Iraq Ziyarat July 2023

A few months ago, I could not even think I would be able to go to Ziryarat. Even at the last moment, I was not sure I was going.But God has always been kind. How blessed I am alhamdulillah for being able to go there. I was so afraid... yes afraid... it was planned we were going to Najaf first. I don't know but I was scared to go to Najaf first. My sins, my evil behavior, my whole life was revolving in front of my eyes. How I am gonna face and say Salam to Ameer-Ul-Momineen first of all. O God I want to go to Karbala first... taking inspiration from Hz Hur (as)... who was forgiven. I need salvation from Karbala and then I wanted to come to Najaf after Karbala. They are Kareem Ibne Kareem they fulfilled my hidden wish and our guide told us that we had to go to Karbala first as there were no hotels available due to the jam-packed rush after Ghadir in Najaf. Our flight had to land at Najaf airport on 2nd day after Ghadir. My dear friend who had been in contact with me throughout the journey, who came to visit me after 11 years just to say Goodbye to the Zair of Imam Hussain (as) knew what I had been through... how I felt at that time. I was crying to know that we are going to Karbala and I messaged her

https://youtu.be/higkB08XrY0?si=LvC0pNlAa0JUSdcZ

Chalo Chalo Meray Hamrah Karbala Tu Chalo - Ali Safdar Noha 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgtMZFAcJhs
Zaireen Main Mera Bhi Naam Ho | Ali Akbar Ameen 2021

 

 Lahore Airport 

Lahore view from the airplane window

Najaf Airport

As soon as we landed there, I felt a fragrance in the air. It seemed I had been yearning for it for so long. I was trying to grasp the feeling I am here..right here in Najaf.. this place... where Maula Ali (as) stepped his feet. It was overwhelming. We had to stay there for passport submission and other formalities. Passports are taken as soon as you land in Iraq and returned when you are going back from the airport. I prayed in the prayer room trying to kiss the "turbah" (Turbah is a small piece of soil or clay, often a clay tablet, used during salat) realizing I was touching and kissing the soil of Najaf.

Loved the saying of Amir Ul Momineen written over there, so I could not resist taking the picture

"If he is not your brother in religion, then surely, he is your brother in humanity"

The first Ziyarat we did was of Abul Fazal Abbas (as) 

There had been many instances when I faced tough circumstances and it felt that we would not be able to go for Ziyarah. Every time, I would recite a Surah Fatiha and gift it to the Bibi Ummul Baneen (sa) Mother of Abul Fazal Abbas (as). She became the waseela to make us reach the shrine of Abul Fazal Abbas (as)

کربلا نقش ہے اب لوح ابد پر کہ یہ شہر

پہلے مسمار ہوا، بعد میں تعمیر ہوا

غلام محمد قاصر

Burial Chamber Hz Abal Fazal Al Abbas (as)

Burial Chamber Imam Hussain (as) 
The blessed place where souls are purified

where you feel a rebirth

where prayers are accepted

شہؑ نے گلے جو حُر کو لگایا تو یوں لگا

بانہوں میں لے لیا ہے دعائے مُجیر نے

حماد رضا فطرس

فرازِ عزم نے چومے نقوشِ پائے ثبات 

پہنچ گئے جو سر کربلا علی والے 
نورالحسن نورؔ

                                                  

Basement

I always remember this door... it leads to Banul Haramain 

I asked one of the servants to guide me about sardaab (place in the basement which is nearest to the actual grave). She saw some Iraqi women going there, so she asked them to take me along. Those ladies from Basra. They took me here. We didn't know each other languages, she pointed at my ring finger, asking tazweej? meaning are you married. I nodded my head. She asked about children. I communicated I have only one son Haydar. she took me near this chamber and rubbed my body from front and back with it. Something, I would never do myself...considering it a disrespect.. from cultural perspective. Iraqis are different. Meanings of disrespect also changes with culture. She said in Arabic... now Fatima. You have Haydar...now you will have Fatima. I still remember her beautiful big eyes and lips. 

Bain ul Haramain, I met few Indian ladies from Amrooha Sadaat (India). They were lost from their caravan and their leader had instructed to reach Bain ul haramain if they get lost, but they were so naive, they could not find Bani ul Haramein. They were going in and out from one door to other in confusion. I took them here. They finally recognized Bain ul Haramain with these trees. I was glad to help them and they were happy to know my forefathers were from India and my Nana was from Amrooha.
 

Celebrating Jashan e Mubahila in Karbala

   Haydar distributing the niaz after jashan-e-Mubahila

One of the pulpits at the upper floors in the Shrine of Imam Hussain (AS) in Karbala, I asked my son to sit and recite few lines here with a prayer in my heart to be blessed as Zakir-e-Imam-Hussain (as).
I cannot thank Allah (swt) for being able to recite a majlis inside the shrine of Imam Hussain (as) for eisaal-e-sawab of my father.

