Tomb of Khawla
Tomb of Khawla bt. Imam al-Ḥusayn (a) (Arabic: مرقد خولة بنت الحسين), in south Baalbek, Lebanon is attributed to Khawla bt. Imam al-Husayn (a). People of Baalbek believe that when the caravan of captives of Karbala passed Baalbek, a daughter of Imam al-Husayn (a), called Khawla passed away and was buried there; but historical sources have not mentioned that Imam al-Husayn (a) had a daughter called Khawla. People of Baalbek gather in this place for ziyarah and especially in the times of mourning.
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| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Shrine |
| Location | Baalbek, Lebanon |
| Coordinates | 34°00′05.7″N 36°12′05.9″E / 34.001583°N 36.201639°E |
| Specifications | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Renovation | 1416/1995-6 |
Attribution
Historical sources have not mentioned that Imam al-Husayn (a) had a daughter called Khawla. Still, the people of Baalbek believe that when the caravan of captives of Karbala passed Baalbek on their way toward Syria on Muharram 28, 61/October 28,680, a small daughter of Imam al-Husayn (a) passed away and was buried there.
History
According to a painting by the English tourist Robert Wood, a tomb existed there in 1757. In the following years, this tomb was destroyed due to an earthquake or invasion of Ottomans and was forgotten for years. As it is famous among the people of Baalbek, a person had a dream, and the tomb of Khawla was revealed to them. In 1970, a husayniyya and a mosque were built beside the tomb of Khawla with the financial aid of the people of Baalbek. In 1997, Hezbollah of Lebanon began the expansion of the tomb, but it had slow progress due to a lack of facilities.
As it is written above the shrine's entrance, the expansion and decoration of the shrine were finished in 1416/1995-6 with the financial support of Iran.
Mourning
During Imam al-Husayn's (a) mourning time, the shrine of Khawla is covered with black fabric, and people of the region gather there. On May 12, 2013, media outlets gave news about an extraordinary event in the shrine. They reported that during the mourning ceremony in this shrine, a blood-like liquid poured down the darih and the walls attached to the darih in the shrine.
References
- The material for this article is mainly taken from مرقد خوله دختر امام حسین(ع) in Farsi Wikishia.