Mashhad (Imam Reza's City)

Mashhad (Arabic: مشهد) means "the place of martyrdom" and is Iran's most sacred city, located in northeastern Iran. It is home to the shrine of Imam Ali al-Ridha (the eighth Imam, peace be upon him), which is visited by over 20 million pilgrims annually and is one of the most visited pilgrimage destinations in the Muslim world.

Imam al-Ridha was martyred in the year 203 Hijri (818 CE) by poisoning under Caliph al-Ma'mun's rule. His shrine (Haram-e Razavi) is an enormous complex with the famous golden dome, mosques, libraries, museums, and educational institutions. Prayer at Imam Reza's shrine is considered especially blessed.

Imam al-Ridha said: "The one who visits me, despite the long distance, I will visit him in three places on the Day of Judgment to save him from its terrors: when the books of deeds are distributed, at the Path (Sirat), and at the Scale (Mizan)" (Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha by Shaykh al-Saduq). This narration motivates pilgrims from around the world to visit Mashhad.

Mashhad also has an important hawzah (religious scholarly center), and the city is a center for the production of turbah and prayer rugs. For many Iranian and non-Iranian Shia Muslims, a visit to Mashhad (ziyarat) is a life goal that brings immense spiritual enrichment. Shia Muslims with an Iranian background often have a special connection to Mashhad and Imam Reza, and many travel there regularly for ziyarah and worship.