John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels and the Qur'an. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River. . . John is regarded as a prophet in Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, and Mandaeism. . . .Several different locations claim to possess the severed head of John the Baptist.
The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, located in the old city of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. It is considered by some Muslims to be the fourth-holiest place in Islam.
After the Arab conquest of Damascus in 634, the mosque was built on the site of a Christian basilica dedicated to John the Baptist (Yahya). The mosque holds a shrine which today may still contain the head of John the Baptist, honored as a prophet by both Christians and Muslims alike, and is believed to be the place where Isa (Jesus) will return at the End of Days. The tomb of Saladin stands in a small garden adjoining the north wall of the mosque.
Shrine of Saint John the Baptist in Damascus, Syria. Source: Mazhar Rishi. Date Published: December 19, 2010. Description:
This is the Shrine of Saint John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya) inside the historic Ommayad Mosque in old Damascus, Syria.
