The Women’s Section: Shia-Hezbollah Mosque, Baalbek, Lebanon
Women worship in a Shia mosque in the Lebansese City of the Sun, Baalbek on Friday. The mosque, with its Iranian influenced architecture, is Shia and under the dominion of Hezbollah.
Tafadli, take one, insisted an older woman as she handed me a fresh fig and I entered the mosque. She was sitting at the entrance with a few other woman chatting and eating.
Kifich?, How are you?, obligatory cheek kisses, she continued Ishta’tilik, I miss you. I had never met her before.
Woman were sitting around, praying, chatting and waiting for group led readings, a few of them with heavy hearts written in their eyes.
A sat with the women while one of them read prayers; an older woman was weeping. My heart was like a weight inside me as I hurt for her. I could only begin to imagine the troubles and pain she had endured and the wounds that were causing her tears.
Later, another woman pulled back her shirt over her shoulder to show me a wound, dark purple and maroon.
Women of the Bekaa, both middle aged and older, as well as a few eastern tourists shared the room.
I left as I was escorted by one of the women outside. She grabbed my hand and took me to a bench to sit. She told me her brother was not married and invited me back to her house. I sat with her awhile, met her Afghani husband and told her maybe next time.
