I'm going Iraq! Need Help!

[Abraram]

Salam to All,

With the grace of Allah, he has listened to my calls and I would be leaving for Karbala on 14 November. Its been 10+ years since I went to Karbala in my childhood.

Can you answer my following queries?

1. I got to know that as a Pakistani, Iraqi food is little smelly and is not suitable for Pakistanis. Can you recommend any nearest shop to bainul harmain where I could buy food?

2. Are there any rare sites you would want me to witness near to bainul harmain?

3. What would you suggest me in the pre-chelum and post-chehlum days? Any suggestions, recommendations?

4. I want to visit the nearest checkpost to meet Iraqi army and possibly Hezbollah warriors there? Can I visit any checkpost near to bainul harmain and take some photographs?

5. I would be walking from Najaf to Karbala? What Would you recommend me for safety, tricks, tips etc?

6. Are there any maps, guides, apps for my visit?

 

Thank you so much.

Edited October 23, 2016 by Abrar Ahmed

[ElAhmed]

7 hours ago, Abrar Ahmed said:

Salam to All,

With the grace of Allah, he has listened to my calls and I would be leaving for Karbala on 14 November. Its been 10+ years since I went to Karbala in my childhood.

Can you answer my following queries?

1. I got to know that as a Pakistani, Iraqi food is little smelly and is not suitable for Pakistanis. Can you recommend any nearest shop to bainul harmain where I could buy food?

2. Are there any rare sites you would want me to witness near to bainul harmain?

3. What would you suggest me in the pre-chelum and post-chehlum days? Any suggestions, recommendations?

4. I want to visit the nearest checkpost to meet Iraqi army and possibly Hezbollah warriors there? Can I visit any checkpost near to bainul harmain and take some photographs?

5. I would be walking from Najaf to Karbala? What Would you recommend me for safety, tricks, tips etc?

6. Are there any maps, guides, apps for my visit?

 

Thank you so much.

1. A lot of restaurants near bainul harmain. Try iraqi kebab, or a grilled chicken or falafel.

There is a Pakistani cuisine in Karbala, near the Baron Hotel

4. There a lot of checkpoints in Karbala, there a few checkpoints around the Shrines.

5. Powerbank to charge your phone while walking from Najaf to Karbala, wet tissues,

 

Link to the Baron hotel http://karbala.thebaronhotels.com/

Link to Rayhaan hotel Rotana https://www.rotana.com/rayhaanhotelandresorts/iraq/karbala/karbalarayhaanbyrotana

 

[Hameedeh]

@Abrar Ahmed Salam. @DigitalUmmah went to Najaf and Karbala for Ashura, mashAllah. Maybe he can answer some of your questions. Please make dua for all of us at ShiaChat when you make ziyarat, inshaAllah.  

[DigitalUmmah]

13 hours ago, hameedeh said:

@Abrar Ahmed Salam. @DigitalUmmah went to Najaf and Karbala for Ashura, mashAllah. Maybe he can answer some of your questions. Please make dua for all of us at ShiaChat when you make ziyarat, inshaAllah.  

thanks for the tag sis. also tagging in sis @zainabamy who is doing the same ziarat arbaeen inshaAllah in a few days

Brother Abrar - god bless you, may your ziarat change your life inshaAllah

On 23/10/2016 at 8:44 AM, Abrar Ahmed said:

1. I got to know that as a Pakistani, Iraqi food is little smelly and is not suitable for Pakistanis. Can you recommend any nearest shop to bainul harmain where I could buy food?

its VERY makrooh to eat rich, tasty or sweet things while in karbala. Im not your dad to tell you what you can and cannot eat lol, but its more thawaab to only eat plain boiled rice, salad, channay sallan that iraqi make and drink water. only eat till you are not hungry and never to a full belly

its better to eat plain because it will reduce the chance of you getting diarrhoea. trust me you do not want to go to the toilets there. 

On 23/10/2016 at 8:44 AM, Abrar Ahmed said:

2. Are there any rare sites you would want me to witness near to bainul harmain?

many....many. maqams Ali Akbar, Ali Asghar, the two maqams where ghazi abbas arms were cut off, naar e furaat, baagh Imam Jafar Sadiq, Maqam Imam Zamana (peace be upon them all), tilla e zainabia and the khaimagaa are all walking distance from bainul haramein. i doubt you will get near any of them though. too many people and too narrow streets

On 23/10/2016 at 8:44 AM, Abrar Ahmed said:

3. What would you suggest me in the pre-chelum and post-chehlum days? Any suggestions, recommendations?

go on a diet, stock up on immodium and work on your fitness. the walk is no joke. you have to take it seriously and prepare your body and mind. 

buy any ziarat guide and rersearch all the lesser known/ visited ziarats (like balad, musayyib etc) as well as the famous ones. try and memorise izn dukhul and ziarats off by heart. read the history of each ziarat, watch youtube vids of other peoples ziarat on youtube. 

On 23/10/2016 at 8:44 AM, Abrar Ahmed said:

4. I want to visit the nearest checkpost to meet Iraqi army and possibly Hezbollah warriors there? Can I visit any checkpost near to bainul harmain and take some photographs?

if you are asked if you are "bakistani" then just say yes (even if you are indian). iraqis absolutely love pakistanis and will be ok with you taking pics etc. iranians and indians (hindi) dont get as much love as we do. 

On 23/10/2016 at 8:44 AM, Abrar Ahmed said:

5. I would be walking from Najaf to Karbala? What Would you recommend me for safety, tricks, tips etc?

do whatever you can to avoid toilets. I cannot stress this enough. 

On 23/10/2016 at 8:44 AM, Abrar Ahmed said:

6. Are there any maps, guides, apps for my visit?

the book I use is called "Supplications: call on me, I answer you" but it is only ziarats of Masumeen (as). ask your local maulvi what ziarat guide to use. I memorised my ziarats/ izn dukhul ages ago plus ive been so many times i dont really need the guide.