Both

Sunni Muslims Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...

and

Shia Muslims Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most n ...

agree on the three

holiest sites in Islam The holiest sites in Islam are predominantly located in Western Asia. While the significance of most places typically varies depending on the Islamic sect, there is a consensus across all mainstream branches of the religion that affirms three c ...

being, respectively, the

Masjid al-Haram , native_name_lang = ar , religious_affiliation = Islam , image = Al-Haram mosque - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg , image_upright = 1.25 , caption = Aerial view of the Great Mosque of Mecca , map ...

(including the

Kaaba The Kaaba (, ), also spelled Ka'bah or Kabah, sometimes referred to as al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah ( ar, ٱلْكَعْبَة ٱلْمُشَرَّفَة, lit=Honored Ka'bah, links=no, translit=al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah), is a building at the c ...

), in

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...

; the

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (), known in English as the Prophet's Mosque, is a mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the city of Medina in the Al Madinah Province of Saudi Arabia. It was the second mosque built by Muhammad in Medina, after Qub ...

, in

Medina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...

; and the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

consider sites associated with

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...

, his family members (

Ahl al-Bayt Ahl al-Bayt ( ar, أَهْل ٱلْبَيْت, ) refers to the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, but the term has also been extended in Sunni Islam to apply to all descendants of the Banu Hashim (Muhammad's clan) and even to all Muslims. ...

Shia Imams In Shia Islam, the Imamah ( ar, إمامة) is a doctrine which asserts that certain individuals from the lineage of the Prophets in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad are to be accepted as leaders and guides of the ummah after the Succession to M ...

and their family members to be holy. After the four holy cities of Islam (

and

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

, which houses the

Umayyad Mosque The Umayyad Mosque ( ar, الجامع الأموي, al-Jāmiʿ al-Umawī), also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus ( ar, الجامع الدمشق, al-Jāmiʿ al-Damishq), located in the old city of Damascus, the capital of Syria, is one of the ...

, often considered the fourth holiest site in Islam), some of the most revered sites by Shias include

Najaf Najaf ( ar, ٱلنَّجَف) or An-Najaf al-Ashraf ( ar, ٱلنَّجَف ٱلْأَشْرَف), also known as Baniqia ( ar, بَانِيقِيَا), is a city in central Iraq about 160 km (100 mi) south of Baghdad. Its estimated popula ...

and

Karbala Karbala or Kerbala ( ar, كَرْبَلَاء, Karbalāʾ , , also ;) is a city in central Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh, also known as Razzaza Lake. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorat ...

, in Iraq, and Qom, in Iran.

Holy sites accepted by all Muslims

Kaaba

(Arabic: The Cube) is the most sacred site in Islam. It is surrounded by Masjid-al-Haram. During the Hajj period, the mosque is unable to contain the multitude of pilgrims, who pray on the outlining streets. More than 2 million worshippers gather to pray during Eid prayers. According to the teachings of Islam, God in the Quran used the word mosque when referring to the sites established by

Ibrahim Ibrahim ( ar, إبراهيم, links=no ') is the Arabic name for Abraham, a Biblical patriarch and prophet in Islam. For the Islamic view of Ibrahim, see Abraham in Islam. Ibrahim may also refer to: * Ibrahim (name), a name (and list of people ...

(

Abraham Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jew ...

) and his progeny as houses of worship to God centuries before the revelation of the

Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...

. The first of these spots is Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and the second is

Al-Aqsa Mosque Al-Aqsa Mosque (, ), also known as Jami' Al-Aqsa () or as the Qibli Mosque ( ar, المصلى القبلي, translit=al-Muṣallā al-Qiblī, label=none), and also is a congregational mosque located in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is situate ...

. Before Mecca and Jerusalem came under Muslim control between 630 AD and 638 AD, the site of the Kaaba, which was established by Abraham and

Ishmael Ishmael ''Ismaḗl''; Classical/Qur'anic Arabic: إِسْمَٰعِيْل; Modern Standard Arabic: إِسْمَاعِيْل ''ʾIsmāʿīl''; la, Ismael was the first son of Abraham, the common patriarch of the Abrahamic religions; and is cons ...

, was used by non-Muslim Arabs who worshipped multiple gods. Madeena masjid nabavi 12122008232

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi

("Mosque of the Prophet"), located in Medina, Saudi Arabia is the second holiest site in Islam. The edifice was originally Muhammad's house; he settled there after his Hijra (emigration) to Medina, and later built a mosque on the grounds. He himself shared in the heavy work of construction. The original mosque was an open-air building, with no gender separation. The mosque also served as a community center, a court, and a religious school. There was a raised platform for the people who taught the Quran. The basic plan of the building has been adopted in the building of other mosques throughout the world. The original mosque was built by Muhammad and subsequent Islamic rulers greatly expanded and decorated the mosque. The most important feature of the site is the

Green Dome The Green Dome ( ar, ٱَلْقُبَّة ٱلْخَضْرَاء, al-Qubbah al-Khaḍrāʾ) is a green-coloured dome built above the tombs of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the early Rashidun Caliphs Abu Bakr () and Umar (), which used to be ...

over the center of the mosque, where the tomb of Muhammad is located. Constructed in 1817 CE and painted green in 1839, it is known as the Dome of the Prophet.

Al-Aqsa Mosque compound

Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound / Haram Ash-Sharif ("the Farthest Mosque" / "the Noble Sanctuary") is a mosque in the Old City of

, and is the third holiest site in Islam. It includes the

Dome of the Rock The Dome of the Rock ( ar, قبة الصخرة, Qubbat aṣ-Ṣakhra) is an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, a site also known to Muslims as the ''al-Haram al-Sharif'' or the Al-Aqsa Compound. Its initial ...

and a silver domed prayer hall, also referred to in English as Aqsa Mosque. In Judaism, the location is known as the

Temple Mount The Temple Mount ( hbo, הַר הַבַּיִת, translit=Har haBayīt, label=Hebrew, lit=Mount of the House f the Holy}), also known as al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf (Arabic: الحرم الشريف, lit. 'The Noble Sanctuary'), al-Aqsa Mosque compoun ...

