Sayyidah Zaynab

The name of the town is derived from the shrine that contains the grave of Zaynab, daughter of ‘Alī and Fātimah and granddaughter of Muhammad. It is believed by Twelver Shī‘a Muslims that the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque is the authentic burial place of Lady Zaynab, whereas the Sayyidah Zainab Mosque in Cairo by the same name belongs to Zaynab bint Yahya bint Zayd bint ‘Alī Zayn al-‘Ābidīn (i.e. the great granddaughter of the Imam).{{cite web|url=http://mailviruskid.tripod.com/|title=me|author=enter your name here|access-date=2012-06-14|archive-date=2011-07-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717103018/http://mailviruskid.tripod.com/|url-status=live}}

Sayyidah Zaynab is one of the most important destinations for Shī‘a Muslim pilgrims. It has also become an important center of learning in the Shī‘i world.Sabrina Mervin, “Sayyida Zaynab, Banlieue de Damas ou Nouvelle Ville Sainte Chiite?” Cahiers d’Etudes sur la Mediterranée Orientale et le Monde Turco-Iranien: Arabes et Iraniens 22 (1996): 149-162, Electronic document, http://cemoti.revues.org/document138.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050428131837/http://cemoti.revues.org/document138.html |date=2005-04-28 }}

In the 1980s, during the Iran–Iraq War, as well as during the 1990s, the flow of the visitors increased significantly because the Shī‘a shrines in Iraq were inaccessible. Edith Szanto, “Sayyida Zaynab in the State of Exception: Shi‘i Sainthood as ‘Qualified Life’ in Contemporary Syria,” International Journal of Middle East Studies 44 no. 2 (2012): 285-299. Until 2011, around 1 million tourists visited the town of Sayyidah Zaynab every year.

Shī‘a Muslim pilgrims especially came to the shrine town of Sayyidah Zaynab in order to ask for healing.Edith Szanto, “Contesting Fragile Saintly Traditions: Miraculous Healing among Twelver Shi‘is in Contemporary Syria,” in Politics of Worship in the Contemporary Middle East: Sainthood in Fragile States, edited by Andreas Bandak and Mikkel Bille (Leiden: Brill, 2013), 33-52.

Currently, 33 public schools and a number of religious institutions are operating in the town.

On September 27, 2008, there was a car bomb attack on the intersection leading up to the mosque, killing 17 people with 17 others wounded.{{cite news|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/27/content_10122565.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080930035838/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/27/content_10122565.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 30, 2008|title=Syria condemns Damascus car bombing as "cowardly terrorist act" |date=2008-09-27|publisher=Xinhua|access-date=2008-09-27}}

{{see also|Syrian civil war}}

On June 14, 2012, the town became the target of a suicide car bomb attack where around 14 people were heavily wounded.[http://www.sy2day.com/news-action-show-id-4191.htm Syria Today:Suicide car bomb blast in Sayyidah Zaynab] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130203074343/http://www.sy2day.com/news-action-show-id-4191.htm |date=2013-02-03 }}

Since mid summer 2012 the town has been under attack from armed militants in neighbouring Sunni towns. Many Shia and pro government families were driven out of their homes in southern Damascus and sought refuge in Sayyidah Zaynab. Constant shelling became more frequent in this predominantly Shia town, and rockets landing on random places in the town became common. In January 2013 a mortar shell landed on the Sayyidah Zaynab Shrine causing some damage to one of the minarets. Sayyidah Zaynab was reported to be a pro-government stronghold as of 7 December 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.understandingwar.org/press-media/graphsandstat/battle-damascus-current-state-play-syria|title=The Battle for Damascus: The Current State of Play in Syria|last=Holliday|first=Joseph|first2=Michael|last2=Lynch|date=7 December 2012|publisher=Institute for the Study of War|access-date=12 December 2012|archive-date=11 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211095416/http://www.understandingwar.org/press-media/graphsandstat/battle-damascus-current-state-play-syria|url-status=live}} on 4 February 2013, it was reported that Sayyidah Zaynab was contested between rebels and hezbollah/iraqis{{cite web|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0118/Video-appears-to-show-Hezbollah-and-Iraqi-Shiites-fighting-in-Syria|title=Video appears to show Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiites fighting in Syria|author=Nicholas Blanford|date=18 January 2013|work=The Christian Science Monitor|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-date=19 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019055018/https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0118/Video-appears-to-show-Hezbollah-and-Iraqi-Shiites-fighting-in-Syria|url-status=live}}

