My trip to Shaam at Arba'een last yr..

Dear all, Salaamun 'alaykum!
Alhamdulillah, last year at this time, I was fortunate enough to be in Shaam (Damascus) for Ziyaarat of Bibi Zaynab (SA) and Bibi Sakina (Bibi Ruqaiyya bintal Husayn AS) for Arba'een of Shuhada e Kerbala (AS).

Thanks & du'as to my brother and sister, who gifted me a mini-divi cam (yes THE notorious camera u always find me with!!) that fit my bag / purse / pockets at every point, I could capture quite a lot of the 6 day trip I had out there!

Since we have approached the Holy month of Safar-ul-Haraam, it is pure reminiscence. I have shared these videos with quite a lot of you on a CD that i gifted my close and near ones on returning back from the trip, but for the rest - and for those who want to watch it in shorter episodes, I have finally managed to upload them on an online Video Portal - youtube.com

Also, I have listed out short diary entries for each video clipping - so you would get to atleast feel 25% (if not 100%) of what a wonderful experience it was. Praying that everyone gets this opportunity, InshaAllah!

Shaam Ziyaarat
Day 1 - 18th Safar 1427: Haram of Bibi Zaynab (SA)

The first day when we arrived in Shaam for ziyaarat at arba'een. Beautiful manaazir of Shrine of Bibi Zaynab (SA). Additionally, the same night we saw the miracle of the Bleeding minaret (I had to reduce the resolution on the videos to be able to upload them on youtube, hence its not too clear but i managed to get whatever I could).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F008mxwhstw

Day 2 - 19th Safar 1427 (Part 1) - Darbaar e Shaam

This was on our 2nd day on our Shaam trip on 'Arbaeen around the Baazaar and Darbaar e Shaam. Worthy of being noted are things like:

• The great length of the Bazaar - and the little pigeon hole type opening on the roof top - from where the spectators had watched the Caravan of Ahlulbayt (AS) pass through the market place
• The 7 adhaans when we entered the courtyard of the Darbaar (the 7 adhaans were ordered by Yazeed (LA) back then to stop Imam Sajjad from delivering his sermon..and you'll be amazed that you can still hear those 7 adhaans at every salaat time out there!)
• The Mimbar (pulpit) from which Imam Sajjad (AS) delivered his sermon in the Darbaar
• The seating place of Yazeed (LA) which was high above ground level - from where he watched down upon the captive ladies and children Ahlulbayt (AS)
• The Shrine of Prophet Yahya (AS) which exists inside the Darbaar (the Darbaar is now the Bani Omayyid Mosque)
• The place where Prophet Yahya was beheaded (exists inside the Darbaar)
• The place where the head of Imam Husayn (AS) was kept during the period of time that the ladies and children of Ahlulbayt (AS) were held captive in Shaam

This and more that we saw on our trip can be viewed on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joy3s7CZu_E

Day 2 - 19th Safar 1427 (Part 2) - Rauza of Bibi Ruqaiyya bintal Husayn (SA)

This was a short clipping of our visit to the Shrine of Bibi Sakina (SA) - in some rivaayat (traditions) she was actually known to be Bibi Ruqaiyya (SA) - the beloved 4 yr old daughter of Imam Husayn (AS) who passed away in the Dungeons of Shaam. Her shrine was walking distance from the Bani Omayyid mosque and so we walked it up till there. Video of our visitation is uploaded on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0xEikBNtjg

Day 2 - 19th Safar 1427 (Part 3) - Shab e Arba'een (eve of Chehlum)

This was truly a miraculous night and for those who were there would definitely agree. I could catch a few mo'jizaat on my camera along with the spirit of Azaadari and pursa (condolence) that people were indulged in all night at the Zainabiyya shrine.. All this and more on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmRtPnY0HaY

One thing that i couldnt capture was the four to five people who we saw got miraculously cured of physical disabilities, with the waseela of Bibi Zaynab (SA) - Subbhaanallah!

Day 3 - 20th Safar 1427: Day of Arba'een at Zainabiyya Shrine (Chehlum day)
This was a short video I managed to compile with the Azadaari (Maatam and Juloos) outside the Zainabiyya shrine during Chehlum day. Our day ended with splendid pursa and nauha-khwaani by Nadeem Sarwar Saheb thanks to the arrangement made by our Ziyaarat Caravan (Jazaakallah khair to the Intazaamiya!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ2GPXXKKjc

Day 4 - 21st Safar 1427: Ziyaarat of other places in Shaam (Damascus)

After having completed our visitation at Zainabiyya shrine on Arba'een e Shuhada e Kerbala (AS), we were taken to the ziyaarat-gaah of:

• Hz.Hujr Ibne Uday Kindi (companion ofImam Ali AS) whose ziyaarat has been highly recommended by our Ma'sumeen (AS)
• Prophet Habeel AS (son of Prophet Adam AS): Check out the length of his grave! and we were told that the marble slab represented only halg of his grave - the remaining half was still beneath the ground! Subbhaanallah....
• Bibi Sakina Binte Ali ibne Abi Talib (AS) - sister of Imam Husayn (AS) whose grave was discovered some few years back and confirmed by 'Ulama e Karaam. Her shrine is currently under construction.