, the holiest site in

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

, the place where the

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

is generally accepted to have stood. The Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound is sacred because it was the ''first of the two Qiblas''., reviewed on Google books Islamic tradition holds that Muhammad led prayers towards this site until the seventeenth month after the

emigration Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...

, when God directed him to turn towards the Kaaba. Muslims believe that Muhammad was transported by the

Buraq The Buraq ( ar, الْبُرَاق "the lightning") is a heavenly equine or chimeral beast in Islamic tradition that notably served as the mount of the Islamic prophet Muhammad during his Isra and Mi'raj journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and up ...

from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to al-Aqsa during the

Night Journey The Israʾ and Miʿraj ( ar, الإسراء والمعراج, ') are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islam, the Islamic prophet Muhammad (570–632) took during a single night around the year 621 (1 BH – 0 BH). With ...

. The mosque is also believed by many to be the area from where Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven. According to some narrations, a single prayer performed at this mosque is the same as having performed 500 prayers elsewhere.

Umayyad Mosque

in Damascus is considered by Muslims to be the fourth holiest site in Islam. One of the four authorized copies of the Quran was kept here, and the head of Yahya ibn Zakariyya is believed to be in the shrine. In the mosque, there is a shrine of

Husayn ibn Ali Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب; 10 January 626 – 10 October 680) was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi ...

and the

, made to walk here after the

Battle of Karbala The Battle of Karbala ( ar, مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ...

. The Minaret of Isa in the Umayyad Mosque is dedicated to Isa (Jesus), and it is believed that he will return to the world at the minaret during the time of a Fajr prayer and it is believed that he will pray at the mosque with the Islamic leader of that time ''

Mahdi The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a Messianism, messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the Eschatology, end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a de ...

''. It is believed that prayers in the mosque are considered to be equal to those offered in Jerusalem.

Holy sites accepted by Shia Muslims

Imam Ali Shrine

Of the sites accepted by Shia Muslims, the

Imam Ali Shrine The Sanctuary of Imām 'Alī ( ar, حَرَم ٱلْإِمَام عَلِيّ , Ḥaram al-ʾImām ʿAlī), also known as the Mosque of 'Alī ( ar, مَسْجِد عَلِيّ, Masjid ʿAlī), located in Najaf, Iraq, is a mosque which many Musl ...

in Najaf is considered the holiest. Shia Muslims believe that it contains the tomb of

Ali ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam ...

. He was the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad. Ali is considered by Shia tradition to be the first legitimate

caliph A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...

and the first

Imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...

due to the proclamation given by Muhammad. The site is visited annually by at least 8 million pilgrims on average, which is estimated to increase to 20 million in years to come.

Adam Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...

and

Noah Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...

are also buried within this mosque according to Shia Islam. Many Shia believe that Ali did not want his grave to be desecrated by his enemies and consequently asked his friends and family to bury him secretly. This secret gravesite is supposed to have been revealed later during the

Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...

Ja'far al-Sadiq Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣādiq ( ar, جعفر بن محمد الصادق; 702 – 765 CE), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (), was an 8th-century Shia Muslim scholar, jurist, and theologian.. He was the founder of th ...

who is believed by Shia Muslims, the sixth Shia Imam. Most Shias accept that Ali is buried in the Imam Ali Mosque which is now the city of Najaf. It has also been narrated from Ja'far al-Sadiq, the Shia's sixth Imam, that the Imam Ali Mosque is the third of five holy places: Mecca, Medina, Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf,

Imam Husayn Shrine The Imam Husayn Shrine ( ar, مَقَام ٱلْإِمَام ٱلْحُسَيْن ٱبْن عَلِيّ, Maqām al-ʾImām al-Ḥusayn ʾibn ʿAlī) is the mosque and burial site of Husayn ibn Ali, the third Imam of Shia Islam, in the city of ...

in Karbala, and the shrine of Fatima Masumeh in Qom.

Imam Husayn Shrine

in Karbala is the second holiest site especially for Shia Muslims. It contains the tomb of the

Husayn Hussein, Hussain, Hossein, Hossain, Huseyn, Husayn, Husein or Husain (; ar, حُسَيْن ), coming from the triconsonantal root Ḥ-S-i-N ( ar, ح س ی ن, link=no), is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", " ...

, the third Shia Imam. It also contains the tombs of

Ali al-Akbar ibn Husayn Ali al-Akbar ibn al-Husayn ( ar, عَلِيّ ٱلْأَكْبَر بن ٱلْحُسَيْن, '), commonly known as simply Ali al-Akbar, was the son of Al-Husayn ibn Ali, the third Imam, and Umm Layla. He was martyred at the age of 18 on the ...

Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn Abd Allah Ali al-Asghar ibn Al-Husayn ( ar, عَبْد ٱللَّٰه عَلِيّ ٱلْأَصْغَر ٱبْن ٱلْحُسَيْن, ', 9 Rajab 60 AH – 10 Muharram 61 AH / 10 October 680 CE), or simply Ali al-Asghar ("Younger Ali"), was the ...

, sons of Husayn;

Ibrahim al-Mujab Sayyid Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Kāẓim ( ar, إبْرَاهِيم بْنِ مُحَمَّد بْنِ مُوسَى الكَاظِمْ) also known as Ibrāhīm al-Mujāb and al-Ḍarir al-Kūfī, was the son of Muḥammad al-ʿĀbid, ...

, grandson of

Musa al-Kadhim Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kazim ( ar, مُوسَىٰ ٱبْن جَعْفَر ٱلْكَاظِم, Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar al-Kāẓim), also known as Abū al-Ḥasan, Abū ʿAbd Allāh or Abū Ibrāhīm, was the seventh Imam in Twelver Shia Islam, after hi ...

and the martyrs of Karbala. The mosque stands on the site of the grave of Husayn ibn Ali, where he was martyred during the

in 680. Up to a million pilgrims visit the city to observe the anniversary of Husayn ibn Ali's death. There are many Shia traditions which narrate the status of Karbala:

Fatima Masumeh Shrine

The

Fatima Masumeh Shrine The Shrine of Fatima Masumeh ( fa, حرم فاطمه معصومه translit. ''haram-e fateme-ye masumeh'') is located in Qom, which is considered by Shia Muslims to be the second most sacred city in Iran after Mashhad. Fatima Masumeh was the ...

in Qom, Iran contains the tomb of

Fatimah bint Musa Fatima bint Musa ( ar, فَاطِمَة بِنْت مُوسَىٰ, '; born 1st Dhu al-Qadah 173 AH – 10th or 12th of Rabi' al-Thani 201 AH; approximately March 22, 790 AD – November 7 or 9, 816 AD), commonly known as Fatima al-Ma'suma ( ar ...

