| al-Nuqtah Mosque مسجد النقطة |
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Mosque with the blood of Husayn ibn ‘Alī |
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Aleppo, Syria |
| Affiliation | Shia Islam |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Mosque |
The Masjid al-Nuqtah (Arabic: مسجد النقطة - Mosque of the Drop [of the blood of Husayn]) is a mosque located on Mount Jawshan in Aleppo, Syria. The main feature of the mosque is a stone believed to be stained with the blood of Husayn ibn ‘Alī by Shī‘ah Muslims.[1]
Also located near this mosque on Mount Jawshan, is a shrine known as Mashad al-Siqt[2][3] (Arabic: مشهد السقط - Place of miscarriage). As the prisoners of Karbalā were passing through Aleppo, one of wives of Husayn had a miscarriage.[2] The still-born child was named Muhsin,[3] and buried at this place.
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The prisoners of Karbalā were taken through many cities on their way to Damascus on orders from Yazīd.[4] As they were nearing Aleppo, a Christian monk who lived there could see light emanating from the head of Husayn, upwards to the sky.[5] When the caravan stopped for rest, the monk approached them and asked if he could take the head for the night in exchange for 10,000 dirhams that he had with him.[5] When they agreed, the monk took the head and placed it on a stone, whereon blood from the head fell onto it. In the morning he returned the head and professed Islam.[5] This version of events can be found written on a plaque within the mosque itself.
The mosque suffered an explosion in 1920 when King Faisal ordered his men to store gun-powder in the mosque.[7] Restorations to the mosque began forty years later, and were completed by the 1970s.[8] The current roof of the mosque was built in 1991.[9]