17 hours ago
Syria denies restrictions at Sayyida Zainab shrine
Shafaq News - Damascus
On Saturday, Syria's Ministry of Religious Endowments dismissed as unfounded reports claiming the Sayyida Zainab shrine was closed or that Ashura rituals had been banned.
The ministry's media office clarified to Shafaq News that the shrine remains open and that religious ceremonies continue as scheduled, following unverified social media posts circulating at the start of Muharram, alleging state-imposed restrictions.
Sayyida Zainab, the granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad and sister of Imam Hussein, is a revered figure in Shiite Islam. Her shrine in southern Damascus draws large numbers of pilgrims during Muharram — the first month of the Islamic calendar — when Shiite Muslims commemorate the killing of Imam Hussein at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
Ashura, observed on the tenth day of Muharram, is among the most significant dates in the Shiite religious calendar and attracts thousands of visitors to shrines like Sayyida Zainab's.
