Holiest sites in Islam (Shia)

In addition to the three Mosques accepted by all Muslims as holy sites, Shī'ah Muslims consider sites associated with Muhammad, his family members and descendants (including the Shī‘ah Imāms), his companions, and the Prophets as holy places.
==Holy sites accepted by all Muslims==
===Masjid al-Harām in Makkah, Saudi Arabia===
Masjid al-Harām ("The Sacred Mosque"), is a large mosque in the city of Makkah, and the largest in Islam. It surrounds the Kaaba, the place which all Muslims turn towards each day in prayer, considered by Muslims to be the holiest place on Earth. 
The current structure covers an area of 356,800 square meters including the outdoor and indoor praying spaces and can accommodate up to 820,000 worshippers during the Hajj period. During the Hajj period, the mosque is unable to contain the multitude of pilgrims, who pray on the outlining streets. More than 2 million worshippers gather to pray during Eid prayers.
According to the teachings of Islam, God in the Qur'an used the word Mosque when referring to the sites established by Abraham and his progeny as houses of worship to God centuries before the revelation of the Qur'an. The first of these spots is Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and the second is Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Before Mecca and Jerusalem came under Muslim control between 630 CE and 638 CE, the site of the Kaaba, which was supposedly established by Abraham and Ishmael, was used by non-Muslim Arabs who worshipped multiple gods.
===Masjid-an-Nabawi in Madīnah, Saudi Arabia===
Masjid al-Nabawi ("Mosque of the Prophet"), located in Madīnah, is the second holiest site in Islam.
The edifice was originally Muhammad's house; he settled there after his Hijrah (emigration) to Medina, and later built a mosque on the grounds. He himself shared in the heavy work of construction. The original mosque was an open-air building, with no gender separation. The mosque also served as a community center, a court, and a religious school. There was a raised platform for the people who taught the Qur'an. The basic plan of the building has been adopted in the building of other mosques throughout the world.
The original mosque was built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Subsequent Islamic rulers greatly expanded and decorated the mosque. The most important feature of the site is the green dome over the center of the mosque, where the tomb of Muhammad is located. Constructed in 1817C.E. and painted green in 1839C.E., it is known as the Dome of the Prophet.Encyclopedia of the orient
==Holy sites accepted by all Shī‘ah Muslims==
===Imām ‘Alī Mosque in Najaf, Iraq===
Imām ‘Alī Mosque contains the tomb of:
* First Shī‘ah Imām, ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib
Also buried within this mosque:
* Prophet Adamhttp://www.al-islam.org/ziyarat/iraq.htm#Najaf
* Prophet Noah
‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islāmic prophet Muhammad. He is considered by Shi‘ah tradition to be the first legitimate caliph and the first Imām due to the proclamation given by Muhammad. The site is visited annually by at least 8 million pilgrims on average, which is estimated to increase to 20 million in years to come.
Many Shī‘ah believe that ‘Alī did not want his grave to be desecrated by his enemies and consequently asked his friends and family to bury him secretly. This secret gravesite is supposed to have been revealed later during the Abbasid caliphate by Ja‘far as-Sādiq, the Sixth Shī‘ah Imām.Majlesi, V.97, p. 246-251 Most Shī‘as accept that ‘Alī is buried in Imām ‘Alī Mosque, in what is now the city of Najaf (which grew around the shrine).
It has also been narrated from Ja‘far as-Sādiq, the 6th Imām, that Imām ‘Alī Mosque is the third of five holy places: Makkah, Madīnah, Imām ‘Alī Mosque in Najaf, Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbalā, and the Shrine for Fātimah - daughter of Mūsā al-Kādhim in Qom.