, sister of the eighth Shia Imam,

Ali al-Ridha Ali ibn Musa al-Rida ( ar, عَلِيّ ٱبْن مُوسَىٰ ٱلرِّضَا, Alī ibn Mūsā al-Riḍā, 1 January 766 – 6 June 818), also known as Abū al-Ḥasan al-Thānī, was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and the e ...

. Located in Qom, Iran, it has been considered the Fatima Masumeh Shrine to be the third holiest shrine in Shia Islam. The shrine has attracted to itself dozens of seminaries and religious schools.

Jamkaran Mosque

The

Jamkaran Mosque The Jamkaran Mosque ( fa, مسجد جمکران, ') is one of the primary significant mosques in Jamkaran, a village in the outskirts of the city of Qom, Iran. Overview and history The mosque, six kilometers east of Qom, has long been a sacred p ...

in Qom, Iran is one of the primary significant mosques in Jamkaran. Hassan ibn Muthlih Jamkarani is reported to have met the Shia's 12th Imam

Muhammad al-Mahdi Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Mahdī ( ar, محمد بن الحسن المهدي) is believed by the Twelver Shia to be the last of the Twelve Imams and the eschatological Mahdi, who will emerge in the end of time to establish peace and justic ...

. In the rear of the mosque, there is a "well of requests". Pilgrims tie small strings in a knot around the grids covering the holy well, which they hope will be received by the

Imam Mahdi The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad wh ...

Al-Sahlah Mosque

The Al-Sahlah Mosque in Kufa, Iraq is said to be the future home of the Twelfth Shia Imam,

Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque

The Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque in Damascus, Syria contains the tomb of

Zaynab bint Ali Zaynab bint Ali ( ar, زَيْنَب بِنْت عَلِيّ, ', ), was the eldest daughter of Ali, the fourth Rashidun caliph () and the first Shia Imam, and Fatima, the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Zaynab is best known for her ro ...

, the daughter of Ali and Fatimah, and the granddaughter of Muhammad.

Al-Abbas Shrine

The Al-Abbas Shrine is located directly across from the

, and contains the tomb of

Abbas ibn Ali Al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib ( ar, ٱلْعَبَّاس ٱبْن عَلِيّ ٱبْن أَبِي طَالِب, al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAlīy ibn ʾAbī Ṭālib), also known as Abu al-Fadl ( ar, أَبُو ٱلْفَضْل, link=no) (15 May 647 - ...

, son of Ali and brother of Husayn. Millions of pilgrims visit the shrine and pay homage to it every year. The real grave of Abbas is beneath the masoulem, and is present in the shrine. Emperors and kings of various dynasties have offered valuable gifts and gems to the shrine of Abbas. It was designed by

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

and

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...

n architects. The central pear shaped dome is an ornately decorated structure. On its sides stand two tall

minaret A minaret (; ar, منارة, translit=manāra, or ar, مِئْذَنة, translit=miʾḏana, links=no; tr, minare; fa, گل‌دسته, translit=goldaste) is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generall ...

s. The tomb is covered with pure gold and surrounded by a trellis of silver. Iranian carpets are rolled out on the floors.

Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque

The Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque in Damascus, Syria contains the tomb of

Sukayna bint Husayn Ruqayya bint al-Ḥusayn ( ar, رُقَيَّة بِنْت ٱلْحُسَيْن, born on the 20th of Rajab, 56 AH – 5 Rabi' al-Thani, 60 / 61 AH or 676 CE; died on the 10th of Safar, 60 / 61 AH or 680 / 681 CE), was the daughter of Husayn i ...

, the youngest daughter of Husayn ibn Ali, often referred to by her title: ''"Ruqayya"''.

Al-Kadhimiya Mosque

The

Al-Kadhimiya Mosque Al-Kadhimiya Mosque ( ar, مَسْجِد ٱلْكَاظِمِيَّة, Masjid Al-Kāẓimiyyah) or Al-Kadhimayn Shrine ( ar, حَرَم ٱلْكَاظِمَيْن, Ḥaram Al-Kāẓimayn) is a Shi'ite Islamic mosque and shrine located in the Kād ...

in Baghdad, Iraq contains the tombs of

, seventh Shia Imam and

Muhammad al-Jawad Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad ( ar, محمد بن علي الجواد, Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Jawād, – 29 November 835) was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the ninth of the Twelve Imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Rida. ...

, ninth Shia Imam. Some consider the mosque the third holiest in Shia Islam.

Imam Reza Shrine

Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, Iran contains the tomb of

, the eighth Shia Imam. Ali al-Ridha is believed, by members of the Shia, to have been poisoned there upon the orders of Caliph

Al-Ma'mun Abu al-Abbas Abdallah ibn Harun al-Rashid ( ar, أبو العباس عبد الله بن هارون الرشيد, Abū al-ʿAbbās ʿAbd Allāh ibn Hārūn ar-Rashīd; 14 September 786 – 9 August 833), better known by his regnal name Al-Ma'mu ...

and the place was subsequently called, ''Mashhad ar-Ridhā'' (the place of martyrdom of Ali al-Ridha). By the end of the 9th century a dome was built on the grave and many buildings and

bazaar A bazaar () or souk (; also transliterated as souq) is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, North Africa and India. However, temporary open markets elsewhere, suc ...

s sprang up around it. For years totalling more than a millennium, the mosque was destroyed and reconstructed several times. Nowadays Imam al-Ridha shrine in

Mashhad Mashhad ( fa, مشهد, Mašhad ), also spelled Mashad, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. It serves as the capital of R ...

