scholars of other views.
Abū Ḥanīfa was an Islamic scholar and Jurist. He was a student of Ja'far Al-Sadiq, as was Imam Malik ibn Anas, who quotes 12 hadiths from Imam Jafar Sadiq in his famous Al-Muwatta.

ZS13:AK12 Imam Abdullah bin Zain el-Abidin

ZS13:AK13 Umm Kalthum Hussain & Sakinah Ali

The tombs of both Umm Kalthum binti Ali ra and Sakinah binti Hussain are placed under one roof at Bab al-Saghir cemetery, Damascus, Syria. The place is very well-maintained and managed by the authority and visited by many Muslim all round the world.

The above photo is tomb of Umm Kalthum binti Ali. She was the 4th child of Saidina Ali ra and Fatima az Zahra. She was born in about the year 6 Hijrah. She became of marriageable age during the Caliph of Umar ibn al-Khattab ra , and the Caliph asked for her hand in marriage. Two children were born from this marriage, namely Zaid and Ruqayyah. After the death of Umar she was married to her cousin Awn ibn Jafar, and after his death to his brother Muhammad ibn Ja’far.
She died while married to a third of the sons of Ja’far, namely Abdullah during the first half of the fourth decade after the Hijrah. Her son Zaid died on the same day as his mother, and the funeral prayer for mother and son was performed together. Sakinah bint Hussain was the youngest daughter of Husayn ibn Ali and Umm Rubab (Rubab bint Imra' al-Qays). She was born on the 20th day of Rajab, 56 AH. Her name, Sakinah, literally means "peace" in Arabic. Her real name was Fatima. Her titles include Sakinah, Ruqayya, Masuma, Aatika, Kulthum, Zaynab. Her early years were said to have been spent in Medinah. Her brothers included Ali ibn Husayn, Ali al-Akbar ibn Husayn & Ali Asghar ibn Husayn. Her sisters included Fatima al-Sughra and Fatima al-Kubra.

ZS13:AK14 Saidina Hussain ra

Hussain bin Ali karammallah hu wajhah was born on 3rd Sha‘bān 4 AH (8 January 626 AD) and martyred on the 10th Muharram 61 AH (10 October 680 AD) during the battle of Karbala. He was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib ra and Fātimah az Zahrā. Hussain is an important figure in Islām as he is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt (the family of Prophet Muhammad saw – peace be upon him).

Hussain ra is revered as a martyr who fought tyranny, as he refused to pledge allegiance to Yazīd I, the Umayyad caliph. He rose up to create a regime that would reinstate a "true" Islāmic polity as opposed to what he considered the unjust rule of the Umayyads. As a consequence, Hussain was killed and beheaded by Shimr Ibn Thil-Jawshan.
He, and his brother Hassan, were the last descendants of Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him) living during his time and remaining after his death.
Hussain's body is buried in Karbala, near the site of his death. His head is said to have been returned from Damascus and interred with his body. Nevertheless, through my readingShia/fatemid/dawoodi bohra claimed and believed that, Hussain's head was first buried in the courtyard of Umayyad Masjid; later on, shifted to Askelan (Israel), and then shifted to Cairo Egypt. Allahu Alam – Allah swt know best.
During our visit at the Masjid Umawi or Umayyad Masjid, Damascus, we went to the shrine. It’s opening hours is from morning until 5 pm every day On the west side of the shrine, there is a small chamber about 1.5’ X 2’ X 1.5’ in size located for visitors to ‘kiss’ and gain ‘baraqah’!. There is another similar shrine in Hussain Masjid near the famous touristic spot Khan Khalili Cairo. I had been there as well, but the one in Syria is very spacious, place under nicely built hall and well managed. Well, no further comments. Allah hu 'alam.

ZS13:AK15 Prophet Yahya a.s.

