History Books

Unlike any other city, Karbala has its named engraved in the memory of generations, and in the expanse of the Muslim world ... Believers remember that name with sorrow and distress, for they remember the history of the master of all martyrs, Imam Hus...

Unlike any other city, Karbala has its named engra...

Umar bin Jubair describes al-Baqi as he saw it during his travel to Madina, saying "Al-Baqi is situated to the east of Madina. You enter it through the gate known as the gate of al-Baqi. As you enter, the first grave you see on your left is that of S...

Umar bin Jubair describes al-Baqi as he saw it dur...

- Al-Mualla graveyard in Makkah which includes the grave of Sayyida Khadija bint Khuwailid (a.s) , wife of the Prophet (s), the grave of Amina bint Wahab, mother of the Prophet (s), the grave of Abu Talib, father of Imam Ali (a.s) , and the grave of ...

- Al-Mualla graveyard in Makkah which includes the...

The Ottoman Empire had added to the splendor of Madina and Makkah by building religious structures of great beauty and architectural value. Richard Burton, who visited the holy shrines in 1853 AD disguised as an Afghan Muslim and adopting the Muslim ...

The Ottoman Empire had added to the splendor of Ma...

The Wahhabis believed that visiting the graves and the shrines of the Prophets, the Imams, or the saints was a form of idolatry and totally un-Islamic. Those who did not conform with their belief were killed and their property was confiscated. Since ...

The Wahhabis believed that visiting the graves and...

Literally "al-Baqi" means a tree garden. It is also known as "Jannat al-Baqi" due to its sanctity, since in it are buried many of our Prophet's relatives and companions. The first companion buried in al-Baqi was Uthman b. Madhoon who died on the 3rd ...

Literally "al-Baqi" means a tree garden. It is als...

The visit of Prophet Abraham and Isaac and Abraham's prediction and desire to buy the Valley of Peace. Those who have visited Najaf will remember vividly that to the north and east of the town there are acres of graves and myriads of domes of various...

The visit of Prophet Abraham and Isaac and Abraham...

Imam Hussein (a.s.), together with his pious companions, passed the night before the tenth of Muharram in prayers, supplications and getting ready for the following day. That night came to an end. It was as if a long history had elapsed. The tenth of...

Imam Hussein (a.s.), together with his pious compa...

Imam Hussein's (a.s.) caravan set off on the eighth day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, (the day the pilgrims get ready to perform hajj), in the year of 60 A.H. Many had questioned as to why he would leave without performing the hajj ceremonies. He repl...

Imam Hussein's (a.s.) caravan set off on the eight...

On the desert of Karbala' Imam Hussein (a.s.) emerged as a symbol for free men, and a slogan for the revolutionaries throughout the ages and generations. On the other hand, the Ummayyad authorities, at the helm of which stood Ubaidullah bin Ziyad in ...

On the desert of Karbala' Imam Hussein (a.s.) emer...

The Ummayyads were extremely worried at the news of the success of Hussein (a.s.) in Mecca. He had won over nearly the whole city. Fearing the spread of the opposition movement, Yazid dispatched an army from Syria. He appointed Umar bin Sa'id bin al-...

The Ummayyads were extremely worried at the news o...

Shortly after the death of Mu'awiyah, his son, Yazid, took over. He ordered his governors to take the pledge of allegiance to him from the people. He focused on Imam Hussein (a.s.), in particular, due to the Ummayyad conviction that he was the unshak...

Shortly after the death of Mu'awiyah, his son, Yaz...

Mu'awiyah entered the city of Kufa after signing the peace treaty with Imam Hassan (a.s.). His army encircled it. He addressed the Kufans in these words: "O people of Kufa! Do you think that I have fought you for the sake of prayer, poor-rate and haj...

Mu'awiyah entered the city of Kufa after signing t...

By: Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari Among the differences that exist between matters of the physical world and the social one is that in the material world minerals always demonstrate a single essence. For instance, you cannot find, as a raw material, gold...

By: Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari Among the difference...

By: Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari Looking at Imam Hussein’s revolt from another perspective, i.e. the way he was treating his followers, one can only come out with one conclusion. He was determined not to let the feelings of his companions run high, in a...

By: Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari Looking at Imam Huss...

By: Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari Different phenomena vary as to their realities. Similarly, every uprising or revolt is unique as to the truth/s underlying its eruption [and eventual success or otherwise]. In order to understand a particular matter, or ...

By: Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari Different phenomena ...

Unlawfulness of breach of allegiance, namely fulfilling a pledge is heavily underlined in Islam. Since breaking a pledge or an allegiance is prohibited seriously, it stands to reason how much the role of which in political affairs can be positive. Bu...

Unlawfulness of breach of allegiance, namely fulfi...

The Islamic community in the year the event of Karbala- took place had greatly differed from that in the last year of Prophet’s life. The trend of deviation had been however gradual, according to many of researchers, the basis thereof was established...

The Islamic community in the year the event of Kar...

Imam Hussein went to Mecca and stayed there for four months. He visited different groups and wrote a lot of letters to Kufa, Basra, and to individuals. He went on a pilgrimage to Kaba and he visited the tombs of diseased predecessors; he went to the ...

Imam Hussein went to Mecca and stayed there for fo...

Thinking about Karbala, one would inevitably remember the thirst of the fighters of Karbala. Such thirst has a history which starts from Hazrat Ibrahim’s (Prophet Abraham’s) story with Hajar and Ismail. Sareh, Prophet Abraham’s wife, told him, “As I...

Thinking about Karbala, one would inevitably remem...

The history of thirst began with the story of Prophet Abraham and his son Ismail. The next instance throughout the history was the story of Imam Hussein. Prophet Abraham was going from Palestine to Mecca, while Imam Hussein was leaving Mecca to anoth...

The history of thirst began with the story of Prop...