Holy Places
| Saudi Arabia: Makkah | Madinah | Jannatul Baqi - Madinah | Jannatul Mualla - Makkah |
| Iraq: Najaf | Kufa | Karbala | Moosayab | Kadhmayn | Baghdad | Madain/Salman Pak | Samarra | Balad | Hillah | Basra |
| Iran: Mashad | Qum | Tehran | Shimran | Kashan |
Syria: Shaam
Najaf
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Mausoleum of 1st Imam Ali b. Abi Taalib, peace be upon him |
There are 3 graves in one darih:
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| 2 | Wadi-us Salaam |
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| 3 | Tomb of Hadrat Kumayl - companion of Imam Ali [a] |
| 4 | Tomb of Rashid Hijri - companion of Imam Ali [a] |
| 5 | Masjid Hannana |
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This mosque is between Kufa and Najaf. The significance of this mosque is that when Imam Hasan [a] and Imam Husayn [a] were carrying the janaza of Imam Ali [a] from Kufa to Najaf, they passed near this mosque, and as they were passing, the pillars of the mosque inclined towards Imam Ali [a] as if paying its last respects. It is also believed that some of the skin from Imam Husayn [a]'s head (that came off when Khul Mal'un was disrespecting the head of Imam Husayn [a] with a knife) is buried here. | |
| 6 | Grave of Sayyid al-Khui |
| Grand-mujtahid (marja') to 450 million Muslims since 1970 (d. 8th August 1992) |
Kufa
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Masjid Kufa |
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| 2 | House of Imam Ali, peace be upon him |
| 3 | Mausoleum of Sayyida Khadijatul Sughra daughter of Imam Ali [a] - outside Masjid Kufa |
| 4 | Mausoleum of Prophet Yunus [a] - near the river |
| 5 | Masjid Sahla. Recommended to be in this mosque at the maghrib time of a Wednesday i.e. at the end of a Tuesday |
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| 6 | Kooba of Ebrahim ibn Hasan al-Muthanna ibn Imam Hasan [a] |
| 7 | Mausoleum of Maytham al-Tammar, companion of Imam Ali [a] |
| 8 | Mosque of Zaid - near Masjid Sahla |
| 9 | Mosque of Sa'asa ibn Sauhan, companion of Imam Ali [a] |
Karbala
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Mausoleum of 3rd Imam al-Husayn, peace be upon him |
There are 3 graves in one darih:
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| 2 | Mausoleum of Hadrat Abbas b. Ali [a]: Brother and Standard-bearer of Imam Husayn [a] |
| 3 | Grave of Habib ibn Madhaher [a] |
| 4 | Ganj-e-Shohada - graves of the rest of the martyrs of Karbala |
| 5 | Qatl-ghah |
| 6 | Grave of Ibrahim son of 7th Imam Musa al-Kadhim, peace be upon him |
| 7 | Til-e-Zaynabiya |
| 8 | Khaimaghah |
| 9 | Garden of 6th Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him |
| 10 | Garden of 12th Imam Sahib al-Asr, Al-Mahdi, peace be upon him |
| 11 | Mausoleum of Hur (companion of Imam Husayn [a] in Karbala) - 3 miles from Karbala |
| 12 | Mausoleum of Aun, son of Sayyida Zaynab [a] |
| 6 miles from Karbala. One can visit this place as well as the mausoleum of Tiflane Muslim while going back to Kadhmayn |
Moosayab
Location
This place is on the way to Kadhmayn while going from Karbala.
Pilgrimage site
Mausoleum of the two sons of Muslim ibn Aqil [a]:-
- Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Aqil [a], and
- Ibrahim ibn Muslim ibn Aqil [a]
They are also know as Tiflan-e-Muslim.
Kadhmayn
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Mausoleum of 7th and 9th Imams, Imam Musa al-Kadhim and Imam Muhammad al-Jawad, peace be upon them |
| 2 | Grave of Shaykh al-Mufid |
| 3 | Grave of Sayyid Ismail Safrudin |
| 4 | Grave of Khwaja Nasirudin Tusi |
| 5 | Grave of Sayyid Murtada |
| 6 | Grave of Sayyid Razi |
Baghdad
Location
Baghdad and Madain are very close to Kadhmayn.
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 |
The four representatives of the 12th Imam [a] during the minor occultation (ghaybat al-sughra) are buried here i.e.