===Imām Husayn Mosque in Karbalā, Iraq===
Imām Husayn Mosque contains the tombs of:
* Grandson of Muhammad and Shī‘ah Imām, Husayn ibn ‘Alī
* ‘Alī al-Akbar, son of Husayn
* ‘Alī al-Asghar, son of Husayn
* Habīb ibn Madhāhir
* All the martyrs of Karbalā
* Ibrāhīm, son of Mūsā al-Kādhim - Seventh - Twelver Shī‘ah Imām
The mosque stands on the site of the grave of Husayn ibn ‘Alī, where he was killed during the Battle of Karbalā in 680.Shimoni & Levine, 1974, p. 160.Aghaie, 2004, pp. 10-11. Up to a million pilgrims visit the city to observe ‘Āshūrā, which marks the anniversary of Husayn ibn ‘Alī's death. There are many Shī‘ah traditions which narrate the status of Karbalā:
|200px|right|thumb|Jannatul Baqī‘ cemetery in Madīnah
===Jannatul Baqī‘ in Madīnah, Saudi Arabia===
Jannatul Baqī‘ is a cemetery located across from Masjid an-Nabawi and contains the tombs of:
* Halīmah - wet nurse of Muhammad
* Fatima bint Asad - the mother of ‘Alī
* Shī‘ah Imāms:
**Hasan ibn ‘Alī
**‘Alī ibn Husayn
**Muhammad ibn ‘Alī (Twelver/Ismaili not Zaydi)
**Ja‘far ibn Muhammad (Twelver/Ismaili)
**Isma‘īl ibn Ja‘far (Ismaili)
* Fātimah bint Hizam - the mother of ‘Abbās ibn ‘Alī
It is also thought that the real grave of Fatimatuz-Zahra', daughter of Muhammad, lies here as well.
200px|right|thumb|Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque in Damascus
===Jannatul Mu‘alla Cemetery in Makkah, Saudi Arabia===
The Jannatul Mu‘alla cemetery contains the graves of many relatives of Muhammad, held in high esteem by the Shī‘ah, including:
* ‘Abdul Manaf - Great, great-grandfather of Muhammad 
* Hāshim - Great-grandfather of Muhammad 
* ‘Abdul Muttalib - Grandfather of Muhammad 
* Abū Tālib: Uncle of Muhammad and father of the First Shī‘ah Imām, ‘Alī
* Khadījah: First wife of Muhammad and mother of Fātimah
* Qāsim: son of Muhammad who died in his infancy
* Possible grave of Aamina - Mother of Muhammadhttp://www.al-islam.org/ziyarat/saudi.htm Holy sites in Saudi Arabia 
===Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque in Damascus, Syria===
The Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque contains the tomb of:
* Zaynab, the daughter of ‘Alī and Fātimah, and the granddaughter of Muhammad.
===Al-‘Abbās Mosque in Karbalā, Iraq===
The Al-‘Abbās Mosque is located directly across from the Imām Husayn Mosque, and contains the tomb of:
* ‘Abbās ibn ‘Alī, son of ‘Alī and brother of (Brother of Husayn)
Millions of pilgrims visit the shrine and pay homage to it every year. The real grave of Abbas is beneath the masoulem, and is present in the shrine. Emperors and kings of various dynasties have offered valuable gifts and gems to the shrine of Abbas. It was designed by Persian and Central Asian architects. The brilliant splash of colors on the exterior and interior of the shrine are impressive. The central pear shaped dome is an ornately decorated structure. On its sides stand two tall minarets. The tomb is covered with pure gold and surrounded by a trellis of silver. Iranian carpets are rolled out on the floors.
200px|right|thumb|Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque in Damascus
===Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque in Damascus, Syria===
The Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque contains the tomb of:
* Fātimah, the youngest daughter of Husayn ibn ‘Alī, often referred to by her title: "Ruqayya".
