Al-Nuqtah Mosque
Encyclopedia
The Masjid al-Nuqtah is a mosque located on Mount Jawshan in Aleppo
, Syria
. The main feature of the mosque is a stone believed to be stained with the blood of Husayn ibn ‘Alī
by Shī‘ah Muslims.
Also located near this mosque on Mount Jawshan, is a shrine known as Mashad al-Siqt ( - Place of miscarriage). As the prisoners of Karbalā
were passing through Aleppo, one of wives of Husayn
had a miscarriage. The still-born child was named Muhsin, and buried at this place.
were taken through many cities on their way to Damascus
on orders from Yazīd
. As they were nearing Aleppo, a Christian
monk who lived there could see light emanating from the head of Husayn
, upwards to the sky. When the caravan stopped for rest, the monk approached them and asked if he could take the head for the night in exchange for 10,000 dirhams that he had with him. When they agreed, the monk took the head and placed it on a stone, whereon blood from the head fell onto it. In the morning he returned the head and professed Islam. This version of events can be found written on a plaque within the mosque itself.
ordered his men to store gun-powder in the mosque. Restorations to the mosque began forty years later, and were completed by the 1970s. The current roof of the mosque was built in 1991.
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The main feature of the mosque is a stone believed to be stained with the blood of Husayn ibn ‘Alī
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
by Shī‘ah Muslims.
Also located near this mosque on Mount Jawshan, is a shrine known as Mashad al-Siqt ( - Place of miscarriage). As the prisoners of Karbalā
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
were passing through Aleppo, one of wives of Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
had a miscarriage. The still-born child was named Muhsin, and buried at this place.
Historical Accounts
The prisoners of KarbalāBattle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
were taken through many cities on their way to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
on orders from Yazīd
Yazid I
Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiya ibn Abī Sufyān , commonly known as Yazid I, was the second Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate . He ruled for three years from 680 CE until his death in 683 CE. Many Muslims condemn Yazid's rule as contentious and unjust...
. As they were nearing Aleppo, a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
monk who lived there could see light emanating from the head of Husayn
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
, upwards to the sky. When the caravan stopped for rest, the monk approached them and asked if he could take the head for the night in exchange for 10,000 dirhams that he had with him. When they agreed, the monk took the head and placed it on a stone, whereon blood from the head fell onto it. In the morning he returned the head and professed Islam. This version of events can be found written on a plaque within the mosque itself.
Other versions of the story
- Other Shia narrations relate that when the prisoners of KarbalāBattle of KarbalaThe Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
were passing through Aleppo, the head of HusaynHusayn ibn AliHussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
was placed upon a rock. When blood from the head fell onto the rock, more blood began gushing forth from the rock.
- Sunni sources narrate that a shepherd had a dream wherein he was instructed to build a mosque in honour of HusaynHusayn ibn AliHussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
, at the place where one of his goats had its foot sunken into rock. When the shepherd awoke and pulled the goat free from the rock, a river of water began to gush forth.
Recent history
The mosque suffered an explosion in 1920 when King FaisalFaisal I of Iraq
Faisal bin Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi, was for a short time King of the Arab Kingdom of Syria or Greater Syria in 1920, and was King of the Kingdom of Iraq from 23 August 1921 to 1933...
ordered his men to store gun-powder in the mosque. Restorations to the mosque began forty years later, and were completed by the 1970s. The current roof of the mosque was built in 1991.
See also
- Holiest sites in Islam (Shia)Holiest sites in Islam (Shia)In addition to the three Mosques accepted by all Muslims as holy sites, Shī'ah Muslims consider sites associated with Muhammad, his family members and descendants , their companions, and the Prophets as holy places...
- ‘Āshūrā'Day of AshuraThe Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
- Battle of KarbalāBattle of KarbalaThe Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
- Husayn ibn ‘AlīHusayn ibn AliHussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
- ‘Alī Zaynul ‘Ābidīn
- ZaynabZaynab bint AliZaynab bint Ali was the daughter of the Rashid Caliph and first Shi'i Imam, Ali and granddaughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah....
- Umm Kulthūm
- ‘Abbās
- ‘Alī al-Akbar
- ‘Alī al-Asghar
- Qāsim
- Sukayna