Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (a): Difference between revisions

Of the twelve Shia Imams, for six of them there is reports of visitation of the grave of Imam Ali (a) in [[Najaf]]: [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]], [[Imam al-Sajjad (a)|Imam Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sajjad (a)]], [[Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a)]], [[Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a)]], [[Imam al-Hadi (a)|Imam Ali al-Hadi (a)]], and [[Imam Hasan al-Askari (a)]].

In the era of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a) when the [[Umayyads]] were being ousted from the [[caliphate]], there was no longer a reason for the grave of Imam Ali (a) to remain hidden. Due to this, gradually, the location of his grave became known and exposed to everyone. It has been narrated that [[Safwan]] sought permission from Imam al-Sadiq (a) to tell the [[Shia]]s of [[Kufa]] where the burial place of Imam Ali (a) was. The Imam (a) responded in the affirmative and also gave some money for the reparations and reconstruction of the grave.

With the deposal of the Umayyads, and the public discovery of the grave of Imam Ali (a), Dawud b. Ali al-Abbasi (d. 133/751) witnessed that many people were visiting the gravesite. As such, he installed a tombstone on top of the grave. However, after the establishment of the [[Abbasid caliphate]], their relationship with the [[Alawis]] changed and the grave became abandoned once again and the tombstone was destroyed.

* Apparently, in approximately the 170/786, it was [[Harun al-Rashid]] who built the first shrine for Imam Ali (a) made from white bricks. He also gave orders for a building to be built on top of the grave from red clay, and for green fabric to be laid across the shrine.

* In the same way that the Abbasid caliph, [[Mutawakkil]] (d. 247/861), destroyed the [[shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a)]], he also destroyed the shrine of Imam 'Ali (a) in Najaf. After this, Muhammad b. Zayd al-Da'i (d. 287/900) rebuilt the grave, and furthermore, built a dome, walls, and fort for shrine.

* Umar b. Yahya, renovated the shrine of Imam Ali (a) in 330/942 and he paid for the expenses to install a dome from his personal funds.

* 'Adud al-Dawla al-Daylami (d. 372/982) renovated and constructed the building in such a way that it was completely unique in style for its era and he also set up [[endowment]]s for it. This building remained until 753/1352. It was in this year that the building was burned down and destroyed. It has been said that in this fire, a manuscript of Quran in three volumes written by Imam Ali (a) himself were also burned. In addition to 'Adud al-Dawla, other Buyid rulers and their viziers, the Hamdanids, and some of the Abbasids ([[Mustansir al-Abbasi]]) also participated in the shrine's renovation and reconstruction.