Iraq Ziyarats 101 Labbaik Ya Hussain!!! Prepared by: Ali Aga ali_raza_aga@yahoo.com +1.832.671.4141

Importance of Ziyarat “My son! If someone visits me whilst I am alive or dead, or visits your father, your brother or yourself, it becomes WAJIB on me to visit him/her on the day of Qiyamat and rescue him/her from his/her sins.” - Prophet (SAW) to Imam Hussain (AS)

Preparation for Ziyarat

Pre-Ziyarat preparation Start learning about the personalities you are to visit Make sure will is in order Familiarize yourself with the Ziyarat and Duas Get into the habit of reciting Salatul Layl Ensure khums is up to date Find out the weather and take appropriate measures Call relatives and friends. Ask for forgiveness and any particular requests

List of things to take for the trip General Prayer mat Travel mug, alarm clock & travel kettle Dua books Shoe bag for for haram Small bag you can wear under your jilbaab for your money/passport Toiletries iPods for bus trip (not allowed inside the haram) Clothes Jumper or fleece like jacket (preferably in hand luggage) and abaya Some comfy shoes/trainers for when you go for Ziyarat Some flipflops for when you go to haram Medicines Paracetamol Lemsip Tunes Rennies Imodium Chapstick/Vaseline Glucose/dextrose tablets or orovite First aid kit Food Snacks Biscuits Toast Soup packets etc. One meal in hand luggage for consumption on arrival Charity There is a lot of poverty in Iraq – besides funds, clothes and medicines are appreciated. You may want to take sweets for the children.

Remember Before departure Packing done Take out sadaqa Write instructions for those left behind Phone organizer to ensure there are no last minute hitches Update list of Marhumeen Ensure all affairs are in order Fast for 3 days Day of departure Perform ghusl Recite dua before leaving home

FYI - General Ruling A traveler has the option of praying qasr or full salat in the following places: Masjid ul-Haram and in the city of Makka Masjid un-Nabawi and in the city of Madina Masjid-e-Kufa Haram of Imam Hussain (as) in Karbala

Iraq Ziyarats

Places of Ziyarats in Iraq Najaf* 90 km from Karbala and 160 km from Baghdad Kufa 170 km from Baghdad, 10 km NE of Najaf Karbala Kadhmain (close to Baghdad*) Samarra Balad Hilla *Airports

Imams (as) buried in Iraq Hussain (as) Ali (as) Ali Naqi (as) Moosa Kazim (as) Hasan Askari (as) Mohammad Taqi (as)

Najaf Imam Ali (as)

Najaf Renowned as the site of the shrine (haram) of Imam Ali (as) “Najaf” means “place that is hard for water to reach” (on high ground) City of Madressas for Ulemas, ~25 religious schools in Najaf Many renowned Ulemas like Ayatullah Burujardi, Ayatullah Mohsin Hakim, Ayatullah Khoei are buried in and around the Holy Haram of Imam Ali (as) ~125 mosques in total It has been narrated that there was a huge mountain where the city of Najaf is now which son of Prophet Nooh(as) got on thinking it would save him from drowning. The mountain fell to pieces and an ocean gushed out. This ocean was called NAY. After several years the ocean dried up and the place was then called NAY-JAFF (Dry Ocean). Later it came to be known as NAJAF.

Some historical dates 139 AH/ 756 AD Grave of Imam Ali (as) first discovered by Dawud bin Ali al-Abbasi. 170 AH/ 786 AD Harun Al-Rashid found it around whilst on a hunting trip. 448 AH/ 1056 AD Islamic seminary (hawza) founded by Sheikh Tusi

Haram of Imam Ali (as) Three graves in the zareeh - Imam Ali(as) Prophet Adam (as) Prophet Nuh (as) Many Scholars are buried in the sahan, including- Shaikh Tusi (ar) Allamah Hilli (ar) Muqaddas-e-Ardebeli (ar) Shaikh Murtaza Ansari (ar)

