Religion

Shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) (Arabic: العَتَبَة العَباسيَّة المُقَدَّسَة) is the burial place of al-‘Abbas b. ‘Ali (a) in Karbala which is located 378 meters northeast of the Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a) and the place between the two shrines is called Bayn al-Haramayn. The Shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) has a shared history with the Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a) and is one of the most important places for Shi’a to visit.

al-‘Abbas (a) was martyred on Muharram 10, 61/680 when confronting the army of ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad.

History

The Holy Shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) is located on the east of the Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a), the same place he (a) was martyred. This building includes one court, mausoleum and a dome covered with tiles and two minarets with heads plated with gold. Always, the people who have cared about rebuilding and expanding the Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a) have rebuilt and renewed the holy shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) as well.

First Building

In 66/685, al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi, with the help of some Arabs and Iranians who were Shia of Imam Ali (a) made an uprising to take revenge for Imam al-Husayn (a) and during his rule and government (by him or other Shia), the first building for the shrine was built and gradually, this building and the whole city was developed, but in 170/786-7, Harun al-Rashid ordered to destroy it.

Second Building

al-Ma’mun who took power in 198/813-4, began a friendly relation with Shia; thus, Shia used this opportunity and the second building of the shrine was built at the time of al-Ma’mun. In 232/846-7, al-Mutawakkil became the caliph. He ordered to destroy not only the Shrines of Imam al-Husayn (a) and al-‘Abbas (a) but the whole city of Karbala. After destroying the city, he ordered to plow the whole area and fill it with water.

Third Building

The ‘Abbasid caliph, al-Muntasir, distributed great property among ‘Alavids and ordered to reconstruct the city of Karbala and the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a). Thus, Karbala was developed in his time and pilgrims flew to the city from different places.

Fourth Building

In 367/977-8, ‘Adud al-Dawla Daylami entered Baghdad and then went to visit Karbala and Najaf and ordered to build a great shrine for al-‘Abbas (a). The mentioned building began in 367/977-8 and finished in 372/982-3.

At the Time of Jalayirids

After the establishment of Jalayirid government in Iran, when Shaykh Hasan Ilkani came to power in 740/1339-40, Sultan Uways (Shaykh Hasan’s son) began repairing the shrine, which finished in 786/1384-5 and many gifts were sent to the shrine through Iran.

At the Time of Safavids

Shah Isma’il Safavi victoriously entered Baghdad on Jumada II 25, 914/ October 21, 1508 and was well received by Shias. The next day, he went toward Karbala and sat in the Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a) for one whole day. He then went to the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) and ordered extensive repairs on the shrine. He also gifted twelve cylinders of pure gold he had brought from Iran to the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a). He ordered to cover the floor of the whole shrine with valuable silk carpets woven in Isfahan and employed a special team of servants to maintain and light the cresset of the shrine whose descendants are known today Karbala as Al Qandil. Isma’il Safavi also ordered the tiling of the dome as well, which was remaining until 1302/1884-5.

At the Time of Nader Shah Afshar

In 1153/1740-1, Nader Shah sent many gifts to the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) and ordered extensive repairs in that holy shrine.

In the Attack of Wahhabis

On Dhu l-Hijja 18, 1216/April 21, 1802 when people had gone from Karbala to Najaf to celebrate Eid al-Ghadir, Sa’ud b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz attacked Karbala with an army and ordered the pillage of the whole city, destruction of the Shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) and loot all the gifts of Safavid Shahs and Nader Shah and chandeliers of gold and silver, etc.

At the Time of Qajar

After the attack of Wahhabis to Karbala, the people of Iran, with the help of the government at the time of Fath Ali Shah Qajar made a great donation to the city and repaired all the destructions Wahhabis had made. The shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) was also repaired, and the silver Darih Fath Ali Shah had gifted was installed in 1227/1812-3.

Repairs of the shrine were not stopped during the rule of Qajar and Nasir al-Din Shah ordered the renewal of tilework of the dome. In 1304/1886-7, the tilework of the courtyard was finished and the tilework of the dome was finished in 1305/1887-8. Also, ‘Abd al-Husayn Tihrani, known as Shaykh al-‘Iraqayn made extensive repairs in the shrine using Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Kabir’s bequeathable one-third of his property.

Current Condition

The shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) is located 378 meters northeast of the Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a) and Bayn al-Haramayn is the place connecting the two shrines. The burial place of al-‘Ababs b. Ali (a) is located in the middle of the shrine, and over it, a gifted exquisite Khatam box is placed on which some repairs have been made over time.

Over the box, the silver darih is placed, which was made during three years by Iranian artists and the help of Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim and was installed in 1385/1965-6. The new darih was made using four hundred thousand Mithqals (a unit of mass equal to 4.25 grams) of pure silver and eight thousand Mithqals of gold. There are four symmetric rawaqs at the four sides of the shrine, which are joined at their ends. The ceiling and all the walls of the shrine and rawaqs have mirror-works on them made by Iranian artists. Over darih, a great dome is built gold plating which was finished in 1375/1955-6.

On the two sides of the south portico, there are two minarets. On the south part of the shrine, there is a roofed portico in the middle of which there is a golden door having Mina-works on it made in Isfahan and on its east and west sides, there are two small doors and all the three doors open to the south rawaq.

Architecture of the Shrine

Rawaqs

The shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) has four rawaqs that surround darih from four sides: the north rawaq is used to enter the basement and the holy grave and it is said that it has been overlooking ‘Alqama Stream. The south rawaq having three doors opened to the golden portico.

Golden Portico

The golden portico is a great portico in front of the shrine overlooking the courtyard in 320 square meters. In its visible walls, coppery bricks and gold plating are used.

Courtyard

The area of the courtyard of Abu l-Fadl’s (a) shrine is 9300 square meters and the area of the whole shrine, including rawaqs, the place under the dome and the portico, is 4370 square meters. The great courtyard has four porticos. At the top of the north portico, there is an epigraph that includes the date 1304/1886-7. The courtyard has four sides and on each side, there are small rooms which are totally 75.

Dome

Over the shrine of Abu l-Fadl (a), there is a dome with a diameter of 12 meters different from other domes. It is a semi-circle dome with a sharp tip and a taller bottom from which windows with arches and sharp tips open outside. Inside the dome, in the bottom part is dark purple on which verses of the glorious Qur’an are written in white.

In 1375/1955-6, the dome was gold-plated. In that year, al-Shaykh Muhammad Khatib sent a telegram to the prime minister of Iraq, Muhammad Fadil Jamali, and asked to plate the dome with gold. Consequently, gold-plating the dome was done, and based on documents available in Awqaf management of Karbala, 6418 bricks of gold have been used on the dome. In the interior of the dome, some verses of the Qur’an are inscribed with mirror-works. The height of the dome is 39 meters from the ground.

Treasure and the Library of the Shrine

In the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a), there are precious articles that are priceless, including precious carpets, carpets woven by gold threads or having gems, golden chandeliers, inlaid swords, golden clocks, clocks made of ebony woods and alike.

The library of the shrine contains 109 very precious handwritten copies of the Holy Qur’an, one of which is attributed to Imam Ali (a). The library of the shrine and its treasure are kept in one place.

Great People Buried in the Shrine

Some great people buried in the shrine are as following:

• Sayyid Muhammad Muhsin Zanjani (d. 1355/1936-7)
• al-Shaykh ‘Ali b. Zayn al-‘Abidin Parchini Yazdi, the author of Ilzam al-nasib fi ithbat al-hujja al-gha’ib
• Shaykh ‘Ali Akbar Yazdi Bafru’i, one student for ‘Allama Ardakani
• Sayyid Kazim Bihbahani, one student for Sayyid Hashim Qazwini
• Allama Sayyid ‘Abd Allah Kishmiri
• Shaykh Mulla ‘Ali al-Yazdi, well known as Sibiwayh
• Shaykh Kazim al-Har

Place of al-‘Abbas’s (a) Hand

The place of the right hand of al-‘Abbas (a) is between Bab al-Baghdad and Bab al-Khan, near Bab al-‘Alqami of the shrine of Abu l-Fadl (a) and the place of the left hand of al-‘Abbas (a) is 50 meters away from the small Bab al-Qibla of the courtyard of the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) at the entrance of Bab al-Khan bazaar.

