Karbala, Iraq
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Karbala كَربَلَاء Karbalāʾ Kerbala |
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|---|---|
 Karbala
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| Coordinates: 32°37′N 44°02′E / 32.617°N 44.033°E | |
| Country |
 Iraq
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| Governorate | Karbala |
| Settled | 690 CE |
| Population (2014) | |
| • Total | 690,100 |
Karbala (Arabic: كَرْبَلَاء, Karbalā’, Persian: کربلاء) is a city in central Iraq, located about 100 km (62 mi) southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 0.7 million people (2015).
The city, best known as the location of the Ghazwaṫ Karbalā’ (Arabic: غَـزوَة كَـربَـلَاء, Battle of Karbala) in 680 CE, or the Masjidayn (Arabic: مَـسـجِـدَيـن, two Mosques) of Imam Husayn and Abbas, is considered as a holy city for Shi'ite Muslims as Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Tens of millions of Shi'ite Muslims visit the site twice a year, rivaling Mecca as a place of pilgrimage. The martyrdom of Imam Husayn ibn Ali is commemorated annually by millions of Shi'ites, Up to 8 million pilgrims visit the city to observe ‘Āshūrā’ (Arabic: عَـاشُـورَاء, "Tenth Day" {of the month of Muharram}), which marks the anniversary of Imam Husayn's death, but the main event is the Arba‘īn (Arabic: أَربَـعِـيـن, 40th day after Ashura), where up to 22 million visit the holy graves. Most of the pilgrims travel barefooted from all around Iraq and more than 56 countries.
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