Jerusalem and Karbala
Jerusalem and Karbala
BY: Matthew Howard, Ryan
Morgan, and Camille
Sebastian
Karbala
History of Karbala
Karbala, Iraq
The site of the massacre of Husayn (the grandson of Muhammad and son of Ali), his companions, and his family.
A golden dome was constructed to surround the tomb of Husayn.
The city was constructed on the 12 th
Muharram (the first month on the Islamic calendar) after the Battle of Karbala.
Battle of Karbala
Karbala Today
One of Iraq’s wealthiest cities due to religious visitors and agricultural produce.
Split into two districts: Old Karbala and
New Karbala.
Old Karbala: religious center, the tomb of
Husayn lies in the center of Old Karbala.
New Karbala: residential district
Karbala’s Importance
To this day, Karbala is a major place of pilgrimage for Shi’ah Muslims.
At the center of the Old Karbala, is the tomb of Husayn, the son of Ali.
Husayn’s tomb is a place of pilgrimage for many Shi’ah Muslims, especially on Ashura
(solemn day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn).
Many elderly pilgrims travel there to await death because they believe it’s the gate to paradise.
Jerusalem
History of Jerusalem
Holy for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
Muslims believe Muhammad made his night journey to this city.
At the end of the seventh century, Muslims restored the ruined Temple Mount area, which they call the Noble Sanctuary.
Honoring Muhammad’s Night Journey,
Muslims built a shrine called the Dome of the
Rock.
South Temple Mount
Jerusalem and the Crusades
1099 – the conquest of Jerusalem by the crusaders during the First Crusade.
The armies of the Christian Crusade were able to hold Jerusalem for about 90 years.
Some famous churches in Jerusalem were built during the Crusades by Crusaders wishing to memorialize sites they believed had great Christian significance. Such as St.
Anne’s and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
St. Anne’s Church
Importance of Jerusalem
Muhammad was taken miraculously to the Temple
Mount in Jerusalem on a winged horse during his
“Night Journey”
There, Muhammad had a brief ascension into heaven where he believed God called upon him to institute the practice of praying 5 times daily.
The “Farthest Mosque”, referring to the farthest of holy places from the Kab’ah, was built. This is the largest mosque in Jerusalem with the capacity for
5,000 people.
First Qiblah for Muslims (place where they turn in prayer.
Works Cited
Exploring the Religions of Our World textbook.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/31221
4/Battle-of-Karbala http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/places/karbala.h
tm http://www.islamicinformationcentre.co.uk/karbala.h
tm http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/places/jerusalem
.htm
http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblicalsites-places/jerusalem/what-were-the-crusades-andhow-did-they-impact-jerusalem/ http://islam.about.com/od/jerusalem/a/quds.htm