===Bāb Saghīr Cemetery in Damascus, Syria===
The Bāb Saghīr cemetery contains the graves of many relatives of Muhammad as well as sites related to the tragedy of Karbalā. Some of the figures laid to rest here include:
* Umm Kulthūm, daughter of ‘Alī and Fātimah, granddaughter of Muhammad
* Bilāl al-Habashi, the Mu'adh-dhin of Muhammad
* Hamīdah, daughter of Muslim ibn Aqeel
* Maymūnah, daughter of the Hasan ibn ‘Alī
* Sakīnah, daughter of Husayn ibn ‘Alī (not to be confused with Ruqayya who was the youngest)
* Asma, wife of Ja‘far at-Tayyār
* Abdullah, son of ‘Alī ibn Husayn
===Other tombs for the family of Imāms===
There are many tombs of the various descendants of the Imāms (often called Imāmzādeh). Some of them include:
* The tomb of Bibi Shahrbānū, mother of ‘Alī ibn Husayn (fourth Shī‘ah Imām) in ancient Rayy, Iran
* Masjid al-Kufa in Kūfā, Iraq - contains the tombs of Muslim ibn ‘Aqīl, Hānī ibn ‘Urwa, and Mukhtār al-Thaqafī. The Mosque also contains many important sites relating to the Prophets and ‘Alī, including the place where he was fatally struck on the head while in Sujood
* Mount Uhud near Madīnah, Saudi Arabia - bears the grave of Hamzah the uncle of Muhammad, along with the graves of all the other Muslims who fell at the Battle of Uhud.
* The tomb of Zayd ibn ‘Alī in Kūfā, Iraq
* Shah Abdol Azim Shrine in Rayy, Iran - a descendant of Hasan ibn ‘Alī. The tombs of Imamzadeh Tahir (son of ‘Alī ibn Husayn) and Imamzadeh Hamzeh (son of Mūsā al-Kādhim) are found here as well.
* Imāmzādeh Muhammad - a descendant of ‘Alī ibn Husayn (grandson of Zayd) in Mashhad, Iran
===Other places associated with Muhammad===
* Masjid al-Quba found just outside Madīnah, Saudi Arabia, was the first Islamic mosque ever built. Its first stones were positioned by Muhammad on his emigration from the city of Makkah to Madīnah and was subsequently completed by his companions. Muhammad then waited for ‘Alī to arrive before he entered the city of Medina|Madīnah.
* Masjid al-Qiblatayn in Madīnah, Saudi Arabia - the Mosque where the direction of prayer (qibla) was changed from Jerusalem to Makkah
* Cave of Hira located on the mountain Jabal an-Nur in Saudi Arabia - the place where the first verses of the Qur'ān were revealed to Muhammad
===Places associated with Imāms, Prophets & Karbalā===
thumb|200px|right|Blood-stained stone within Masjid al-Nuqtah in Aleppo
* Masjid al-Nuqtah in Aleppo, Syria - this Mosque contains a large stone where the head of Husayn ibn ‘Alī was placed, while on a stop-over along the journey from Karbalā to Damascus
* Masjid al-Hannaanah in Kūfā, Iraq - contains some of the skin of Husayn ibn ‘Alī which was ripped off of him post-mortem by the aggressors of Karbalā
* The House of ‘Alī in Kūfā, Iraq
* Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria - entombs the head of John the Baptist, as well as having sites relating to the tragedy of Karbalā
* Great Mosque of Aleppo in Aleppo, Syria - entombs the remains of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist.
* Nabi Habeel Mosque in Syria - contains the grave of Abel (Arabic: "Habeel" ), son of Adam as believed by Shī‘ah Muslims
===Mosques associated with companions of Muhammad and the Imāms===
* Tomb of Salman the Persian and Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansārī in al-Mada'in, Iraq
* Tomb of ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir and Uwais al-Qarni in ar-Raqqah, Syria
* Tomb of Maytham at-Tammār in Kufa, Iraq
* Tomb of Kumayl ibn Ziyad in Kufa, Iraq
* Tomb of Hujr ibn ‘Adī in Adra' (north of Damascus), Syria
==Holy sites specific to Twelver Shī‘ah Muslims==
===Imām Ridhā Mosque in Mashhad, Iran===
Imām Ridhā Mosque contains the tomb of:
* Eighth Shī‘ah Imām, ‘Alī ar-Ridhā
Imām Ridhā is believed, by members of the Shī‘ah, to have been poisoned there upon orders of Caliph Al Ma'mun and the place was subsequently called, Mashhad ar-Ridhā (the place of martyrdom of ‘Alī ar-Ridhā). By the end of the 9th century a dome was built on the grave and many buildings and Bazaars sprang up around it. For years totalling more than a millennium, the mosque was destroyed and reconstructed several times.Zabeth (1999) pp. 12-16
Nowadays Imām Ridhā shrine in Mashhad, Iran, is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Imām Ridhā, the eighth Imām of Twelvers. Also found within the complex is a museum, library, cemetery, mosque and seminaries. Today the holy shrine and its museum hold one of the most extensive cultural and artistic treasuries of Iran, in particular manuscript books and paintings. Several important theological schools are associated with the shrine of the Eighth Imam. As a city of great religious significance, it is also a place of pilgrimage. It is said that the rich go to Makkah but the poor journey to Mashhad. Thus, even as those who complete the pilgrimage to Makkah receive the title of Haji, those who make the pilgrimage to Mashhad–and especially to the Imam Ridha shrine–are known as Mashtee, a term employed also of its inhabitants. It is thought that over 20 million Muslims a year make the pilgrimage to Mashhad. It is generally considered to be the holiest Shiite shrine in Iran, and is sometimes ranked as the third holiest Shiite shrine in the world.