Shaikh Tusi (ar) - Shaykhu't Tã'ifa Born 385 AH (Tus, Iran) Died 460 AH/ 1067 AD (Najaf) Early years spent in Tus, learnt from father (great A'lim of his time) 408 AH/ 1017 AD - moved to Baghdad and became a student of Shaykh Mufeed When Shaykh Mufeed died he studied under Syed Murtadha Syed Murtadha's star student 436 AH - became Marja' after the death of Syed Murtadha Author of two of the four main books of Ahadith – Al-Istibsãr Al-Tahdhib

FYI Two great Ulema bear the title TUSI - Shaikh Tusi (ar) - Shaykhu't Tã'ifa and Khwaja Nasiruddin Al-Tusi (ar) They are unrelated but were both born in the Iranian city of Tus There is a difference of approx. 200 years between their eras

Allama Hilli (ar) Nephew and student of Muhaqqiq e Hilli for Fiqh Born 648 AH (Hilla) Died 726 AH (Najaf) Nephew and student of Muhaqqiq e Hilli for Fiqh Proceeded to study from other masters of his era, including Khwaja Nasiruddin Tusi who taught him Philosophy and Logic Later, sat with the Sunni Scholars to study their Fiqh Attained position of mujtahid at the age of 9 - 10 years

Muqaddas-e-Ardebeli (ar) Died 993 AH (Najaf) From Ardabil Known for his piety thus the title Muqaddas Also known as Muhaqqiq Ardabili (investigator of Ardabil)

Shaikh Murtada Ansaari (ar) Born 1214 AH Died 1281 AH (Najaf) Descendent of Jabir b. Abdullah Ansari (ar) In 1249 AH took up permanent residence in Najaf and started his own classes Famous for memory and speedy resolution of intellectual problems Two great works, ‘Rasail’ and ‘Makasib’ are a major part of the curriculum in modern Hawzas Known as ‘Khatimul Fuqaha Wal Mujtahideen’

Wadi-us-Salaam It is said that 370 Prophets and 600 successors are buried in Najaf Graves of Prophet Saleh (as) & Prophet Hud (as) Maqam of – Imam Sajjad (as) Imam Mahdi (as) Imam Sadiq (as)

Some famous personalities buried in Najaf Ayatullah Mirza Sayyid Mohammad Hasan ibn Mahmud Shirazi (ar) - Mirza Shirazi Buzurg 1230 A.H. to 1312 A.H. Opposition to British tobacco Sayyid Mohsin ibn Mahdi Tabataba’I Al-Hakim (ar) 1306 A.H. to 1390 A.H. (1970) Marja’e taqleed after Ayatulla Burujardi Ayatullah Syed Abul Qasim Al-Khoei (ar) 1317 A.H.(1899) to 1413 (1992) One of the leading Ulema of Kalam, Rijal and Fiqh Author of at least 90 different books. Ayatullah Muhammad Baqir As-Sadr (ar) 1350 A.H. (1931) to 1980 At the age of 15 or 16, wrote an ‘Ghayat al fikr fil usul’

Kufa

Masjid-e-Kufa One of the oldest mosques built in the 7th century Place where Prophet Nuh (as) constructed his ark Praying wajib prayer gets the thawab of accepted Hajj Praying mustahab prayer, gets the thawab of accepted Umra More than a 1070 Prophets and their successors have prayed here Imam-e-Asr (atfs) will come and pray here after his zoohur

Other places near/between Najaf & Kufa Masjid-e-Hannana Masjid of Rushaid Hajari (ar) Masjid of Kumail ibn Ziyad (ar) Masjid of Hani-ibn-Urwah (ar) Bayt (House) of Ali (as)

Masjid-e-Sahla Historically this masjid has been the house of Prophet Idrees (as), Prophet Ibraheem (as), and Prophet Khidr (as) Imam Zamana (AF) will make this his residence after zoohur All Prophets have prayed here and there is a stone which stores the images of all the Prophets It is said that the heart of every mu’min is inclined towards this mosque Hajats are fulfilled here It is recommended to recite Dua Tawassul here on the night of Tuesday

Walk – Najaf to Karbala

Importance of walking

Recommended stops/ milestones NOTE: There are literally thousands of Moukkab (Camps/Buildings) and you can stay anywhere.

