Dhat 'Irq

Miqats are the stations at which pilgrims on the hajj, put on ihram, the pilgrim's garment.

Dhāt ʿIrq (Arabic:ذات عرق) is a way station and miqat of hajj on the way from Mecca to Kufa. In the Event of Karbala, there was a conversation between Imam al-Husayn (a) and Bishr b. Ghalib in this place. The sariyya of Dhat 'Irq occurred there.

Location

It is part of the area of 'Aqiq and the border between Najd and Tahama. It is located 92 kilometers northeast of Mecca. Dhat 'Irq is said to be the name of a mountain near Mecca. It is located between the Bustan Banu 'Amir and Ghumra.

Miqat of Hajj

Shiite faqihs take the area of 'Aqiq to be the miqat of Iraqis and people from the east. The area includes Maslakh, Ghumra, and Dhat 'Irq. Most of them take it permissible to perform ihram in any of these places. Some of them take it permissible in Dhat 'Irq only in cases of emergency.

Imam al-Husayn's (a) Conversation with Bishr b. Ghalib

Imam al-Husayn (a): how did you find people of Kufa? Bishr b. Ghalib: People's hearts are with you, but their swords are with Banu Umayya. - You are right, my Asadi brother! God will do whatever He wants and orders whatever He wills. - What is the exegesis of the verse, "one day we shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams" (Quran 17:71)? - Some people follow an imam (leader) who guides people to the right path and happiness. And some follow an imam who invites them to the wrong path and misery. The first group will go to Heaven and the second will go to Hell. This is the meaning of another verse that says, "some will be in the garden, and some in the blazing fire" (Quran 42:7)

Events

Sariyya Dhat 'Irq (sariyya Zayd b. Haritha, Sariyya Qirada) occurred in this place under the commandership of Zayd b. Haritha on Jumada II 3rd year, (28 months after Hijra)/November 624.

Dhat 'Irq is the first station at which Imam al-Husayn (a) dwelled on his way from Mecca to Kufa. In the Event of Karbala, Imam al-Husayn (a) met Bishr b. Ghalib—from Banu Asad—at this station. Bishr briefed the Imam (a) about the situation of Kufa and asked him about the exegesis of the Qur'an 17:71. According to al-Amali by al-Shaykh al-Saduq, the conversation occurred in al-Tha'labiyya.

According to Samawi in Ibsar al-'ayn, Muhammad and 'Awn, sons of 'Abd Allah b. Ja'far, delivered their father's letter from Mecca to Imam al-Husayn (a) in the area of 'Aqiq and joined him. But Abd Allah b. Ja'far and Yahya b. Sa'id, who had a safe-conduct from 'Amr b. Sa'id (the governor of Medina), met Imam al-Husayn (a) in Dhat 'Irq. They returned when Imam al-Husayn (a) ignored their safe conduct and 'Abd Allah excused himself from accompanying the Imam (a).

See Also

• Hajj
• Miqat
• Wadi 'Aqiq
• Dhu l-Hulayfa Mosque