Existence of Water beside the Grave of al-‘Abbas (a)

There is a water spring surrounding and under the grave of al-‘Abbas (a). Since 50 years ago, the water level has been intact and using its water does not change its level. The water level is one meter above the grave, but it does not enter the grave area. The entrance to the water channel in the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) is currently closed.

Management of the Shrine of al-‘Abbas (a)

Management of the shrine is among important positions between the time of Buyids and Safavids and at the time of Safavids, it became much more important. Since the 10th/16th century, some people living in Karbala had orders from Safavid kings to manage the shrine. During the rule of Ottomans in Iraq, names of some managers and servants of the shrines of Imam al-Husayn (a) and al-‘Abbas (a) were registered in a special record. However sometimes, when the managers are Sayyid, they also have the position of leadership of Alavis and thus become the ruler of Karbala and sometimes they are only managers of the shrine and the leader of Alavis would be someone else. Only towards the end of the rule of Safavids and the beginning of the rule of Ottomans over Iraq, there were non-Alavi managers for the shrine.

Shrine of Imām al-Ḥusayn (a) (Arabic: العَتَبَة الحُسَینیَّة) is the resting place of Imam al-Husayn (a), some people from Banu Hashim and some of his companions in the ‌Battle of Karbala, who were martyred on Muharram 10th, 61/October 10, 680 in a battle with the army of ‘Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad.

Al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi made the first building on Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave. The building was later reconstructed and developed by Shias and followers of Ahl al-Bayt (a), especially rulers and governors.

Visiting Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine is a Shiite practice recommended in Shiite hadiths. Most visitors or pilgrims congregate in Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine on Ashura, Arba’in, and Sha’ban 15th. In Shiite fiqh, there are rulings specific to Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine and its soil.

History

After the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions, a clan of Banu Asad buried their corpses where they were martyred. The only sign on Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave at the time was a lump of soil.

First Mausoleum

When al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi triumphed in his uprising for the vengeance of Imam al-Husayn (a) in Sha’ban of 65/March 685, he built the first mausoleum for Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave with a dome made of bricks and plasters. The building consisted of an area with a ceiling and a mosque with two gates–one to the east and one to the west. Since many Shiites visited Imam al-Husayn’s (a) mausoleum, Harun al-Rashid ordered some of his soldiers to destroy the mosque built on Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave as well as the one built on Abu l-Fadl al-‘Abbas’s (a). Harun had also asked them to cut the cedar tree that had grown near Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave (and was used as a sign for the grave) and to raze the grave.

Abbasid Period

When al-Ma’mun al-‘Abbasi took over the caliphate, all Abbasids opposed him. So to reinforce and establish his power against their oppositions, al-Ma’mun appealed to Imam ‘Ali’s (a) progeny and his Shiites. Thus, he reconstructed Imam al-Husayn’s (a) mausoleum and allowed Shiites to visit the place as well as the graves of other Imams.

The building made at the command of al-Ma’mun was there until 232/846-7, but when al-Mutawakkil al-‘Abbasi took over the power, he ordered the destruction of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) mausoleum and submerged it with water.

In the late 247/862, when al-Muntasir al-‘Abbasi took over the caliphate, he ordered the construction of a dome on Imam al-Husayn’s (a) mausoleum. The building remained intact until 273/886-7, that is, the period of al-Mu’tadid al-‘Abbasi‘s caliphate.

In Dhu l-Hijja 9, 273/May 7, 887, when pilgrims had gathered in Imam al-Husayn’s (a) mausoleum on the Day of ‘Arafa, the building was destroyed and some pilgrims were killed. After that, Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave remained without a building on it for 10 years until when al-Da’i al-Saghir took over the power. He ordered a building for Imam ‘Ali’s (a) and Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrines with tall domes and two gates, each including an area with ceilings. He also reconstructed the fortification around Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine and the houses nearby. The building dates back to the years 279/892-3 to 289/901-2.

Buyid Period

During the caliphate of al-Ta’i’ b. al-Muti’ al-‘Abbasi, ‘Adud al-Dawla al-Daylami took over the power in Baghdad. In Jumada I, 371/November- December 981, he ordered the reconstruction of the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a). In addition to the reconstruction of the building, ‘Adud al-Dawla also decorated the place and built porches around the shrine. He decorated the darih with teak and precious cloth, with a wooden cover. He also donated some candlesticks to the shrine. This led to the flourishing and development of Karbala in matters religious, social, and commercial.

In 369/979-80, Mu’izz al-Dawla al-Daylami assigned ‘Imran b. Shahin with the governance of Batih, near Wasit, where ‘Imran began to build a porch later known after the name of Sayyid Ibrahim al-Mujab. The mosque he built near the porch remained intact until the Safavid period. In this period, according to a fatwa permitting the attachment of mosques to the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a), it was included within the developed building of the shrine. Parts of this mosque are still included in the shrine as storage for the shrine’s carpets. It is located behind the porch known as the Nasiri Porch.

In 407/1016-7, two big candles (lightening the shrine) fell on the carpets and set the curtains and covers on fire. The fire then spread to the porches and the dome such that only the walls, parts of the shrine and ‘Imran b. Shahin’s mosque remained intact.

After taking over the power, Hasan b. Mufaddal b. Sahlan began to reconstruct the shrine, parts of which –including the domes and the porches– were burnt in a fire. In 412/1021-2, he repaired the dome and the burnt parts and ordered a wall around the shrine.

Years later, in 620/1223-4, Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Karim al-Kindi was appointed as al-Nasir li-Din Allah’s minister. During his ministry, he repaired, renewed, and reconstructed the damaged parts of the shrine, covered the walls and the porches with teak, and installed a wooden box covered with a precious cloth on the grave.

Jalayiri Period

Uways b. Hasan al-Jalayiri renewed the mosque and the shrine in 767/1365-6 and built a semicircular dome over the darih. The dome rested on four porches on the four sides of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave, and the exterior sides of each porch constituted a porch of the shrine. A large dome was built on these four porches, constituting a novel geometrical shape. The building was later completed by one of Uways’s sons, Ahmad, in 786/1384-5. It was built in such a way that one could see the whole shrine and the mausoleum and the darih if they stood outside towards qibla. Moreover, pilgrims could walk around the darih.

Ahmad al-Jalayiri built the portico opposite the courtyard, known as the Golden Portico, and the mosque of the courtyard, which is square-shaped around the shrine. He also decorated the porches and the internal building of the shrine with mirrors, inlays, and Kashan‘s tiles with portraits of natural sceneries. At Ahmad al-Jalayiri’s command, the two minarets of the shrine were also decorated by yellow bricks of Kashan.

Safavid Period

In 914/1508-9, Shah Isma’il I conquered Baghdad. On the second day after the conquest, he visited Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine and ordered his agents to gild the margins of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) darih. In 920/1514-5, Shah Isma’il visited the shrine once again and ordered a teak box over the darih.

In 932/1525-6, Shah Isma’il II donated a gorgeous netted, silver darih to Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine.

In 983/1575-6, ‘Ali Pasha reconstructed the dome of the shrine.

In 1032/1622-3, Shah ‘Abbas I constructed a copper darih for its box and decorated the dome with Kashan’s stones.

