Skip to content
Home » Religion

Religion

Line Khatib

The New Syrian Model

    It is tempting to read what is emerging in Damascus as a straightforward turn toward religious governance; as if Syria is finally resolving a long tension between secularism and Islam in favor of the latter. But this reading misses the deep entanglement between the secular and the religious in Syria, not over the past 50 years, but for too many centuries. What the new Syrian government is constructing is not the defeat of the secular by the religious. It is, rather, the latest iteration of that entanglement — and perhaps the first authentic one in decades. Read More at: Line (Lyn) Khatib, Radio Free Syria…

    Celebrating Easter in Homs

    Easter Greetings

      In his Easter greetings, Dr Sahloul describes how the Christian and Muslim faiths have been integrated harmoniously for centuries in Syrian life. He explains that in his native city of Homs, “the sound of Muslim call for prayer intertwines with the sound of church bells. Local TV and radio stations air Christian songs. Muslim and Christian youth perform the local folkloric Aradha, chanting mythical songs about Homs, the city of peace and den of lions.”Read more at: Dr Zaher Sahloul…

      President Ahmad al-Sharaa and First Lady, Latifa al-Droubi, host reception for Syrian women on Eid al-Fitr and Mother’s Day, March 21, 2026. (SANA)
      President Ahmad al-Sharaa and First Lady, Latifa al-Droubi, host reception for Syrian women on Eid al-Fitr and Mother’s Day, March 21, 2026. (SANA)

      President al-Sharaa celebrates role of mothers in building families, communities, and the nation

        21 March 2026.  At a gathering at the People’s Palace, the President honored Syrian women for their immense sacrifices while standing as pillars of the nation and partners in Syria’s renaissance. In an open dialogue, he sought their perspectives on rebuilding the country’s social and economic fabric.Read more at:  SANA

        Syria’s Minister of Religious Endowments, Mohammad Abu al-Khair Shukri, delivering a sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, on the first Friday of Ramadan, that emphasized compassion as a core Islamic principle. (SANA)
        Syria’s Minister of Religious Endowments, Mohammad Abu al-Khair Shukri, delivering a sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, on the first Friday of Ramadan, that emphasized compassion as a core Islamic principle. (SANA)

        Compassion, lying at the heart of Islam, should be the foundation for rebuilding Syria, states minister

          20 February 2026.  Minister of Religious Endowments, Abu al-Khair Shukri, called for compassion to be practiced in daily relations in every sphere of life. He also launched a monthly program to reinforce shared Islamic values, morals and ethics, and address social challenges.Read more at:  SANA

          President al-Sharaa participates in a conference titled “The Unity of Islamic Discourse,” February 16, 2026. (SANA)
          President al-Sharaa participates in a conference titled “The Unity of Islamic Discourse,” February 16, 2026. (SANA)

          Islamic charter aims to strengthen cohesion among diverse groups forming 90% of Syria’s population

            18 February 2026.  “Guiding society is a shared responsibility,” stated President Al-Sharaa, calling on those who shape public opinion among Muslims to embrace the Charter for the Unity of Islamic Discourse, a plan for strengthening national cohesion, promoting moderation, and fostering harmony.Read more at:  SYRIAN OBSERVER

            Syria’s Forgotten Contributions to Western Architecture

              Largely unnoticed in the West until recently, Syria played an important role in shaping European architecture through a remarkable 12thcentury cultural exchange between Islamic builders and Knights Templar. The Islamic impulse contributed significantly to the Gothic architecture of Western Europe, starting in the 12th century. It later made its influence felt in India through the distinctive Mughal style of architecture displayed in the Taj Mahal (1648) and also influenced figures like Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723), the architect of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

              Syrian-American Rabbi, Henry Hamra, announced candidacy for parliament cropped. (SANA)
              Syrian-American Rabbi, Henry Hamra, announced candidacy for parliament. (SANA)

              Rabbi Henry Hamra makes historic bid to represent Damascus in nation’s parliament

                3 October 2025.  Syrian-American Rabbi Henry Hamra announced his candidacy for the People’s Council in Damascus, the first Jewish candidate for Syria’s People’s Council since 1967. His platform promotes reconstruction, economic growth, and lifting the US Caesar Act sanctions. He stressed his belief in a united and tolerant Syria, and his aim to bridge Syrian communities at home and abroad. Hamra’s father, Youssef Hamra, the Chief Rabbi of Syrian Jews in NY, left Syria in 1992.Read more at:  SANA

                Damascus in Islamic Prophecy

                  In these turbulent times, as the world appears to slip further into chaos, people are turning to end-times prophecies for guidance or for comfort. Such prophecies exist in several major world religions—Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the three Abrahamic religions—and some lesser-known ones such as Zoroastrianism. All of these ancient revelations predict the appearance of a messianic figure who will raise humanity from the depths of darkness and inaugurate a new era of light.

