ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the history of the relic of Mashhad Husayn's head and the historical veneration at the burial site in Ascalon, and reviews the recent revival of pilgrimage to Ascalon since 1980. Husayn is a demolished, important mausoleum, disputed in light of the national conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Reconstruction of the mausoleum in Ashkelon and revival of pilgrimage to the site by Isma'ili Muslims from India and other countries has been possible even as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is still vibrant and ongoing. Israel's foreign policy following the peace agreement with Egypt encouraged Muslim tourism in Israel, expecting normal relations with Muslim countries. The chapter focuses on the traditions that connect the journey of Husayn's head to Ascalon. Mashhad Husayn's pilgrimage became a local Sunni tradition. The chapter analyzes the politics of the current situation against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