In 1048/1638-9, Sultan Murad IV, an Ottoman king, visited Karbala and ordered the exterior part of the dome to be whitened by plasters.

Afsharid Period

In 1135/1722-3, Nadir Shah’s wife, who had a great wealth at her disposal, ordered the shrine administrators to embark upon an extensive reconstruction. In 1155/1742-3, Nadir Shah visited Karbala and ordered the decoration of the existing buildings. He also donated precious gifts to the treasury of the shrine.

Qajar Period

In 1211/1796-7, Aqa Muhammad Khan Qajar ordered the decoration of the shrine’s dome with gold. But in 1216/1801-2, Wahhabis attacked Karbala and destroyed the darih and the porches and stole all precious property in the shrine’s treasury.

In 1227/1812-3, the shrine’s building was wearing out. Thus people of Karbala wrote a letter to Fath ‘Ali Shah Qajar and informed him of the damages. He sent a supervisor to check the expenses and the reconstruction and then ordered the reconstruction of the building and the renewal of the golden sheets of the dome.

In 1232/1816-7, Fath ‘Ali Shah Qajar built a new silver darih, gilded the dome’s portico, and reconstructed everything destroyed by Wahhabis.

In 1250/1834-5, Fath ‘Ali Shah ordered the reconstruction of the dome as well as that of Abu l-Fadl al-‘Abbas’s (a) shrine.

In 1273/1856-7, Nasir al-Din Shah renewed the dome and some of the golden covers, and in 1283/1866-7, he developed the shrine’s courtyard.

Later Periods

• In 1358/1939-40, Sayf al-Din Tahir, an Isma’ili missionary, changed the silver darih into a new one. In 1360/1941, he renewed one of the minarets, which was completely destroyed. In 1367/1947-8, houses and religious schools near the shrine were destroyed to expand the shrine. In 1370/1950-1, the eastern side of the shrine was extended and was decorated with porches made of precious tiles. In 1371.1951-2, the dome of the shrine was reconstructed and decorated with golden tiles. In 1373/1953-4, the mirrors of the shrine’s ceiling and porches were completely reconstructed and mosaics were brought there from Isfahan to decorate Imam al-Husayn’s (a) and Abu l-Fadl al-‘Abbas’s (a) shrines. In this year, the upper part of the Qibla Portico (the Golden Portico) was gilded.

• In 1383/1963-4, the Reconstruction Committee of the shrine imported stones from Italy in order to construct the exterior walls of the shrine. In 1388/1968-9, pillars were imported from Iran and the old ceiling of the Portico was lifted. In 1392/1972-3, the reconstruction of the new Golden Portico started. In 1394/1974-5, the plan for the reconstruction and the harmonization of the courtyard was devised. The plan included the reconstruction of the portico, destruction of the western side of the courtyard, and covering the walls with tiles. In 1395/1975-6, the reconstruction of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) and Abu l-Fadl’s (a) shrines continued, the walls of the courtyard were covered with tiles and a library and a museum were built on the western side. In 1396/1976, the Ministry of Endowment decorated and renewed the Golden Portico with tiles and inlays.

• In recent years, a ceiling was built on the courtyard. This is why the dome and the minarets of the shrine are no longer visible from a distance.

Architecture

Courtyard

The courtyard of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine includes the porches of the shrine, also known as “jāmi'”. Before 1948, bazaars and other buildings were adjacent to the shrine, with no street between them. In that year, a street was built around the shrine.

The courtyard’s interior was rectangular-shaped, with two small additional sides–in fact, it was hexagonal, just like the darih. However, in the expansion of the shrine in 1947, the two additional sides–one in the southeastern part and the other in the northeastern part–were removed. Thus the courtyard looks rectangular from the inside, though it seems oval from the outside.

Before the expansion of the shrine in 1947, there were mosques and Islamic seminary schools around the courtyard, and their doors used to open to the shrine. However, Karbala’s municipality destroyed all these schools and mosques and constructed a street around the shrine.

The whole area of the courtyard is 1500 square meters. There are 65 porches around the courtyard, and there is a chamber in each porch. The chambers belonged to the students of the Islamic seminary schools to discuss their studies there, and some of them were allocated to kings, rulers, governors, and Islamic scholars.

Gates

The shrine’s courtyard has some gates, each opening to a district in Karbala. The gates are located under tall porticos decorated with tiles on which Quranic verses with the Kufic calligraphy are inscribed.

In the past, there were seven gates in the courtyard, but today it has ten gates:

• Bab al-Qibla (Arabic: باب القبلة, the gate of qibla): it is the oldest and the main gate of the courtyard. It is called so because it is located in the direction of the qibla.

• Bab al-Raja (Arabic: باب الرجاء, the gate of hope): it is located between Bab al-Qibla and Bab Qadi l-Hajat.

• Bab Qadi l-Hajat (Arabic: باب قاضی الحاجات): the gate is located across the Suq al-‘Arab (Arab market), and it is called so after one of Imam al-Mahdi’s (a) titles (Qadi l-Hajat: the satisfier of people’s needs). Its height is five meters and its width is 3.5 meters.

• Bab al-Shuhada (Arabic: باب الشهداء, the gate of the martyrs): the gate is located between the eastern side on the pilgrims’ way to Abu l-Fadl al-‘Abbas’s (a) shrine. It is called so after the martyrs of Karbala.

• Bab al-Karama (Arabic: باب الکرامة, the dignity gate): it is located in the furthest distance in the northeastern side of the courtyard, near Bab al-Shuhada. It is called so after Imam al-Husayn’s (a) dignity.

• Bab al-Salam (Arabic: باب السلام, the greeting gate): it is located in the middle of the northern side, and it is called so because, at this gate, people used to greet Imam al-Husayn (a).

• Bab al-Sidra (Arabic: باب السدرة, the gate of cedar): it is located in the furthest point in the northwestern side of the courtyard, and it is called so because of the cedar tree that grew near Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave in the 1st/7th century by which pilgrims found the location of the grave.

• Bab al-Sultaniyya (Arabic: باب السلطانیة, the Sultan gate): it is located on the western side of the courtyard, and it is called so because it was built by an Ottoman Sultan.

• Bab Ra’s al-Husayn (Arabic: باب رأس الحسین, the gate of al-Husayn’s head): it is located in the middle of the western side of the courtyard, and it is called so because it is across the head of Imam al-Husayn (a).

• Bab al-Zaynabiyya (Arabic: باب الزینبیة, the gate of Zaynab (a)): it is located on the southwestern side of the courtyard, and it is called so because it is near the Zaynabiyya hill (tall al-Zaynabiyya) or Maqam Zaynab.

Dome

There is a tall dome over Imam al-Husayn’s (a) mausoleum, covered with pure gold. The lower part of the dome contains ten windows to the outside. The dome is 37 meters high. It looks like an onion from the outside.

Minarets

Within ten meters from the south of the shrine, two large golden minarets are about 25 meters high with four-meter diameters. The two minarets were built in 786/1384-5 during the period of Uways al-Jalayiri and his son, Ahmad.

Golden Portico

The Golden Portico is located on the southern side of the courtyard with a tall ceiling. It consists of three parts: the middle part, which is the tallest, and two shorter lateral parts. The part under the Portico is separated from the courtyard by metal fences located in the middle of pillars. People go inside the shrine from the two lateral sides. The walls of the Portico are coated with pure gold, and the upper parts of the walls are covered with tiles.

Porches

The shrine’s Gunbad Khana–the place above which the dome is located–is surrounded by four porches on its four sides. The width of each porch is five meters, the length of northern and southern porches is 40 meters, the length of eastern and western porches is about 45 meters, and the height of each porch is 12 meters.

