Before the liberation of Iraq
At the end of the last century, the idea of establishment of Ahl Al Bayt University generated in the Diaspora when there was a need to contain Iraqis from various countries of the world; and with the starting of 1/1/2000 Ahl Al Bayt University website appeared on the Internet as a first virtual university to receive a variety of sciences in management, law, Arabic literature and Islamic law.
The student was receiving his lessons by the internet; and to take the midterm and final exams, this virtual university had its own offices in many capitals like London, Beirut, Kuwait, Damascus and Manama.
At that time, it was called International Ah Al Bayt University.
After the liberation
After the liberation of Iraq in 9/4/2003, the presidency of the university moved to Karbala, as it submitted a request to the first Ministry of Higher Education that formed after the liberation to establish the university; and after providing the required supplies of the buildings and faculty, Dr. Abdul Razzaq Al Aswad, The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, agreed to establish the university in 25/2/2004.
The university started with three colleges: college of Law, college of Islamic sciences with jurisprudence department and college of Arts with Arabic Literature department.
After the availability of more buildings and faculty, the departments were completed.
Quran sciences department and Religious Tourism department have been added to the college of Islamic sciences, also English department and Journalism department have been added to the college of Arts.
In 2007, the university owner purchased 7000 m² land near old amusement park in Karbala, just four kilometers from Holy shrine of Imam Hussein peace be upon him where the university moved there to include the following buildings: building of Law college with four floors, building of Islamic Sciences college with four floors and building of arts college with four floors.
After that, the College of Pharmacy was established in 2016.