Pilgrimage Preparation · Sacred Places & History
Arbaeen Pilgrimage
The walk to Karbala forty days after Ashura: what it marks and what visitors should expect.
Read Article: Arbaeen Pilgrimage
Karbala · Najaf · Kufa
Prepare for your ziyarat with understanding
Explore sacred places, plan your pilgrimage, and deepen your understanding of the Ahlulbayt and Imam Mahdi—with clear English guides and devotional resources.
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Shrine of Imam Hussain (as)
The burial place of Imam Hussain (as) in Karbala, and the heart of ziyarat for millions of visitors each year.
Your journey, one step at a time
Start wherever you are. Each step leads naturally to the next.
- Discover
Find the holy sites of Karbala, Najaf and Kufa.
- Understand
Learn who is honoured there and why.
- Prepare
Seasons, stays, safety and a checklist.
- Visit
Build a day-by-day plan on this device.
- Reflect
Read and reflect after you return.
Three cities
All holy sitesKarbala
كربلاءThe city where Imam Hussain (as) and his companions were killed in 61 AH (680 CE), and where his shrine and the shrine of his brother al-Abbas (as) stand today.
4 sites in this guide
Najaf
النجفThe city of the shrine of Imam Ali (as), cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet (s), and a long-standing centre of Shia scholarship.
2 sites in this guide
Kufa
الكوفةClose to Najaf, Kufa was Imam Ali’s (as) capital. Its Great Mosque, and the shrine of Muslim ibn Aqil, are closely tied to the events leading to Karbala.
3 sites in this guide
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Duas & Ziyarat — Read, Understand and Reflect
السلام عليك يا أبا عبد الله
Greeting to Imam Hussain (as)
Opening lines only
A short greeting addressed to Imam Hussain (as) by his kunya, Abu Abdillah.
Read & Understand: Greeting to Imam Hussain (as)زيارة عاشوراء
Ziyarat Ashura
Complete Arabic text
A widely recited ziyarat of Imam Hussain (as), recited both at the shrine and from afar.
Read & Understand: Ziyarat Ashura
From the Ziyarat Journal
Wider reading on preparation, history and reflection.
Ahlulbayt & Imam Mahdi · Reflections & Everyday Life
Imam Hussain (AS) - Quotes, Family Tree & Timeless Lessons
Imam Hussain’s (as) family, sayings attributed to him, and lessons drawn from his life.
Read Article: Imam Hussain (AS) - Quotes, Family Tree & Timeless LessonsAhlulbayt & Imam Mahdi · Reflections & Everyday Life
Daily Practices to Strengthen Your Allegiance to Imam Mahdi
Daily practices, supplications and charity.
Read Article: Daily Practices to Strengthen Your Allegiance to Imam Mahdi