Al-Hannana Mosque
The Hannana Mosque stands on the road between Najaf and Kufa, where tradition holds the body of Imam Ali — and earlier the head of Imam Husayn — was rested. Its name, "the one that yearns," comes from a story that its pillar leaned and moaned in grief. It is a quiet, deeply venerated stop for travelling pilgrims.
Where the Pillar Wept
Narrated guide available in the app
2 stops to discover
- 1
The Weeping Pillar
This mosque on the Najaf-Kufa road takes its name, al-Hannana, 'the weeper', from a pillar said to have leaned over in grief as Imam Ali's funeral procession passed. The story gives the whole building its mournful identity and draws visitors to contemplate the column's sorrow.
- 2
The Resting Place of the Head
Known also as the Mosque of the Head, this is where Shia tradition says the severed head of Imam Husayn was set down while being carried from Karbala to Ibn Ziyad in Kufa. When the head rested here, a cry like a lost camel's calf was reportedly heard, and the spot became a focus of mourning visits.
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