Largest Mourning Ceremony for Sayyida Ruqayyah (Peace Be Upon Her) Held in Bayn al-Haramayn
In an atmosphere filled with sorrow and grief, the largest mourning ceremony in honour of Sayyida Ruqayyah (Peace be upon her) was organized in the area between the two holy shrines, commemorating her sorrowful martyrdom anniversary in the 11 year A.H.
According to a reporter from the Shia Waves Agency, this event is the largest of its kind, featuring a mourning Sufra (feast) dedicated to Sayyida Ruqayyah (peace be upon her) to commemorate her tragic martyrdom. The ceremony included various activities such as recitations of verses from the Quran, reciting the Ziyarah of Sayyida Ruqayyah (peace be upon her), and the recitation of poetry mourning this painful tragedy.
The event saw the participation of several reciters, poets, and Radoods (eulogists), along with a theatrical performance depicting the life of Sayyida Ruqayyah (peace be upon her). Children dressed in green gathered, recalling her life and the events of the tragic Day of Ashura.
The mourners expressed their sorrow for the tragedy of Sayyida Ruqayyah, moving many attendees to tears. The ceremony concluded with a reenactment of the tragic martyrdom of Sayyida Ruqayyah, which occurred on the fifth of Safar al-Ahzan in the ruins of the Levent (present-day Syria) during the captivity of the survivors of the tragedy of Ashura.
The mourning Sufra was adorned with green fabrics with thorns placed upon them — symbolizing the thorns that this young martyr endured on Ashura and afterwards, along with illuminated lanterns and candles. Children, bearing the name of Sayyida Ruqayyah (peace be upon her), and mourners, especially women and children, gathered around the Sufra to seek the fulfilment of their worldly and heavenly needs.
The demise of Sayyida Ruqayyah (peace be upon her) is considered one of the tragic stories in history, as she is recognized as the first Hashemite to pass away after the martyrdom of Imam al-Hussein (peace be upon him) at the age of three or four, according to differing historical accounts. The incident recounts that Sayyida Ruqayyah saw her father, Imam al-Hussein (peace be upon him), in a dream while she was a captive in the Levent. Upon waking and calling for him in tears, the tyrant Yazid ibn Muawiya ordered that her father’s head be brought to her. When she uncovered it and embraced the sacred head, she passed away, becoming the first captive to die from grief.
