Shrine of Muslim bin Aqeel

Muslim b. `Aqeel was a cousin of Imam al-Husayn b. `Ali. He was dispatched by Imam al-Husayn to the city of al-Kufa. His mission was informing the citizens of al-Kufa of the injustice of Yazid; however, he was martyred together with Hani b. `Urawa in 60 A.H. Ibn Ziyad, the then governor of al-Kufa, ordered his forces to kill them and sent their heads to Yazid. Their toms are now at the al-Emar Castle now. The two holy shrines are situated near al-Kufa Mosque to the east of the city of Najaf.

When the pilgrim likes to visit the city of al-Kufa, s/he will see the golden dome. The decorations added to the walls of the shrine make the place appear more spiritual; from inside, the dome is covered by mirrors that seem to magnify the great person buried there.

Now, when one intends to enter the sacred sanctuary, the first thing to come into view is the architecture of the Shrine. And, just prior to stepping inside the corridor, the pilgrim is instructed to read out, together with some relevant verses of the Holy Quran, the following sentence: "May salaam be unto you, O Martyr of Imam al-Husayn's call."

Amid the implications of the mirrors which add to the spiritual beauty of the sacred place and the door framed in gold steps and stands the visitor who reads out the ziarat-text in favor of Muslim at the gate of the sanctuary.

To the east of the holy shrine lies the shrine of Al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi who led the post-Ashura revolt against Yazid and his followers.