• The western porch, which used to be called the porch of ‘Imran b. Shahin is now called the porch of Sayyid Ibrahim al-Mujab. This is because al-Sayyid Ibrahim, Imam Musa al-Kazim’s (a) grandson, is buried there. Some Islamic scholars are also buried in the western porch.

• The eastern porch that used to be called the porch of Aqa Baqir is now called the porch of fuqaha because some faqihs are buried there.

• The southern porch is known as the porch of Habib b. Muzahir who is buried there. There is a small silver darih on his grave, which was renewed on Jumada II 10, 1410/January 8, 1990. The porch also includes the graves of well-known Shiite scholars.

• The northern porch was built by Shah Safi and is called the porch of the kings because Qajar kings are buried there.

Darih

Under the dome, there is a large silver, polygonal darih, in which the graves of Imam al-Husayn (a) and his sons, ‘Ali Asghar and ‘Ali al-Akbar, are located. Different darihs have been built and installed on Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave in different periods. The last time when the darih was changed was in 2012-3.

Mausoleums of the Martyrs of Karbala

‘Ali al-Akbar is buried below Imam al-Husayn’s (a) feet. The two lower sides of the darih belong to ‘Ali al-Akbar and the martyrs of Banu Hashim. This part is adjacent to the exterior part of the darih.

Thus the mausoleums of the martyrs of Banu Hashim are located beside ‘Ali al-Akbar and below Imam al-Husayn’s (a) feet. According to hadiths, when Banu Asad buried the martyrs of Karbala, they buried the corpses of Banu Hashim–who had gathered in one camp–below Imam al-Husayn’s (a) feet, and then some meters below that, they buried the other martyrs of Karbala.

All martyrs of Karbala –except Abu l-Fadl (a), Hurr b. Yazid al-Riyahi, and Habib b. Muzahir— are buried near Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave on the southeastern side of his grave. These graves are located in a 12-meter chamber with an inlaid box and a silver window. Above the window, there are tiles in which the names of 120 martyrs of Karbala and a prayer addressed to them are inscribed.

Killing Zone

The killing zone is the place in which Imam al-Husayn (a) was decapitated. The place has a special chamber with a silver door and a window towards the courtyard on the southwestern side of Habib b. Muzahir’s porch. Its floor is covered with marbles, and it has a cellar with a silver door.

Al-Ha’ir al-Husayni

Main article: Al-Ha’ir al-Husayni

“Al-Ha’ir al-Husayni” is the area of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) mausoleum.

This is called so because when al-Mutawakkil al-‘Abbasi ordered the destruction of the mausoleums of Imam al-Husayn (a) and the martyrs of Karbala, he ordered his agents to submerge the place with water. The water surrounded the grave without flowing over the grave. This place includes the main center of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine, the dome, the darih, and the graves of the martyrs of Karbala.

Treasury and the Library of the Shrine

The shrine’s treasury is located on its northern side. It contains many precious stuff and work donated by kings and rulers of Islamic territories in different centuries. The shrine’s library is located on the eastern side of the shrine. It contains precious copies of the Quran.

People Buried Inside the Shrine

During several centuries, many prominent figures, princes, rulers, poets, and scholars have been buried inside the shrine; here are some:

Trusteeship of the Shrine

Umm Musa, al-Mahdi al-‘Abbasi‘s mother, appointed some people as administrators of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine. She gave them salaries. Harun al-Rashid did the same. These people were the first boards of trustees of the shrine.

Since ‘Alawis constituted the majority of people in Karbala, the city’s governance was in the hands of their naqib. A naqib or the head of ‘Alawi sadat was of a high social and political ranking with special authorities. A person had to fulfill some requirements to occupy the position. It was specific to ‘Alawi households and was transferred from one ‘Alawi household to another provided that they satisfied some conditions. One of the most important tasks was the administration of ‘Alawi affairs as well as Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine.

After the fall of Baghdad by Mongols in 656/1258-9, there is a little report of how the shrines of Imam al-Husayn (a) and Abu l-Fadl (a) were administered. In the early 8th/14th century, some people from Banu Asad, who could extend their dominance in the nearby territories, occupied the shrine’s administration.

Most people who occupied the trusteeship of the shrine were from two ‘Alawi tribes: Al Zuhayk and Al Fa’iz who consecutively occupied the position of naqib in Karbala: when one tribe was a naqib, the other occupied the trusteeship. The trusteeship of the shrine managed to lead people against the Wahhabi attacks to Karbala in 1216/1801-2 to 1220/1805-6 as well as in Najib Pasha’s attacks in 1258/1842-3. After the latter event in which Karbala was smashed down, the power of the trusteeship was lost so that for two centuries, people from non-‘Alawi households could control the trusteeship of the shrine.

The trusteeship was in the hands of non-‘Alawis until the late 13th/19th century. After that, it was controlled by the Al Tu’ma household until the end of the Ottoman government and the subsequent periods.

Divine Rewards of Ziyarah

Main article: Ziyarah of Imam al-Husayn (a)

Many hadiths have emphasized the importance of visiting Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine. Such an emphasis is not made on visiting the shrines of other Imams. Some hadiths have even made it obligatory to visit Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine.

According to a hadith from Imam al-Baqir (a), “if people knew what advantages there are to visiting Imam al-Husayn’s (a) mausoleum, they would die out of passion”. He then added: “whoever visits al-Husayn (a) out of passion, he would be rewarded like a thousand accepted hajjs and a thousand rewarded ‘umras and a thousand martyrs of the Battle of Badr and a thousand days of fasting and a thousand accepted charities and a thousand emancipations of slaves for the sake of God”.

Shiites frequently visit Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine. Most pilgrims of the shrine gather on days of Ashura, Arba’in, and Sha’ban 15 in Karbala.

Fiqh Rulings

• A traveler can say his prayers in the shortened or complete forms in the shrine, but it is more virtuous to say them completely. The ruling generalizes to the whole area under the dome, the porches and its adjacent mosque.

• It is very rewarding to say prayers in the shrines of Imams (a), especially those of Imam ‘Ali (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a).

• A person should not say prayers ahead of the graves of the Prophet (s) and Imams (a). If saying prayers ahead of them counts as a case of disrespect, then it would be forbidden, though the prayer is not invalid (that is, it does not need to be repeated). If there is barrier between the person and the grave, then there is no problem with saying prayers ahead of the graves, but the box of the darih or the cloth covering it do not count as barriers.

• It is supererogatory to wear perfumes while visiting the shrines of Imams (a), but it is not supererogatory to do so while visiting Imam al-Husayn’s (a) shrine.

The soil of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave (turba) has special rulings:

• In saying prayers, it is supererogatory to perform sajda on the soil of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave. Such a prayer is more rewarding.

• It is forbidden to eat any soil, except for a little bit of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) soil for healing purposes.

• It is supererogatory to feed newborn babies with such soil.

• It is obligatory to respect Imam al-Husayn’s (a) soil, and it is forbidden to disrespect it in anyways, including making it dirty, throwing it to a disrespectful place, and if it is thrown in a disrespectful place, it should be taken out.

• It is supererogatory to put some soil of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave in a corpse’s shroud before burying it, and mix it with their hanut (perfuming the dead body before burial).

• If a property is sent somewhere (such as a girl’s dowry), it is supererogatory to put some of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) soil with it.

• It is supererogatory to smell and kiss the soil and rub it over one’s eyes. It is rewarding to touch the soil and rub it over other parts of the body.

• It is supererogatory to mention God with a misbaha whose beads are made of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) soil. Even carrying such a misbaha is rewarding.

Karbalā (Arabic: كربلاء) is one of the pilgrimage cities in Iraq that is frequently visited by the Shi’a. It became such because of the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) and his faithful companions in this location in the year 61/680. In addition, this city also holds the mausoleums of Imam al-Husayn (a) and al-‘Abbas (a).

