Mausoleum of Abbas (brother of Imam Hussein), Karbala

Across the Bayn al-Haramayn plaza from the Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala stands the gleaming golden tomb of al-Abbas ibn Ali, the flag-bearer and water-bearer who fell on Ashura while trying to carry water to the besieged. A paragon of loyalty and self-sacrifice, his shrine is among the holiest and most emotionally charged sites in Shia Islam.

Al-Abbas embodies the highest ideals of Shia devotion: loyalty, bravery and selfless sacrifice. Half-brother and standard-bearer of Imam Husayn at the Battle of Karbala, known as Saqqa (the water-bearer) and Abu al-Fadl, he died on Ashura — 10 Muharram 61 AH, 680 CE — while trying to bring water from the Euphrates to Husayn's thirsty camp. His hands were severed, the waterskin fell from his arms, and he was killed at the river's edge. The Banu Asad tribe buried him near the place of his martyrdom after the Umayyad army withdrew.

His tomb, beneath a tear-shaped golden dome and gilded minarets, sits directly across the Bayn al-Haramayn from the shrine of Imam Husayn. The interior glitters with intricate mirror-work, and the walk along the corridor between the two shrines is among the most moving acts of a Karbala pilgrimage. The shrine has been demolished and rebuilt many times across Abbasid, Buyid, Safavid and Qajar eras; its minarets were gilded in 2007.

It is among the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world, drawing millions of Shia pilgrims year-round and over twenty million during Arbaeen, forty days after Ashura. Pilgrims describe an overwhelming, emotional atmosphere of weeping, prayer and dense crowds. For the devout it is a place of catharsis, renewed allegiance to Husayn's ideals, and petition for al-Abbas's intercession; even visitors who do not share the devotion are struck by the depth of collective grief.

The tomb of al-Abbas ibn Ali, martyred at Karbala in 680 CE, rebuilt across many dynasties.

On 10 Muharram 61 AH (680 CE), al-Abbas — the water-bearer, Saqqa — had his hands severed while fetching water for the besieged camp of Imam Husayn, and the waterskin fell from his arms before he was killed. His body was buried by the Banu Asad near the place of his martyrdom on the banks of the Alqama, a channel of the Euphrates, after the Umayyad army withdrew. A shrine was raised over the grave and rebuilt many times over the following centuries.

Twelver Shia Islam, centered on the memory of Karbala and the family of the Prophet.

The grave of the water-bearer of Karbala, at the heart of Shia memory and mourning.

The thinness of al-Abbas's shrine arises from its place in the central tragedy of Shia memory. This is the ground of the Karbala martyrdom, where al-Abbas fell trying to carry water to a camp dying of thirst, near the channel of the Euphrates that still flows nearby. The tear-shaped golden dome, the mirror-worked interior, and the Bayn al-Haramayn corridor linking his tomb to Imam Husayn's together concentrate centuries of grief and devotion. For Shia visitors the shrine is a place of catharsis and renewed allegiance; even those outside the tradition report being struck by the depth of collective mourning held in this space.

The burial place of al-Abbas ibn Ali, martyred at Karbala, marked and venerated as a shrine of the standard-bearer and water-bearer of Imam Husayn.

First marked in the first century AH, the shrine was repeatedly demolished and rebuilt — under Abbasid rulers such as Harun al-Rashid and al-Mutawakkil, then restored under al-Muntasir and Adud al-Dawla, and rebuilt and expanded by Safavid and Qajar patrons. The minarets were gilded in 2007. It remains one of the most visited active shrines in the world.

Ziyarat, recitation of Ziyarat Ashura and Arbaeen, mourning rituals, and the walk along the Bayn al-Haramayn.

Ziyarat (devotional visitation) and recitation of Ziyarat Ashura and Ziyarat Arbaeen; mourning processions (latmiya), elegies and votive offerings; intercessory vows often made to Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas; walking the Bayn al-Haramayn between his shrine and Imam Husayn's.

Year-round ziyarat, with peak observances during Muharram (Ashura) and Safar (Arbaeen), when over twenty million pilgrims converge on Karbala.

Move through the shrine with attentiveness to the depth of grief it holds. Walking the Bayn al-Haramayn between the two shrines offers the fullest sense of the bond at the heart of the Karbala story. Reflect on loyalty and self-sacrifice rather than treating the space as a sight to photograph.

An overwhelming, emotional shrine of golden dome and mirror-work at the heart of Karbala.

