A city southeast of Baghdad, it is the site of the martyrdom of Imam al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in 61 AH/ 680 CE. Hence, the city is referred to as Mashhad al-Ḥusayn. Karbalāʾ houses the tomb of Imam al-Ḥusayn, which is visited by thousands of pilgrims, particularly during the month of Muḥarram, on the tenth day of which (known as ‘ʿĀshūrā, q.v.), Imam al-Ḥusayn and his followers were massacred by the Umayyad army. The shrine at Karbalāʾ is well known for its architectural features, its gold and silver ornamentation, and its ornate chandeliers. The soil from Karbalāʾ is fashioned into small tablets upon which some Shi‘a, especially among the Twelver Shi‘a communities, lay their forehead during prayers. Historically, the maintenance of the shrine came not only from the Shi‘i rulers of Iran and India but also from some of the Sunni Ottoman leaders. Nowadays the shrine at Karbalāʾ is under the protection of the Shi‘a of Iraq and Iran.
