FAQS

PLEASE CHECK THIS ON WEATHER SITES BUT JUNE- JULY- MID AUGUST TIME ITS 50 DEGREE HEAT.

YES, APPLICANTS NEED TO SEND THEIR CURRENT PASSPORT IN COLOUR WITH 6 MONTHS MINIMUM VALIDITY ON DATE OF RETURN TO EITHER OUR CELLPHONE/ MOBILE; 00447713622402 (M.RAZA JAFFER) OR TO; info@alavitravel.com. We will accept $ 40 per passport for this service if they are 5 pax. You have the option to pay this fee on our website or transfer this fee to our Bank your account. If your group is large we can give further discount.  After 6 working days of receiving your passports we will give you an approval letter with names which you should apply in your local Iraqi consulate or Embassy and get a visa. In some Consulates like in U.S.A. they still give visa on passport. You will also need to give us a residence permit in case if you are a Pakistani/ Indian/Bengali living in the west. After getting approval please visit our website; www.alavitravel.com and visit visa section and then in the middle of page there is Visa chart which you need to fill and stick the photos in colour and fill application form for each individual from that particular Consulate of your city. Also to submit colour copy of Passport with each application and 1 or 2 passport size photos any background with your application. Also in some Consulates or Embassies they accept fee in U.S.D. or in some local currency but in cash only. Please call your local Iraq Consulate or Embassy and confirm the fees and paper work requirements. The Embassy fee in London is $40 per person and in Manchester, U.K. is £40 per person. They accept in cash only. Once you submit the application in London Embassy you will need to go again after few days to submit cash and third attempt to collect your visa. In Manchester consulate it’s all in one trip. In Arbaeen you will get visa on passport subject to a letter from Imam Ali foundation to confirm your name, passport number, Nationality, Expiry date.

Baghdad Airport; This Airport is very safe and easy to enter. This is away from the city and there is no risk. Once you pay us for approval fee and pay in Embassy the visa fee, next step is to inform us that you will be landing on such date and time and we will arrange for your safe exit from immigration by calling our friendly security officer to help you clear immigration and he will take you right outside the Airport to get to your friends or relatives. He will even help you to get transport of your choice. The fee for this service is $75 per approval. You will need to pay $10 per person for transport from Airport Building to check point safe zone called “sahat IBN FARNAS” where all the private taxi and buses are parked 1 mile away from Airport building due to security. It’s a must to use Airport transport for your safety both ways it will be around $10 or 10,000 Iraqi dinar.

When you will exit Airport; Please keep ample time as it is taking time to do security checks. Half an hour to reach from Kazmain Hotel. 2 hour from Karbala to reach this Airport, 3 hour to reach from Najaf to Baghdad Airport. Keep 1 hour and 15 mins to cross the security zone and change from local bus to Airport Bus. You will be asked to leave your transport and Dog will be brought to sniff the luggage. After this at the Airport Terminal building again there will be checking and you will be asked to keep all luggage in a row so that a dog will be allowed to sniff the luggage. As soon as you enter the building proceed to Airline counter which you should have 3 hours for that before the flight. All together you will need 4 and half hours before flight from start of Airport to Airline desk.

It’s better to bring GBP if coming from U.K. or U.S.D. but make sure you bring in big notes. There is a loss if you bring small denominations. Better rates are near your hotel from currency exchange shops. Please shop around.

Sim Cards are available from shops near Haram. They can give you some data and calls or all Data or all Calls. Choice of Zain and Asia cell. Both have unlimited Data for 7,000 Iraqi dinars for 1 week. Wi-Fi is free of charge in your hotel. Please bring an unlocked GSM phone from your country which can accept Iraqi sim if you need Iraqi sim card.

This is very important point re Cash and valuables. If you have large amount of cash, try to keep it in safe deposit box in your room. If you don’t have that keep it in reception deposit box by signing a paper. Never ever take it to Haram as there are gangs operating inside Haram who slash ladies hand purse from the side and steal money. Also those ladies at check points near Haram entrance are also doggy. They try to divert your mind and steal large amount of cash or jewellery. Please keep an eye on those lady security as they are very smart. 2 or 3 ladies will try to occupy you and slash your purse from the back. Best to give large amounts of cash to gents in your family. When you go Haram for Ziyarat please take only small amount of cash.

Not in shops but you can withdraw money from ATM machines which are available in different locations. VISA; in Najaf; in Qasr al Dur hotel only. In Karbala; In Damarchi Mall at SANATER STREET, Karbala. In Baghdad; In Mansour Mall. MASTER CARD; IN NAJAF; At Qasr Al Dhiyafa hotel, At Najaf Mall al Rawan St. In Karbala; IN Jannatul Hussain Hotel, In Baghdad; At Baghdad Mall- Harithia Mall or Mansour Mall.There is percentage taken and rate of exchange is also not good.

