On the 10th of Muharram in the year 61 in Hijri calendar and in desert called Karbala, Hussain ibn Ali (pbuh), the grandchild of Prophet of Islam (pbuh), was killed and his family members were sent into...
Read More »To Karbala: Surveying Religious Shiʻa from Iran and Iraq
This survey captures the attitudes and beliefs of religiously observant Shiites by surveying Iranians and Iraqis on pilgrimage to Karbala for the Shiite holy day of Arba’een. When we conducted this survey in the days leading up to and during the Arba’een celebrations of 2015, 22 million pilgrims reportedly participated in the...
Read More »Digital Technology and Pilgrimage: Shiʿi Rituals of Arbaʿin in Iraq
This paper offers a study on the increasing digitization of Shiʿi Muslim rituals of Arbaʿin, observed on the fortieth day after the martyrdom of Husayn, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, at the battlefield of Karbala, Iraq; his shrine here is visited by....
Read More »In Photos: Arbaeen Int’l Congress Held in Karbala
The 5th edition of Arbaeen International Congress was held for two days at Khatam-ul-Anbiya (PBUH) Hall of the holy shrine of Imam Hussain (AS) in...
Read More »Arbaʻeen: Reflecting Upon the Imam’s Stand
The events surrounding the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) remain controversial among scholars, historians, and lovers of Imam Husayn...
Read More »Article: Karbala Mourning among the Fāṭimid-Ṭayyibī Shīʿa of India
This article transcribes, translates, and analyses the lament to showcase a distinct religious tradition within a hybrid cultural milieu...
Read More »Did Imam al-Husayn (as) Have Prior Information about his Martyrdom?
One of the doubts often raised by skeptics in connection with the event of Karbala is about the Shi‘ah belief that every imam is prescient so has knowledge of things that are hidden from most...
Read More »Imam Sajjad (as) in the Court of Ibn Ziyad
When Ibn Ziyad ordered that Ali ibn Husayn should be killed, Lady Zaynab said: "O son of Ziyad! If you want to kill him kill me along with him". The Imam, however, said: "Dear aunt! Be calm, I shall give him a reply myself". Then he said: "O son of Ziyad! Do you threaten to kill me? Don't you know that being killed is...
Read More »Imam Hussain (A.S) Tried His Best to Avoid Direct Conflict
The entire course of events that led to the battle of Karbala shows that at each and every step Imam Hussain (A.S) tried his best to avoid direct conflict and consequent bloodshed...
Read More »Understanding Karbala: Abridged and Adapted from the Original Work of The Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Saeed al-Hakeem
Based on the work of Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Saeed al-Hakeem, this book looks at the driving factors behind Imam Hussain’s journey...
Read More »