Mashhad al-Saqt

Mashhad al-Saqt (Arabic: مَشهَدالسِّقْطْ) located three hundred meters from Mashhad al-Nuqta, near Aleppo, Syria, is among places where Shi’a visit. According to Shi’ite tradition, it is the place where one of Imam Hussain’s widows had a miscarriage. It is believed that the miscarried baby was named Muhsin, although there is no historical source to testify this name.

An interior view of the Darih of Mashhad al-Siqt, Aleppo, Syria

The Name of Mashhad al-Saqt

As the caravan of captives was on their way to Yazid’s court, one of the wives of Imam Hussain had a miscarriage. That is reason this place is named Mashhad al-Saqt meaning the place of miscarriage.

Story

While the caravan of captives stopped for a rest, a wife of Imam had a miscarriage. It is believed that there used to be a useful mineral in that area, but when its residents felt elated upon seeing the captives, Zainab invoked Allah’s curse against them; therefore, that mineral lost its useful qualities.

History of Construction

In Tarikh of Ibn Abu Tay, it is cited that this place was originally called Mashhad al-Tarh where Sayf al-Dawla al-Hamdani used to sit and watch horse races. However, when he learned about the story of miscarriage, he ordered the construction of a mausoleum.

Source

• Yasin T. Al-Jibouri, Karbala and Beyond
• Shaykh 'Abbas Qummi, Nafasul Mahmum; Relating to the heart rending tragedy of Karbala'