Shrines of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussain in Karbala and his father, Imam Ali, in Najaf funded the Saraya al-Atabat and deployed them for their protection as well as to fight ISIS
Category: Travel
Symbol Of Defiance Against Tyranny: Prophet’s Granddaughter Zainab
Zainab refused to be silenced when she challenged tyrant Yazid in his court and would play a key role in memorializing her brother Hussain’s fight for upholding Islam's foundational ideals of egalitarianism and justice
Mukhayyam Al Husayni: Site Of Imam Hussain’s Encampment
Mukhayyam al Husayni Mosque, over 400 metres from Imam Hussain's shrine, stands at what is believed to be the site of the encampment of the Prohet's grandson and his family during the Battle of Karbala
How Linked Events That Fueled Upheavals In Kashmir Sparked My Fascination For Germany
The Inter-linked events lead to peaceful German unification as well but my fascination has been not linked to that alone but also to deep admiration for Germans for their rise literally from the ashes along with Japan post-Second World War
How People Drew Strength From Imam Hussain In War-Torn Iraq
Residents of a refugee camp in Karbala appeared confident that the strength they draw from Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussain, who laid down his life fighting an unjust ruler there in the seventh century, will see them through
Hookah: The Heart Of Middle East’s Café Culture
Once considered unsophisticated, hookah, whose origins are disputed with some claiming it originated in India, has become integral to the Middle East’s café culture, and gained popularity in the West, too
How Iraq Decimated ISIS By Also Taking It On Ideologically
Iraq’s religious leaders issued a statement in March 2020 repudiating and condemning the violence of ISIS while underscoring the terror group's crimes impacted members of all religions
How Faith Helped Build Resistance Against, Defeat ISIS
The Iraqi clergy effectively tapped into the doctrine of martyrdom in the fight against ISIS by invoking the Battle of Karbala in which the Prophet's grandson Hussain and 72 of his companions and family members laid down their lives resisting an unjust ruler
Arbaeen: Why Millions Gather In Karbala For World’s Largest Annual Pilgrimage
Millions of devotees march through Iraq to reach the holy city of Karbala to mark the end of the 40-day mourning period of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussain, making Arbaeen the world's biggest annual pilgrimage
Karbala: Booming City Of Resistance In War-Torn Country
Karbala, where the shrine of the Prophet's grandson Hussain has stood for centuries as a symbol of resistance against tyranny, was in 2016 fittingly the nerve centre of the war on terror group ISIS