, Iran, is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Ali al-Ridha, the eighth Shia Imam. Several important

theological Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

schools are associated with the shrine of the eighth Imam. As a city of great religious significance, it is also a place of

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

. It is said that the rich go to Mecca but the poor journey to Mashhad. Thus, even as those who complete the pilgrimage to Mecca receive the title of ''Haji,'' those who make the pilgrimage to Mashhad–and especially to the Imam Ridha shrine–are known as ''Mashtee,'' a term employed also of its inhabitants. It is thought that over 20 million Muslims a year make the pilgrimage to Mashhad. It is generally considered to be the holiest Shia shrine in Iran, and is sometimes ranked as the third holiest Shia shrine in the world.

Al-Askari Shrine

The

Al-Askari Shrine , native_name_lang = ara , image = Al-Asakari Mosque 4.jpg , image_upright = 1.4 , alt = , caption = Al-Asakari Mosque in January 2017 , map_type = Iraq , map_size = 240 , map_alt = , map_relief = 1 , map_caption = Location in Iraq , ...

in Samarra, Iraq contains the tombs of

Ali al-Hadi ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Hādī ( ar, عَلِيّ ٱبْن مُحَمَّد ٱلْهَادِي; 828 – 868 CE) was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the tenth of the Twelve Imams, succeeding his father, Muhammad al-Jawad. He ...

, tenth Shia Imam and

Hasan al-Askari Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ( ar, الحَسَن بْن عَلِيّ بْن مُحَمَّدُ, translit=al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad; ), better known as Hasan al-Askari ( ar, الحَسَن ٱلْعَسْكَرِيّ , translit=al-Ḥa ...

, eleventh Shia Imam.

Hakimah Khātūn Ḥakīma bint Muḥammad al-Jawād ( ar, حکیمه بنت محمد الجواد) also known as Ḥakīma Khātūn or Lady Hakima was the daughter of Imam Muhammad al-Jawad, and the aunt of Imam Hasan al-Askari. She is a prominent narrator in Shi ...

, sister of Ali al-Hadi and Narjis, mother of

are also buried within the mosque. The cellar from which the twelfth or "Hidden" Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, disappeared from view is also found within this mosque. At the time of the Al-Askari bombing in

Samarra Samarra ( ar, سَامَرَّاء, ') is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Saladin Governorate, north of Baghdad. The city of Samarra was founded by Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutasim for his Turkish professional army ...

, it was reported that the mosque was one of Shia Islam's holiest sites, only exceeded by the shrines of Najaf and Karbala, making it the third holiest Shia site.

Mosques associated with companions of Muhammad and the Shia Imams

* Tomb of

Salman the Persian Salman the Persian or Salmān al-Fārsī ( ar, سَلْمَان ٱلْفَارِسِيّ), born Rūzbeh Khoshnūdān ( fa, ), was a Persian companion (Sahaba) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was raised as a Zoroastrian in Sasanian Persia, t ...

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (), or pronounced Huthaifah or Huzaifah (died in 656), was one of the Sahabah (companion) of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. Early years in Medina At Medina, Hudhayfah became a trusted and great companion of Muhammad, part ...

, Jabir ibn Abd Allah and Tahir ibn Muhammad al-Baqir in

Al-Mada'in Al-Mada'in ( ar, المدائن, , ; ) was an ancient metropolis situated on the Tigris River in modern-day Iraq. It was located between the ancient royal centers of Ctesiphon and Seleucia, and was founded by the Sassanid Empire. The city's na ...

, Iraq *

Uwais al-Qarni Mosque Uwais al-Qarani Mosque ( ar, مَسْجِد أُوَيْس ٱلْقَرَنِيّ, Masjid ʾUways al-Qaranīy) was a Shi'ite mosque in Raqqa, Syria, until it was demolished by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant on May 31, 2014. It is currently a ...

Raqqa Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) (Kurdish languages, Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. T ...

, Syria. It contains graves of

Uwais al-Qarni Awais bin Bashir ( ar, أُوَيْس ٱبْن عَامِر ٱبْن جَزْء ٱبْن مَالِك ٱلْقَرَنِيّ, ), also spelled Uways or Owais, was a Muslim from Yemen who lived during the lifetime of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.B ...

and

Ammar ibn Yasir Abū 'l-Yaqẓān ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir ibn ʿĀmir ibn Mālik al-ʿAnsīy al-Maḏḥiǧī ( ar, أبو اليقظان عمار ابن ياسر ابن عامر ابن مالك العنسي المذحجي) also known as Abū 'l-Yaqẓān ʿAmmār i ...

. * Tomb of

Maytham al-Tammar Maytham ibn Yaḥyā al-Tammār or Meesum al Tammar ( ar, ميثم ابن يـحيى التمار) was an early Islamic scholar, a companion and disciple of Ali, Ali ibn Abi Talib. Birth and early life Maytham ibn Yaḥyā was born at Nahrawān, a ...

in Kufa, Iraq Maytham tammar shrine

* Tomb of Kumayl ibn Ziyad in Kufa, Iraq Hannanah, Najaf, Iraq - panoramio

Hujr ibn Adi Ḥujr ibn ʿAdī al-Kindī ( ar, حُجْر بن عَدِيّ ٱلْكِنْدِيّ), died 660 CE, was a Companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was sentenced to death by the Umayyad Caliph Muawiyah I for his unwavering support and prais ...

