The
Shrine of Husayn ibn Ali (
Arabic:
مقام الامام الحسين) is a
holy site of
Shī'a Islam in the city of
Karbala,
Iraq. It is built above the grave of
Husayn ibn Ali, the second grandson of
Muhammad, which is close to the spot where he was killed during the
Battle of Karbala in 680.
Two main roads lead the visitor to Karbala. One is from the Iraqi capital Baghdad, through Al-Musails, and the other is from
Najaf.
At the city's entrance there is a row of houses decorated with wooden columns. The boundary wall of the shrine surrounds wooden gates covered with glass decorations, and through the gates there is a precinct surrounded by small rooms called "Iwans".
Hussein's grave is located in the middle of the precinct, surrounded by square shaped structures called "Rawaq". The grave itself is located in the middle of the Zari with golden windows around it, with ornate illumination.
Martyrdom and popularity There is a lot of benefit and great spiritual reward in visiting the grave of Hussain ibn Ali. Muhammad said of his grandson Hussain ibn Ali: "Husain is of me and I am of him." Several narrations mention that visiting the grave of Hussain ibn Ali relieves one of worldly afflictions as well as those after death.
Believers, therefore, come from all parts of the world all year round to receive the honor of visiting Hussain ibn Ali, particularly during the first ten days of Muharram (Ashura) and the twentieth of Safar.
One common Iraqi custom during that season is to go walking from Najaf to Karbala, reflecting their strong adhesion to and adoption of the morals and principles for which Hussain ibn Ali struggled and attained martyrdom.
Bounty of visiting Hussain ibn Ali The historian Ibn Kuluwayh mentioned that those who buried Hussain ibn Ali, made a special and rigid construction with signs above the grave.
Higher and bigger constructions above the grave started during the ruling of Al-Saffah, but Harun al-Rashid later on, put heavy restrictions to prevent people from visiting the grave.
At the time of Al-Mamun, construction around the grave resumed until the year 236 AH when Al-Mutawakkil ordered the destruction and digging of the grave, and then filling the pit with water. His son, who succeeded him, allowed people to visit the grave site, and since then building the precinct to the grave increased and developed step by step.
On the other hand, the historian Ibn Al-Athir, stated that in the year 371 AH, Aadod Al-Dawla Al-Boowayhi became the first to largely lay the foundations for large scale construction, and generously decorated the place. He also built houses and markets around the precinct, and surrounded Karbala with a high boundary wall turning it into a strong castle.
In the year 407 AH, the precinct caught fire due to the dropping of two large candles on the wooden decorations, but Hassan ibn Fadl (the state minister) rebuilt the damaged sections.
History has recorded the names of several rulers who shared the honor of widening, decorating or keeping the precinct in good condition. Amongst them is Fateh Ali al-Qajari, who in 1250 AH ordered the construction of two domes, one over Hussain ibn Ali's grave and the other over his brother
Abbas ibn Ali.
The first dome is 27 meters high and completely covered with gold. At the bottom, it is surrounded with 12 windows, each of which is about 1.25 m away from the other, from the inside, and 1.30 m from the outside.
The mausoleum has an area of 59 m / 75 m with ten gates, and about 65 rooms, well decorated from the inside and outside, used as classrooms for studying.
As for the grave itself, in the middle of the precinct, it is called the "Rawda" or garden and it has several doors. The most famous one is called "Al-Qibla" or "Bab al-Dhahab". When it is entered, one can see the tomb of Habib ibn Madhahir al-Asadi, to the right hand side. Habib was a friend and companion of Hussain ibn Ali since their childhood. He was one of those who were honored with martyrdom at the Battle of Karbala.
Karbala contains, besides the grave of Hussain ibn Ali and his brother, the grave of all the 72 martyrs of Karbala. They were buried in a mass grave which was then covered with soil to the ground level. This mass grave is at the foot of Hussain ibn Ali's grave. In particular, besides Imam Husain's grave are the graves of his two sons
Ali Akbar ibn Husain and 6-month old
Ali Asghar ibn Hussain.
Mausoleum of Hussain ibn Ali 680 October 10: Husayn is said to have been buried on this day.
684: A mosque was built by Mukhtar ibn Abu `Ubayd ath-Thaqafi on the spot and a dome was created over the grave. Two entrance gates were made for the mosque.
749: Another dome was erected over the mosque and additional two gates for entrance were made at the mausoleum during the reign of
Abbasid Caliph as-Saffah.
763: During the reign of Caliph
al-Mansur the roof, including domes, was destroyed.
774: The demolished roof was rebuilt during the reign of Caliph
al-Mahdi.
787: During the reign of Caliph
Harun ar-Rashid, the mausoleum was destroyed and the plum tree that stood besides the grave of Husayn was cut down.
808: The mausoleum was reconstructed during the reign of
al-Amin.
850: Caliph
al-Mutawakkil destroyed the mausoleum and ordered the nearby land, including the grave, to be ploughed.
861:
Al-Muntasir reconstructed the shrine with an iron pillar.
886: Once again the mausoleum was destroyed.
893: The shrine was rebuilt by the Alid council and two minarets were constructed on either side of the grave. Two entrance gates for the shrine were also constructed.
977: A sepulcher was constructed within the shrine of teak wood by the
Buwayhid emir
`Adud ad-Dawlah. Surrounding galleries were also constructed. He also constructed the city of
Karbala by making houses and the city boundary.
'Imran ibn Shahin at that time also constructed a mosque adjacent to the shrine.
1016: Fire destroyed the shrine. The
vizier Hasan ibn Fadl rebuilt the structure.
1223: The sepulcher was renovated by
an-Nasir li-Din Allah.
1365: The dome and walls of the shrine were reconstructed by Sultan
`Uways ibn Hasan Jalayiri.
1384: The two minarets were reconstructed of gold by Sultan Ahmad ibn `Uways. The courtyard was also extended.
1514: The
Safavid shah of
Iran Ismail I constructed a sarcophagus of inlaid work over the real grave.
1622:
Abbas Shah Safavi renovated the sarcophagus with brass and bronze and also the dome with Kashi tiles.
1638: Sultan
Murad IV whitewashed the dome.
1742:
Nadir Shah Afshar decorated the shrine and offered expensive gems to the treasury of the shrine.
1796:
Aqa Muhammad Shah Qajar plastered the dome with pure gold.
1801:
Wahhabis attacked Karbala, damaged the shrine, and looted the sepulchre.
1817:
Fath Ali Shah Qajar reconstructed the screens by plating with silver. He also replated the dome with gold and therefore repaired the damage caused by the Wahhabis.
1866:
Nasir ad-Din Shah Qajar broadened the courtyard of the mausoleum.
1939: Dr.
Syedna Taher Saifuddin, of the
Dawoodi Bohra community presented a set of solid silver screens with gold which were attached to the shrine.
1941: The western minaret was rebuilt by Dr. Syedna Taher Saifuddin.
1948: A road was built around the shrine by the then administrator of
Karbala City, Sayyid Abd al-Rasul al-Khalsi. He also broadened the courtyard of the shrine.
See also
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