The history of Karbala goes back to Ancient Babylonia; after the Islamic conquests, different tribes resided around the city of Karbala and close to the Euphrates River. After the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions on the 10th of Muharram/October 13, in the Battle of Karbala, and the burial of their bodies in this vicinity, i.e., Karbala, the Shi’a began to perform the pilgrimage and visitation rites of the grave of Imam al-Husayn (s). This importance given to the visitation of Imam al-Husayn (a) and the other martyrs by the Shi’a laid the foundations for this city to become a residential area for the Shi’a.

From the 2nd/8th and 3rd/9th centuries onwards, the first signs of development and structure were seen in Karbala. During the Buyid era, a lot of efforts were made to develop Karbala further; however, the greatest development and expansion of the city took place during the Safavid and Qajar dynasties.

While the city expanded during the 3rd/9th century, the Islamic Seminary of Karbala was also founded. Ups and downs always accompanied the popularity of the Karbala Seminary throughout history. With the rise in the popularity of the Karbala Seminary, various Shi’a families made Karbala their home to acquire religious knowledge. The Al Tu’ma, Al Naqib, al-Bihbahani, al-Shahristani, and al-Shirazi are some of these families.

During the last two centuries, the city of Karbala has seen many events and incidents. The attack of Wahhabis on Karbala, its invasion by Najib Pasha, the Ottoman governor, the 1920 uprising and the Sha’ban Intifada are just some of the important incidents that occurred over this time period. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the 20th century and the British colonization, the city of Karbala has witnessed the formation of political, social and cultural groups and parties. This has only increased after Iraq’s independence.

The Committee of Union and Progress, the National Islamic Society, Islamic Da’wa Party in Karbala and the branch of Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq are the most important Shi’a political bodies that are recognized in Karbala.

Shi’a from all across the globe come to this city on various occasions to perform the visitation of Imam al-Husayn (a). The peak number of visitors is during the mourning months of Muharram and Safar, especially during the Arba’in procession. It has been recorded that the amount of pilgrims during the days of Arba’in has been approximately 20 million people during the years 2015 and 2016.

Over history, the city of Karbala has been called by other names such as Al-Ghadiriyya, Naynawa, ‘Aqar, al-Ha’ir, and Nawawis.

Current Day

Karbala is one of the ziyarah sites and blessed cities of the Shi’a that is in Iraq. This city is located about 100 kilometers from the capital Baghdad and is situated in the southern half of Iraq in the center of the province also called Karbala.

The martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions, the existence of the mausoleums of the Imam (a) and ‘Abbas (a), as well as other important historical and religious sites, has made this city one of the most visited cities amongst the Shi’a especially during the mourning periods of Muharram and the Arba’in of Imam al-Husayn (a).

After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1914 and after Saddam and the Baathist Regime in 2003, Karbala found itself in an exceptional position in Iraqi politics. The edict of jihad by the Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi Shirazi, against the British and his leadership in the 1920 popular uprisings in Iraq protesting the continued presence of the British in their country is a clear indicator of the political role that Karbala has played in contemporary Iraqi history. After the fall of Saddam, the positions of the Shi’a Iraqi marja’iyya were at the forefront of the political and social changes that were happening in Iraq and the Muslim world in general and these stances were announced during the Friday prayers of this city. Announcing the edict of jihad of Ayatollah al-Sayyid ‘Ali al-Sistani against ISIS in the sermons of the Friday prayers of Karbala is another example of this.

According to the 2015 census, the population of Karbala is approximately 700,000 people. Over history, the city has been called by other names such as al-Ghazariyya, Naynawa, al-Taff, al-‘Aqar, al-Ha’ir, and al-Nawawis.

History

Some old historical sources state that city of Karbala was known during the pre-Islamic Babylonian era. Some records have also mentioned that before the Islamic conquests, Karbala was a Christian graveyard, while other reports mention it to be a central Zoroastrian fire temple. Many small villages have existed since ancient times around Karbala and especially close to the Euphrates River. In addition to this, reports exist in traditional literature that state that certain prophets such as Noah (a) and Abraham (a) were present in a land known as Karbala.

After the Muslims’ conquest of Iraq and Mesopotamia, very few historical reports about this area exist before the tragedy of Karbala. In one report, it is narrated that Khalid b. al-Walid in the year 12/633-4 after the battle and capture of al-Hirah (a city close to current day Najaf), set up camp in Karbala. Other reports mention that Imam Ali (a) passed through this land after the Battle of Siffin. According to these narrations, the Imam stopped in Karbala to pray and to rest; the Imam also then foretold what will happen to his son Imam al-Husayn (a), his family, and companions on that land.

The most important event that led to Karbala becoming prominent and so significant to the Shi’a is the Battle of Karbala. After Imam al-Husayn (a) did not give his oath of allegiance to Yazid and the numerous letters that arrived from the Kufans inviting the Imam to be their leader, the Imam (a) set out for Kufa. The caravan of Imam al-Husayn (a) was halted on the way to Kufa by al-Hurr b. Yazid al-Riyahi, and by the orders of Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad the Imam was forced to set up camp in Karbala. On the 10th of Muharram 61/October 10, 680, after the caravan of the Imam had been halted there for a few days, a battle between the armies of Imam al-Husayn (a) and the army of Umar b. Sa’d commenced. The Imam (a), together with the majority of his companions, were martyred on that day and the remaining members of the Imam’s (a) caravan, which was mainly women and children, were taken as prisoners and firstly sent to Kufa and then to Damascus, which was the capital of Yazid’s government in Syria.

The emphasis of the Infallible Imams (a) and the attention of the Shi’a to it laid the groundwork for the building of a structure over the grave of Imam al-Husayn (a) and the creating of a resting place for the pilgrims and visitors of the Imam (a) during the Umayyad and Abbasid eras. The appearance of Shi’a uprisings after the event of Karbala only served in increasing the attention of the Shi’a towards the grave of Imam al-Husayn (a). For example, the Tawwabun after passing by Nukhayla while on their way to Syria, they visited the grave of Imam al-Husayn (a) and affirmed their allegiance to the way of the Imam (a); also, during the uprising of al-Mukhtar, great attention was paid to the grave of Imam al-Husayn (a). Al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi was the first person, in addition to placing a structure upon the grave of the Imam (a), to build a masjid and develop a small village that was formed of a few houses that were built using clay and the trunk and leaves of palm trees.

With the increase in the visitors to Imam al-Husayn (a) and the number of inhabitants around his shrine, the weakening of the Umayyads and the coming into power by the al-‘Abbasids, the development and expansion of Karbala increased drastically. Houses that were built using dependable building material began to spring up around the shrine.

However, some of the Abbasid caliphs saw these activities of the Shi’a as a threat. Because of this, during the reigns of some of the caliphs such as Harun and al-Mutawakkil al-Abbasi, orders were given to destroy the shrine of the Imam and the structures that surrounded it. However, even under these circumstances, it can be assumed that these steps taken by the al-‘Abbasid caliphs were not successful in dissuading the Shi’a from making Karbala their place of residence. After Harun, during the reign of his son, al-Ma’mun al-‘Abbasi, the mausoleum of Imam al-Husayn (a) and the other destroyed structures were partially re-built.

After the destruction done during the era of al-Mutawakkil, Karbala was again restored. In addition to the mausoleum and surrounding areas, new structures were also founded, such as the Karbala marketplace. Also, during the al-Abbasid era, academic institutions, founded by the companions of the Imams (a), also began to take shape in Karbala; this phase has been mentioned as being the beginning phase of the seminary of Karbala .

