Interior of Syeda Khawla's Shrine
Dr.Mazhar Naqvi
It is quite surprising that the shrine of Syeda Khawla, the
daughter of Imam Hussain, in Lebanon is not frequently mentioned in the list of
holiest Imami places whereas it enjoys tremendous popularity among Muslims and Christians
both. The shrine is adjacent to Baalbek's glorious walls and ever illuminated
with a great flow of divine light. During the day, the city is blanketed in sunlight that shines on
its golden domes and ancient ruins, as well as on the lush orchards that
surround the holy complex. Baalbek was one of the largest sanctuaries in the
Roman Empire and contains some of the best preserved Roman ruins in Lebanon. However,
due to lack of awareness about the shrine, a number of Imamis from Indo-Pak
Sub-continent don’t include a visit to Baalbek in their itinerary while visiting
Iraq, Iran and Syria for ‘Ziyarat’.
A Brief History
of Shrine
It is a well
known fact that after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain in Karbala on the tenth day
of Muharram in 680 AD, the women and children of his family and companions were
held captives and loaded onto camels with neither saddle nor shade. From Karbala,
they were brought to Kufa and from there they were shifted to Damascus-the
capital of Yazid .he prisoners remained in Damascus for a year and some of them
died in grief. They were later dragged and tortured through different cities in
Lebanon, reaching Baalbek-Ras Al-Ein, the place where Imam Hussain's mosque was
built and later reconstructed.
Stories vary
about the truth that had led to Syeda’s death. One account says that her martyrdom
resulted from the long and painstaking travel. Renowned historian, Judge
Muhajir, is of the view that Khawla was among the captives in the convoy of the
painful journey. She was three years old when she fell off the camel's back and
ever since, suffered sickness till death. She was laid to rest in an orchard at
the southern entrance of the city near the ancient citadel.
Outside View of Shrine Amidst Roman Ruins
Legends reveal
that people residing in the vicinity of her burial place saw divine lights
landing on this noble spot. Later, Khawla appeared in the dream of the man that
owned the orchards and asked him to divert water away from her grave. When he
ignored her request, she appeared in his dream a second, third and fourth time.
The man later discussed the matter with the village council that decided to
rebury Khawla in a different spot. The move resulted in the expansion of the
shrine. It is generally believed that the long and arduous journey from Karbala to Kufa
and from Kufa to Damascus, from Aleppo to Hama and on to Homs, through
different Lebanese areas, led to the burial of Syeda in Baalbek.
The Mausoleum
Her Zari Mubarak is located in the center of the shrine. The gold and silver Zari is four meters long and three meters wide. The door is made of vintage oak with silver, and the top of the shrine is decorated with silver and golden crowns with encryptions of the names of the infallible Imams. Also, there are Quranic verses on the door of the shrine, with a huge crystal chandelier topping the Zari.
Several meters above the shrine, a giant Cypress tree penetrates the roof of the building. It is said that Imam Zain- Ul -Abdeen had planted a small branch to mark the grave. Over the centuries, the branch has turned into a gigantic 1,400 year-old tree.In addition to the charm and beauty of the Zari , the walls of the shrine are covered with beautiful Iranian decorations, all inscribed with Quranic verses and Hadiths that are beautifully mixed with blue, white and navy colors.
Over 1 lakh devotees assemble at the shrine each year on 40th day of Imam Hussain’s martyrdom, commonly known as his Chehlum. The shrine also receives thousands of devotees each day who come to visit and be blessed, or even attend lectures and seminars. A lot of people from the Christian community also visit the shrine for fulfillment of their wishes. (References available on request. Photo Courtesy Google Images)
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