Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a): Difference between revisions

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

Visiting Imam al-Husayn (a)'s shrine is a Shiite practice recommended in Shiite [[hadiths]]. Most visitors or [[Pilgrimage|pilgrims]] congregate in Imam al-Husayn (a)'s shrine on [[Ashura]], [[Arba'in]], and [[Sha'ban 15]]th. In Shiite [[fiqh]] or jurisprudence, there are rulings specific to Imam al-Husayn (a)'s shrine and [[Turba|his soil]].

After the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions, a clan of [[Banu Asad]] buried their corpses where they were martyred. The building on Imam al-Husayn (a)'s grave at that time was made of lumps of soil.  

When [[al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi]] triumphed in [[Uprising of al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi|his uprising]] for the vengeance of Imam al-Husayn (a) in the [[Sha'ban]] month of 65/March 685, he built the first mausoleum for Imam al-Husayn (a)'s grave with a dome made of bricks and plasters. The building consisted in 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 (a)'s mausoleum, [[Harun al-Rashid]] ordered some of his soldiers to destroy the mosque built on Imam al-Husayn (a)'s grave as well as the one built on [[Abu l-Fadl al-'Abbas (a)]]'s. Harun had also asked them to cut the cedar tree that had grown near Imam al-Husayn (a)'s grave (and was used as a sign for the grave) and to raze the grave.

When [[al-Ma'mun al-'Abbasi]] took over the [[caliphate]], all Abbasids opposed him. So in order 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 (a)'s 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 (a)'s 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 (a)'s 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 (a)'s mausoleum on the [[Day of 'Arafa]], the building was destroyed and some pilgrims were killed. After that, Imam al-Husayn (a)'s grave remained without a building on it for 10 years until when [[al-Da'i al-Saghir]] took over the power. He ordered the construction of a building for Imam 'Ali (a)'s and Imam al-Husayn (a)'s shrines with tall domes and two gates, each including an area with ceilings. He also reconstructed the fortification around Imam al-Husayn (a)'s shrine and the houses nearby. The building dates back to the years 279/893 to 289/902.

Uways b. Hasan al-Jalayiri renewed the mosque and the shrine in 767/1365 and built a semicircular dome over the [[darih]]. The dome rested on four porches on the four sides of Imam al-Husayn (a)'s 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. It was built in such a way that one could see the whole shrine and the mausoleum and the darih if he or she stood outside towards [[qibla]]. Moreover, pilgrims could walk around the darih.

In 914/1508, [[Shah Isma'il I]] conquered Baghdad. On the second day after the conquest, he visited Imam al-Husayn (a)'s shrine and ordered his agents to gild the margins of Imam al-Husayn (a)'s darih. In 92/1514, Shah Isma'il visited the shrine once again and ordered the construction of a teak box over the darih.

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

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

* In 1358/1939, 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, houses and religious schools near the shrine were destroyed in order to expand the shrine. In 1370/1950, the eastern side of the shrine was extended and it was decorated with porches made of precious tiles. In 1371.1951, the dome of the shrine was reconstructed and it was decorated with golden tiles. In 1373/1953, the mirrors of the shrine's ceiling and porches were completely reconstructed and mosaics were brought there from [[Isfahan]] in order to decorate Imam al-Husayn (a)'s and Abu l-Fadl al-'Abbas (a)'s shrines. In this year, the upper part of the [[Qibla]] Portico (the Golden Portico) was gilded.

* In 1383/1963, the Renewal Committee of the shrine imported stones from Italy in order to construct the exterior walls of the shrine. In 1388/1968, pillars were imported from Iran and the old ceiling of the Portico was lifted. In 1392/1972, the reconstruction of the new Golden Portico started. In 1394/1974, the plan for the renewal 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, the reconstruction of Imam al-Husayn (a)'s and Abu l-Fadl (a)'s 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.

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

* '''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 (a)'s 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 (a)'s dignity.

* '''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 (a)'s grave in the first/seventh century by which pilgrims found the location of the grave.

There is a tall dome over Imam al-Husayn (a)'s mausoleum, covered with pure gold. The lower part of the dome contains 10 windows to the outside. The dome is 37 meters high. It looks like an onion from the outside.

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 Akbar]], are located. Different darihs have been built and installed on Imam al-Husayn (a)'s grave in different periods. The last time when the darih was changed was in 2011.

[['Ali al-Akbar]] is buried below Imam al-Husayn (a)'s feet. The two lower sides of the darih belong to 'Ali 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 besides 'Ali Akbar and below Imam al-Husayn (a)'s 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 (a)'s 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 (a)'s grave on the southeastern side of his grave. These graves are located in a 12-meter chamber with an inlayed 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.

"Al-Ha'ir al-Husayni" is the area of Imam al-Husayn (a)'s 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 (a)'s shrine, the dome, the darih, and the graves of the martyrs of Karbala.

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

Since 'Alawis constituted the majority of people in Karbala, the governance of the city 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 in order 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 (a)'s shrine.

Many [[hadiths]] have emphasized the importance of visiting Imam al-Husayn (a)'s 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 (a)'s shrine.

According to a hadith from [[Imam al-Baqir (a)]], "if people knew what advantages there are to visiting Imam al-Husayn (a)'s 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 [[hajj]]s and a thousand rewarded [['umra]]s 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 (a)'s shrine. Most pilgrims of the shrine gather on days of [[Ashura]], [[Arba'in]], and [[Sha'ban 15]] in Karbala.

* 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 (a)'s shrine.

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

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

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

* It is obligatory to respect Imam al-Husayn (a)'s soil, and it is forbidden to disrespect it in any ways, 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 (a)'s grave in a corpse's shroud before burying it, and mix it with their embalmment.

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

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