میں ذاکر ہوں حسین ابن علی کا یہ دعا کیجیے

 شرف یہ نسل سے میری قیامت تک نہیں جاۓ

The blessed pigeons and no doubt you envy them for flying and living around the shrine of Imam Hussain (as)

Library/Book shop inside shrine of Imam Hussain (as)

Sometimes I just wanted to sit in peace and look at this dome
the dome of serenity, tranquility, freedom and hope

I was sitting there at the shrine of Imam Hussain (as), in a corner, reciting supplications and a random lady came to me. She was covering her face so I can't recognize her facial features. She gave me this pencil and left immediately. I was a bit shocked with this kind of random gift. We were used to receiving only sweets or other edibles at the Baan Ul Haramain
بین الحرمین۔ 
So it came very very unexpectedly! I recall the instruction of my dear friend who told me to never refuse any gift, if anyone offers you inside the shrine, you never know who is he/she. I kept it very close and despite Haydar asking me to give it to him I did not give it to him. I sometimes try to decode the hidden message behind this gift, probably to keep on writing for the service of Imam (atfs).  

Quran Competition taking place inside in the shrine of Aba Abdillah (as) 

 

Nehar-e-Furat

   

Ganj-e-Shohada (Inside the Burial chamber of martyrs of Karbala) Companions of Imam Hussain as

                           

     

                                           Maqam-e-Ali-al-Akbar (place where he was martyred) 

                                   

                               Maqam-e-Kafa-e-Abbas (place where one arm of Hz Abbas as was cut)

                                                           

                        Maqam-e-Kafa-e-Abbas (place where another arm of Hz Abbas as was cut)
                                                            

                                         Maqam-e-Ali-al-Asghar (place where he was martyred) 

                                                               

                                          

                        Qatalgah of Imam Hussain (as) Place where Imam Hussain as was beheaded :'( 

                                         

                                                          It was closed, I could not go inside

                                            

                          Tilla-e-Zainabia, Place from where Bibi Zainab sa was watching her brother :(

                                       

                                                   Maqam-e-Sahib-uz-Zaman (ATFS) in Karbala

  

How blessed we were to recite maghrib prayers here

                                                Maqam-e-Imam Jafir Sadiq (as) in Karbala

Sign for the place where tent of Bibi Zainab (sa) was pitched

                          we recited the noha by Rehan Azmi "کیا رہا خیموں میں شہۃ کے صرف اداسی رہ گئی"
                                                              صرف رونے کو محمد (ﷺ) کی نواسی رہ گئی "

                                                        خیمہ امام زین العابدین (ع) 

خیمہ حضرت قاسم بن حسن (ع)

خیمہ امام حسین (ع)

خیمہ ابی الفضل العباس (ع)

when we were leaving Karbala we recited this noha and it really depicts some of the emotions we were experiencing at that time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8OrM7hpSPU

Husain Mujh ko Maaf Karna - Shuja Rizvi

                                 

                                                                    Shrine of Hz Hur (rz)

کھینچے ہے شاہؑ ،خامۂ بخشش سے خطِ بخت

کم پڑ رہی ہے ، حُرؑ کی ہتھیلی ، لکیر کو!

حماد رضاء فطرس علوی

                                       

                                       

                                       

                                                                Tiflan-e-Muslim bin Aqeel (rz)

                                     

                                     

                                 Shrine of son of Sahabi-e-Rasool Hz Abdullah Ibne Jabir Ansari (ra)

                                      

                                           Shrine of Sahabi-e-Rasool Hz Huzaifa bin Yaman (ra)

                                                       

                                              Shrine of Sahabi-e-Rasool Hz Salman-e-Farsi (ra)

                                       

   

Prophet (s) said that Salman is one of us, the Ahl al-Bayt.

رسول خداؐ نے فرمایا: "سلمان ہم اہل بیت میں سے ہے"
ابن سعد، طبقات الکبری، ج۴، ص۶۲

 

I met Indian pilgrims here but don't know why they were not happy to know that I am from Pakistan.
 Indian and Pakistani shia scholars should bridge trust and communication gaps between Pakistani and Indian Shia Muslims. I felt really great to meet Indian Shia Muslims in Iraq. But the reponse was not as overwhelming from their side. How can I forget the smiles disppeared from some of the faces as soon as I tell them that I am from Pakistan.

Pakistani and Indian Shia Muslims collectively make more pilgrims to Iraq as compared to Iran. Both share same languages and culture. Together we can work for better facilities for Urdu speaking pilgrims in Iraq.

Kazmain shrines (Place where Imam Musa Al Kazim (as) and Imam Muhammad Taqi Al Jawwad are buried)

I have been very anxious and depressed since the death of my father.... that feeling of orphan changed when I kissed and touched these shrines. I felt my heart is at ease. I felt I am not an orphan anymore..... I felt stronger and resilient here.... I felt someone has put a blessed hand on the head of this orphan! I felt I came out of that pity situation. I cried why I did not realize earlier...my cure was here! I touched and kissed the burial chamber starting from one side to the other. Fortunately I found this opportunity at odd hours...

