Al-Hannana Mosque
 | |
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Mosque |
| Location | Najaf, Iraq |
| Coordinates | 32°00′18″N 44°20′04″E / 32.005°N 44.334444°E |
| Related events | The presence of the holy head of Imam al-Husayn (a) in this mosque |
| Specifications | |
| Status | Active |
Al-Ḥannāna Mosque (Arabic: مسجد الحَنّانة) is located in the north of Najaf, on the way to Kufa. It is narrated that the site of this mosque wept/mourned for the Ahl al-Bayt (a) two times; during the funeral procession of Imam 'Ali (a) and after the Battle of Karbala. That is why it has been given the name al-Hannana (the weeper/mourner).
Two Incidents Related to the Site
One incident, narrated to have taken place at the site of al-Hannana Mosque, is the sorrowful leaning of a pillar (or wall) when the coffin of Imam 'Ali (a) passed by it at his funeral.[1] Imam al-Sadiq (a) has reportedly said, "When the coffin of Imam 'Ali (a) was being carried through this place, this pillar leaned out of sorrow for his demise, like the leaning of Abraha's throne at the entry of 'Abd al-Muttalib."[2]
The second incident is narrated to have happened after the Battle of Karbala. On the road from Karbala to Kufa, the head of Imam al-Husayn (a) was put on the ground of the mosque. It is said that at this time, a sound was heard like the sound of a baby camel that had lost its mother. According to a hadith, Imam al-Sadiq (a), when traveling between Kufa and Najaf, would stop at that spot and pray. When asked about the reason, he would say, "They put the head of my grandfather Imam al-Husayn (a) here."[3]
The Name of the Mosque
It is said that this mosque was named Hannana (weeper/mourner) because of the above-mentioned weeping of a pillar at its site. The weeping of the ground of the mosque, when the heads of the martyrs of Karbala were placed on it, is mentioned as an alternative explanation for the name. Some have said that the name is driven from "Hanna," the name of an old Christian monastery there.[4]
Notes
References
- Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir al-. Biḥār al-anwār. Third edition. Beirut: Muʾassisat al-Wafāʾ, 1403 AH.
- Ṭūsī, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-. Al-Amālī. Qom: Dār al-Thiqāfa, 1414 AH.
- Zamānī, Aḥmad. Siyrī dar sarzamīn-i khāṭirahā. Fourth edition. Tehran: Mashʿar, 1392 Sh.