===Al Kādhimiyya Mosque in Baghdād, Iraq===
The Al Kādhimiyya Mosque contains the tombs of:
* Seventh Shī‘ah Imām, Mūsā al-Kādhim
* Ninth Shī‘ah Imām, Muhammad at-Taqī
Also buried within this mosque:
* Shaykh Mufīd
* Shaykh Nasīr ad-Dīn Tūsi
Some consider the mosque the third holiest in Shi'ite Islām.
===Al ‘Askarī Mosque in Sāmarrā, Iraq===
The Al ‘Askarī Mosque contains the tombs of:
* Tenth Shī‘ah Imām, ‘Alī an-Naqī
* Eleventh Shī‘ah Imām, Hasan al-‘Askarī
Also buried within this mosque:
* Hakimah Khātūn - sister of ‘Alī an-Naqī
* Narjis Khātūn - mother of Muħammad al-Māhdī (Twelfth Shī‘ah Imām)
The cellar from which the Twelfth or "Hidden" Imām, Muħammad al-Mahdī disappeared from view is also found within this mosque.
At the time of the Al-Askari bombing in Samarra, it was reported that the mosque was one of Shiite Islam's holiest sites, only exceeded by the shrines of Najaf and Karbala. Editor's note: Quote is found on third page of article.
===Mosques associated with the Twelfth Shī‘ah Imām===
The final Imām, considered to be alive and in occultation, has the following two Mosque's associated with him:
* Jamkarān Mosque in Qom, Irān
* Masjid al-Sahlah in Kūfa, Iraq
===Fātimah al-Ma‘sūmah Mosque in Qom, Iran===
The Fātimah al-Ma‘sūmah Mosque contains the tomb of:
* Fātimah al-Ma‘sūmah, sister of the Eighth Shī‘ah Imām, ‘Alī ar-Ridhā
Located in Qom, Iran, some consider the Fātimah al-Ma‘sūmah Mosque to be the third holiest shrine in Shī‘ah Islām. The shrine has attracted to itself dozens of seminaries and religious schools. Shah Abbas I built the shrine complex in the early 17th century.
200px|right|thumb|Fātimah al-Ma‘sūmah Mosque in Qom
===Tombs of other family members of Muhammad===
* Imāmzādeh Sālih in Tehran, Iran - son of Mūsā al-Kādhim
* Shāh Cheragh Mosque in Shiraz, Iran - entombs the brothers of ‘Alī ar-Ridhā
* Imāmzādeh Ibrāhīm - son of Mūsā al-Kādhim in Mashhad, Iran
* Imamzadeh Husayn in Ardestan, Iran
* Imamzadeh Ismail in Ardestan, Iran
* Imamzadeh Shah Hussein in Varamin, Iran
* Imamzadeh Rabi'a Khatun in Ashtarjan, Iran
* Imamzadeh Ja'far in Qom, Iran
==See also==
* Ziyarat
==Further reading==
*Aghaie, Kamran Scot (2004). The Martyrs of Karbala: Shi'i Symbols and Rituals in Modern Iran. University of Washington Press. ISBN 0295984481
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