Events in Syria are very distressing to all of us. Quite when the violence and bloodshed will end is as yet unknown. Pausing for a moment we can look at one of the great monuments of Damascus and see what it can teach us today. Reading about it in books is one thing. Seeing it is another. One of the architectural jewels of Islam, the Great Mosque in Damascus was built by the Umayyad Caliph, Al-Walid, and it is breathtaking. The prayers that have been offered here over the centuries are known to Allah alone and the mosque has a story to tell that teaches us even today how to live as Muslims. So great is the importance of this mosque that as recently as 2001 it saw the late Pope John Paul II visit, as the first Pope in history ever to enter a mosque, leading prayers along with the Grand Mufti of Syria in a joint Muslim Christian moment of worship. Standing in the courtyard of the mosque, looking to east and west, makes even the proudest of men feel small in comparison. The exquisite mosaics, which once would have covered almost the entire courtyard, remind visitors of the sublime skill of Muslim craftsmen over the centuries. From the pulpit within the prayer hall, the message of Islam was sent out from Damascus to the ends of the earth, “even as far as China.” In our present world, religion plays so small a part in the lives of so many men and women. Thronged by tourists and pilgrims alike, the Umayyad Mosque draws men and women from all over the world to its majesty. People of all religions and of none come to it and stand in awe. Perhaps buildings like the Umayyad Mosque, then, can be one of the meeting points between East and West, bridging the gap of misunderstanding. Without speeches or books, the Mosque can speak to the hearts of men and women and tell them that prayer is important and that God is Great. From the mountain overlooking the city, the Umayyad Mosque towers above the buildings all around it. Walking around its great walls gives a real sense of the skill and the hard work which brought the mosque to completion. The dome which sits over the centre is known as the Dome of the Eagle, and the two sides of the prayer hall are seen as the eagle's wings. The site of the Ummayad Mosque has a remarkable history, which mirrors the religious development of mankind. Damascus itself claims to be the oldest inhabited city in the world. The origins of this great mosque date all the way back to 3000BC, when an Aramean temple to the pagan god, Hadad, existed on this spot. In the first century AD the Romans turned it into a temple to their god, Jupiter. This was repaired and restored under Septimus Severus between the years 193 and 211 and then in 379AD the once again derelict temple was turned into the church of Saint John the Baptist under the emperor Thoedosius. After the Christians had worshipped here for over two hundred and fifty years, the south wall became a mosque shared with the Muslims, after the Arab armies had entered Damascus in 636. The final transformation came between 708 and 715 when Al-Walid built the Great Mosque of Damascus in its present shape, wishing that his mosque would never be equaled by any other. In keeping with the respect for other faiths which is a central tenet of Islam, the Christians of Damascus were compensated with four other permanent church sites elsewhere in the old city. Finally, in 1893 the Prayer Hall of the mosque was rebuilt by the Ottomans after a severe fire. As an architectural gem, the mosque influenced the development of Islamic architecture. It has the unusual number of three minarets. One of them, the minaret of Qaitbey, built in the fifteenth century, has a polygonal shape, imitating those of the mosque of Al-Azhar in Cairo. Another, the minaret of ‘Isa (Jesus), is believed by many, according to an authentic Hadith narrated by Muslim, to be the place where Jesus will one day descend from heaven. As well as containing a shrine of Prophet Yehya (John the Baptist), the mosque precincts also have a shrine of Hussein, the Prophet's grandson, and the tomb of the great Salah ad-Din. Just to reflect on the mosque's history is to visit the glorious history of Islam. Both Salah ad-Din and another Al-Walid, the companion of our beloved Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, were great warriors of Islam, who by their armies were able to protect, defend and extend the influence of Islam. In Qaitbey's minaret, we see the Mamluke influence on the Muslim world. In the mosque's restoration in the 19th Century, we witness the final influence of the Ottomans. We see how the pagan idols that were once worshipped on this spot gave way to the worship of One God and finally we see the perfection of religion brought by Islam itself. In welcoming the visit of John Paul II, we continue to witness Islam as the religion of tolerance and of dialogue with all people of good will, no matter how others might try to paint it. As if reflecting on the glorious history and message of Islam were not enough, there is yet more we can glean from thinking about the great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Those pagan idols worshipped long ago were swept away in favour of Islam, the universal religion of mankind. In our own day, there are still those who worship the idols of power and control over others. These false gods tempt them to look for worldly power and glory, rather than submission to the will of Allah, even prompting them to tell Muslim nations how they should manage their own affairs. Where is Salah Al-Din today? The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus has stood for centuries in witness to the oneness of Allah. The sweet and gentle message of Islam is enough one day to draw even its greatest enemies away from disbelief. Muslims never despair. Even though Syria is torn apart at the moment by strife. Even though foreign armies may occupy Muslim soil, we remember that Almighty Allah is in control of all things. The unity which we have as Muslims, and the tolerance, the respect and the good manners which we show to one another and to all people of good will can one day bring all people to Him who created the heavens and the earth. By our own example, even we can draw others to Islam. In the words of the glorious Qur'an in Surat Al-Hijr: Perhaps will those who disbelieve Wish that they were Muslims. Holy Qur'an 15:2
The author of eight books about Islam, British Muslim writer, Idris Tawfiq, divides his time between Egypt and the UK as a speaker, writer and broadcaster. You can visit his website at www.idristawfiq.com
