The Religious Tourist Locations And Destinations In Rural Damascus (2)

2-Islamic sites:

In al Sayeda Zainab (formerly Raweia): -Shrine of Sayeda Zainab: A gigantic architectural monument in eastern Ghouta, 8 km east of Damascus. The shrine contains the remains of Sayeda Zainab al Kubra, daughter of Ali, the cousin of the prophet Mohammad and the third Moslem caliphate.

In Darayya:

– Shrine of Sayeda Sukaina, 8 km south west of Damascus. It contains the remains of Sayeda Sukaina, daughter of Ali, the cousin of the prophet Mohammad and the third Moslem caliphate.

In A’adra

-Shrine of the companion Hijr Bin Adi.36 km north east of Damascus.

In Qara:

-The Grand mosque. It was a pagan temple transformed into a church in the Byzantian area ,and into a mosque in the Memlouk period during the reign of al Zaher Bibars. In al Zabadani.

-Shrine of Able, 36 km North West of Damascus. It is the memorial of the first crime in humanity when Cain killed his brother Able. Near the shrine there is an ancient temple with Greek inscriptions.

The story of Abel and Cain As narrated in the Holy Koran:

– Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! They each presented a sacrifice to (Allah): It was accepted from one, but not from the other .Said the latter :”Be sure I will slay thee”. “Surely” said the former “Allah doth accept the sacrifice of those who are righteous.”

– “If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher of the worlds.

-For me ,I turned to let thee draw on thyself my sins as well as thine, for thou wilt be among the companions of the fire (hell) and that it is the reward of those who do wrong”.

-The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother:

He murdered him, and became himself one of the lost ones.

-Then Allah sent a raven who scratched the ground to show him how to hide the naked body of his brother. “Woe is me” said he “was I not even able to be as this raven and to hide the naked body of my brother? Then he became full of regret.

Haifaa Mafalani