Jabal Mashhad
Jabal Mashhad is one of the two mausoleums in Syria which is of special historical significance to Ismailis. The mausoleum overlooks the castle of Masyaf and is thought to hold the tombs of the 8th Ismaili Imam, Wafi Ahmed, and his two sons as well Rashid al-Din Sinan, a Syrian dai from a much later period in Ismaili history.
Jabal Mashhad overlooks the Castle of Masyaf and is thought to hold the tomb of the 8th Ismaili Imam Wafi Ahmed - one of the Imams who reigned during the dawr satr period. Photo: Arif Babul, Vancouver. Copyright. Please click for enlargement.
Visitors view exhibits on display inside the mausoleum which is thought to contain the tombs of Imam Wafi Ahmed and his two sons as well as the Ismaili dai Rashid al-Din Sinan. Photo: Arif Babul, Vancouver. Copyright. Please click for enlargement.
Another photo of the exterior of the mausoleum, taken by Henna Budhwani. A viewer on Henna's flicker photo stream site notes: "This is a very beautiful place on the top of a beautiful mountain in Masyaf." Copyright. See more of Henna's photos in her Flickr gallery, link below.
- A view of the mausoleum from a lower section of the mountain. Photo: Arif Babul, Vancouver. Copyright. Please click for enlargement.
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Maqam al Imam
Maqam al Imam is the second mausoleum in the city of Salamiyya that is of special significance to the Ismailis living there. The locals mentioned that this shrine holds the tombs of Imams Taki Muhammed and Radi Abdallah, 9th and 10th Ismaili Imams respectively. Some also believe that the 6th Imam, Ismail, is also buried here. The building is built on top of tunnels.
Ismaili Imams from Imam Ismail to Imam al-Mahdi resided in and around Salamiyya in a period in Ismaili history which is referred to as dawr satr. The Imams observed taqiya (kept away from public recognition), to avoid arrest by the Abbasid agents as well as to protect the interest of the Jamat. Imam al-Mahdi then left Salamiyya and founded the Fatimid Caliphate in North Africa. See related article, link below.
- The entrance to the Maqam al Imam in Salamiyya. This mausoleum is thought to hold the tombs of Imams Taqi Muhammad and Radi Abdulla. Photo: Arif Babul, Vancouver. Copyright.
Maqam al Imam is thought to hold the tombs of Imams Taqi Muhammad, Radi Abdullah, and, some also say, Imam Ismail. Photo: Arif Babul, Vancouver. Please click for enlargement.
Visitors looking into one of the tunnels in the Maqam. On occasions when the soldiers threatened, the Imams were whisked up via underground tunnels. There is a famous story of Ismaili fidais claiming to be the Imam and risking arrest in order to confuse and delay the soldiers, giving the Imam time to flee. Photo: Arif Babul, Vancouver. Copyright.
A reflection from the glass as visitors look into the tunnel. Photo: Arif Babul, Vancouver. Please click for enlargement.
Date article posted on Simerg: February 1, 2011
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Photo Credits:
1. Professor Arif Babul, Vancouver, Canada
2. Henna Budhwani. Please click Henna Budhwani’s photo stream (on Flickr)
Please click for great moments in Ismaili history
Please read related articles:
Great Moments in Ismaili History: The Establishment of the Fatimid Caliphate
Photos of the Ruins of the Fatimid Capital, al-Mahdiya, and the Ajdabiyah Fortress Palace
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Mashallah, a great article and a service to us all.
Thank you Prof. Babul and Henna for sharing these wonderful and historical photographs with the jamat. Mowla bless you both.
Excellent photographs. I have improved my knowledge by looking at these pictures and reading the text.
Mashallah! What a great job in capturing the images of the last resting places of our great Imams. These visuals should form part of our REC curriculum through ITREB. Please continue your quest of these marvelous sites and keep on sharing for the benefit of the entire community.
Thank you for sharing our Imams’ Mausoleums. Very enlightening and inspirational. Blessed to have such a heritage!
Nice and beautiful photos of mausoleums in Syria. It seems they are preserved well. I hope one day I shall have the opportunity to visit them and the citadels in Syria.
Excellent photographs which provide a lot of knoweldge about our historical monuments. The photographers deserve our thanks for making these trips and bringing the mausoleums to our attention.
Thank you for sharing – Keep up the good work – May Allah bless you with lots of baraka -Amen.
Very interesting to know that there are masouleums of Imams from the Syrian period. I only knew of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah’s in Aswan. Thank you.
Great, at the outset, I must congratulate you both, Professor Arif Babul and Henna Budhwani for the magnificent work done for the readers.Your efforts, to personally visit these historical sites and than inform the readers, is sincerely very appreciative. I hope you both in the future, will continue to explore many more such places. I had an opportunity to visit Aswan in 2003 and see the tomb of Hazarat Sultan Mohammad Shah where Maata Salamat is also buried in the said tomb. I had also got an opportunity to sail in the Nile river in the same boat in which Maata Salamat used to sail in the evening. Inshallah, if I am alive, I will make it a point to see all such places where our Imams used to live and rest.
It has been an inspiration to see these pictures of mausoleums of our late Imams in Syria. Inshallah, in the near future I will visit the Middle East, Iran, Aswan and other places to see these and other historical and religious monuments of significance. My special thanks to Professor Arif Babul and Henna Budhwani for sharing their photos on this Web site. Well done to both of you and keep it up.
Noorally Rai Moosa, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Thank you for these photos.
Great photos and captions. I am pleased to say that as far back in 1993 I was in Syria and saw the 4 Imams’ relics but they were not renovated then. Many of these are left intact even today. So moved by what the Fiadais did for Imams.
I visited Syria in November 2011 and saw the sites. Must visit Syria for its historical past.