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

Currently, there is a magnificent structure which is comprised of four gates, five porches, a large courtyard and a [[darih]]. Following the collapse of [[Saddam Hossein]] and the presence of Iranians, the shrine is being expanded. Recently a large courtyard is being been built in the western section of the shrine, and it has been named after the [[Lady Fatima (a)]]. It will increase the total area of the shrine to 140,000 square meters. Many [[faqih]]s and scholars are buried in this section.

"The concealment [of the grave and its location] was due to fear of their enemies, like the [[Umayyads]] and the [[Kharijites]]. This is because it was possible that they would try to find his grave and exhume his body, which would inevitably lead to a conflict with the [[Hashimite]] tribe. Through this, several people would be killed and it would cause a large [[fitna]] (conflict) in the Muslim community. The Imam (a) was extremely concerned with the well-being of the Muslim nation during his lifetime and made constant efforts to extinguish the fires of fitna. As such, it was to be expected that he would encourage the same line of thought and actions that he embodied throughout his life, to continue after his death and that he would want his family and followers to abandon what could be a source of conflict."<ref>Ibn Ṭāwūs, ''Farḥat al-gharī'', p. 13-14.</ref>

* Apparently, in approximately the 170/786<ref>Āl Maḥbūbah, ''Māḍī l-Najaf wa ḥāḍiruhā'', vol. 1, p. 41.</ref>, 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 the green fabric to be laid across the shrine.<ref>Ibn Ṭāwūs, ''Farḥat al-gharī'', p. 127.</ref>

* 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.<ref>Āl Maḥbūbah, ''Māḍī l-Najaf wa ḥāḍiruhā'', vol. 1, p. 43.</ref> After this, Muhammad b. Zayd al-Da'i (d. 287/900) rebuilt the grave, and furthermore, built a dome, walls, and fort for the shrine.<ref>Āl Maḥbūbah, ''Māḍī l-Najaf wa ḥāḍiruhā'', vol. 1, p. 42-43.</ref>

* '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 the Qur'an in three volumes written by Imam Ali (a) himself were also burned.<ref>Āl Maḥbūbah, ''Māḍī l-Najaf wa ḥāḍiruhā'', vol. 1, p. 43-45.</ref> 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.<ref>Āl Maḥbūbah, ''Māḍī l-Najaf wa ḥāḍiruhā'', vol. 1, p. 43-46.</ref>

* In the year 760/1359, a new building was constructed that has not been attributed to any particular individual. However, apparently, it was the work of Ilkhanates and many rules had a share in its building. [[Shah Abbas I]] restored the hall, dome, and courtyard of this building.<ref>Āl Maḥbūbah, ''Māḍī l-Najaf wa ḥāḍiruhā'', vol. 1, p. 46-48.</ref>

* In the travel diaries of Sultan Muhammad Mirza (who traveled in the year 1279/1862), it has been written that a fort was built by a person named Muhammad Husayn Sadr Isfahani. Furthermore, in his travel diaries, it is stated that a dome was first built during the [[Buyids]] and that it was dismantled during the [[Safavid]] era. He further notes that the dome that was into place that year (i.e. 1279/1862) was known to have been built by [[Shah Abbas I]] with [[Shaykh Bahai]]'s designs.<ref>Barīrī, ''Najaf dar sīzdah safar-nāmah'', p. 166.</ref>

Masjid al-Khadra' (lit. the Green Mosque) is located in the eastern side of the courtyard. This mosque was where [[Sayyid Abu l-Qasim al-Khu'i|Ayatollah al-Khoei]] taught his lessons. In fact, recently the wall between this mosque and the grave of Ayatollah al-Khoei, was removed and replaced with a window made from stained glass.<ref>ʿAlawī, ''Rāhnamā-yi muṣawwar-i safar-i zīyāratī-yi Iraq'', p. 121.</ref>

In the upper floor of the courtyard, there are 52 rooms, each of which has a veranda facing the courtyard. These 52 rooms make up a seminary. Behind each room, there is a hallway that leads to a stairway (to exit the seminary). These rooms were used for classes and as a place to rest by students of the Islamic seminary. After the uprising of the Iraqi people in the month of [[Safar]] [[1377]]/1958, the Baathist regime evicted the students of the seminary from these rooms with the intent of weakening and destroying the Shia seminary. From then on, these rooms have remained empty.<ref>ʿAlawī, ''Rāhnamā-yi muṣawwar-i safar-i zīyāratī-yi Iraq'', p. 123.</ref>

The Maqam (stance of) Imam al-Sadiq (a) is a spot located near the door of Masjid al-Ra's. It has been narrated that this is where Imam al-Sadiq (a) would pray when he came to perform the Ziyarah (visitation) of [[Amir al-Muminin]] (a). This spot, approximately fifty years ago was covered by a white dome, spanning the area of approximately 100 square meters. However, currently, there are no remnants of this building and the spot is simply a part of the shrine.<ref>ʿAlawī, ''Rāhnamā-yi muṣawwar-i safar-i zīyāratī-yi Iraq'', p. 123.</ref>

Mawdi' al-Isba'ayn (lit. the place of two fingers) is across the place where the face of the Imam (a) lies. It has been said that there was a tyrant ruler whose name was Murra b. Qays who was once speaking about his tribe and forefathers. He asked the elders of the tribe about those who had passed away from his family, and in response, they said that many of them had been killed in a battle. He further asked about who had killed them, and they responded by saying that most of them had been killed at the hands of Ali b. Abi Talib (a). So, he asked where Imam Ali (a) had been buried and was told that he was buried in Najaf. Murra then sent an army of 2,000 individuals to storm Najaf. After six days of defending their city, the people of Najaf were defeated and Marra entered the shrine and began to destroy it. As he was about to exhume the grave, two fingers came out of the [[Darih]], and as though they were a sword, cut him in half. At that very moment, the two halves of his body became stone. These two stones were then kept near the road/pathway, after which the army took them and hid them.<ref>ʿAlawī, ''Rāhnamā-yi muṣawwar-i safar-i zīyāratī-yi Iraq'', p. 124.</ref>[[File:ماکت صحن حضرت فاطمه زهرا.jpg|180px|thumb|Plan of Development of the Lady Fatima (a) courtyard]]

{{Imam 'Ali (a)}}