Please use extra precaution and try not to travel unless your group leader helps you and will arrange the transport and guide to go with you. Try to avoid night travel.

TURKISH, EMIRATES, IRAQI AIRWAYS, MIDDLE EAST AIRLINES, FLY PEGASUS, ATLAS JET, ROYAL JORDANIAN, MANY IRANI AIRLINES FROM IRAN, IRAN AIR IS STARTING SOON TO OPERATE FROM LONDON, QATAR AIRLINES & BRITISH AIRWAYS CODE SHARING WITH QATAR. EGYPT AIR.

TURKISH, FLY DUBAI, MIDDLE EAST AIRLINES, QATAR AIRWAYS/ BRITISH AIRWAYS, ATLAS GLOBAL, ROYAL JORDANIAN, MANY IRAN PRIVATE AIRLINES AND IRAN AIR FROM IRAN ONLY. CHAM WINGS FROM SHAM. IRAQI AIRWAYS FROM DUBAI, SHAM, IRAN, ISTANBUL NOT FROM LONDON.

Hotel Inter, Qasr al Sudeer, are near Sadoon street. Zahrat Al Mustafa furnished Apartments. 3-star category is Hotel Diwan sadoon street.

Shrine of Hazrat Imam Musa Kazim a.s, Imam Mohammed Taqi Al Jawad a.s., Inside is sheikh Mufeed, Khawaja Nasir Uddin Tusi  in ladies side, Syed Radhi and Syed Murtadha Alam Al Huda are outside this Haram. Half day minimum required to perform ziyarat.

Shrine of Imam Ali A.s., Hazrat Nabi Nooh and Prophet Adam are buried beside Imam Ali A.s. In the courtyard there are lots of personalities like Grand Ayatollah are buried among them Ayatollah Khoei, Muqaddas Ardabaili, Allama Hilli etc. Wadi Al Salam-largest grave yard in the world where good souls are moved here. Masjid Kufa 4^th holiest Masjid in the world. Shrine of Muslim bin Aqeel, Hani Bin Urwa, Maqam strike of Ibn Muljim on Imam Ali a.s. His home behind this masjid, Shrine of Misam Al Tammar, Masjid Hananah, shrine of Kumail, Masjid Sahla the future home of 12^th Imam.  2 days minimum.

IN KARBALA; Shrine of Imam Hussain A.s.Hazrat Ali Asgher and Hazrat Ali Akbar buried in same shrine, Hazrat Habib Ibn Mazaher, Ibrahim al Mujab grandson of imam Musa Kazim, GanjeShaidan all friends and relatives of Imam Hussain in one grave. Qatal Gah spot of shahadat of Imam Hussain a.s., shrine of Hazrat Abbas a.s., Khaymagah (Tents of Imam Hussain where they stayed 4 nights before Shahadat. Tilla E Zainabia (small mountain where Syeda Zainab climbed to see her brother shahadat). Still  facing the Haram of Imam Hussain a.s.. Two spots where Hazrat Abbas a.s. lost his both Arms during his trip to get water from Furat for thirsty children of ahlul bayt. Maqam of Fizza the Lady maid of Bibi Fatima when she called the lion. Spot where Hazrat Ali Akber was killed by Yazid Army and Maqam Ali Asgher both sons of Imam Hussain. This 6-month old baby was killed by an arrow of enemy which they use to kill an animal. Maqam 12^th Imam, Alqami river off shoot of River Furat, Maqam Imam Jaffer Al Sadiq a.s. Dialogue between Omar Saad and Imam Hussain a.s. shrine of Hazrat Hur 5 kms away from Haram Imam Hussain. 2 days minimum.

Musayyub area has shrine of 2 sons of Muslim bin Aqeel- Mohamed and Ibrahim.

Shrine of Hazrat Imam Musa Kazim a.s, Imam Mohammed Taqi Al Jawad a.s., Inside is sheikh Mufeed, Khawaja Nasir Uddin Tusi  in ladies side, Syed Radhi and Syed Murtadha Alam Al Huda are outside this Haram. Half day minimum required to perform ziyarat.

Masjid Buratha, Behlool, 4 representatives of 12^th Imam after minor occultation.

‘Uthman b. Sa’id al-‘AmriSamman

Main article: ‘Uthman b. Sa’id al-‘Amri

‘Uthman b. Sa’id al-‘Amri was the first special deputy of Imam al-Mahdi (a) and was titled as Samman, meaning oil-seller which was a cover for his religio-political activities; since he put anything he was supposed to deliver to Imam (a) in oil containers and delivered them to Imam (a).^[4]

Previously, some deputies of Imams (a) used this technique such as Muhammad Qattan delivered religious taxes to Imam (a) in a facade of a draper.^[5] He was a special deputy of Imam (a) for five years since 260/874.