During the Buyid era, the architectural trend of Karbala began a new phase. This era is known as the era of architectural prominence in Karbala. The Buyid rulers took steps to restructure the mausoleum and expand the city of Karbala on their visitations to the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a). The first city perimeter, creation of residential areas, new bazaars and Islamic institutions such as the ‘Adudiya Seminary and Ra’s al-Husayn Masjid were all built on the orders of ‘Adad al-Dawla al-Daylami in 372/982-3 and gives a picture of the expansion of the city during this period.

With the advent of the Safavid and Qajar dynasties and their religious zeal towards the city of Karbala and other important sites within Iraq between the 10th/16th and 13th/19th centuries, in addition to the increased number of Iranians residing in Iraq, the expansion and development of Karbala entered a new and more profound phase. In this phase, not only was the mausoleum of Imam al-Husayn (a) renovated and expanded, but also the mausoleum of al-Abbas (a) and other important religious sites were also refurbished. The Iranians who were now living in Karbala played an important role in raising the commercial standard in Karbala and were also responsible for establishing husayniyyas, Islamic seminaries, libraries, and masjids during this period.

Explorers such as Carsten Niebuhr and John Asher, on their visits to the city, wrote about the expansion of Karbala during the Ottoman era in their travel logs. John Peters, an American explorer and archeologist, also wrote in 1890 while visiting Karbala that the new expansion of the city outside of the ancient perimeter possessed an extensive road system like those present in the cities of Europe.

Ziyarah Sites

The existence of the shrines of Imam al-Husayn (a) and Abbas (a) in this city has placed it amongst the priority ziyarah cities for the Shi’a. The mausoleum of Imam al-Husayn (a) is where the Imam, his family members and some his loyal companions were buried after they gained martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala.

The visitation of Imam al-Husayn (a) has always been an action that the Shi’a gave particular attention. The recommendation of visiting the Imam (a) on specific occasions such as Ashura, Arba’in and the 15th of Sha’ban results in the greatest number of visitors being on these days. In Shi’a jurisprudence, the mausoleum and soil of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave has specific rulings.

The mausoleum of Imam al-Husayn (a) has on numerous occasions been destroyed and damaged by the opponents of the Shi’a, such as the Abbasid caliphs and Wahhabis. One of the first destructions of the mausoleum took place during the time of al-Mutawakkil and the last of these attacks occurred during the al-Intifada al-Sha’baniyya of 1411/1991, during the reign of the Baathists.

The shrine of al-‘Abbas (a) is located 378 meters North-East of the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a). The visitors to Karbala visit Imam al-Husayn (a) and the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a). On the day of Tasu’a (9th of Muharram), the Shi’a performing mourning rites in the mausoleum of al-‘Abbas (a), as this day, according to the mourning calendar of the Shi’a is specific to Abu l-Fadl al-Abbas (a).

Besides the shrines of Imam al-Husayn (a) and al-‘Abbas (a), the city of Karbala also contains other places of visitation and religious significance that are mostly attached to the Event of Karbala, e.g., the al-Mukhayyam, the al-Tall al-Zaynabi and the burial site of al-Hurr b. Yazid al-Riyahi. Close to the mausoleum of Imam al-Husayn (a) two stations are located i.e., the Station of Imam al-Sadiq (a) and the Station of Imam al-Mahdi (a); both these stations are respected by the Shi’a and are places of visitation for them.

Political and Social Events of the Last Two Centuries

Over the last two centuries, Karbala has witnessed numerous events and political and socio-cultural transformations.

Attack by the Wahhabis

On the 18th Dhi l-Hijja 1216/ April 21, 1802 the Wahhabis, led by Abd al-Aziz b. Saud entered Iraq and attacked the city of Karbala. They entered the city via the area of the campsite of Imam al-Husayn (a) and began killing, stealing the wealth of the people and valuable items from the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a). As it was customary amongst the people to visit the mausoleum of Imam Ali (a) in Najaf during those days for Eid al-Ghadir, the city of Karbala was void of men to resist. Historical reports record the number of people slain by this heinous attack as being between a thousand and four thousand people; in addition, this attack severely damaged the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a).

Attack of Najib Pasha

After the inhabitants of Karbala rejected the Ottoman governorship in 1285/1868-9, Najib Pasha, the Ottoman Governor of Iraq, issued an ultimatum of a few days for them to accept the rule of the Ottomans and to surrender to them. After the unsuccessful arbitration of al-Sayyid Kazim al-Rashti, a scholar who resided in Karbala and was the second leader of the Shaykhiyya. Najib Pasha gave the orders for Karbala to be attacked. The armed Ottoman soldiers were free to attack all city places except the mausoleums of Imam al-Husayn (a) and al-‘Abbas (a) and the house of al-Sayyid Kazim al-Rashti. To escape the attacks, some of the inhabitants sort refuge in the shrine of al-‘Abbas (a), yet this place was also attacked. According to some reports, it is recorded that nearly ten thousand people were killed in this attack.

Thawrat al-Ishrin

During the British presence in Iraq in 1917 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Karbala was one of the main centers of resistance against this occupation. The 1920 Revolt, known as the “Thawrat al-Ishrin”, was coordinated under the leadership of Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi al-Shirazi. This uprising came into existence after the British did not fulfill their promise and obligation of leaving Iraq after it gained its independence.

Al-Intifada al-Sha’baniyya

Main article: Al-Intifada al-Sha’baniyya

During the popular revolts of the people in the year 1411/1991 against the Baathist regime led by Saddam Hussain, Karbala was one of the main resistance centers. This city, together with 13 other Iraqi cities, came under the control of resistance forces, however, the revolts were crushed by Saddam’s military forces. In quashing the resistance movements, the mausoleum of Imam al-Husayn (a) was severely damaged by the Baathist forces. Reports have put the death toll of this incident between three hundred thousand and five hundred thousand people all across Iraq in addition to approximately two million people being displaced.

Conflict with the US Army

When the US army entered Iraq in 2003, Karbala witnessed armed skirmishes between the residents of the city and the US military within the streets leading up to the mausoleums of Imam al-Husayn (a) and al-‘Abbas (a). Also, in 2004, following the armed clashes between the group associated with Sadrists known as the Mahdi Army and the US army in the cities of Najaf, Basra and the Baghdad suburb of Sadr City, the US army entered Karbala with heavily armored personal to prevent any possible attack in the city on them by the Sadrists. They also blocked the roads around the mausoleums and attacked the offices of the Sadrists in the city. The main reason for these conflicts was their opposition to the occupation of the American forces of Iraq. In 2007, the Shi’a loyal to the Mahdi Army again fought with the US army. Still, the difference of this occasion was that the main opposition to them was the Iraqi Police Force, whilst the US army entered the arena as a supporting unit to the police.

Terrorist Attacks

After the fall of the Baathist regime in Iraq, extremist and terrorist factions belonging to Al-Qaeda, together with former Baathist officials of the previous fallen regime, conducted a string of terrorist activities in the city of Karbala. These activities, which were also done in other cities of Iraq, wasted a large amount of life and wealth of the Iraqi Nation. The majority of terrorist activities in the city of Karbala occurred during the commemoration days of Imam al-Husayn (a), i.e., Muharram, ‘Ashura, and the Arba’in procession.

Political and Social Parties

In the last two decades, the Shi’a Marja’iyya, because of their actions and the prosperity of the seminary of Karbala, has had a great influence on the political and social landscape of Iraq. The activities of the socio-political organizations in Karbala coincided with the political changes in Iraq and, at times, Iran. The reaction of the scholars in Najaf and Karbala following the Constitutional Revolution in Iran is an example of this. The constitutional movement caused shockwaves within the Najaf seminary. Also, it affected the seminary of Karbala with the difference between the two that the position of the seminary of Karbala towards this movement was negative.

