History
Syria: What is the Umayyad Mosque That Keeps Appearing in Headlines?

Editorial
In the aftermath of the Assad regime’s collapse, one name has frequently appeared in headlines: the Umayyad Mosque. Abu Muhammad al-Golani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), addressed the public from the mosque after his group entered Damascus, marking the fall of the Ba’athist government. Yesterday, Ibrahim Kalın, head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and a figure believed to have played an essential role in these unfolding events, was also seen at the mosque. This raises a question: what is it about the Umayyad Mosque that has made it a symbol so closely tied to the revolution?
Historical Background
Historically, the Great Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Umayyad Mosque, is one of the first monumental mosques in Islamic history, particularly outside Makkah and Madinah. Following the Muslim conquest of Damascus in 634 under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid, the site was initially shared between Muslims and Christians, creating a relatively modest place of worship. Under Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I (r. 379–395), the area had been transformed from a pagan temple into a cathedral, with claims that it housed the burial site of John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya).
After the era of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs ended with the death of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Umayyad dynasty assumed control of the Islamic caliphate, establishing Damascus as its capital. Initially, the site of the present-day Umayyad Mosque continued to be shared with the city’s Christian population. However, in 706, Caliph al-Walid I (r. 705–715) decided to claim the entire area to construct a grand mosque. To appease the Christian community, they were offered properties elsewhere in the city as compensation. This includes what will become the Cathedral of Saint George, which serves as the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Church.
Structure and Innovation
The construction of the Umayyad Mosque brought together some of the finest architects and craftsmen of its time, with Byzantine and Persian experts contributing to its design and structure. The mosque features a rectangular layout measuring 97 by 156 meters, including a vast courtyard of 122 by 50 meters and a salah area of 136 by 36 meters. To understand how large it is, remember that Istanbul’s Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) measures 73 by 65 meters. The Umayyad Mosque’s design showcased intricate mosaics—a novel art form in early Islamic architecture—depicting nature instead of human imagery per Islamic principles. Some saw these mosaics as evoking paradise, while others believed they illustrated various cities. Sadly, much of this artwork was lost to fires over the centuries.
The mosque has endured multiple devastating fires, the most recent in 1893, and has thus undergone numerous renovations. Successive rulers—from the Abbasids, Seljuks, and Mamluks to the Ottomans and modern Syrian regimes—have made their mark by altering or adding elements such as minarets and domes. The most significant modern renovation occurred under Hafez al-Assad during the 1980s and 1990s, dramatically altering parts of the mosque’s historic appearance. Yet, despite these changes, its profound historical and cultural significance endures.
Significance
The significance of the Umayyad Mosque extends beyond its historical prominence. According to a report from the Prophet Muhammad, Prophet Isa, son of Maryam, will descend at the white minaret on the eastern side of Damascus. Many scholars have interpreted this as a reference to the Umayyad Mosque. Perhaps this prompted the Abbasids to construct a minaret known as the Minaret of Isa—one of the mosque’s three iconic minarets.
The mosque also holds special importance for Shia Muslims, who established a zari (a shrine enclosure) within the complex in the 1990s to honour the martyrs of Karbala. The Ottoman rulers also built a tomb believed to enshrine the head of Prophet Yahya in the mosque complex. These have drawn visitors worldwide, including Pope John Paul II, who visited the mosque in 2001.
Some have referred to the Umayyad Mosque as the “fourth holiest mosque” in Islam, but this designation is misleading, as no such title exists in authentic Islamic tradition. Its historical and scholarly significance, however, is indisputable. Renowned Islamic figures such as Ibn Taymiyyah and al-Ghazali once taught and congregated at the mosque.
Beyond its architectural splendour, a product of conquest, it also carries political symbolism akin to Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia. During the Mongol invasions, Crusader allies like Bohemond VI (r. 1251–1275) expressed ambitions to convert the mosque into a cathedral, even ordering Mass to be held there. However, Muslim forces soon recaptured it.
Umayyad and Politics
During the Crusades, the Umayyad Mosque served as a rallying point for Muslim forces, a role that seems to have echoed in the political landscape of recent years. Notably, on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, the mosque became a focal point for the initial protests against the Assad regime. By the following Friday, government forces had surrounded the mosque.
In 2012, the Umayyad Mosque gained further prominence when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed his support for the Syrian revolution, declaring, “We will pray at the Umayyad Mosque.” He later reiterated this statement on X on September 5, 2012. Over time, Erdoğan faced criticism for these remarks, particularly as his policy toward Assad shifted. However, with the regime’s collapse, Erdoğan’s statement has resurfaced, amplified by Turkish media as a symbol of triumph.
Sheikh Osama al-Rifai, Syria’s mufti, was expected to deliver the first sermon at the mosque following the fall of the Assad regime. However, he was ill and could not attend the jumu’a there. He is based in Türkiye and leads a diaspora council of Syrian scholars. In his place, Syria's interim Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir delivered the sermon.
Regardless of the political shifts, one can only hope that the Umayyad Mosque will once again enjoy the grandeur and peace of its storied past.
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