Visiting the magnificent ancient city of Babylon.
Rich history of four ancient civilizations and a Jewel of the ancient world.
Dear Family and friends Juma’ah Mubarak – Happy Friday!
After 12 day of Muharrum and a week of Peace Camp, I will be spending this weekend getting ready for Toronto and Vancouver vacation.
On my return I have to write about the peace camp, and organize the Peace Bik-e-thon for LEPOCO. https://lepoco.org/ and then hit the road to Mombasa, Kenya.
Over two year I have been writing post every week on my blog
This is what people say about the blog.
“Speak Up! Silent No More! does a great job of providing provocative and intellectual insights that challenges all kinds of curiosity and assumptions.”
The pearl of Najaf(Durr Al Najaf), Wādī al-Salām, Mosque of Kufa, Sahla & Al-Hannana Mosque. Durr Al Najaf (Arabic: دُرٱلنَّجَف) is a unique, glossy, and clear gemstone from the quartz family.
The name means "pearl of Najaf" as it can only be sourced from Wadi-al-Salaam or obtained from the river which are more illustrious than those obtained from land.
Durr-e-Najaf is a very religious stone for Muslims. It is good for eye sickness and it creates contentment and happiness in the heart. It is a gemstone full of spiritual, religious values and benefits.
Durr-e-Najaf brings self-knowledge and wisdom to us. On May 7th,2023 we arrived in Najaf from Baghdad airport after stopping at the monument of Qassim Soleimani and Abul-al-Muhhandis outside the airport.
Najaf is one of the holiest cities for Shia Muslims after Mecca and Medina. It is the resting place of Imam Ali, the first Shia Imam after Prophet Mohammad(pbuh).
We spent most of the night until Fajr prayers in the shrine. Due to security reasons, we were allowed cell phones, but no cameras. The shrine compound comprises a courtyard, a seminary, and the mausoleum with Imam Ali grave.
The courtyard is covered with carpets, canopy, and water fountains The atmosphere throughout was peaceful and the buzzing sound of prayers was soothing to the ears.
The complex also has the remains of Prophet Adam and Prophet Noah (Nuh.) After breakfast at Hotel Al Sahla on Monday May8th we visited Wadi-us-Salaam (Valley of Peace) – the largest cemetery in the world.
It has the tomb of Prophet Hud and Prophet Saleh. Wadi-us-Salaam, which means land of peace in English. There are more than 6 million graves.
We saw many families sitting in wagons pulled by motorcycles (Tuk-tuk) carrying plastic gallons of water. It is customary to pour water on the grave when visiting the grave of the loved ones and remember the thirst of six-month baby son Aliasgher the Imam Hussain who was shot with a three-pong arrow.
Tuesday May 9th on our way then on our way to Masjid-e-Kufa, the birthplace of Prophet Abraham. Kufa was a cultural city and political hub of the Islamic world. Imam Ali governed the affairs of the Islamic state from Kufa.
He was martyred with the poisonous sword in the great Mosques of Kufa when leading the morning prayer by Ibne Muljim (Kharijite), he died 3 days later on 21st of Ramadan.
Masjid e Kufa is the birthplace of Prophet Abraham and its where Prophet Noah built the ark and the floods began. Below is the link of Then we visited Masjid-e-Sahla and Imam Ali’s house from outside, not allowed inside.
We did not have an opportunity to visit the birthplace of Prophet Abraham which is 10 mile outside the city center – the province of Babylon. Nor did we visit the hill and the huge boulder stones, the place where Prophet Abraham was catapulted into the fire by King Nimrud.
We ordered, “O fire! Be cool and safe for Abraham!” — (Quran 21:69).
In a nutshell, to explore the ancient land of Najaf and the surrounding areas you should read about the city, Mosque of Kufa and Sahla, sermons of Imam Ali (as) and the life history of Imam Ali to appreciate, enjoy, and certainly enlighten your soul.
There is A-Hannana Mosquehttps://en.wikishia.net/view/Al-Hannana_Mosque which is located in the north of Najaf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Najaf on the way to Kufa https://en.wikishia.net/view/Kufa It is narrated that the site of this mosque wept/mourned for the Ahl al-Bayt two times; during the funeral procession of Imam Ali (as) and after the battle of Karbala https://www.al-islam.org/articles/karbala-chain-events
There are two famous incidents related to the mosque. One incident, narrated to have taken place at the site of the Al- Hannana Mosque is the sorrow tilting of a pillar (or wall)when the coffin of Imam Ali (as) passed by it at his funeral.
Imam Jaffer Sadik(as) has said, “When the coffin of Imam Ali (a) was being carried through this place, this pillar leaned out of sorrow for his demise, like the leaning of Abraha’s throne at the entry of AbdulMuttalib https://www.al-islam.org/abu-talib-b-abdul-muttalib-kamal-al-sayyid/abdul-muttalib
The second incident is narrated to have happened after the Battle of Karbala. On the road from Karbala to Kufa, the head of Imam Hussain was placed on the ground of the mosque. It is said that at this time, a sound was heard like the sound of a baby camel that had lost its mother.