In the 20th century and especially during the British occupation of Iraq, Karbala witnessed the formation of many different parties and movements and the establishment of branches of active Iraqi parties within it. The Marja’iyya of Karbala and its seminary had political, ideological, and cultural relationships with some of the active movements in Karbala. The seeking of independence and the exit of the British from this country were the main goals of this movement during the first half of the 20th century. The Committee of Union and Progress and the National Islamic Society were from amongst this group. The National Islamic Society was founded in 1917 by the son of the late Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi al-Shirazi, Muhammad Rida al-Shirazi and a group of scholars in Karbala with the main aim of fighting against the British presence in Iraq. After the edict of jihad by Ayatollah al-Shirazi, this organization was very influential in the 1920 Iraqi Uprisings.

With various communist blocs in the wake of Iraqi independence, branches such as the Iraqi Communist Party were established and active in Najaf and Karbala. They attracted a large amount of youth towards their ideals. The seminaries and Marja’iyya of Najaf and Karbala to counter this extensive threat of communist and defend Islam decided to form an organization of their own; this organization, which was founded in 1956, was called the Islamic Dawa Party. One of their first conferences was held in Karbala. Some of the leaders of this organization, such as Ibrahim al-Ja’fari and Nouri al-Maliki, are from Karbala. After the formation of the Islamic Dawa Party, another organization known as the Islamic Action Organization was founded in Karbala in 1962 by individuals who were related to the al-Shirazi family.

During the era of Baathist rule under Saddam Hussain, a party known as the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq was founded by a group of Shi’a scholars. However, after the fall of this regime, numerous Shi’a movements began to take shape, of which a vast amount of them had branches in Karbala and were active in social and political issues, The Badr Brigade and Sadrist Movement are examples of these initiatives.

Customs

The uprising of Imam al-Husayn (a) and the event of Karbala left a lasting cultural effect on the Shi’a population. The city of Karbala was the source of many of the cultural activities of the Shi’a that stemmed from ‘Ashura. Some of those practices include the Tuwairij mourning ceremony, the Ziyarah al-Arba’in and its procession, the building of husayniyyas and religious centers, the making turbah and misbaha from the soil of Karbala and ta’ziya depicting the events of Karbala.

Tuwairij

One of the mourning rituals of the Shi’a during the days of Muharram is the Tuwairij mourning ritual. Tuwairij is a village located approximately ten kilometers from Karbala and has become mainly associated with this ritual of the Shi’a on the day of Ashura. The Shi’a of Karbala walk towards the mausoleums of Imam al-Husayn (a) and al-‘Abbas (a) from this village on the afternoon of the Ashura, when they arrive in the vicinity of the mausoleums, they run between “Bayn al-Haramayn” (the place between the two mausoleums) while beating heads and cheats in grief. This ritual is done in remembrance of the late arrival of the inhabitants of this city to Karbala on the day of Ashura.

Arba’in Visitation

Main article: Arba’in visitation

One of the religious rituals of the Shi’a is the Arba’in visitation of Karbala. The Shi’a from the very first centuries, because of the importance given to it by the Infallible Imams, had a great religious zeal towards the Arba’in visitation. Shi’a from Iraq and worldwide partake in this event by walking from Najaf to Karbala; this event is more commonly known as the Arba’in procession. On the day of Arba’in, a huge gathering of mourners from all over Iraq and the world are present in Karbala and form one of the largest gatherings on Earth.

Soil of Karbala

Main article: Soil of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) grave

The soil of Karbala or the soil of Imam al-Husayn (a) that is usually sand or dust gathered from around the grave of Imam al-Husayn (a) is shown a great deal of respect by the Shi’a because of the qualities that have been narrated about it. The soil is also used to make clay prayer tablets and misbahas. In jurisprudence, doing prostration on the soil of Karbala is a highly recommended action.

Establishment of Husayniyyas

The building of husayniyyas to house and shelter the visitors of Imam al-Husayn (a) is one of the steps that have been done over the last century. It is reported that the first husayniyya that was built in Karbala dates back to the 11th/17th century. While the Qajars were rebuilding the religious sites of Iraq, the governor of the Ottomans in Iraq built a husayniyya to assist the visitors of Karbala in the year 1127/1715. Afterward, in the year 1368/1948-9, a group of Iranian businessmen bought this property from the Awqaf Organization of Iraq and, together with a group of Iraqi and Kuwaiti entrepreneurs, refurbished and renovated this husayniyya. After its renovations, this husayniyya became known as the Tihrani husayniyya, which was later changed to the Haydariyah husayniyya. Before this, there are no records of any husayniyyas existing in the city.

After the above dates, most of the well-known husayniyyas of Karbala were built in the second and third decades of the 14th/20th century. Some of these historical husayniyyas were built by Iranian scholars and people in business, whilst Indian Shi’a built some others. After the fall of the Baathist regime, the building of husayniyyas increased drastically and even the construction of hotels was not able to decrease the emergence of new husayniyyas.

Ta’ziya

Main article: ta’ziya

Ta’ziyas are like religious depictions which can be seen in many Iraqi cities, including Karbala. Ta’ziyas, as it is known today was first extremely popular during the Qajar era in Iran; it then entered Iraq around the 20th century. These ta’ziyas are also known in Najaf and Karbala as “tashabih” or “masrah al-Husayni”. The performance of these plays, like many other Shi’a rituals, were restricted and eventually forbidden by the Baathist Party when they came into power during the 1970s. After their fall in 2003, these plays were revived in many areas across Iraq.

Poets

According to Iraqi literary and historical reports, the poets of Karbala have played a great role in the scholarly and political movements of Iraq. Some of their academic, political, and social activities can be seen by their presence in the literature and poetry societies of Karbala and other cities. Jam’iyyat al-Nadwa al-Shabab al-‘Arabi, Nadwa al-Khamis al-‘Arabi, al-Muntada al-Thiqafi, and Jam’iyyat al-Shu’ara’ al-Sha’biyyin are some of the literary societies that existed in Karbala. Some of these societies are still active today. Currently, religious poetry, together with other forms of poetry is popular in Karbala. This form of poetry, i.e., religious form, has been supported by the al-‘Atabat al-Husayni al-Muqaddasa and the al-‘Atabat al-‘Abbasiyya al-Muqaddasa. It is extremely popular amongst the Iraqi youth.

Seminaries and Academic Centers

The history of the formation of the first Islamic seminary of Karbala goes back to the first/sixth century, with the presence of the companions of some of the Infallible Imams and Shi’a narrators. In this era, they were occupied by training students in the city of Karbala. Abd Allah b. ja’far al-Himyari was a close associate to both Imam al-Hadi (a) and Imam al-Askari (a); he was also one of the first teachers during the beginning periods of the seminary of Karbala. After the era of occultation, jurists such as al-Najashi, al-Sayyid b. Tawus, al-Shahid al-Awwal and Ibn Fahd al-Hilli sought knowledge from the seminary of Karbala. The popularity and prestige of the seminary of Karbala reached such a level that in a certain period during its history, it was one of the main schools in comparison to other schools of Shi’a jurisprudential thought.

The seminary of Karbala had two main schools of thought, the Usuli and Akhbari. However, the Akhbari school did not have many adherents. With the rise of the Safavids, the Akhbari School was revived by Muhammad Amin al-Istarabadi. After the fall of the Safavids, the Iranian scholars, because of the persecution and harassment by the Afghan Sunnis, on the one hand, the pressure of Nadir Shah on the other, were forced to migrate to Iraq and Karbala, in particular, was their chosen destination. During this period, the Akhbari School was at its peak as a large number of the Iranian scholars had an ideology that was Akhbari inclined. Even with this, because of reasons, the Akhbari School fell by the wayside.

