Desecration at Shrine of Lady Ruqayyah in Damascus, Terrorist Attack on Husseini Mourners in Sindh Sparks Outrage Among Shia Community
A recent incident at the shrine of Lady Ruqayyah (peace be upon her) in Damascus has ignited widespread anger and sorrow among Shia Muslims and devotees of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
During the mourning period of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), a group of unidentified individuals entered the sacred shrine and engaged in provocative and insulting behavior, violating the sanctity of the site.
Local Syrian media and a video circulating on social media show these individuals using offensive language and mocking gestures inside the shrine. They exploited the shrine’s relative quietness, caused by security restrictions imposed by the new Syrian government, to undermine the spiritual significance of the location.
The shrine of Lady Ruqayyah, daughter of Imam Hussein (peace be upon them both), along with the nearby shrine of Lady Zainab (peace be upon her), has long been a symbol of Shia resistance and perseverance in Syria. In recent years, Shia communities in Damascus and the Sayyidah Zainab area have faced threats, attacks by extremist Sunni groups, repeated martyrdoms, and destruction of holy sites.
Religious activists and social media users have strongly condemned the desecration, urging Syrian authorities to take serious legal action against those responsible. They warned that such acts only fuel sectarian hatred and division within the Islamic community.
The incident serves as a call to action for officials and the global Muslim conscience to defend the dignity of the Prophet’s family and prevent further violations against these revered figures.
In Pakistan, during Muharram in Jan Muhammad Bhutto village, Kashmore district, Sindh, armed terrorists from the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi attacked the Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) mourning procession. Maulana Farman Ali Askari, a prominent religious figure of Madrasa Irshad-ul-Saqlain Kandhkot, along with several mourners including his brother, sustained injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The attack is seen as an assault on Hussainiyyat and the message of truth represented by Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). Authorities have been urged to arrest the perpetrators and deliver exemplary punishment to prevent further sectarian violence.
Maulana Farman Ali Askari, known for promoting unity among Muslims and teaching the Quran, was specifically targeted, which is viewed as an attack on the dignity of the Jafariya community.
