Adra () is a town in southern

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

, administratively part of the

Rif Dimashq Governorate Rif Dimashq Governorate (, Literal translation, lit. "Damascus Countryside Governorate" or "Damascus Suburb") is one of the fourteen Governorates of Syria, governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in the southwestern part of the country. ...

, located northeast of

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 20,559 in the 2004 census.General Census of Population and Housing 2004
Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Rif Dimashq Governorate. The Hujr ibn Adi Mosque is located in the town.

Summary

Adra is the site of Syria's largest

industrial city An industrial city or industrial town is a town or city in which the municipal economy, at least historically, is centered around industry, with important factories or other production facilities in the town. It has been part of most countries' ...

, located immediately east of the town. The industrial zone's area is around 7,000

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), that is, square metres (), and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. ...

s, with half being designated for services and the other half for industries. Its total estimated cost $570 million US. In 2008 there were 90 operating factories while 1,125 factories were under construction. The investment value for active factories was $646 million US. By 2010, Adra's industrial city contained the largest number of active factories and factories under construction in Syria, with a total of 1,952, a few more than in Shaykh Najjar. The city's director-general in 2010 was Ziad Badour. The town is the site of the Adra Prison. Nearby localities include al-Rihan and Douma to the west, al-Shafuniyah and Hawsh Nasri to the southwest, Midaa to the south, Dumeir to the east, al-Qutayfah to the north, Hufayr al-Tahta to the northwest.

History

Adra is identified with the Biblical town of " Hadrach" mentioned by Zechariah who noted the city, which was defended by Damascus, was condemned. The

Ghassanids The Ghassanids, also known as the Jafnids, were an Tribes of Arabia, Arab tribe. Originally from South Arabia, they migrated to the Levant in the 3rd century and established what would eventually become a Christian state, Christian kingdom unde ...

, who were

Arab Christians Arab Christians () are the Arabs who adhere to Christianity. The number of Arab Christians who live in the Middle East was estimated in 2012 to be between 10 and 15 million. Arab Christian communities can be found throughout the Arab world, bu ...

, dominated Adra and fought against the

Arab Muslim Arab Muslims () are the Arabs who adhere to Islam. They are the largest subdivision of the Arab people and the largest ethnic group among Muslims globally, followed by Bengalis and Punjabis. Likewise, they comprise the majority of the population ...

invaders commanded by

Khalid ibn al-Walid Khalid ibn al-Walid ibn al-Mughira al-Makhzumi (; died 642) was a 7th-century Arabs, Arab military commander. He initially led campaigns against Muhammad on behalf of the Quraysh. He later became a Muslim and spent the remainder of his career ...

in the Battle of Marj Rahit in July, 634 CE. The battle resulted in a decisive

Rashidun The Rashidun () are the first four caliphs () who led the Muslim community following the death of Muhammad: Abu Bakr (), Umar (), Uthman (), and Ali (). The reign of these caliphs, called the Rashidun Caliphate (632–661), is considered i ...

victory and largescale

Islamization The spread of Islam spans almost 1,400 years. The early Muslim conquests that occurred following the death of Muhammad in 632 CE led to the creation of the caliphates, expanding over a vast geographical area; conversion to Islam was boosted ...

took place in the area soon after. Adra contains several graves of ''

sahaba The Companions of the Prophet () were the Muslim disciples and followers of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who saw or met him during his lifetime. The companions played a major role in Muslim battles, society, hadith narration, and governance ...

'' ("companions" of

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

ic prophet

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

), including most notably that of

Hujr ibn Adi Ḥujr ibn ʿAdī al-Kindī () was a supporter of Ali, the fourth Rashidun Caliph for Sunni Muslims and the first Imam for Shia Muslims. He was companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He belonged to the tribe of Kinda. According to some na ...

. The

Zengid The Zengid or Zangid dynasty, also referred to as the Atabegate of Mosul, Aleppo and Damascus (Arabic: أتابكة الموصل وحلب ودمشق), or the Zengid State (Old Anatolian Turkish: , Modern Turkish: ; ) was initially an '' Atabegat ...

ruler

Imad al-Din Zengi Imad al-Din Zengi (; – 14 September 1146), also romanized as Zangi, Zengui, Zenki, and Zanki, was a Turkoman atabeg of the Seljuk Empire, who ruled Mosul, Aleppo, Hama, and, later, Edessa. He was the namesake and founder of the Zengid dyn ...

encamped at Adra in early 1135 before attempting to besiege

which was controlled by the Burids. In the early 19th-century a ruined ''khan'' ("

caravansary A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was an inn that provided lodging for travelers, merchants, and caravans. They were present throughout much of the Islamic world. Depending on the region and period, they were called by a variety of names inc ...

") was reported by Western travelers to be near the village of Adra. In 2013, it was the site of the Adra massacre conducted by Islamist rebels against Syrian minorities.

References

Bibliography

* {{Rif Dimashq Governorate, douma Populated places in Douma District