1001 reasons I and Mas Rian want to go to Damascus, Syria

Reading Jilbab Traveller inspires us to go to Damaskus, Syria as one of our travel destination in the future. Why? Here are the reasons:

1. It's a world historical place, one of the oldest city in world, which the civilitation has changed continuously year by year by different races.

2. Masjid Ummayah which was built 4000 years ago by Aramia race as the place for fire worshiping. Then it was enlarged by The Romans to worship Jupiter, their God. During the christian era it was used as the cathedral. In the year of 636 A.C. after the Arabian defeated the Romans, they let the cathedral functioned as it was before. However, when the most of Damaskus citizen converted to Islam, the cathedral changed its function into masjid in the year of 705 A.C.

3. In Suriah, there was a very tragedic event for moslems. It was known as Karbala, an event in which the grandchildren of Prophet Muhammad SAW was brutally murdered by a group who admitted as moslems too though actually they were not.

4. In the masjid there are graves of Prophet Yahya, Hud, and Khidir. So you can imagine how old the masjid is.

5. We can go to Lady Zaenab Mousoleum (grave)

6. Hammieh Souk, the coolest and unique traditional market

7. Baab Al Faradis (The heaven gate), one of the gate to enter the old Damaskus City, built in 1241 A.C by Salahuddin Al Ayyubi

8. The grave of Salahuddin Al Ayyubi. Do you know who he was? He was a great general of Moslem troops during perang salib who fought with The King Richard of Christian troops general. When the Christian troops moved to Jerusalem to take a revenge to Moslem troops, The King Richard fell sick and it was getting worse, the person who helped and cured him was Salahuddin Al Ayyubi. Finally, The King Richard who was impressed with the generosity of Salahuddin Al Ayyubi, stopped the war and made a peace agreement. (if you want to know the complete story, you should watch The Lion Heart, if I’m not mistaken….well I’ll find the right title later)

9. Not far from Salahuddin Al Ayyubi’s grave there is Damascus Citadel (Damascus Fortress) which was built on 1202 AC.

10. Near the Fortress, there is The Masjid Abu Darda, which was built 1420 years ago. Abu Darda was one of Rasulullah’s fellows who was sent to Damascus to teach Islam.

11. In Damascus there are some graves of famous Moslem heroes such as Bilal (one of the slaves who became Rasulullah fellow who already promised to go to heaven), Ummu Kultsum (Rasulullah’s granddaughter), Ruqayyah and Sukainah (Rasulullah’s grand grand daughter), and what amaze us is the oldest grave on the earth…Habil !! The son of Adam (the first human on earth). The length of the grave is 6 meters long!!! Can you imagine how big his body was!!!!

12. The palace of Al-Azhim, the national museum of Damascus, and Al Takiya Al Sulaimaniya Museum are some interesting place that will give us information about Islam in the past and the Bizantium era.

13. The food: Kebab Aleppo and hot spicy steak are the famous food in Damascus which we should taste!!

Humm…a lot of place to go in Damascus…those are our list of places to visit (next year, Insya Allah).