Ziyara, visiting a righteous (marabout) person’s tomb.
Visit a parent’s tomb is called ‘Ziyara’.
All visits to the cemetery (outside ceremonies) are called ‘Ziyaras’.

Jnah Lakhdhar :
It is the oldest and most famous cemetery dating back to the Aghlabite era. It is called also the Koreich cemetery (or else, Jnah Lakhdhar), where many religious Moslem scholars were buried.

The 1st person who was buried in this cemetery was the daughter of Abdullah Ibn Omar Ibn Al Khattab (Omar is the 2nd Moslem Caliph after Abi Bakr). She was buried in 34H during the days of the first Moslem conquests on North Africa, long before the foundation of the city of Kairouan.

The cemetery Jnah Lakdhar also shelters a mosque. Before its renovation by the Association for the Protection of the Koreich Cemetery, there used to be a “musalla” (area for prayer on the deceased) at the present parking area.

Sidi Arfa: situated in front of the ‘Jnah Lakhdar’; this cemetery is currently abandoned
Al Habitiya
Al Balaouiya situated in front of the Abou Zamaa al Balaoui mausoleum
Bab Nafaâ (Nafaâ Door)
Bab Salam (Salam Door), located in front of the big mosque
Sidi Aissa located at Houmet Sidi Aissa
Sidi Sahnoun Marabout (shrine) of the famous Imam Sahnoun.
Costa (“Jabanet Costa”), Christian cemetery where French and Italian settlers were buried, situated behind Sidi Bouraoui.
Jewish cemetery (“jabanet lihoud”) located nearby El Hajem District.
Sidi Youssef Dahmani (after the name of a religious law-man from kairouan who died in 1199A.D). His shrine is situated nearby the Aghlabit Basins.

Mohamed Rebai
info@kairouan.org