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English: On the 11th of Muharram, 1408 A.H., (5th September, 1987 CE), Sheikh Al-Karbassi began work on the Hussaini Encyclopedia. The encyclopedia is completely themed on Imam Al-Hussain as a person, biography, thought and way of conduct, as well as on the social circle of personalities around him and also of places, chronicles and various other related subjects.

His inspiration to start this work was by him who “does not speak out of his own fancy” (The Star 53-3 – i.e. Prophet Mohammed) when he declared: “Hussain is from me and I am from Hussain”. And this work has penetrated the barriers of time, place, language and identity in searching and conveying pieces of information related to the Cause of Imam Al-Hussain (PBUH).

The Hussaini Encyclopedia covers many different aspects and things which are related to Imam Al-Hussain, these include: Al-Hussain in the Quran, The Hussaini Biography, Al-Hussain and Legislation, The Dream, Visions and Interpretation, Glossary of Al-Hussain’s Partisans, Glossary of Hashemite Partisans of Al-Hussain, Historical Investigations in the Hussaini uprising, Imam Al-Hussain’s Uprising – Emergence and Confirmation of History, Al-Hussain’s Life Story, History of the Shrines, ‘Ziyara’ (holy ‘visits’ to and prayers) at Al-Hussaini Shrines, Anthology of the First to Fifteenth Hijra Century poetry, Persian, Urdu, Turkish, English, Albanian, Oriental and Occidental Poetry.

The Hussain Encyclopedia is in Arabic but some parts have been translated into different languages such as: English, Persian and Urdu. It now consists of over 600 volumes and will over 95 million words. It is expected to reach over 700 volumes.

This is in principle individual work; however the author has had assistance from people such as researchers, poets, men-of-letters and journalists.

To avoid misunderstanding, the title of the Encyclopedia has been registered in the international languages.