List of Places in Iraq - Holy Sites

Holy Sites

• Karbala is reputed to be the city where Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, was martyred (his body but not head is buried there, and is known as Mashhad Husayn). Karbala is also the site of two important Shiite mosques, Al Abbass Mosque and Imam Hussain Mosque. Shiites observe a 40 day mourning period for this Imam every spring followed by a pilgrimage to this site.
• Najaf is the site of Ali ibn Abi Talib's tomb known to Shiites as "the wondrous place of martyrdom" and site of one of the world's largest and most important Muslim cemeteries. Najaf is also the site of Imam Ali Mosque one of the holiest Shi'ite mosques.
• Samarra is the site of Shiite Al Askari Mosque.
• Kadhimiya (north of Baghdad) is regarded as a holy city in Shia Islam. Musa al-Kazim and his grandson, the ninth Shia Imam, Muhammad at-Taqi are both buried there, and their tombs are contained in the Al Kadhimiya Mosque. Shia go on an annual pilgrimage to this shrine in August/September.