Muhammad b. ‘Uthman b. Sa’id al-‘Amri

Main article: Muhammad b. ‘Uthman

Muhammad b. ‘Uthman was the second special deputy of Imam al-Mahdi (a). He (s) was first the deputy of Imam al-Mahdi (a) and then Imam’s (a) delegate for four years. After his father passed away, Muhammad (a) was given the responsibility for Shi’a affairs through a letter from Imam al-Mahdi (a).^[6] Like his father, Muhammad was among the trustworthy companions of Imam al-‘Askari (a), as a hadith narrated from him reads:

‘Amri and his son are both trustworthy. Whatever they deliver or they say is from me. Listen to their words and follow them who are trusted and trustworthy.^[7]

He was the special deputy of Imam al-Mahdi (a) for four years since 265/878.

Husayn b. Ruh

Main article: Husayn b. Ruh al-Nawbakhti

Abu l-Qasim Husayn b. Ruh al-Nawbakhti ,the third special deputy of Imam al-Mahdi (a), was among those whom Muhammad b. ‘Uthman al-‘Amri trusted and a close friend of him in Baghdad.^[8]

Muhammad b. ‘Uthman sent those who came to him to Husayn b. Ruh and prepared the ground for his deputyship and in his last days of life followed the order of Imam al-Mahdi (a) and introduced Husayn as Imam’s (a) deputy. Afterwards, Shi’a would refer to Husayn to give their taxes. His deputyship took 21 years since 305/917.^[9]

He was among the companions of Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (a) and in the presence of Abu ‘Ali Hammam, Abu ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad al-Katib, Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Baqitani, Abu SahlIsma’il b. ‘Ali al-Nawbakhti, Abu ‘Abd Allah b. al-Wajana’ and some others was introduced as the successor of Abu Ja’far al-‘Amri (the second special deputy of Imam al-Mahdi (a)).^[10]

Ali b. Muhammad al-Samuri

Main article: ‘Ali b. Muhammad al-Samuri

Abu l-Hasan ‘Ali b. Muhammad al-Samuri was the fourth and last deputy of Imam al-Mahdi (a) who was appointed by Husayn b. Ruh following the order of Imam al-Mahdi (a) as his deputy which lasted for three years until 329/941.

Salman al Mohammadi shrine, Abdullah son of jabber bin Abdullah al Ansari, Huzaifa Al Yamani, These 2 bodies were removed from Tigris river and buried here in 1931. Both were fresh bodies although centuries passed on their first burial. Shaheed never dies and their bodies never decompose. Tahir son of 5^th Imam is also buried here.

ZIYARAT OF HAZRAT QASIM SON OF IMAM MUSA KAZIM, ZIYARAT OF HAMZA GRANDSON OF HAZRAT ABBAS A.S., SHRINE OF NABI AYUB A.S., SHRINE OF DANYAL, SHRINE OF DHULKIFL, MARAD AL SHAMS MASJID WHERE IMAM ALI REVERESED THE SUN, SHARIFA BINT UL IMAM HASSAN GREAT PLACE TO GET YOUR HAJJAT.

Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani, Hazrat Behlool Dana, Abu Ishaaq Ibrahim bin Ahmed al Khawwas, Hazrat Nabi Yoshau bin Ibrahim , Abu ahmed, Abul Hasan Sari bin Al-Moghallis-al-Saqati, Abul Qasim al-Junaid Al-Baghdadadi, Abul-Faiz Thauban bin Ibrahim Dhul Nun Misri, Abu’l-Faiz Thauban bin Ibrahim Dhul-Nun Misri, Bul-Moghith-al-Hussein bin Mansoor-al-Hallaj, Abu Mahfuz Maruf bin Firoz Al Karkhi, Abu Sulayman Dawud bin Nusayr al Tai. Abu Saeed ibn Abil Khayr Al Mubarak al Makhzoomi.

Syed Mohammed bin Ali Naqi- Brother of 11^th Imam and uncle of 12^th Imam.

Hazrat Imam Ali Naqi a.s. (10^th Imam of Shia Sect)

Hazrat Imam Hassan Al Askari a.s. (11^th Imam of Shia sect)

Hazrat Imam Mehdi a.s. place of birth in basement and his childhood spent here and his occultation started here.

Hakima Khatoon, Janab Narjis Khatoun (mother of 12^th Imam).

Masjid Ali, For Sunni interest;

Hasan al BASRI, Rabia al Adawiya, Talha bin Abdullah, Zubair Al Awaam, Ameenuddin Hubairatul Basri, Abdul Wahid bin Zayd, Abu Abdullah Sufyyan Al Thauri, Anas bin Malik.