Rafed English

Location of the Holy Shrine of Abbas (a.s.)

Historians have confirmed that Imam al-Hussein (a) used to carry the bodies of his soldiers who were killed in the field of fighting to a special tent prepared for this purpose. For instance, historians have confirmed that al-Hurr ibn Yazid, when was killed, was carried to the tent of the killeds, and Imam al-Hussein ordered some young men of his household to carry the body of his son; Ali, to that tent, and he himself carried the body of al-Qasim; his nephew to the same tent.

It is also related that Imam al-Baqir (a) said:

"Al-Hussein used to put the bodies of the killeds in one place and used to comment: These killeds are just like the killed prophets and sons of prophets." 70

Nevertheless, Imam al-Hussein (a) left the body of his brother al-Abbas in the place where he was felled-on the bank of the River al-Alqami near the dam.

Some historians have mentioned that Imam al-Hussein (a) could not carry the body of al-Abbas because it was wounded so heavily that all the organs were separated from each other.71

Others have mentioned that al-Abbas, in his last spark of life, begged his brother to leave him in his place because he was shy to meet Sukaina, daughter of Imam al-Hussein, whom he had promised to bring water. 72

However, it is now very clear that Imam al-Hussein (a) left the body of his brother in that place for an excellent secret that can be understood only by the well-mannered ones. Anyhow, the Imam was not unable to carry the body of his brother.

Days have uncovered that secret when al-Abbas had that handsome shrine to which thousands of people pilgrimage ceaselessly. Hence, the place where that holy body was felled has become one of the most considerable areas on this earth. People have sought nearness to God, supplicated to Him to solve their most complicated problems and ordeals, offered to Him the most acceptable rituals of worship, and seen the most miraculous charismata under the golden, shining dome of that holy shrine that contained the holy body of al-Abbas; al-Abbas ibn Ali, the righteous servant of God.

People therefore have recognized the actual standing of al-Abbas in the sight of God and, in turn, recognized the scope of respect that they should bear to this personality who has played the role of the connecting link between people and their Lord.

God the Exalted has willed to grant al-Abbas an idiosyncratic rank in this world as well as the world to come.

Just like the Immaculate Imams, al-Abbas has had a special shrine pilgrimaged by the Imams who passed by that area. We have already mentioned that Imam Ja'far ibn Mohammad as-Sadiq (a) visited the tomb of al-Abbas and recited a special Ziyara, different, in statements, from the Ziyaras recited before the tombs of the other martyrs. In the same manner, the shrine of al-Abbas has had its special ceremonies and rites of Ziyara.

The traditions of Ahl-ul-Bayt (a) have guided us to the location, as well as the ceremonies and rites to be practiced at that holy shrine of al-Abbas.

Ibn Qawlawayh, in his book titled Kamil uz-Ziyara, page 256, narrates, with an authentic series of narrators, that Abu-Hamza ath-Themali related the following saying to Imam as-Sadiq (a):

"If you intend to visit (the tomb of) al-Abbas ibn Ali, which is on the bank of the Euphrates opposite to al-Haair, you should stop at the gate of the shed and say: Salaam of Allah and Salaam of His angels… etc."73

Al-Mejlisi, in his book titled Mezar ul-Bihar, records another Ziyara for al-Abbas, as related to the narration of Sheikh al-Mufid and Ibn al-Mash'hadi, defining the same location that is defined byImam as-Sadiq (a) in the previous narration.

Similar narrations are recorded in Allama an-Nouri's Tahiyyat uz-Zaair and related to Sheikh al-Mufid, ash-Shahid, and Sayyid Ibn Tawous.

The following statement of Sheikh al-Mufid identifies the location of the tomb of al-Abbas that is decided by the saying of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a):

"Except al-Abbas ibn Ali who was buried in a place on the dam in the way of al-Ghadhiriyya, all the members of Imam al-Hussein's family, peace be upon them, were buried in a hole located beyond the legs of Imam al-Hussein. The tomb of al-Abbas is clear and known… etc."

All scholars and investigators have followed this definition of the location. They all have decided that the tomb of al-Abbas ibn Ali is opposite to the holy Haair near the shore of the River Euphrates.74

____________

70. See al-Fadhil al-Qizwini, Tadhallum uz-Zahraa; 118.

71. See ad-Dam'at us-Sakiba; 337.

72. See al-Kibrit ul-Ahmar; 1/158, as quoted from Ixeer ul-Ibadat.

73. Al-Haair, in Arabic, is any low place in which rainfall waters are gathered. This word however is dedicated to the place of the holy shrine of Imam al-Hussein ibn Ali (a). Some scholars have made a relation between this word and the occurrence of the stoppage of the water that al-Mutawakkil, the Abbasid caliph, released for covering the tomb of Imam al-Hussein, intending to efface its signs. This event is very famous. It has been narrated uninterruptedly by a great number of narrators such as ash-Shahid ul-Awwal in his ath-Thikra, Sheikh at-Turaihi in al-Muntakhab, and Sheikh al-Muhaqqiq in al-Jawahir. The word, al-Haair, however was mentioned by Imam as-Sadiq and Imam al-Kadhim, peace be upon them, and, hence, this proves that it was used before the reign of al-Mutawakkil.

74. See the following reference books:
At-Tabirsi, I'lam ul-Wara, 147
Sayyid al-Jazaairi, al-Anwar un-Nu'maniyya, 344
Sheikh at-Turaihi, al-Muntakhab
Sayyid ad-Dawoudi, Umdat ut-Talib, 349
Riyad ul-Ahzan, 39 (as quoted from Kamil us-Saqifa)
Ibn Idris, as-Saraair
Al-Muntaha
Ash-Shahid ul-Awwal, Mezar ud-Durous
Al-Ardabili, Sharh ul-Irshad
As-Sebzwari, ath-Thakhira
Sheikh Agha Redha, Misbah ul-Faqeeh.

Adopted from the book : "Al-Abbas"

Share this article

Comments 0

Your comment

Comment description

Latest Post

Most Reviews

MOST READ