                  Druze in Idlib reject secession and support justice and reconciliation. (L24-Social Media)
                  Druze in Idlib reject secession and support justice and reconciliation. (L24-Social Media)

                  Majority of Suwayda residents oppose separation and support Syrian unity

                    20 August 2025.   A Civil Initiative Committee for Resolving the Crisis in Suwayda was launched to promote “national discourse, dialogue, and return to our national culture and history.” Its chairman claims the majority of Suwayda’s residents oppose partition and favour remaining part of Syria, as do several Druze sheikhs, in spite of threats. The Suwayda governor calls civil peace “a national and moral necessity,” urging all parties to engage in reform efforts.Read more at:  LEVANT24

                    Assad loyalists attacked coastal government forces in March, sparking four days of sectarian violence. (L24)
                    Assad loyalists attacked coastal government forces in March, sparking four days of sectarian violence. (L24)

                    UN absolves Syrian government in March coastal massacres

                      15 August 2025.  The 66-page report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which investigated the violence of March, praised Syria’s dedication to justice, accountability, and transparency, and called the report a milestone in cooperation between Syria and the UN. The report’s conclusions mirrored many findings of Syria’s Independent National Inquiry, and affirms Syria’s path to accountability. Having free access to the affected regions, the UN determined that individuals within interim security forces were culpable for violence, but there was no evidence that the state directed those crimes.Read more at:  LEVANT 24

                      His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the world, meets People’s Assembly election committee. (SANA)
                      His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the world, meets People’s Assembly election committee. (SANA)

                      Prominent Church leader calls People’s Assembly elections a milestone for Syria’s future

                        27 July 2025. Preparing for the upcoming People’s Assembly elections, Syria’s election committee is reaching out to leaders in all sectors of society to ensure inclusive representation. Among the religious leaders they met with, Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II affirmed his church’s support for the government’s path to national unity and the electoral process. He expressed the hope that members of parliament would be elected for their competence, experience, and ability to serve the nation, regardless of religious, sectarian, or ethnic affiliations.Read more at: SANA

                        Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, in his Los Angeles office on December 10, 2015 (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo)

                        Faith meets diplomacy: interfaith visit to Syria sparks dialogue on peace prospects

                          11 June 2025. Reverend Johnnie Moore and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, long-time advocates of interfaith dialogue in Arab nations, visited Syria to promote peace efforts and held talks with Syria’s president, Ahmad al-Sharra, who is Muslim.  Speaking to Reuters after the trip, Moore expresses optimism about future peace, stating it is “very possible, if not probable,” adding that Syria must prioritize internal stability before broader regional progress can take place.Read more at: REUTERS Subscription needed to read whole article.

                          A guard examines a 1,500-year-old Byzantine engraved stone unearthed during post-war reconstruction in Maarat al-Numan, Syria, May 30. (© Omar Albam, AP)

                          Ancient Byzantine tomb found beneath war-ravaged Syrian home

                            10 June 2025.  As residents return to rebuild after years of conflict, a 1,500-year-old Byzantine tomb, marked by Christian symbols and artifacts, was uncovered beneath a war-damaged home in Maarat al-Numan, northern Syria. The archaeological discovery highlights the rich and complex heritage of Idlib province. With over 800 sites, including an ancient city, it holds a third of Syria’s monuments.Read more at: FRANCE 24

                            The Governor of Daraa commends President Al-Sharaa’s visit, appreciating his dedication to direct engagement with the people. (SANA website 6 June 2025)

                            Al Sharaa visits Daraa, cradle of the Syrian revolution

                              6 June 2025. Governor Taha Al-Zoubi described the visit as a significant milestone on the path to national recovery and praised the president’s efforts to improve economic and living conditions. Al-Zoubi, governor of the province where Syria’s 2011 uprising against tyranny began, stated: “Daraa, which was the first to call for dignity and freedom, renews its commitment to working and cooperating to build the Syria of the future—a just and strong Syria.” While visiting the largely Sunni area, the president met with a delegation of Christian clergy.Read more at: Sana