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Pictures & Videos: Umayyad Mosque Damascus 1st Friday after fall of Assad regime

Hundreds of thousands thronged the Umayyad Mosque in Syrian Capital Damascus on December 13, 2024 – the first Friday after the fall of brutal regime of Bashar al Assad, to offer Special Afternoon Prayers

Friday December 13, 2024 8:50 PM, ummid.com News Network

[Muhammad al-Bashir, Prime Minister of Interim Government in Syria, delivering Friday Sermon on December 13, 2024.]

Damascus: Hundreds of thousands thronged the Umayyad Mosque in the Syrian Capital, Damascus, on December 13, 2024 – the first Friday after the fall of brutal regime of Bashar al Assad, to offer Special Afternoon Prayers.

The Syrian opposition groups toppled and ended more than 50-year brutal regime of al Assad Family capturing the capital Damascus on Sunday December 08, 2024.

Today being the first Friday after the fall of Assad regime in Syria, hundreds of thousands Muslims thronged the historic Umayyad Mosque to offer Special Afternoon Prayers.

The Friday prayers at Umayyad Mosque today was led by Muhammad al-Bashir – the Prime Minister of the interim government.

Also seen today lining the main street were people selling revolutionary and "Free Syria" flags, which many toted in the crush past Roman ruins on the way to the 1,300-year old mosque at the heart of the Old City.

“It is the heart of Syria. It is a symbol. I always believed I would see it because I believe in God and God has given us this day", Haidar, a 33-year-old rebel fighter from Damascus, who had been living in Idlib till the fall of Basshar al Assad last weekend, said.

Alaa Khoudari, a 37-year-old from Damascus’ Midan neighbourhood, talking to reporters outside the mosque, said, “I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. I’m so happy to see everyone free.”

[Young Syrians pose with a rebel fighter in the courtyard at the Umayyad Mosque on Friday (Image: Daniel Hilton/Middle East Eye)]

Similar scenes are also reported from Aleppo as in Damascus where thousands of people finished their Friday prayers in thanks for the end of the government that they for so long have wanted to end.

The Umayyad Mosque of Damascus has historic significance. Muslims believe Prophet Esa (Prophet Jesus – peace be upon him) will descend on the minaret of this historic mosque.

Aerial footage of Umayyad Mosque in Syria's capital Damascus

For the first time in 53 years, Friday prayers are held in Syria without Assad and Baath Party influence.
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Stay on top of *Palestine/Syria* latest developments on the ground.… pic.twitter.com/ONfG4KVQlX

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) December 13, 2024

The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus and al-Jāmiʿ al-Umawī or Al Jami Damascus, is located in the old city of Damascus, the capital of Syria. This is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world.

Muslims believe it will appear from the drops of water pouring from his beard that Prophet Esa has just performed wadhu - ablution.

[A child gestures before the first Friday prayers at the Umayyad Mosque, after fighters ousted Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria (Image: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters)]

Imam Mehdi would be preparing to lead the prayers. Seeing Prophet Isa (pbuh), Imam Mehdi will ask him to lead the prayers.

[People walk with flags before the first Friday prayers at the Umayyad Mosque after opposition fighters ousted Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in the Damascus old city, Syria (Image: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters)]

Prophet Isa will decline and ask Imam Mehdi to carry on and lead the prayers.

The Umayyad Mosque today was full of worshippers - men, women and children, who had come to offer the Friday prayers after liberation from 54-year brutal rule of al-Assad family.

Beautiful recitation during 'Ishaa prayer from al-Jami' al-Umawiyy (the Umayyad Mosque), today, in the liberated city of Damascus (10-12-2024).https://t.co/Zb5cQ4YQuW pic.twitter.com/4ajzq5ttdm

— Rachid Abu Khuzaymah (@r_abukhuzaymah) December 10, 2024

[Also Watch: Beautiful Quran recitation during Isha Prayers at Umayyad Mosque on December 10, 2024]

They were carrying the new Syrian flag and displaying victory sign as the new Prime Minister, Muhammad al Bashir, delivered the Friday Sermon.

The mosque is noted for its rich compositions of marble paneling and its extensive gold mosaics of vegetal motifs, covering some 4,000 square metres (43,000 sq ft), likely the largest in the world.

The Umayyad Mosque innovated and influenced nascent Islamic architecture, with other major mosque complexes, including the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain and the al-Azhar Mosque of Egypt, based on its model.

Muhammad al Bashir delivered the Friday Sermon at Umayyad Mosque in Damascus today i.e. December 13, 2024. pic.twitter.com/UIN7QYGeHh

— ummid.com (@ummid) December 13, 2024

Although the original structure has been altered several times due to fire, war damage, and repairs, it is one of the few mosques to maintain the same form and architectural features of its 8th-century construction, as well as its Umayyad character.

A mausoleum of Saladin, the Conqueror of Baitul Muqaddas and Palestine and popular as Sultan Salah Uddin Ayyubi who died in Damascus in 1193, is also located adjacent to the Umayyad Mosque.

"Let's build New Syria"

Meanwhile, the crowd gathered in Damascus’ Umayyad Square called for unity to build a new country, chanting “Unified Syria to build Syria".

Wardan Aoun, who identified himself as a fighter from Idlib, said, “There is a good government now and God willing corruption will be gone.”

“We lived in Idlib under this government and there is no corruption there,” he said, referring to the rebel-led administration in the enclave, according to news agency Associated Press.

51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine, from Kafr Shams in the southern province of Dara'a, where the 2011 uprising first erupted, talking to Associated Press said he hoped for “freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze. No to racism.”

“The former government was a government of crime and executions,” he said, calling on foreign nations “hosting these gangs to bring them to justice and those who are in Syria and committed crimes should face justice.”

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