What is the exact location of Karbala?
/ 32.617°N 44.033°E / 32.617; 44.033 Karbala or Kerbala ( Arabic: كَرْبَلَاء, romanized : Karbalāʾ [karbaˈlaːʔ], / ˈkɑːrbələ / KAR-bə-lə, also US: / ˌkɑːrbəˈlɑː / KAR-bə-LAH;) is a city in central Iraq, located about 100 km (62 mi) southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh, also known as Razzaza Lake.
What is the Battle of Karbala in Islam?
Battle of Karbala. Shia Islam portal. The Battle of Karbala was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, at Karbala, Iraq.
Why is Karbala a holy city for Shia Muslims?
The city, best known as the location of the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, or the shrines of Imam Husayn and Abbas, is considered a holy city for Shia Muslims, in the same way as Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Tens of millions of Shi'ite Muslims visit the site twice a year, rivaling Mecca and Mashhad by the number of pilgrims annually.
Where can I find media related to the Battle of Karbala?
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle of Karbala. / 32.617°N 44.033°E / 32.617; 44.033
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Is the battle of Karbala real?
Battle of Karbala, (October 10, 680 [10th of Muḥarram, ah 61]), brief military engagement in which a small party led by al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and son of ʿAlī, the fourth caliph, was defeated and massacred by an army sent by the Umayyad caliph Yazīd I.
Where is the actual grave of Imam Hussain?
Imam Hussain's Shrine, Karbala, IraqHusayn ibn Ali / Place of burialThe Imam Husayn Shrine (Arabic: مَقَام ٱلْإِمَام ٱلْحُسَيْن ٱبْن عَلِيّ, romanized: Maqām al-ʾImām al-Ḥusayn ʾibn ʿAlī) is the mosque and burial site of Husayn ibn Ali, the third Imam of Shia Islam, in the city of Karbala, Iraq.
Who owns the land of Karbala?
Placed next to Imam Hussain's shrine are the graves of two of his sons Ali Akbar and Ali Asghar. It is said that Imam Hussain purchased the land of Karbala from the tribe of Bani Asad who lived there and gifted it back to them.
Do Sunnis visit Karbala?
Although most pilgrims to Karbala are Shia, there are also some Sunni Muslim visitors. The author saw Sunni Muslims in both Karbala and Najaf. They can be distinguished from Shia Muslims by the way in which they perform their prayers. Some were praying inside the shrines of Imam Hussain and Abul Fazl Abbas.
What are the holy cities of Shia?
Both Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims agree on the three holiest sites in Islam being, respectively, the Masjid al-Haram (including the Kaaba), in Mecca; the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, in Medina; and the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, in Jerusalem.
Is Karbala mentioned in Quran?
Some Shi'ites consider this verse of the Quran to refer to Iraq, land of the Shi'ite sacred sites of Kufah, Najaf, Karbala, Kadhimiyyah and Samarra, since the Monotheistic preachers Ibrāhīm (Abraham) and Lūṭ (Lot), who are regarded as Prophets in Islam, are believed to have lived in the ancient Iraqi city of Kutha ...
Is Karbala safe to visit?
WARNING: Travel to Iraq is advised against by most governments. Karbala is much safer than the western or central areas of Iraq, but even here it is important to always remain vigilant.
How can I go to Karbala from India?
There is no direct connection from India to Karbala. However, you can take the taxi to Ahmedabad airport, fly to Najaf, then take the drive to Karbala. Alternatively, you can take the taxi to Ahmedabad airport, fly to Baghdad, then take the drive to Karbala.
Where is Imam Hassan shrine?
Hasan of Basra was a Sunni Islamic ulama, nicknamed as Abi Sayeed, born two years before the end of the era of the second Caliph Umar....Mausoleum of Imam al-Hasan of Basra.Mausoleum of Imam Hasan of BasraEcclesiastical or organisational statusShrineStatusActiveLocationLocationBasra, Iraq13 more rows
Who is buried in Karbala?
Tehran, July 15, IRNA -- Karbala in Iraq is one of the most sacred cities for Shia Muslims. It is the burial site of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Imam Hussein (PBUH).
What is the significance of Karbala?
Karbala, capital of Karbalāʾ governorate, Iraq. The city’s religious significance derives from the Battle of Karbala (680 ce ), a one-sided contest in which al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, the Shiʿi leader and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and his small party were massacred by a much larger force sent by the Umayyad caliph Yazīd I.
Where is Karbala located?
One of Shiʿi Islam ’s foremost holy cities, it lies 55 miles (88 km) southwest of Baghdad, with which it is connected by rail. Karbala, capital of Karbalāʾ governorate, Iraq. The city’s religious significance derives from the Battle ...
What is an encyclopedia editor?
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. ...
Is Karbala a religious city?
The city’s religious community has maintained close ties with coreligionists in Ir an. A significant portion of Karbala’s population is of Iranian descent, and large numbers of Iranians visit the city during pilgrimages to Ḥusayn’s tomb. Karbala still functions as a trade centre and a departure point for the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Is Karbala a wall?