Walking notes

Belongings

Important Notes

Karbala Imam Hussain (as)

Karbala

Haram of Imam Hussain (as) At the main entrance of the Haram (Babul Qibla) is grave of Habib-ibn- Mazahir (as) Inside the main zaree there are graves of – Imam Hussain (as) Ali Akbar (as) Ali Asghar (as) Next to them is the Ganj-e-Shahida where the martyrs of the family and companions of Imam Husayn (AS) are buried. Qatlagha - place of martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) Ibrahim bin Musa Al-Kadhim (as) - governor of Yemen, grandfather of Syed Murtaza & Syed Radhi (ar)

Other Ziyarats in Karbala Haram of Hazrat Abbas Alamdar (as) TILL-E-ZAYNABIA - hill facing the haram from where Sayyida Zaynab (sa) witnessed the battle of ‘Ashura KHAIMAGAH – behind Till-e-Zainabia, place where the tents were pitched Place of shahdat of Hazrat Ali Akbar (as), Hazrat Ali Asghar (as) Kafl Abbas - Place where hands of Hazrat Abbas (as) were severed

Some Ziyarats near Karbala Zaree of Aun (as) few kilometers from Haram of Imam Husain (as) Shrine of Hur-bin-Yazid ar-Riyahi (ar) 3 miles from Karbala Shrine of sons of Muslim Bin Aqeel between Karbala and Kadhmain

FYI It is reported from Imam Sadiq (AS) that it is better not to apply oil or kohl to the eyes or eat meat whilst you are visiting Karbala It is recommended to be in Karbala on a Thursday night Under the dome of the haram of Imam Hussain (AS) is a pink stone which is reported to be a place where needs are granted. To pray one wajib salat in the haram of Imam Hussain (AS) has the thawab of one hajj and one umra.

Kadhmain Imam Moosa Kazim (as) Imam Mohammad Taqi (as)

Kadhmain It was a Quraysh cemetery outside Baghdad across the bridge where the 7th Imam Musa Kadhim (AS) was buried. A town grew around the tomb called Kadhmain (meaning the two Kadhims) as the 9th Imam Muhammad Taqi (as) is also buried there

Haram of Kadhmain Imams buried in the haram - Imam Moosa Kazim (as) Imam Mohammad Taqi (as) Scholars buried in the haram - Shaikh Mufeed (ar) Khwaja Nasiruddin Tusi (ar) Syed Murtaza (ar) Syed Radhi (ar) Syed Ismail Safruddin (ar)

Samarra Imam Ali Naqi (as) Imam Hasan Askari (as)

Al-Askari Masjid Also known as the Golden mosque (attacked in 2006 and 2007) Buried here are: Imam Ali Naqi (as) Imam Hasan Askari (as) Bibi Hakima Khatoon (sa) - sister of Imam Ali Naqi (as) Bibi Nargis Khatoon (sa) - mother of Imam Zamana (as)

Sardaab This was part of the house of the two Asker Imamayn. It is said that Imam-e-Zamana (as) went into ghaibat from here

Other ziyarats in Iraq Salman Pak Masjid Buratha 15 miles south of Baghdad Following personalities are there – Salman-e-Farsi (ar) Hudhayfa-e-Yamani (ar) Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari (ar) Masjid Buratha On the road between Kadhmain and Baghdad Mosque belongs to Prophet Isa (as) and used to home on Bibi Mariam (sa)

Ziyarats in Baghdad Qambar - The trusted slave of Imam Ali (as) Four representatives of Imam Zamana (as) during Ghaybat-e-Sughra – Uthman bin Saeed (ar) (260 - 280 AH) Muhammad bin Uthman (ar) (280 - 305 AH) Husayn bin Rawh (ar) (305 - 326 AH) Ali bin Muhammad Saimury (ar) (326 - 329 AH) Mohammad-ibn-Yaqub Al-Kulayni (ar)

Labbaik Ya Hussain!!! Please recite Surah Fateha for: Ashik Hussain Ramzanali Aga Mohammad Ali Virani Gul Rukhsha Virani Nazim Hussain Virani and all marhoomeen. Labbaik Ya Hussain!!! Acknowledgements - Br Altaf Mawani for the pictures Ziyara Travel Journal (by www.qfatima.com)