Al-Abbas Shrine

The Al-Abbas Shrine (Arabic: حَرَم أَبا الْفَضْل الْعَبَّاس, romanized: Ḥaram ʿAba al-Faḍl al-ʿAbbās) is the mausoleum of Abbas ibn Ali, situated near the Imam Husayn shrine, located in Karbala, in the Karbala Governorate of Iraq. Abbas was a son of Ali, the half-brother of both Hasan and Husayn, Husayn's flag-bearer in the Battle of Karbala, and chief of his caravans. Along with the Imam Husayn Shrine, it is a profoundly holy site in Shia Islam. Each year, millions of people around the world observe Ashura during Muharram and later undertake the Arba'in pilgrimage to his shrine, the world's largest annual public gathering. Also known as Abu al-Fadl, Abbas was martyred while attempting to fetch water from the Euphrates river for the thirsty children. Over the centuries, the Euphrates changed course and it now flows around the Abbas Shrine. It is said that the Euphrates has come to Abbas now. History Abbas ibn Ali was killed near the Alqamah Canal while attempting, on the instructions of his brother Husayn, to bring water from the Euphrates to the camp at Karbala. Because he fell some distance from both the battlefield and the encampment, and as the fighting had intensified, his body remained where he was killed and was later buried at that very location. Members of the Banu Asad tribe were the first to mark his grave with a prominent tomb so that its location would not be lost. The earliest known visitor to his grave was Ubayd Allah ibn al-Hurr al-Ju'fi, a prominent Shia figure from Kufa. He was followed by the renowned Companion of the Prophet, Jabir ibn Abd Allah al-Ansari, who visited the grave on 20 Safar 62 AH, an event traditionally regarded as one of the earliest pilgrimages to Karbala. Details The Shrine of Abbas is located approximately 378 meters northeast of the Shrine of Imam Husayn, with the two sanctuaries connected by the large plaza known as Bayn al-Haramayn. At the center of the shrine lies the tomb of Abbas, enclosed by an ornate wooden sarcophagus and a silver zarih installed in 1385 AH (1965–1966 CE). Commissioned through the efforts of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim and crafted by master artisans from Isfahan, the zarih incorporates approximately 400,000 mithqals of pure silver and 8,000 mithqals of gold, requiring three years to complete. The sanctuary is surrounded by four symmetrical riwaqs (arcaded halls), whose walls and ceilings are richly decorated with mirror mosaics created by Iranian craftsmen. Above the tomb rises a large gilded dome, whose gold plating was completed in 1375 AH (1955–1956 CE). Two minarets flank the southern iwan, while the southern entrance features a large enameled golden door made in Isfahan, accompanied by two smaller doors leading into the southern riwaq. The shrine is enclosed within a square courtyard lined with chambers where numerous Shia scholars, rulers, and notable figures are buried. Much of the existing tilework dates from the Qajar period and later restorations.The shrine's first known structure was erected by Mukhtar al-Thaqafi after his uprising. As Karbala gradually developed, Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid ordered its demolition in 170 AH (786–787 CE). It was rebuilt during the reign of al-Ma'mun, only to be destroyed again by al-Mutawakkil in 232 AH (847 CE), who ordered both the shrines of Husayn and Abbas, along with much of Karbala, to be razed and the surrounding land flooded. After al-Mutawakkil's death, al-Muntasir adopted a more favorable policy, restoring the shrine and encouraging pilgrimage. The present architectural foundation of the shrine was established under the Buyid ruler Adud al-Dawla, who ordered the construction of a grand mausoleum in 367 AH (977–978 CE), completed in 372 AH (982–983 CE). This structure remains the core of today's shrine.Substantial renovations continued under the Jalayirids, whose work was completed in 786 AH (1384 CE). During the Safavid period, Shah Ismail I visited Karbala after conquering Baghdad in 914 AH (1508 CE), ordered extensive repairs, donated twelve golden lamps symbolizing the Twelve Imams, furnished the shrine with luxurious silk carpets from Isfahan, and commissioned the dome's tile decoration. Nader Shah Afshar later sponsored further restorations and valuable donations in 1153 AH (1740 CE). In 1216 AH (1801–1802 CE), the Wahhabi forces led by Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz attacked Karbala, damaging the shrine and looting its treasures, including gifts presented by the Safavid and Afsharid rulers. The shrine was subsequently restored during the Qajar period, when Fath-Ali Shah Qajar donated a new silver zarih in 1227 AH (1812 CE). Further renovations, including renewed tilework on the dome and courtyard, were carried out under Naser al-Din Shah, while Shaykh Abd al-Husayn Tehrani financed major restoration works using funds from the estate of Amir Kabir. In recent decades, the shrine and the surrounding Bayn al-Haramayn area have undergone extensive expansion and modernization, with large-scale restoration projects significantly enlarging the sanctuary and improving facilities for the millions of pilgrims who visit Karbala each year. Timeline Gallery See also Shia Islam in Iraq Holiest sites in Islam (Shia) List of mosques in Iraq List of the oldest mosques in the world References External links "Holy Shrine of al-Abbas". wikishia.net. "Al-Abbas Holy Shrine". Imam Hussain.org. "Reviews: Al Abbas Holy Shrine, Karbala". Trip Advisor.