Haydar did this Ziyarah with me in the ladies section. I found a place named زائر الصغیر
(little pilgrim) downstairs. It was a kind of day care and religious educational facility for children. There were volunteer ladies teaching the Quran and problems of ablution to children. There were toys and slides also. So, Haydar was very happy there and I recited all the ziyarat and duas in peace since he got busy. One of the volunteers gifted me a tasbee and some piece of cloth touched from Zarih. She also gifted few things to Haydar. I still remember her face. Her name was also Zahra! I wanted to exchange contact numbers...but she was not comfortable with it so I didn't insist. 

Cell phones are not allowed inside the Kazmain shrine, so all pictures are from hotel's window

Shrine of Hz Muhammad bin Imam Ali Naqvi (as)

The famous taweez distributed at his shrine for prayers to be accepted especially for having children

The blessed niaz in Samarra

Our stay in Samarra was very short (for few hours). I could not take pictures here. I also forgot my tasbee here which I got as a gift and which is touched at Kazmain shrine. But as the people say...if you forget something at shrines...you will be called sooner again...I also tried to soothe my heart with this thought..

Samarrah has the shrines of Imam Ali Naqi (as), Imam Hassan Askari (as) (father of Imam Mahdi atfs), Bibi Narjis Khatoon (as) (Mother of Imam Mahdi atfs) and Bibi Hakeema Khatoon (as) Sister of Imam Ali Naqi (as) Aunt of Imam Hassan Askari (as) Daughter of Imam Taqi Al-Jawwad (as) and the witness of birth of Imam Mahdi (atfs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeaIyqb0qSE
Spiritual Journey | EP7 | Imam Ali Naqi A.S | Imam Hassan Askari A.S | Imam e Zamana AJTF | SAMARRA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSK_yxiKG3A
Zindan e Imam Ali Naqi A.S | Samarra

 تحریم تنباکو کا فتوا مرزائے شیررازی نے سامرا میں اقامت کے دوران صادر کیا تھا۔


very informative documentary about Samarra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljMBTgAHcfc
The Golden Dome (Full Documentary) | Destruction of the Shrine of Samarra

Sardab-e-Imam-e-Zamana (ATFS) Place from where Imam disappeared

Najaf

It was such a meaningful sight... as If the door of Babul Ilm )باب العلم) is opening many doors of  معرفت and عشق!
I took a round around the shrine...late night.. I felt myself like a parwana who wanted to do the tawaf of Shama and...............

ہزار جانِ گَرامی فِدائے نامِ علی !

سب اک چراغ کے پروانے ہونا چاہتے ہیں 

عجیب لوگ ہیں دیوانے ہونا چاہتے ہیں 

اسعد بدایونی

Sehla Mosque

Shop next to Sehla Mosque
I got alam (flag) for my son from here!
Haydar was so attached with it as soon as he gets it that he wanted to take it inside every next mosque and shrine we visited, which was obviously not allowed, so he started crying. Finally, he was permitted to take the only cloth part inside. 

Kufa Mosque

Shrine of Hani Bin Urwah in Kufa

Kufa mosque (where Imam Ali as was martyred during Namaz)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFeKId9IX2I
Spiritual Journey | EP15 | Masjid e Kufa | Karwan e Ali Raza A.S | June Group 2019

Shrine of Mukhtar e Saqafi in Kufa

Shrines of Prophet Hood and Saleh (as) in Wadi-e-Salam

Grave of great scholar Ayatollah Syed Ali Qazi Tabatabai in wadi-e-salam

عارف کامل آیت اللہ سید علی قاضی طباطبائی کا عجیب واقعہ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj0F9uCjB9k

Well of Prophet Ayub (as)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tKfli58vE4
Spiritual Journey | EP14 | Hazrat Ayub A.S | Well (کنواں) of Hazrat Ayub

Shrine of Prophet Ayub (as)

Birthplace of Prophet Ibrahim (as) in Iraq

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap8nItuN990
Spiritual Journey | EP16 | Birthplace(جائے پیدائش) of Hazrat Ibrahim A.S | Hillah | June Group 2019

Remains of the palace of Namrood

ورد من بود غالب یا علی ع بو طالب

نیست بخل با طالب اسم اعظم از من پرس

کیا غم ہے اس کو جس کا علی سا امام ہو

اتنا بھی اے فلک زدہ کیوں بد حواس ہے

Those last few nights in Najaf...when I wanted to freeze every sight, every scene in my eyes!

I was trying to fulfill the grief of leaving the Place....I was trying to smell the breeze and fragrance around the shrine as much as I could...

When I wished time to be stopped...so I could live in this moment forever!