Aqraba, Syria

Aqraba (; transliteration: "ʿAqrabāʾ", also spelled "Akraba" or "Aqrabah") is a village in southern Syria, administratively part of the al-Sanamayn District of the Daraa Governorate. In the 2004 census by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Aqraba had a population of 4,413.
Geography.
Aqraba is situated in the Jaydur area of the Hauran region and is immediately east of the Golan Heights. It is located 50 kilometers southwest of Damascus, 15 kilometers north of Jasim, 4 kilometers north of al-Harra and Tel al-Hara and 10 kilometers southeast of Kafr Shams. Nearby places include Naba al-Sakher to the east, Masharah to the northeast, al-Mal and al-Tiha to the north and Kafr Nasij to the northeast.
History.
In the 6th century, Aqraba served as a residence of the Ghassanid Arab princes, who ruled the Arabia and Palaestina Secunda provinces on behalf of the Byzantine Empire. An inscription in the village mentions a certain "Nuʾmān", which probably refers to a Ghassanid prince of that name. The 6th-century Arabic poets al-Nabigha and Hassan ibn Thabit both mention the Ghassanid presence in Aqraba. The village contained two monasteries dating from the Ghassanid period. The village was later mentioned by the 13th-century Syrian geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi, who noted it belonged to the Jawlan district of Damascus and that "Ghassanid kings dwelt here of old".
Ottoman era.
In 1596 Aqraba appeared in the Ottoman tax registers, situated in the "nahiya" of Jaydur, part of Hauran Sanjak. It had an entirely Muslim population consisting of 27 households and 13 bachelors. They paid a fixed tax-rate of 25% on agricultural products, mostly wheat, but also some on barley and summer crops; in addition to occasional revenues; a total of 16,600 akçe.
History.
The mosque was originally called the Qingxiu Mosque and was established in the 8th century during the Tang Dynasty. It then went several renovations and reconstructions after 11th century. The existing building was mainly built during the Ming Dynasty.
Architecture.
The mosque has the traditional Chinese architecture style and consists of two courtyards. The main buildings include the gate, prayer hall, sermon hall, decorated archway, ablution hall etc. The prayer hall combines the traditional Chinese, Arabic and Islamic architecture style.
Transportation.
The mosque is accessible west from Taiyuan Railway Station.