Friday 13 May 2016

Major Pilgrimage (Ziyaraat) sites in Shia Islam

Topic 43:

1) Masjid ul Haraam, Makka, Saudi Arabia



The Masjid ul Haraam is the holiest shrine of Islam, the mosque houses Ka'ba which is epi-centre (Qibla) of Muslim worship. Ka'ba contain Hajr Aswad (Black Stone). Ka'ba beside being epi-centre (Qibla) is also the birthplace of 1st Imam Ali Murtada. The mosque also houses Maqaam Ibrahim (Station of Abraham) which contain a stone with Prophet Ibrahim/ Abraham's footprints. There is also Hatim a semi-circular pen beside Ka'ba it is considered to be part of it, Shia Islam consider it to contain graves of Prophet Ismail/ Ishmael and his mother Hajira/ Hagar. There is also well of Zamzam nearby. Hillocks of Safa and Marwa, which are termed as Symbols of God (Shaai Allah) are attached with Masjid ul Haram.

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2) Jannatul Mo'alla, Makka, Saudi Arabia



Jannatul Mo'alla graveyard in Makka houses graves of Prophet's ancestors. Both Prophet's uncle and Imam Ali's father Abu Talib is also burried here. Mother Khadija wife of Prophet Mohammed is also buried here. Many other relatives of Prophet Mohammed inclusive of his father Abdullah, grandfather Abdul Mutallib, son Baby Qasim and many more are buried here. Saudi Arabian government desecrated all tombs in 1925.

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3) Cave of Hira, Mount Al Noor, Makka, Saudi Arabia



Cave of Hira, located atop Mount Al Noor in Makka is the sanctum where Prophet Mohammed used to observe reclusion. It was here that Holy Qur'an was revealed upon Prophet Mohammed all at once in Laylatul Qadr (Night of Authority).

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4) Arafaat, Makka, Saudi Arabia



Plain of Arafaat, located nearby Makka, is a very important location related to Hajj (Pilgrimage).

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5) Masjid Nabawi, Madina, Saudi Arabia



Masjid un Nabawi is the second ever built masjid and Prophet Mohammed himself laboured in it's construction. Now, Masjid Nabawi houses holy grave of Prophet Mohammed.

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6) Jannatul Baqi, Madina, Saudi Arabia



Jannatul Baqi graveyard in Madina houses graves of Lady Fatima tuz Zahra daughter of Prophet Mohammed. Grave of 2nd Shia Imam Hasan, grave of 4th Shia Imam Ali Zainul Abideen, grave of 5th Shia Imam Mohammed Baaqir and grave of 6th Shia Imam Ja'far Saadiq. Many other relatives of Prophet Mohammed along with his son Baby Ibrahim and many more are buried here. Saudi Arabian government desecrated all tombs in 1925.
 

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7) Masjid Quba, Quba, Saudi Arabia



Situated in suburb of Madina, this Masjid is first ever Masjid built, in which Prophet Mohammed himself laboured.

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8) Masjid Qiblatain, Madina, Saudi Arabia



Located nearby Madina, this Masjid is where direction to change Qibla (Epi-centre) of worship was ordered to be changed from Baitul Muqaddas (Today's Golden Dome) in Jerusalem to Ka'ba in Makka.

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9) Battlefield of Badr, Badr, Saudi Arabia



Badr, located in Hijaz region is where first battle between Muslims and Pagan Arabs (Ommayyads) took place, it houses graves of martyrs of Badr.

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10) Battlefield of Uhad, Uhad, Saudi Arabia



Uhad, located in Hijaz region is where second battle between Muslims and Pagan Arabs
(Ommayyads) took place, it too houses graves of martyrs including the grave of Prophet Mohammed's martyred uncle Hamza.

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11) Ghadeer Khumm Valley, Juhfa, Saudi Arabia



Ghadeer Khumm Valley, located near Juhfa on away to Madina from Makka is of utmost significance to Shia Islam, it was here Prophet Mohammed declared the wilayat (authority) of Imam Ali Murtada as legal heir of Prophet Mohammed in Islam. It was here that just after Imam Ali's authority was declared that Prophet Mohammed declared Islam to have attained perfection.