Mosque in Adra' (north of Damascus), Syria * Shrine of

Malik al-Ashtar Malik al-Ashtar ( ar, مَالِك ٱلْأَشْتَر), also known as Mālik bin al-Ḥārith al-Nakhaʿīy al-Maḏḥijīy ( ar, مَالِك ٱبْن ٱلْحَارِث ٱلنَّخَعِيّ ٱلْمَذْحِجِيّ), was one of the loyal ...

in Egypt. He was one of the most loyal companions of

. * Tomb of

Al-Hurr ibn Yazid Al-Tamimi Al-Hurr ibn Yazid ibn Najiyah Al-Tamimi Al-Yarbuʿi Ar-Riyahi ( ar, حر بن یزید بن الناجیة التمیمي الیربوعي الریاحي) was the general of the Umayyad army dispatched from Kufa, Iraq to intercept al-Husayn ibn ...

companion of Imam Husayn, who was martyred in

. * Other several tombs and graves of companions in Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Egypt and Yemen * Al-Hannanah Mosque in Kufa, Iraq - contains some of the skin of Husayn ibn Ali which was ripped off of him post-mortem by the aggressors of

. * Tombs of

Ja'far ibn Abi Talib Jaʿfar ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, جعفر بن أبي طالب September 629), also known as Jaʿfar al-Ṭayyār ( ar, جعفر الطيّار, lit=Ja'far the Flyer) was a companion and cousin of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and an older brot ...

also known as Ja'far al-Tayyar, cousin of

and brother of

, and

Zayd ibn Harithah Zayd ibn Haritha ( ar, زَيْد ٱبْن حَارِثَة, ') (), was an early Muslim, sahabah and the adopted son of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. He is commonly regarded as the fourth person to have accepted Islam, after Muhammad's wife Khad ...

after their martyrdom during the battle of Battle of Mu'tah, located in

Mu'tah Mu'tah ( ar, مُؤْتَة, ') is a town in Karak Governorate in Jordan. Mutah University is located in the city. History In Islamic Hadith, tradition, it is known for the Battle of Mu'tah in 629 Common Era, CE, the first military engagement b ...

in Jordan. * Al-Nuqtah Mosque in

Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...

, Syria - this mosque contains a large stone where the head of Husayn ibn Ali was placed, while on a stop-over along the journey from Karbala to

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

Tombs of other family members of Muhammad

Imamzadeh An imamzadeh () is a Persian language, Persian term with two related meanings: a type of holy person in Shia Islam, and the shrine-tomb of such a person. Firstly, it means an immediate descendant of a Shia, Shi'i Imamah (Shia doctrine), Imam. T ...

Ganja Ganja (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for marijuana. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi/Urdu ( hi, गांजा, links=no, ur, , links=no, IPA: �aːɲd� ...

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

- bears the grave of one of the sons of

Muhammad al-Baqir Muḥammad al-Bāqir ( ar, مُحَمَّد ٱلْبَاقِر), with the full name Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, also known as Abū Jaʿfar or simply al-Bāqir () was the fifth Imam in Shia Islam, succee ...

. * Shrine of

Muhammad ibn Ali al-Hadi Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar () was the son of Ali al-Hadi and the brother of Hasan al-Askari, the 10th and 11th Twelver Shia Imams, respectively. His Tomb was constructed between Samarra and ...

in Balad, Iraq - entombs the remains of

, son of

* Imamzadeh Saleh in

Shemiran Shemirān ( fa, شمیران, , also Romanized as Shemīrān or Šemirân), also known as Shemirānāt ( fa, شمیرانات ) is the capital of Shemiranat County, Tehran Province, Iran, but is actually located just north of the borders of Teh ...

, Tehran, Iran - entombs the remains of Saleh, son of

Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine The Shāh Abdol-Azīm Shrine ( fa, شاه عبدالعظیم), also known as Shabdolazim, located in Rey, Iran, contains the tomb of ‘Abdul ‘Adhīm ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Hasanī (aka Shah Abdol Azim). Shah Abdol Azim was a fifth generation de ...

in Rey, Iran - entombs the remains of

Abdul Azim ʻAbd al-ʻAẓīm (ALA-LC romanization of ar, عبد العظيم) is a male Muslim given name. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-ʻAẓīm'', one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric nam ...

, descendant of

Hasan ibn Ali Hasan ibn Ali ( ar, الحسن بن علي, translit=Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī; ) was a prominent early Islamic figure. He was the eldest son of Ali and Fatima and a grandson of the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ...

. The mosque also contains the tombs of a son of Ali ibn al-Husayn and a son of Musa al-Kadhim. Shah_Abdol_Azim_shrine

Shah Cheragh Shāh Chérāgh ( fa, شاه چراغ) or Shahcheragh Shrine is the tomb of Ahmed bin Musa ( Imam Reza's brother) in the center of Shiraz. It is the third most important shrine in Shia Islam in Iran, after the Imam Reza shrine and Fatima Masu ...

Shiraz Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As o ...

, Iran - entombs the remains of Ahmad and Muhammad, sons of Musa al-Kadhim *

Imamzadeh Seyed Morteza Imamzadeh Seyed Morteza ( fa, امامزاده سید مرتضی) is related to the Qajar dynasty and is located in Razavi Khorasan Province, Kashmar. Massive trees, waterfalls and swimming pools add to the attractions of this place, and on the oth ...

Kashmar Kashmar () ( fa, کاشمر, also Romanized as ''Kāshmar''; formerly ''Keshmar'', '' Torshīz'' or ''Soltanabad'') is a city and the capital of Kashmar County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. Kashmar is located near the river Shesh Tara ...

, Iran - entombs another son of Musa al-Kadhim *

Imamzadeh Hamzah, Tabriz Imāmzādeh Hamzah ( fa, امامزاده سيد حمزه) is an Imamzadeh mosque complex in Tabrīz, Iran. The mosque contains the grave of Hamzah, son of the Twelver Shī‘ah Imām, Mūsā' al-Kādhim. Location The Imāmzādeh Hamzah mos ...

Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...

, Iran - entombs another son of Musa al-Kadhim *

Imamzadeh Hamzeh, Kashmar Imamzadeh Hamzah, Kashmar ( fa, امام زاده حمزه، کاشمر), the oldest mosque in Kashmar, includes the tomb of Hamza al-Hamza ibn Musa al-Kadhim Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kazim ( ar, مُوسَىٰ ٱبْن جَعْفَر ٱلْكَا� ...

, the tomb of Hamzah al-Hamzah ibn Musa al-Kadhim Baghmazar

* Shrine of

Sultan Ali Sulṭān ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad al-Bāqir ibn ʿAlī Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn ibn Al-Ḥusayn (Arabic: سلطان علي بن محمد الباقر بن علي زين العابدين بن الحسين) was the son of the fifth imam of Twelver Shi'i Musl ...

in Mashhad Ardehal, Iran - entombs the remains of

, son of

* Shrine of Qutham ibn Abbas in

Shah-i-Zinda Shah-i-Zinda ( uz, Shohizinda; fa, شاه زنده, meaning "The Living King") is a necropolis in the north-eastern part of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. History The Shah-i-Zinda Ensemble includes mausoleums and other ritual buildings of 11th – 15th ...