{{main|January 2016 Sayyidah Zaynab attack}}

On January 31, 2016, at least 71 people were killed in a double bomb blast in the Koa sodhda area, near the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque.{{Cite web|title = Suicide car explosion kills 8 and wounds 15 in Sayeda Zainab|url = http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=43771|website = Syrian Observatory For Human Rights|access-date = 2016-01-31|archive-date = 2016-03-10|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160310062259/http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=43771|url-status = live}}{{Cite web|title = Syria conflict: Deadly blast near Sayyida Zeinab shrine|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35454359|website = BBC News|access-date = 2016-01-31|archive-date = 2016-01-31|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131130843/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35454359|url-status = live}} At least 40 people were also wounded in the blasts, which were caused by car bombs.{{Cite web|url = http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2016/01/31/Several-killed-in-blasts-near-Syria-Shiite-shrine.html|title = Blasts kill dozens near shrine in Damascus|website = Al Arabiya|access-date = 2016-01-31|archive-date = 2016-01-31|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131225634/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2016/01/31/Several-killed-in-blasts-near-Syria-Shiite-shrine.html|url-status = live}} The attacks came as delegates from the Syrian government and opposition groups gathered in Geneva for provisional peace talks.

{{main|February 2016 Sayyidah Zaynab bombings}}

On February 21 2016, at least 134 people were killed and 180+ injured in up to four explosions including a car bomb and two suicide blasts. The Islamic State claimed responsibility.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailysabah.com/syrian-crisis/2016/02/21/at-least-30-killed-in-blasts-near-damascus-shiite-shrine|title=62 killed in blasts near Damascus Shiite shrine|date=21 February 2016|work=DailySabah|access-date=5 October 2023|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225232336/https://www.dailysabah.com/syrian-crisis/2016/02/21/62-killed-in-blasts-near-damascus-shiite-shrine|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/dozens-killed-bombings-south-damascus-hours-after-homs-blasts-1378344789#sthash.zqMHW468.dpuf|title=Almost 120 killed as IS bombings rock Damascus and Homs: Monitor|work=Middle East Eye|access-date=2023-10-05|archive-date=2018-12-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225232329/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/dozens-killed-bombings-south-damascus-hours-after-homs-blasts-1378344789#sthash.zqMHW468.dpuf|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35628140?ocid=socialflow_twitter#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa|title=Syria conflict: IS claims deadly Homs and Damascus blasts|work=BBC News|access-date=2023-10-05|archive-date=2017-12-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209204704/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35628140?ocid=socialflow_twitter#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa|url-status=live}}

ISIL claimed responsibility for a bomb blast in June that injured 55 people.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-blast-idUSKCN0YX05Y|title=Islamic State claims blasts near Damascus Shi'ite shrine|date=11 June 2016|via=Reuters|access-date=5 October 2023|archive-date=16 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516021405/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-blast-idUSKCN0YX05Y|url-status=live}} SANA reported 12 people killed,{{cite web|url=http://sana.sy/en/?p=79876 |title=Update 1-Death toll from al-Sayyida Zainab twin bombings rises to 12 – Syrian Arab News Agency |date=11 June 2016 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611132252/http://sana.sy/en/?p=79876 |archive-date=June 11, 2016 }} while the SOHR said 20 died.{{cite web|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7e75c5e69abb40e0920e1f072f4c242d/syria-tv-twin-explosions-near-damascus-casualties-reported|title=Syria TV: Twin explosions near Damascus kill 8, wound 13|access-date=2023-10-05|archive-date=2016-09-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911225053/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7e75c5e69abb40e0920e1f072f4c242d/syria-tv-twin-explosions-near-damascus-casualties-reported|url-status=dead}}

{{see also|Timeline of the Syrian civil war (2022)}}

According to the Times of Israel on 21 May 2022, citing a Twitter, account which follows Israeli military activity in Syria, it was alleged that "the strikes targeted sites in the suburb of Sayyidah Zaynab, south of Damascus".{{cite web |title=Syria says 3 soldiers killed in Israeli missile strikes near Damascus |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/explosions-rock-syrian-capital-in-alleged-israeli-airstrikes/ |website=Times of Israel |access-date=2023-10-05 |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525091506/https://www.timesofisrael.com/explosions-rock-syrian-capital-in-alleged-israeli-airstrikes/ |url-status=live }}

• Middle East
• Holiest sites in Shia Islam

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{{Rif Dimashq Governorate|markaz}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sayyidah Zaynab}}

Category:Populated places in Markaz Rif Dimashq District

Category:Cities in Syria

Category:Shia Muslim communities in Syria