Opinions

In the south of Aleppo, at the edge of the Badia desert, lies Qunsirin (sometimes pronounced Qinsirin or Qansirin), an ancient and historic city on the eastern bank of the Quwayq River. It is not a dream or a myth; it is a living testament to a city that was once a vibrant center on the map of Sham, and then became a deserted ruin beneath the soil.

Qansarin, whose name means something in some sayings&"The Eagles' Fortress"&"It was a crucial stop on the caravan routes, a vital center that connected Damascus and Mosul, the sea and the desert, and linked invaders and merchants with swords and manuscripts."

The Islamic conquest extended northward from the Battle of Yarmouk, reaching the gates of the city, in the 16th year of the Hijra (637 AD), during the reign of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When the Muslims entered the city, they did not burn or destroy it, but rather folded it under a new banner, and began a new chapter in its history.

The conquest was not a fleeting event; Qunsirin quickly became the capital of a large army that bore its name. From its heart, the northern Syrian region was governed during the Umayyad period. It was a city that was independent and governed wisely, from which campaigns were launched and plans were drawn.

But history is unforgiving; as it rises, it also breaks. The dust choked her, the plague exhausted her, and the wars that left her without life or power. She was abandoned by authority, and then abandoned by popular memory.

Despite its abandonment, it did not perish. Today, beneath its hills, remnants of buildings, walls, inscriptions, and roads can be seen, indicating that life here was not fleeting.

Al-Qayrawani wrote about it, and it was mentioned in the books of Tabari and al-Baladhuri. He described it as a gateway to civilization and a reflection of the diversity and richness of the lands of the Levant. It combined the Kufic script with the Byzantine mihrab, and the lantern with the eagle, and stone with meaning.

Today, a silent cone of stone lies buried beneath the earth, abandoned on a vast archaeological mound called&"The present moment"&"There is no life there, no inhabitants, only the remains of walls and old stones, covered in grass and the faint traces of a civilization that was buried by war. The farms surround it, and the scattered ruins indicate that life once thrived here, but then withdrew, choosing to let time pass without ending the story."

Qanserin today is nothing more than a name on a map, but it is a living city in the memory of history. Do not ask for its tears, for it deserves to have its voice restored.

Qansarin is a city that hides and remains, choosing to remain hidden until someone truly hears its call.

And here we hear it!

Qenserin... a city that resisted being forgotten.