Author documents history of Karbala’s Al-Husayniyah in multi-volume series

KARBALA — Legal expert and author Salih Dhiab Mani has released three volumes documenting the history, folklore, and cultural memory of Al-Husayniyah district in Karbala, with a fourth book currently in preparation.

“I am one of the sons of Al-Husayniyah,” Mani told 964media. “When I searched for what had been written about my town, I couldn’t find anyone who had written scientifically about its history, despite its heritage, monuments, important figures, and many events.”

Mani said this absence motivated him to begin a documentation project. “I decided to work on authoring a book in three parts,” he said.

The first volume, Tales from the Villages of My City Al-Husayniyah (Part One), was released in 2022. It included folklore, humorous incidents, local customs, trades, and poetry traditions, along with events like the arrival of television broadcasting in the area during its post-2003 urban expansion.

The second book, Glimpses from the History of Al-Husayniyah District in Karbala, was published in 2023. It covered new topics such as the district’s history before Islam, archaeological sites, the development of rivers, tribal life, and the Ottoman era. Mani also addressed the impact of past civilizations, major outbreaks like the plague, cholera, and COVID-19, and the history of local mosques and cemeteries.

His latest release in 2025, a second volume of Tales from the Villages of My City, focused on local traditions, political movements, and influential personalities.

Mani said he also highlighted the role of women in local society. “The book featured women who had a meaningful impact.”

Mani is currently working on a fourth book titled Names and Places, which will catalog over 200 branch rivers and more than 63 areas within Al-Husayniyah, each with its own name and story. He expects the book to be completed within a year to a year and a half.