Samarkand fa, سمرقند , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from the top:Registan square, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, view inside Shah-i-Zinda, ...

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked cou ...

- the cousin of Muhammad * Various

scattered throughout Iran and Iraq

Holy sites specific to other Shia Muslims (non-Twelvers)

* Shrines of the

Isma'ili Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor (imām) to Ja'far al-Sa ...

Hujja A term used in Shi'i terminology, "hujja" means "proof mplied: proof of God" It is usually used to refer to a single individual in any given human era who represents God's "proof" to humanity.http://iranica.com/articles/hojjat. The hujja is ...

s and

Da'i al-Mutlaq The term Da'i al-Mutlaq ( ar, الداعي المطلق, al-Dā'ī al-Mutlaq; pl. , ) literally meaning 'the absolute, or unrestricted, missionary', is the most senior spiritual rank and office in Tayyibi Isma'ilism. The Da'i al-Mutlaq has heade ...

s - Imams - see

List of Isma'ili imams This is a list of the Imams as recognized by the different sub-sects of the Ismai'li sect of Shia Islam. Imams are considered members of the '' Bayt'' (Household) of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah. Early Imams All Isma'ili sects shar ...

, Hujjas -

Arwa al-Sulayhi ) , name = Arwā bint Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar ibn Mūsā Aṣ-Ṣulayḥī , other_names = ''As-Sayyidah Al-Ḥurrah'' () ''Al-Malikah Al-Ḥurrah'' ( ar, ٱلْمَلِكَة ٱلْحُرَّة or ...

Nasir Khusraw Abu Mo’in Hamid ad-Din Nasir ibn Khusraw al-Qubadiani or Nāsir Khusraw Qubādiyānī Balkhi ( fa, ناصر خسرو قبادیانی, Nasir Khusraw Qubadiani) also spelled as ''Nasir Khusrow'' and ''Naser Khosrow'' (1004 – after 1070 CE) w ...

and Da'is - see

List of Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra Short history The Dua't al-Mutlaqin Al-Malika al-Sayyida (Hurratul-Malika) was instructed and prepared by Imām Mustansir and following Imāms for the second period of ''satr''. It was going to be on her hands that Imām Taiyab abi al-Qasi ...

. * Shrines of the

Da'i A da'i ( ar, داعي, dāʿī, inviter, caller, ) is generally someone who engages in Dawah, the act of inviting people to Islam. See also * Dawah * Da'i al-Mutlaq, "the absolute (unrestricted) missionary" (Arabic: الداعي المطلق) * ...

s or

Missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

- see

List of Isma'ili missionaries This is a list of Ismailism, Isma'ili missionaries (''da'i''s). Background The simplified description of the hierarchy (''hudūd'') of the organization of the Ismaili da'wah was as follows: *''Nāṭiq'' (), the messenger-propher. *''Waṣī'' ...

. * Ruins of the

castles - see List of Isma'ili castles.

Cemeteries

Al-Baqi'

Al-Baqi' ''Jannat al-Baqīʿ'' ( ar, ٱلْبَقِيْع, "The Baqi'") is the oldest and the first Islamic cemetery of Medina in the Hejazi region of present-day Saudi Arabia. It is located to the southeast of the Prophet's Mosque, which contains the g ...

(Jannat al-Baqee) is a cemetery located across from Al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, Saudi Arabia. It is the oldest and first Islamic cemetery. Holy figures of Shia buried here include * Shia Imams: **

(first grandson of

) **

Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn ( ar, علي بن الحسين زين العابدين), also known as al-Sajjād (, ) or simply as Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn (), , was an Imam in Shiʻi Islam after his father Husayn ibn Ali, his uncle Hasan ...

(

Twelver Twelver Shīʿīsm ( ar, ٱثْنَا عَشَرِيَّة; '), also known as Imāmīyyah ( ar, إِمَامِيَّة), is the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, comprising about 85 percent of all Shīʿa Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers t ...

not

Zaydi Zaydism (''h'') is a unique branch of Shia Islam that emerged in the eighth century following Zayd ibn Ali‘s unsuccessful rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate. In contrast to other Shia Muslims of Twelver Shi'ism and Isma'ilism, Zaydis, ...

) **

(Twelver/Isma'ili) **

Isma'il ibn Ja'far Abū Muḥammad Ismāʿīl ibn Jaʿfar al-Mubārak ( ar, إسماعيل بن جعفر; c.719 AD – c.762 AD) was the eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq. He is also known as Isma'il al-Ãraj ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq (اسماعيل الاعرج ...

(Isma'ili) * Relatives of Shia figures: *

Fatimah bint Asad Fatima bint Asad ( ar, فَاطِمَة بِنْت أَسَد ', 555–626 CE), was the mother of Ali ibn Abi Talib, married to Abu Talib, and an aunt to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Fatima bint Asad and her husband, Abu Talib, acted as ...

- mother of Ali *

Umm al-Banin Fāṭima bint Ḥuzām al-Kilābīyya al-ʿAlawīyya (; died 683/684 or 69 A.H. 688/689), better known as ʾUmm al-Banīn ( ar, أُمّ ٱلْبَنِين, meaning "Mother of the Sons"), was a wife of Ali. She was from the tribe of Banu Kil ...

- mother of

* Bibi Shahrbānū - mother of Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin *

Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb Halimah al-Sa'diyah ( ar, حليمة السعدية), was the foster-mother of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Halimah and her husband were from the tribe of Sa'd b. Bakr, a subdivision of Hawazin (a large North Arabian tribe or group of tribes). ...

wet nurse A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, or if she is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cu ...

of Muhammad

Jannat al-Mu'alla Cemetery

The Jannat al-Mu'alla cemetery in Mecca, Saudi Arabia contains the graves of many relatives of Muhammad, held in high esteem by the Shia, including: *

Abd Manaf ibn Qusai Abd Manaf al-Mughirah ibn Qusai ( ar, عبد مناف ٱلمغيرة ٱبن قصي, ''ʿAbd Manāf al-Mughīrah ibn Quṣayy'') was a Qurayshi and great-great-grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. His father was Quṣai ibn Kilāb. Biogr ...