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12) Masjid Kufa, Kufa, Iraq



A very important mosque within Shia Islam, it was here that 1st Imam Ali Murtada was martyred while he was in prostration leading the prayers. The mosque also houses graves of great martyrs like Muslim s/o Aqeel (Cousin of 3rd Imam Husain), Hani s/o Urwa (Imam Husain's supporter) and Mukhtar Saqafi (Avenger of Imam Husain's murderers).

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13) Rauda Imam Ali Murtada, Najaf, Iraq




The 1st Shia Imam Ali Murtada was burried in Najaf after his martyrdom in Kufa. The tomb also houses graves of Prophet Aadam/ Adam and Prophet Nuh/ Noah

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14) Rauda Imam Husain, Karbala, Iraq



Imam Husain the 3rd Shia Imam, his tomb also contain graves of his sons Ali Akbar, Baby Ali Asghar, brothers and other relatives along with other martyrs of Karbala.

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15) Rauda Abbas, Karbala, Iraq



Abbas s/o Imam Ali Murtada and brother of Imam Husain, the flag bearer of Imam Husain as well as his Commander in Chief, is buried in shrine some distance apart in front of Imam Husain's shrine.

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16) Rauda Kaazmain, Kaazmain, Iraq



The Kaazmain Shrine houses graves of 7th Shia Imam Musa Kaazim and his grandson 9th Shia Imam Mohammed Jawwaad Taqi.

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17) Rauda Askariyain, Samarra, Iraq



The Askariyain Shrine was recently bombed by terrorists and totally destroyed, however rebuilt now. The Shrine houses graves of 10th Shia Imam Ali Hadi Naqi and his son 11th Shia Imam Hasan Askari.

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18) Maqam Sardab, Samarra, Iraq




A shrine it has no graves, rather it is the location from where the last & final 12th Shia Imam Mohammed Mahdi underwent occultation (Ghaybah) after martyrdom of his father 11th Shia Imam Hasan Askari , the shrine is located near Askariyain shrine.

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19) Rauda Imam Ali Reda, Mashhad, Iran



The shrine houses grave of 8th Shia Imam Ali Reda.

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20) Rauda Masuma, Qom, Iran



The Shrine is situated in Qom and houses the grave of Lady Fatima Masuma the sister of 8th Shia Imam Ali Reda.

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21) Masjid Jamkaran, Qom, Iran



Masjid Jamkaran in Jamkaran locality near Qom is associated with presence of 12th Shia Imam Mohammed Mahdi, it is believed that 12th Shia Imam Mohammed Mahdi living under occultation (Ghaybah) does visits this mosque.

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22) Rauda Sayyeda Zainab, Damascus, Syria



Lady Zainab is elder grand-daughter of Prophet Mohammed, elder daughter of Lady Fatima Zahra and 1st Shia Imam Ali Murtada, sister of 2nd and 3rd Shia Imams (Aimmah). She was taken captive by Ummayyads after Battle of Karbala, imprisoned and tortured along with 4th Shia Imam and other family members.


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23) Rauda Ruqaiyya/ Sakina, Damascus, Syria



3rd Shia Imam Husain's 5 years old baby daughter was taken prisoner by Ummayyads after Battle of Karbala, she was bought here, she passed away while in dungeon due to atrocities upon her, this prison is now a shrine is housing her grave.

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24) Bab Saghir Cemetery, Damascus, Syria



The cemetery houses numerous graves, prominent among them is Lady Umm Kulsum's grave the younger grand-daughter of Prophet Mohammed, the younger sister of Lady Zainab. Lady Fizza the maid of Lady Fatima Zahra, who was referred to as mother by children of Lady Fatima Zahra is burried here. Bilal Ribah a loyal companion of Prophet Mohammed is also buried here. There are many other graves of importance here.

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25) Masjid Aqsa/ Baitul Muqaddas, Jerusalem, Palestine 





Baitul Muqaddas (Holy House) is a santuary and contain Qubbat Sukhr (Dome of Rock/ Golden Dome) which was previous Qibla (Epi-centre) of worship, it was from here Prophet Mohammed ascended in Lailatul Me'raaj (Night of Ascent), Masjid Aqsa (where Prophet Mohammed had prayed that night) is mosques situated in within the complex.

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Oh Allah! Peace and Salutation be upon Mohammed and House-hold of Mohammed.