Grand Ayatullah Shirazi Calls for Institutionalizing “World Baqi Day” as Damascus Commemoration Marks Centenary of Destruction

Grand Ayatullah Shirazi Calls for Institutionalizing “World Baqi Day” as Damascus Commemoration Marks Centenary of Destruction
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Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq al-Husseini al-Shirazi has emphasized that designating the 8th of Shawwal as “World Baqi Day” is a religious duty, urging believers to preserve and globalize the remembrance of the tragedy of Destruction of the Baqi Cemetery Shrines.

In a statement issued as part of events marking the centenary of the destruction, the Supreme Marja stressed that commemorating the occasion is both a moral and religious responsibility. He noted that such observances help raise awareness about the historical injustice suffered by the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and the significance of Jannat al-Baqi.

His Eminence further expressed hope that sustained efforts to institutionalize the commemoration worldwide would strengthen the presence of the Baqi cause in the global Muslim consciousness, reiterating calls for the reconstruction of the shrines of the Imams as part of preserving Islamic religious and historical heritage.

Meanwhile, the office of His Eminence in Damascus held a mourning assembly in the Sayyida Zainab district, near the shrine of Sayyida Zainab Shrine, to mark the anniversary of the destruction.

According to the office’s director and representative, Sheikh Hassan Abdul Hadi al-Shahristani, the gathering aimed to commemorate the injustice endured by the Imams and to reinforce the importance of keeping this issue alive in the collective memory of believers.

The event was attended by a number of followers of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), and featured a speech by preacher Sheikh Akram Karabij, who discussed the permissibility of constructing structures over graves within various Islamic schools of thought, while also highlighting the historical and humanitarian dimensions of the Baqi tragedy.

The ceremony forms part of a broader series of annual programs held across different countries to commemorate the destruction of the Baqi shrines and to stress the need to safeguard Islamic holy sites and preserve the nation’s religious and historical heritage.