In the 13th/19th century, the seminary of Karbala lost its previous prestige as many of the Iranian scholars migrated to Najaf or returned to Iran. This was the case until Muhammad Taqi al-Shirazi migrated from Samarra to Kadhimiya and then eventually to Karbala. His leadership in the fight against British colonialism in Iraq and the joining of some of the scholars and students of the seminary anti-British movements and uprisings brought a new lease of life to the seminary of Karbala.

Many Islamic institutes were built over the centuries in Karbala. A good amount of these institutes were erected by Iranian scholars that were living in Karbala. Al-Sayyid al-Mujahid Seminary, Sadr-i A’zam Nuri Seminary and al-Khoei Seminary are just some of these schools. In addition to schools and institutes, many libraries were also established in Karbala. Some had a very high status in the eyes of Shi’a researchers because of the manuscripts that were stored in them. Some historians count the number of libraries in Karbala to be 78, of which a large number were founded by scholars who were staying in Karbala. Besides the Islamic seminaries, the University of Karbala, the Ahl al-Bayt University and research institutes that are affiliated with the mausoleums of Imam al-Husayn (a) and al-‘Abbas (a) also have numerous academic and research activities in the field of Shi’a Studies, especially after the fall of Saddam and the Baathist regime.

Personalities and Families

From the very onset of its formation till now, the city of Karbala has been home to many important families. Some of these families have resided in Karbala from the very first centuries. Families such as the Al Tu’ma and Al Naqib are from this group. The Al Tu’ma, whose lineage reaches Ibrahim al-Mujab, who was the first Alids resident of Karbala, was one of the earliest Alids families to settle in Karbala during the third/ninth century. The Al Naqib, who are descendants of Imam al-Kazim (a), settled in Karbala during the fifth/eleventh century. However, the greatest stature is reserved for those scholarly families who migrated from other areas of Iraq, Iran, the Sub-continent and the ‘Arab states to Karbala to acquire Islamic knowledge. However, after acquiring the status of ijtihad or by merely completing the introductory stages of Islamic sciences, some of these scholarly families returned to their countries. Some of these families that are well recognized in Karbala are Bihbahani family, al-Sadr family, al-Shirazi family, al-Shahristani family, al-Kashmiri family, al-Rashti family, and al-Mar’ashi family.

In the contemporary age, some of the Shi’a political personalities in Iraq and Iran are or were citizens of Karbala. Iraqi politicians Ibrahim al-Jafari and Nouri al-Maliki and Iranian politician Ali Akbar Salihi were all born in Karbala.

Arbaʿīn of Imam al-Ḥusayn (a) (Arabic: اربعين الحسیني) is 20th day of Safar in the Lunar Hijri Calendar and the anniversary of the 40th day after the Battle of Karbala when Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions were martyred on the Day of Ashura, (Muharram 10, 61 AH/October 10, 680). It is reported that the Captives of the Battle of Karbala came to visit Imam al-Husayn (a) in Karbala on Safar 20, 61/November 19, 680) on their return from Syria to Medina.

In a hadith from Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (a), ziyarah of Arba’in is considered among the sings of the faithful.

This day is a national holiday in Iran. Shi’a mourn on the day of Arba’in and mourning groups rally in the streets. In recent years, great procession of Shi’a who try to arrive in Karbala on the day of Arba’in has become one of the most important mourning ceremonies of Shi’a around the world and it has even turned into one of the largest religious processions on a global scale.

Historical Background

In Arabic, Arba’in means the 40th day and 20th of Safar, the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) on the Day of ‘Ashura, is called Arba’in al-Husayni or simply Arba’in. The importance of this day lies in the fact that based on historical accounts, Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari visited the grave of Imam al-Husayn (a) on this day as the first pilgrim to ever visit this grave. In some sources, it is reported that, in addition to Jabir, remaining members of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) family returned to Karbala on this day and visited the graves of Imam al-Husayn (a) and other martyrs of Karbala.

Visit of Jabir

Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari, one of the companions of the Prophet (s) is known to be the first pilgrim and visitor of the grave Imam al-Husayn (a) after his martyrdom. Accompanied by ‘Atiyya al-‘Awfi, he arrived in Karbala on the first Arba’in of the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) in 61 AH/680 and visited Imam al-Husayn (a).

Return of the Captives to Karbala

There are three opinions among Shi’a scholars about the return of the captives passing Karbala on their way to Medina

• Some scholars including al-Muhaddith al-Nuri in his al-Lu’lu’ wa l-marjan, and his student Shaykh ‘Abbas Qumi in his Muntaha l-amal believe that the mentioned visit did not happen in the first year after the Battle of Karbala and that it was not even possible at all. Before al-Muhaddith al-Nuri, al-Sayyid b. Tawus expressed his doubt about the issue as well in his Iqbal al-a’mal.

• Some scholars confirmed that the captives had visited Karbala, and considered a later time for it, end of Safar or beginning of Rabi’ I or later.

• Others believe that the caravan of the captives arrived in Iraq from Syria and arrived in Karbala on the day of Arba’in and after visiting Imam al-Husayn (a) moved towards Medina. They also believe that they visited Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari and some of Banu Hashim as well. This opinion is mentioned in the al-Luhuf of al-Sayyid b. Tawus.

Due to these conflicting views, some scholars have tried to author some books to prove that the return of the remaining members of Imam al-Husayn’s (a) family to Karbala on Safar 20, 61/ November 19, 680 has been, in fact, possible and that the narrations referring to this return are reliable. One of the most famous and comprehensive works is authored by Sayyid Muhammad ‘Ali Qadi Tabataba’i called Tahqiq darbara-yi awwal Arba’in-i Sayyid al-Shuhada (a) (Research on the first Arba’in of Imam al-Husayn) which has been written to refute the views of al-Muhaddith al-Nuri and Shaykh ‘Abbas Qummi.

Ziyarah of Arba’in

Main article: Ziyarah of Arba’in

In a hadith from Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (a), the faithful are described as having five signs, one of which is ziyarah of Arba’in.

Also, a ziyarah text for the day of Arba’in is narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (a) and Shaykh ‘Abbas Qummi has mentioned it in his Mafatih al-jinan in the third chapter with the title of “ziyarah Arba’in”.

Qadi Tabataba’i says that Shi’a also call ziyarah of Arba’in, “Maradd al-Ra’s” (return of the head), suggesting that when the captives came back to Karbala on that day, they also brought the holy head of Imam al-Husayn (a) and buried it with the body.

Procession of Arba’in

Since the ziyarah of Arba’in has been strongly recommended, Shi’a, especially the Shi’a of Iraq, move towards Karbala every year on the occasion of Arba’in. This procession, which is usually made on foot, is considered one of the most crowded rallies in the world. In recent years, following the collapse of the previous regime in Iraq, the number of these pilgrims has multiplied. In 2013, some reports estimated the number of pilgrims attending Karbala to be 15 million.

Qadi Tabataba’i wrote that procession of Arba’in towards Karbala has been a common practice among Shi’a since the time of Imams (a) and Shi’a used to perform it even at the time of Umayyads and Abbasids.

Arba’in Intifada

Main article: Arba’in Intifada

Baath party had put restrictions on holding religious ceremonies. It was also forbidden to erect any stand or any form of procession on the road to Karbala. However, on Safar 15, 1398/January 25, 1978, the people of Najaf prepared themselves for the Arba’in procession. A caravan of 30 thousand people started to move towards Karbala. The government confronted it from the beginning, and a number of people were martyred. Finally, on the road to Karbala, the army attacked people and arrested thousands of them. Many people were killed, some were sentenced to death, and some others were sentenced to life in prison.

Al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim were influential in this intifada. Imam Khomeini acknowledged this public movement as well.

During COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020 following a global pandemic called COVID-19 or coronavirus, the Iraqi government announced that it would not allow any foreign pilgrims to enter the country to control the spread of this disease.