The graves of Uthman & Husayn are easy to find whereas the other two are inside the bazaar. One will need some guidance from the local people to locate this place if one is going by bus. |
| 2 | Tomb of Qambar the slave of Imam Ali [a] |
| 3 | Tomb of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yaqub al-Kulayni, the compiler of Al-Kafi |
| 4 | Masjid Boorasa. This mosque is on the way to Baghdad from Kadhmayn |
Madain/Salman Pak
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Tomb of Salman Farsi, companion of the Holy Prophet [s] |
| 2 | Tomb of Hudhaifa al-Yamani, companion of the Holy Prophet [s] |
| 3 | Tomb of Jabir b. Abdullah al-Ansari, companion of the Holy Prophet [s] |
| 4 | Masjid Jum'a - near the tomb of Salman Farsi |
Note: On 26th March 1934, King Faisal I of Iraq supervised the transfer of the remains of Hudhaifa al-Yamani and Jabir b. Abdullah al-Ansari, the two trusted companions of the Holy Prophet [s] from their resting places in Madain which were endangered with water from River Tigris to a new site at Salman Pak near the resting place of Salman Farsi.
Historic site
Tak-e-Kisra, the palace of Nausherwan - part of ancient Babylonian civilization. When the Holy Prophet [s] was born in Makkah, this huge edifice is said to have developed cracks on its walls.
Samarra
Location
Samarra is closer (and therefore easier to go to) from Kadhmayn than it is from Karbala. Try and spend atleast one night in Samarra so as to perform ziyarat and a'amals properly. Most people make a quick trip to Samarra lasting only a few hours which is most unfortunate.
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Mausoleum of 10th and 11th Imams, Imam Ali al-Naqi and Imam Hasan al-Askari, peace be upon them |
The main darih has four graves:
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| 2 | Cellar (sardab) of 12th Imam Al-Mahdi, peace be upon him - where he was last seen. Also called Maqam Ghaybat (i.e. the place of occultation) |
| 3 | Masjid Jamia |
Historic sites
Mosque built during the time of Mutawakkil - at one time the largest mosque in the world.
Balad
Location
This place lies between Kadhmayn and Samarra. One can visit it on the way to Samarra or while returning to Kadhmayn.
Pilgrimage site
Mausoleum of Muhammad ibn Imam Ali al-Naqi, peace be upon him.
Hillah
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Tomb of Hamza [a] |
| 2 | Tomb of Qasim b. Imam Musa al-Kadhim [a] |
| 3 | Tomb of Prophet Ayyub [a] |
| 4 | Tomb of Prophet Daniel [a] |
| 5 | Tomb of Prophet Dhul Kifl [a]. Known as "Chifl" |
| 6 | Maqam Sahib al-Zamaan [a] |
Basra
Pilgrimage sites
Masjid Ali, peace be upon him
Shaam (Syria)
Bibi Sayeda Zainab (A.S) HaramBibi Sakina (A.S) Haram
Bibi Ruqaiya (A.S)
Bibi Umme Kulsum (A.S)
Bibi Fizza (A.S)
Bibi Umme Salma (A.S)
Bazar -e- Shaam
Halap
Bab-e-Sagheer
Mashad al-Muqaddas, Tus, Khorasan
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Mausoleum of 8th Imam Ali b. Musa al-Rida, peace be upon him |
| 2 | Tomb of Khwaja Aba Salat Harvi |
| 3 | Tomb of Imamzada Sultan Ahmed [a] |
| 4 | Tomb of Sayyid Ahmed Kabir |
| 5 | Tomb of Shaykh Bahauddin Ameli |
| 6 | Tomb of Mohamed ibn Hasani Alhuri Ameli |
| 7 | Tomb of Abu Ali Hazal ibn Hasan Al-Tibrasi |
| 8 | Tomb of Khwaja Murad |
| 9 | Tomb of Khwaja Rabi'i |
Historic sites
| 1 | Masjid Gowhar shad |
| 2 | Museum/Library in the Haram of Imam al-Rida, peace be upon him |
| 3 | Tomb of Nader Shah |
| 4 | Statue of Nader Shah |
| 5 | Tombs of Attar and Kamalul Mulk |
| 6 | Tomb of Omar Khayyam |
| 7 | Semnan Jameh mosque |
| 8 | Mahruq shrine |
| 9 | Aryamehr Park |
| 10 | Tomb of Ferdowsi |
| 11 | Statue of Ferdowsi |
| 12 | Tomb of Shahrokh Mirza Afshar |
| Note: Khorasan means "Land of the Rising Sun". |
Qum
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Mausoleum of Fatima bint Musa [a] |
| Daughter of 7th Imam [a]. Well-known as Masooma Qum | |
| 2 | Masjid Imam Hasan al-Askari, peace be upon him. |
| Near the mausoleum of Masooma Qum | |
| 3 | Tomb of Aqa Burujardi (the marja before Ayatullah Mohsin al-Hakim) |
| Inside the Haram of Masooma Qum | |
| 4 | Masjid Jamkaran |
| Built in 393 AH under orders of the 12th Imam [a]. This is outside Qum |
Tehran
Pilgrimage sites
| 1 | Mausoleum of Shah Abdul Azim [a] |
| 2 | Tomb of Abdul Qasim son of Imam Musa al-Kadhim [a] (7th Imam) |
| 3 | Tomb of Imamzada Musa [a] |
| 4 | Tomb of Imamzada Shah Tahir [a] |
| 5 | Koh-e-Bibi Shahrbanu [a] |
| 6 | Tomb of Shaykh Saduq "Baabawayh" |
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This is near the mausoleum of Shah Abdul Azim [a]. Shaykh Saduq was one of the greatest Shi'a Alims to have ever lived. He is said to have been born with the prayers of the 12th Imam Al-Mahdi, peace be upon him. |
Shimran
Location
Approximately one hour by bus from Tehran.