- great-great-grandfather of Muhammad *

Hashim ibn Abd Manaf Hāshim ibn ʿAbd Manāf ( ar, هاشم بن عبد مناف; ), born ʿAmr al-ʿUlā (), was the great-grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the progenitor of the ruling Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca. At some point in ...

- great-grandfather of Muhammad *

Abd al-Muttalib Shayba ibn Hāshim ( ar, شَيْبَة بْن هَاشِم; 497–578), better known as ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, ( ar, عَبْد ٱلْمُطَّلِب , lit=Servant of Muttalib) was the fourth chief of the Quraysh tribal confederation. He was ...

- grandfather of Muhammad *

Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib ( ar, أَبُو طَالِب بن عَبْد ٱلْمُطَّلِب '; ) was the leader of Banu Hashim, a clan of the Qurayshi tribe of Mecca in the Hejazi region of the Arabian Peninsula. He was an uncle of the ...

- uncle of Muhammad and father of the first Shia Imam, Ali *

Khadija bint Khuwaylid Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ( ar, خَدِيجَة بِنْت خُوَيْلِد, Khadīja bint Khuwaylid, 555 – November 619 CE) was the first wife and is considered to be the first follower of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Khadija was the da ...

- first wife of Muhammad and mother of

Fatimah Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, th ...

Qasim ibn Muhammad Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ( ar, قاسم بن محمد) was the eldest of the sons of Muhammad and Khadija bint Khuwaylid. He died in 601 CE (before the start of his father's prophethood in 609), after his third birthday and is buried in Jannat al- ...

- son of Muhammad who died in his infancy * Possible grave of

Aminah bint Wahb Aminah bint Wahb ( ar, آمِنَة ٱبْنَت وَهْب, ', ), was a woman of the clan of Banu Zuhrah in the tribe of Quraysh, and the mother of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Early life and marriage Aminah was born to Wahb ibn Abd Manaf an ...

- mother of Muhammad

Bab al-Saghir Cemetery

The

Bab al-Saghir ''Bāb aṣ-Ṣaghīr'' ( ar, بَـاب الـصَّـغِـيْـر, "Small Gate"), also called ''Goristan-e-Ghariban'', may refer to one of the seven gates in the Old City of Damascus, and street in the modern city of Damascus, Syria. It has ...

cemetery in Damascus, Syria contains the graves of many relatives of Muhammad as well as sites related to the Battle of Karbala. Some of the figures laid to rest here include: *

Umm Kulthum bint Ali Zaynab al-Ṣughrā ( ar, زَيْنَب ٱلصُّغْرَىٰ, lit=Zaynab the Younger), also known by her kunya Umm Kulthūm bint ʿAlī ( ar, أُمّ كُلْثُوم بِنْت عَلِيّ, link=no), was the granddaughter of the Islamic p ...

- daughter of Ali and Fatimah, granddaughter of Muhammad * Bilal ibn Rabah - the

muezzin The muezzin ( ar, مُؤَذِّن) is the person who proclaims the call to the daily prayer ( ṣalāt) five times a day (Fajr prayer, Zuhr prayer, Asr prayer, Maghrib prayer and Isha prayer) at a mosque. The muezzin plays an important role ...

of Muhammad * Hamīdah - daughter of

Muslim ibn Aqeel Muslim ibn Aqil al-Hashimi ( ar, مُسْلِم ٱبْن عَقِيل ٱلْهَاشِمِيّ ') was the son of Aqil ibn Abi Talib and a member of the clan of Banu Hashim, thus, he is a cousin of Husayn ibn Ali. The people of Kufa called upo ...

* Maymūnah - daughter of Hasan ibn Ali * Sakinah (Fatimah al-Kubra) bint Husayn - daughter of Husayn ibn Ali (not to be confused with Ruqayyah who was the youngest) *

Asma bint Umais Asmāʾ bint ʿUmays ( ar, أَسْمَاء بِنْت عُمَيْس) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. She is known for having married three companions of the Prophet: Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, Abu Bakr and Ali. Family She wa ...

- wife of

and

* Abdullah ibn Ali ibn Husayn - son of Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin

Other tombs for the family of imams

There are many tombs of the various descendants of the Imams (often called ''

''). Some of them include: Kufa Mosque

Great Mosque of Kufa The Great Mosque of Kufa ( ar, مَسْجِد ٱلْكُوفَة ٱلْمُعَظَّم/ٱلْأَعْظَم, Masjid al-Muʿaẓẓam/al-ʾAʿaẓam), or Masjid al-Kufa, is located in Kufa, Iraq and is one of the earliest and holiest surviving ...

Kufa Kufa ( ar, الْكُوفَة ), also spelled Kufah, is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000. Currently, Kufa and Najaf ...

, Iraq - contains the tombs of Muslim ibn Aqeel, Khadijah bint Ali,

Hani ibn Urwa Hani ibn Urwa was a Kufan leader who hosted Muslim ibn Aqil and was killed by Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, due to ibn Ziyad enmity towards Ahl al-Bayt. Hani is buried behind the Great Mosque of Kufa, Kufa, Iraq, alongside Mukhtar ...

, and

Mukhtar al-Thaqafi Al-Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubayd al-Thaqafi ( ar, المختار بن أبي عبيد الثقفي, '; – 3 April 687) was a pro-Alid revolutionary based in Kufa, who led a rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate in 685 and ruled over most of Iraq f ...

. The mosque also contains many important sites relating to the prophets and Ali, including the place where he was fatally struck on the head while in ''

Sujud Sujūd ( ar, سُجود, ), or sajdah (, ), is the act of low bowing or prostration to God facing the ''qiblah'' (direction of the Kaaba at Mecca). It is usually done in standardized prayers (salah). The position involves kneeling and bowing t ...