The shrine stands in central Karbala, directly across the Bayn al-Haramayn plaza from the Imam Husayn Shrine. Pilgrims describe an overwhelming, emotional atmosphere — weeping, prayer, and dense crowds — beneath a gleaming golden dome and inside a hall of intricate mirror-work. The walk along the Bayn al-Haramayn between the two shrines is especially moving, tracing the bond between al-Abbas and the brother he died defending.

The intensity rises sharply during Muharram, when the first ten days commemorate the martyrdom, and during Arbaeen, forty days after Ashura, when over twenty million pilgrims converge on Karbala in one of the largest gatherings on earth. For Shia visitors the shrine offers catharsis and renewed allegiance to Husayn's ideals, and the chance to petition al-Abbas for intercession; for others, the depth of devotion lingers long after.

The shrine is open 24 hours. Remove shoes before entering the holy areas, cover appropriately, and leave phones and cameras outside the inner sanctum. Walking the Bayn al-Haramayn between al-Abbas's shrine and Imam Husayn's is central to the visit. During Muharram and Arbaeen, follow staff and crowd-control directions closely.

Al-Abbas is read by historians as a Karbala martyr and by Shia tradition as the very model of loyalty and devotion.

Historically the burial site of al-Abbas ibn Ali, killed at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, with a shrine repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt across Abbasid, Buyid, Safavid and Qajar eras; today a major Shia pilgrimage center. Reported annual visitor figures vary by source, from a baseline of several million to over twenty million during Arbaeen.

For Shia Muslims al-Abbas is the model of loyalty, courage and devotion — the 'Moon of the Banu Hashim' — and his shrine a place of intercession and mourning central to Shia identity.

Details of the earliest shrine structures and the exact original location of the grave relative to the shifting Euphrates channel are debated.

Central Karbala, across the Bayn al-Haramayn from Imam Husayn's shrine; open 24 hours; 1-2 hours.

In central Karbala, Iraq, directly across the Bayn al-Haramayn plaza from the Imam Husayn Shrine; reached via Karbala from Baghdad or Najaf. Exact GPS coordinates were not pulled.

Karbala has extensive pilgrim lodging from simple hostels to hotels; availability tightens dramatically during Muharram and Arbaeen, so book well ahead for those seasons.

Strict modest dress, head covering for women, shoes removed, and no cameras in the inner sanctum.

This is a supremely holy and emotionally charged Shia shrine. Observe a strict dress code: cover shoulders, arms and legs; women must cover their hair with a headscarf; remove shoes before entering the holy areas. Phones and cameras are not permitted inside the inner shrine, and intrusive photography should be avoided anywhere, especially during prayer. Be mindful of the deep mourning context of Muharram and Arbaeen.

Strict modest dress: cover shoulders, arms and legs; women must cover their hair with a headscarf; shoes removed before entering the holy areas.

Phones and cameras are not permitted inside the inner shrine; avoid intrusive photography anywhere, especially during prayer.

Votive offerings and donations are customary; intercessory vows to al-Abbas are common.

Maintain quiet, respectful behavior; follow the directions of shrine staff and crowd-control measures, especially during Muharram and Arbaeen.

Sacred places within a half-day’s reach. Pilgrims often visit them together: walk one, stay for the other.

Mausoleum of Imam Hussein, Karbala

Karbala, Karbala, Iraq

0.4 km away

Mausoleum of Ezekiel, Kafel

Al Kifl, Babil Governorate, Iraq

53.4 km away

Residence of the 12th Imam Muhammad Almahdi, Sahla Mosque, Najaf

Al Kufa, Al-Najaf Governorate, Iraq

72.0 km away

Mausoleums of Muslim bin Aqil, Hani bin Urwa and Almukhtar, Kufa Mosque, Najaf

Al Kufa, Al-Najaf Governorate, Iraq

73.8 km away

Sources consulted when researching this page. Independent verification by readers is welcome.

1. 01Holy Shrine of al-Abbas (a) — WikiShia — WikiShiahigh-reliability
2. 02Al-Abbas Shrine — Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors
3. 03The Holy Shrine — Al-Abbas — Al-Islam.org — Al-Islam.org
4. 04Arba'in pilgrimage — Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors
5. 05Karbala Shrine Experience: Etiquette and Visiting Times — Visit Iraq — Visit Iraq
6. 06Over 21.1 million pilgrims visited Karbala for Arbaeen — Al-Abbas shrine — Press TV