Pilgrimage sites
Mausoleum of Imamzada Saleh son of Imam Musa al-Kadhim, peace be upon him.
Kashan
Sites
Tomb of Abu Loolu~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Masjid al-Haram in Makkah
Al-Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque), is the largest mosque in the world. Located in the city of Mecca, it surrounds the Kaaba and is considered the holiest place on Earth. The mosque is also known as the Grand Mosque.
The current structure covers an area of 400,800 square metres (99.0 acres) including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to 6 million worshippers during the Hajj period, one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world.
Jannatul Mualla Cemetary in Makkah
The Jannatul Mualla cemetary contains the graves of many relatives of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), held in high esteem by the Shia, including:Hazrat Abdul Manaf - Great, great-grandfather of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)
Hazrat Hashim - Great-grandfather of the Holy Prophet(PBUH)
Hazrat Abdul Muttalib - Grandfather of the Holy Prophet(PBUH)
Hazrat Abu Talib: Uncle of the Holy Prophet(PBUH) and father of the Imam Ali (AS)
Bibi Khadijah: First wife of the Holy Prophet(PBUH) and mother of Bibi Fatimah (AS)
Hazrat Qasim: son of the Holy Prophet PBUH) who died in his infancy
Possible grave of Bibi Aamina - Mother of Muhammad
Masjid-an-Nabawi in Madinah
The Mosque of the Prophet (or Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, is considered to be the second holiest mosque. It is the final resting place of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH).
The original mosque was built by the Prophet himself. Subsequent Islamic rulers greatly expanded and decorated it. The most important feature of the site is the green dome over the center of the mosque, where the tomb of the Prophet is located. It is not exactly known when the green dome was constructed but manuscripsts dating to the early 12th century describe the dome. It is known as the Dome of the Prophet or the Green Dome.
As it stands today, the Prophet's Mosque has a rectangular plan on two floors with the Ottoman prayer hall projecting to the south. The main prayer hall occupies the entire first floor. The mosque enclosure is 100 times bigger than the first mosque built by the Prophet and can accommodate more than half a million worshippers.
The Prophet's Mosque has a flat paved roof topped with 24 domes on square bases. Holes pierced into the base of each dome illuminate the interior. The roof is also used for prayer during peak times, when the 24 domes slide out on metal tracks to shade areas of the roof, creating light wells for the prayer hall. At these times, the courtyard of the Ottoman mosque is also shaded with umbrellas affixed to freestanding columns. The roof is accessed by stairs and escalators. The paved area around the mosque is also used for prayer, equipped with umbrella tents.
The north facade has three evenly spaced porticos, while the east, west and south facades have two. The walls are composed of a series of windows topped by pointed arches with black and white voussoirs. There are six peripheral minarets attached to the new extension, and four others frame the Ottoman structure. The mosque is lavishly decorated with polychrome marble and stones. The columns are of white marble with brass capitals supporting slightly pointed arches, built of black and white stones. The column pedestals have ventilation grills that regulate the temperature inside the prayer hall.
This shiny new Prophet's Mosque contains the older mosque within it. The two sections can be easily distinguished: the older section has many colorful decorations and numerous small pillars; the new section is in gleaming white marble and is completely air-conditioned. The open courtyard of the mosque can be shaded by folded, umbrella-like canopies.
Ar-Rawdah an-Nabawiyah
The heart of the mosque houses a very special but small area named ar-Rawdah (Garden) an-Nabawiyah, which extends from Prophet's tomb to his pulpit. Pilgrims attempt to visit and pray in ar-Rawdah, for there is a tradition that supplications and prayers uttered here are never rejected. Entrance into ar-Rawdah is not always possible (especially during the Hajj season), as the tiny area can accommodate only a few hundred people. Ar-Rawdah has two small gateways manned by Saudi police officers. The current marble pulpit was constructed by the Ottomans. The original pulpit was much smaller than the current one, and constructed of palm tree wood, not marble. Ar-Rawdah an-Nabawiyah is considered part of Jannah (Paradise)
Jannatul Baqi
Jannatul Baqi is a cemetery located across from Masjid an-Nabawi and contains the tombs of:Second Imam, Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS)
Fourth Imam, Ali Zaynul Abidin (AS)
Fifth Imam, Muhammad al-Baqir (AS)
Sixth Imam, Jafar as-Sadiq (AS)
It is also thought that the real grave of Fatima-tuz-Zahra (AS), daughter of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), lies here as well.