'' *

Mount Uhud Mount Uhud ( ar, جَبَل أُحُد, Jabal Uḥud) is a mountain north of Medina, Saudi Arabia. It is high and 7.5 km long. It was the site of the second battle between Muslim and unbelievers. The Battle of Uhud was fought on 19 March, 625 ...

near Medina, Saudi Arabia - bears the grave of

Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib Ḥamza ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ( ar, حمزة بن عبد المطلب; 568 – 625)Muhammad ibn Saad. ''Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'' vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). ''The Companions of Badr''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers. was a ...

the uncle of Muhammad, along with the graves of all the other Muslims who fell at the

Battle of Uhud The Battle of Uhud ( ar, غَزْوَة أُحُد, ) was fought on Saturday, 23 March 625 AD (7 Shawwal, 3 AH), in the valley north of Mount Uhud.Watt (1974) p. 136. The Qurayshi Meccans, led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, commanded an army of 3,000 m ...

. * The tomb of Zayd ibn Ali in Kufa, Iraq * Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Zayd - a descendant of Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (grandson of Zayd ibn Ali) in Mashhad, Iran. * Awlād Muslim Mosque in

Musayyib Musayyib ( ar, المسيب) is an increasing majority Shia Arab town in the Babil Province, Iraq. As of 2018, its population was 57,300. Musayyib sits on both the east and west banks of the Euphrates River, which splits into the Hindiya and Hill ...

, Iraq - entombs the remains of the sons of Muslim ibn Aqeel.

Tombs of Biblical prophets

Nabi Habeel Mosque Nabi Habeel Mosque ( ar, مَسْجِد ٱلنَّبِي هَابِيْل, Masjid An-Nabī Hābīl; tr, Nabi Habeel Camii), or "Mosque of the Prophet Abel", is a shrine dedicated to Habeel, located on the west mountains of Damascus, near the ...

in Syria - contains the grave of

Abel Abel ''Hábel''; ar, هابيل, Hābīl is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He was the younger brother of Cain, and the younger son of Adam and Eve, the first couple in Biblical history. He was a shepher ...

(

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

: '' Habeel'' ), son of Adam and Eve as believed by many Muslims Danial

Tomb of Daniel The Tomb of Daniel (Persian: آرامگاه دانیال نبی) is the traditional burial place of the biblical figure Daniel. Various locations have been named for the site, but the tomb in Susa, in Iran, is the most widely accepted site, it be ...

Daniel Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength" ...

(

Daniyal Daniyal ( ar, دانيال) was a Palestinian village in the Ramle Subdistrict. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War on July 10, 1948, by the Yiftach Brigade under the first phase of Operation Dani. It was located 5 km eas ...

) who is considered to have been an Islamic prophet. *

Cave of the Patriarchs , alternate_name = Tomb of the Patriarchs, Cave of Machpelah, Sanctuary of Abraham, Ibrahimi Mosque (Mosque of Abraham) , image = Palestine Hebron Cave of the Patriarchs.jpg , alt = , caption = Southern view of the complex, 2009 , map ...

Hebron Hebron ( ar, الخليل or ; he, חֶבְרוֹן ) is a Palestinian. city in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judaean Mountains, it lies above sea level. The second-largest city in the West Bank (after East J ...

West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...

Palestinian territories The Palestinian territories are the two regions of the former British Mandate for Palestine that have been militarily occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, namely: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. The I ...

- contains the graves of the Prophet

and some of his family *

Al-Nabi Yusha' Al-Nabi Yusha' ( ar, النبي يوشع was a small Palestinian village in the Galilee situated 17 kilometers to the northeast of Safad, with an elevation of 375 meters above sea level. It became part of the Palestine Mandate under British con ...

Upper Galilee The Upper Galilee ( he, הגליל העליון, ''HaGalil Ha'Elyon''; ar, الجليل الأعلى, ''Al Jaleel Al A'alaa'') is a geographical-political term in use since the end of the Second Temple period. It originally referred to a mountai ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

- Tomb of prophet

Joshua Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...

Great Mosque of Aleppo The Great Mosque of Aleppo ( ar, جَـامِـع حَـلَـب الْـكَـبِـيْـر, ''Jāmi‘ Ḥalab al-Kabīr'') is the largest and one of the oldest mosques in the city of Aleppo, Syria. It is located in al-Jalloum district of the ...

in Aleppo, Syria - entombs the remains of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist. * Several tombs of prophets all over Iraq, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia

Other places associated with Muhammad

Quba Mosque , location = Madinah, Saudi Arabia , geo = , religious_affiliation = Islam , region = Hejaz , province = Al Madinah , website = , architect = Abdel-Wahed ...

found just outside Medina, Saudi Arabia, was the first mosque ever built by Muhammad. Its first stones were positioned by Muhammad on his emigration from the city of Mecca to Medina and was subsequently completed by his companions. Muhammad then waited for Ali to arrive before he entered the city of Medina. *

Masjid al-Qiblatayn The Masjid al-Qiblatayn ( ar, مسجد القبلتين, lit=Mosque of the Two Qiblas), also spelt Masjid al-Qiblatain, is a mosque in Medina believed by Muslims to be the place where the final Islamic prophet, Muhammad, received the command to ...

in Medina, Saudi Arabia - the mosque where the direction of prayer (qibla) was changed from Jerusalem to Mecca. *

Cave of Hira Jabal an-Nour ( ar, جَبَل ٱلنُّوْر, Jabal an-Nūr, lit=Mountain of the Light or 'Hill of the Illumination') is a mountain near Mecca in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. The mountain houses the grotto or cave of Hira' ( ar, غَار ...

located on the mountain

Jabal al-Nour Jabal an-Nour ( ar, جَبَل ٱلنُّوْر, Jabal an-Nūr, lit=Mountain of the Light or 'Hill of the Illumination') is a mountain near Mecca in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. The mountain houses the grotto or cave of Hira' ( ar, غَار ...

in Saudi Arabia - the place where the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Muhammad

Tomb of modern holy figures in Shi'ite Islam

* Tomb of Hassan Modarres, built in 1937 in

, Iran * Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, built in 1992 at

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...

, Iran.

References

External links

* * {{Holiest sites in Shia Islam * * * * * * Islamic pilgrimages