The link for this video is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jyw0Ov3UWA.. We were scheduled to go to see the place where the As-haab e Kahaf still sleep (according to some traditions, that cave exists in Syria). However due to lack of time and length of the journey, we couldn't pay our visit there.

Day 5 - 22nd Safar 1427: Halabb (Aleppo) Mash-had e Ra'as al Imam Husayn (AS)

This was indeed a wonderful and probably the most memorable day of our trip. Our visit to Halabb (Aleppo) to this place that was once a monastry. 'Mash-had' meaning sanctuary, 'Raas' meaning head - in Arabic. This is a very famous historical spot, where 1400 years ago, when the Caravan of prisoners were being headed towards the main city, passing through Aleppo, a Christian monk called Raahib paid money and requested to keep the Holy head of Imam Husayn (AS) for one night. He had placed his holy head on a stone slab, on which the stains of Imam Husayn’s blood got absorbed.

Till date, the blood on the stone maintains its freshness, and this stone has been preserved at the same place for Zaa-ereen to visit and pay salutations to Imam Husayn (AS). Various attempts have been made to remove the stone slab from Aleppo and take across to Damascus , but all those who tried failed to do so. Hence, it is a miracle on its own, that for the sake of preserving history, Allah (SWT) wishes that Zaa-ereen take the 6 hours’ journey by road, to realize how the Aal e Muhammad (SAWW) have been through such long distances on foot, in such severe conditions - and how their journey invited so many people to turn towards Islam - the religion of Truth and Justice.

We were further blessed with Nadeem Sarwar Saheb's wonderful and heart warming pursa and nauha-khwani - all this uploaded on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugsha3fZYP0

We had also visited the shrine of Hazrat Mohsin ibne Husayn ibne Ali (AS) - who was the premature baby in the womb of Bibi Umme Rabab (SA). Unfortunately, just like the premature baby (Hazrat Mohsin ibne Ali Ibne abi Talib AS) in the womb of Bibi Fatemah Zahra (SA) - this son of Imam Husayn (AS) was lost during the tortures and torment of the long travel Bibi Umme Rabab (AS) experienced from Kerbala to Kufa to Shaam. On his death, he was buried here. (sorry, video not uploaded yet!)

We also visited the Grand Omayyid mosque in Aleppo (Halabb) which astoundingly holds the shrine of Prophet Zakariyya (AS)! Subbhanallah, we are from the religion that has so much history and authenticity to preserve it forever! (sorry video not uploaded yet!)

Day 6 - 23rd Safar 1427: Baab-e-Sagheer Graveyard

This was our last day and we visited the graveyard which has the graves of many Holy people like the wives of the Holy Prophet (SAWW) - Bibi Umme Salma (SA) and Bibi Umme Habeeba (SA); Bibi Fizza (SA), and many more holy personalities. (sorry, video not uploaded yet!)

Day 6 - 23rd Safar 1427: Our exclusive visit to the Zainabiyya Shrine after hours

Alhamdulillah! All thanks to Allah (SWT) and God bless the Intazaamiya of our Caravan, who really managed to make this trip the most memorable - by taking special permission on our last night and getting our Kaafla the privelege to visit the Shrine of Bibi Zaynab (SA) after the haramm shut for visitors at night.

With the zaree of Bibi Zaynab (SA) infront of us, and the wonderful and heart warming nauha khwani and pursa (condolence) of Shahid Baltistani sahab, what more could we ask for...what more could we ask for!!!!!

Uploaded on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWXdy46-qkE

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On returning back from my trip, I did my bit - of adopting from Bibi Zaynab's character - atleast this one thing......TABLEEGH in whatever way by whatever means we possess(yes, the blogs, the zeal to write and express all really came from there!!!)

Alhamdulillah, and Jazaakallah khair further - to Brother Nabeel Aejaz for believing in me, and giving me the opportunity to compile the depth and wonders of Ziyaarat in Shaam at Arba'een - and putting it up on his online Magazine RAW. (www.raw.com.pk)

My article is on the following link: http://www.raw.com.pk/islam/ziyaarat_shaam/

For all those of you who are going to Shaam on Arba'een this year, I hope and pray you have an even more enlightening and profound trip..May we all be able to really gain from these visitations to the Auliyaa of Allah (SWT), coming back enriched with Ma'rifat and Spirituality.

Pass this on then and let the thawaab rollllll!!! :)

Mohtaaj-e-Du'a, Sadaf Zahra