The city’s older section is enclosed by a wall, with the newer buildings to the south. Karbala has been a centre of discontent with the country’s rulers. Civil discord was brutally put down there after the Persian Gulf War (1990–91).
What was the Muslim community like before the Battle of Karbala?
Prior to the Battle of Karbala, the Muslim community was divided into two political factions. Nonetheless, a religious sect with distinct theological doctrines and specific set of rituals had not developed. Karbala gave this early political party of pro-Alids a distinct religious identity and helped transform it into a distinct religious sect. Heinz Halm writes: "There was no religious aspect to Shi'ism prior to 680. The death of the third imam and his followers marked the 'big bang' that created the rapidly expanding cosmos of Shi'ism and brought it into motion."
What was the significance of the Battle of Karbala?
The Battle of Karbala galvanized the development of the pro- Alid party ( Shi'at Ali) into a unique religious sect with its own rituals and collective memory. It has a central place in the Shi'a history, tradition, and theology, and has frequently been recounted in Shi'a literature.
What is the purpose of the Zuljenah in the Muaharram procession?
A zuljenah in a Muaharram procession. During the month of Muharram, elaborate public processions are performed in commemoration of the Battle of Karbala. In contrast to pilgrimage to Husayn's tomb and simple lamenting, these processions do not date back to the time of the battle, but arose during tenth century.
Who was the leader of the army at the Battle of Karbala?
e. The Battle of Karbala ( Arabic: مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء ) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, at Karbala, modern day Iraq .
What is the significance of the rituals of Muharram?
According to Yitzhak Nakash, the rituals of Muharram have an "important" effect in the "invoking the memory of Karbala", as these help consolidate the collective identity and memory of the Shi'a community.
Overview
The Battle of Karbala (Arabic: مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I (r. 680–683) and a small army led by Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, at Karbala, modern day Iraq.
Prior to his death, the Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya I (r. 661–680) had nominated h…
Background
After the third caliph Uthman's assassination by rebels in 656, the rebels and the townspeople of Medina declared Ali, a cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, caliph. Some of Muhammad's companions including Talha ibn Ubayd Allah, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan (then governor of Syria), and Muhammad's widow A'isha, refused to recognize Ali. Th…
Prelude
On his succession, Yazid charged the governor of Medina, Walid ibn Utba ibn Abu Sufyan, to secure allegiance from Husayn, Ibn al-Zubayr and Abd Allah ibn Umar, with force if necessary. Walid sought the advice of his Umayyad relative Marwan ibn al-Hakam, who suggested that Ibn al-Zubayr and Husayn should be forced to pledge allegiance as they were dangerous, while Ibn Umar should be …
Journey towards Kufa
Husayn left Mecca with some fifty men and his family on 9 September 680 (8 Dhu al-Hijjah 60 AH), a day before Hajj. He took the northerly route through the Arabian Desert. On persuasion of Husayn's cousin Abd Allah ibn Ja'far, the governor of Mecca Amr ibn Sa'id sent his brother and Ibn Ja'far after Husayn in order to assure him safety in Mecca and bring him back. Husayn refused to ret…
Battle
After the morning prayer on 10 October, both parties took up battle positions. Husayn appointed Zuhayr ibn Qayn to command the right flank of his army, Habib ibn Muzahir to command the left flank, and his half-brother Abbas as the standard bearer. Husayn's companions, according to most accounts, numbered thirty-two horsemen and forty infantrymen; although forty-five horsemen and o…
Aftermath
Seventy or seventy-two people died on Husayn's side, of whom about twenty were descendants of Abu Talib, the father of Ali. This included two of Husayn's sons, six of his paternal brothers, three sons of Hasan ibn Ali, three sons of Jafar ibn Abi Talib and three sons and three grandsons of Aqil ibn Abi Talib. Following the battle, Husayn's clothes were stripped, and his sword, shoes an…
Primary and classic sources
The primary source of the Karbala narrative is the work of the Kufan historian Abu Mikhnaf titled Kitab Maqtal Al-Husayn. Other early monographs on the death of Husayn, which have not survived, were written by al-Asbagh al-Nubata, Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi, Ammar ibn Mu'awiya al-Duhni, Awana ibn al-Hakam, al-Waqidi, Hisham ibn al-Kalbi, Nasr ibn Muzahim, and al-Mada'ini; of these al-Nubta's monograph was perhaps the earliest. Although Abu Mikhnaf's date of birth is unknown, he was a…
Historical Analysis
Based on an official report sent to caliph Yazid, which describes the battle very briefly, stating that it lasted for no longer than a siesta, Lammens concludes that there was no battle at all but a quick massacre that was over in an hour; he suggests that the detailed accounts found in the primary sources are Iraqi fabrications, since their writers were dissatisfied with their hero being killed without putting up a fight. This is countered by the historian Laura Veccia Vaglieri, who argues th…