Alhamdullillah. It was just like another dream came true when we were standing in front of the shrine of Prophet Yahya a.s. Ibn Prophet Zakaria a.s. inside the main prayer hall of the Ummayad Masjid, Damascus. It was not the glamorous and magnificent shrine that amazed me, but rather the shrine reminded us about the humbleness and patience of this prominent Prophet.

He was the only son of Prophet Zakariya a.s. His birth was considered a miracle; he was born of a barren mother and an aged father. In the fagging part of his life, he prayed to Almighty Allah to bless him with a son who could prove to be a successful heir and preacher of the religion of Allah. His prayer was promptly granted. The Holy Quran says:
"O' Zakariya! Lo! We bring you a glad tiding of a son whose name is Yahya. We have given the same name to none before him.'' (Surah 19: Verse 7)
Prophet Yahya a.s was born a stranger to the world of children who used to amuse themselves, as he was serious all the time. He supplicated to Allah with strength, energy and seriousness. The young children would call him to play and he would say, “ Our purpose in life is not to play, it is not for this that we were created.”
Most children took delight in torturing animals whereas, he was merciful to them. He fed the animals from his food until there was nothing left for him, and he just ate fruit or leaves of trees.
He was dedicated to the noble work of leading men to the path of salvation. He exhorted his people to have unstinted faith in Allah swt. He moved among the humble and despised soft raiment. He was not arrogant and spent most of his life in wilderness. He was pure, devout, and dutiful towards his parents. The Holy Quran says:
"(And it was said unto his son) 0' Yahya! Hold fast the scripture (Taurat). And We gave him wisdom when he was a child! And compassion from Our presence and purity, and he was devout. And dutiful towards his parents. And he was not arrogant, rebellious. Peace on him the day he was born and the day he dies and the day he shall be raised alive.'' (Surah 19: Verse 12-15 )
They say Prophet Yahya a.s wept so much that tears marked his cheeks. He found comfort in the open and never cared about food. He ate leaves, herbs, and sometimes locusts. He slept anywhere in the mountains or in holes in the ground. He sometimes would find a lion or a bear as he entered a cave, but being deeply absorbed in praising Allah swt, he never heeded them. The beasts easily recognized Yahya as the prophet who cared for all the creatures, so they would leave the cave, bowing their heads.
Prophet Yahya a.s sometimes fed those beasts, out of mercy, from his food and was satisfied with prayers as food for his soul. He would spend the night crying and praising Allah swt for His blessings.
When Prophet Yahya a.s called people to worship Allah swt , he made them cry out of love and submission, arresting their hearts with the truthfulness of his words.

ZS13:AK16 Saleh Al-Din Al-Ayoubi rah

Mentioned earlier, the shrine and tomb of this prominent figure to both Muslim and European world, Salah ad Din Yusuf al Ayubi is in the garden adjoining the Umayyad Masjid. Hence, we visited first its tomb before anything else. The shrine is well managed and maintained. Ultimately, clean and user friendly to visitors. The building layout and design is a blend of classical and contemporary comprises of old and new structure.

Born in 1138, Salah ad Din Yusuf al Ayubi who was better known in the Western world as Saladin, was a Kurdish Muslim who became the first Ayyubid Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He led Islamic opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant. At the height of his power, he ruled over Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Hejaz, and Yemen. He was a strict adherent of Sunni Islam and a disciple of the Qadiri Sufi order. His chivalrous behavior was noted by Christian chroniclers, especially in the accounts of the siege of Kerak in Moab, and despite being the nemesis of the Crusaders he won the respect of many of them, including Richard the Lion heart; rather than becoming a hated figure in Europe, he became a celebrated example of the principles of chivalry.
He died of a fever on March 4, 1193, at Damascus, not long after Richard's departure.

Seven centuries later, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany donated a new marble sarcophagus (the white marble on the left side of the second photo above) to the mausoleum. Salah ad Din al Ayubi's body was, however, not placed in it. Instead the mausoleum, now has two sarcophagi: one empty in marble and the original in which holds his body made of wood.