Najaf: Difference between revisions

Najaf is a city in Iraq. It was inhabited before Islam. Najaf is very important because it is the place of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a) and Hawzat al-‘Ilmiyya of Najaf (the Islamic Seminary of Najaf). Currently, the city has gained more importance due to the Marja’s who live in this city and are influential in the political structure of power in Iraq.

Najaf is located 165 km southwest of Baghdad, 77 km southeast of Karbala and 10 km south of Kufa. Existence of the ancient city of Hira, which held of the bright civilization in the history of Iraq, in that region indicates the historical background of it. Najaf is bordered by Wadi al-Salam form north, dried sea of Najaf form west and a desert connected to Badiyat al-Sham, which stretches to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria, form west.

==Etymology==

==Other Names==

Al-Ghari or Ghariyyan, Hadd al-‘Adhra’, Hiwar, Judi, Wadi al-Salam, Zahr, Rabwa, Baniqa and Mashhad are other name for this land.

Located between the city of Kufa and deserts, Najaf is a very windy and hot city. At times the temperature reaches 50 Celsius. Although Najaf was always in lack of water, at some periods, such as 7th century, 20 thousand date palm was watered by its water.

Being neighbor to the ancient city of al-Hirra, which was the birth place of Lakhmid (Al Mundhir) civilization in the first millennium before Christ, Najaf was considered as a cultivated, civilized and prosperous city. The Arab residents of the city were Christian on that time. They built many churches, including “Mary Mart Church”, which continued to exist to the Islamic era.

- During early Islamic history, Najaf is only mentioned in history books in the conquer of Iraq and Iran by Muslims.

- There is no report about Najaf until the Abbasid time. During the rulee of Harun al-Rashid, as the grave of Imam Ali (a) was found in this city, many people moved there.

- Alavid from Tabaristan constructed a building over the tomb of Imam Ali (a) and build a wall around the city to provide security for the city.

- Abu al-Hayja’ ‘Abd Allah b. Hamdan, the Shi’a governor of Mosul, reconstructed the wall around Najaf and put gates for that.

- Amir Firuz and Amir Ahmad the first, two rulers of India in the late 8th century, allocated some endowments of Deccan for management of the holy shrine and reconstruction of the city.

- During Safavid era, Shah Isma’il and Shah Tahmasb, brought the water of Euphrates to the city by digging some streams. Nahr-i Shah (Shah’s stream) which is dug by Shah Isma’il’s order has remained from that time.

- The government of Najaf removed this wall in 1350 and built schools and hospitals instead, also people their houses around those areas.

Najaf had four major neighborhoods: al-Mishraq, a-Huwaysh, al-‘Imara and al-Buraq; each of which contained minor neighborhoods. Although Najaf has divided into old and new districts after developments; the old district is still formed of that four neighborhoods and the new neighborhoods have been added in the new district of the city.

====Establishment and Development of Hawza of Najaf====

- In early 5th century, al-Shaykh al-Tusi emigrated to Najaf. By holding teaching sessions in Najaf, he changed the city to one of the most important cultural and scholarly Shi’a center.

- Shah ‘Abbas tried to revive the scholarly centrality of Najaf and to thrive its Hawza al-‘Ilmiyya. Even in his negotiations with Ottoman, he wanted to conjoin Najaf to Iran; but the Ottoman vizier told him “For us, stones of Najaf is equal to one thousand people.”

- In 12th century, as Wahid Bihbahani moved from Najaf to Karbala, Hawza of Najaf lost its prosperity. However, it gained its centrality in 13th century due to the existence of great scholars such as Kashif al-Ghita’, Bahr al-‘Ulum and Shaykh Murtida al-Ansari.

- During the Iranian constitutional revolution, mujtahids in Najaf, such as Akhud al-Khurasani and Mirza-yi Na’ini, led and supported the revolutionists intellectually and religiously.

- During the Ba’th regime, Hawzat al-‘Ilmiyya of Najaf was under a lot of pressure; nonetheless, it managed to continue its path. Nowadays it is regarded as one of the scholarly Shi’a center in the world.

- Khuwarnagh palace: Nu’man b. Imru’ al-Qays, one of the Lakhmid rulers, built this palace for Yazdgird or Bahram at a distance of two kilometers from Najaf. Not so long ago there were some foundations of the palace; however nothing have remained these days.

- Najaf Fortress: Ottoman empire built many strong fortresses. Hajj Muhammad Husayn Khan Sadr Isfahani reconstructed its walls and installed two gates for it. The gate of Najaf was next to the wall of the fortress and there were bazaars around it. There was also a gate in the fortress that opened to the courtyard of Imam Ali’s holy shrine. However, due to the development of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a) the fortress was demolished.

- Suffat al-Safi Safa: In the far west of the city there is tomb and a Maqam (shrine) known as Suffat al-Safa. Presently, Safi Safa is located next to Maqam al-Imam al-Sajjad (a).

- Takiy-i Baktashiyi: a sect of Ottoman named Baktashiyi built a Takiya, where their Shaykhs and adherents would stay, next to Imam Ali’s holy shrine. This Takiya was demolished for holy shrine developments.

- Tomb of Dhu al-Kifl (a): At 40th kilometer of Najaf-Hilla road, next to Euphrates, there is a village called Dhu al-Kifl, in which the Israelite prophet Dhu al-Kifl have been entombed. As this prophet was surety (Kafil) of Jews he was called Dhu al-Kifl (owner of suretyship). His tomb is situated in a small brick fortress in the village. In the last century Jews have built some buildings in that region. The residents of that region who were Jews and Arabs immigrated to Palestine later. Every year, Jew pilgrims from all over the world would come to this place and stay for one month. There is a mosque on the other side of the tomb which is said that 4 Disciples and Dhu al-Kifl’s daughter are buried there.

- Nimrod Tower: Next to Euphrates after the village of Dhu al-Kifl, there is a hill on which a brick tower has been built. It is said the prophet Ibrahim (a) was thrown to fire from this place. These tower and hill are remnants of the ancient city of Babylon.

1- It is narrated form Amir al-Mu’minin (a): “The first land in which God was worshiped is the back of Kufa (Najaf), because at that land angels prostrated to Adam by the order of God.”

2- It is said the prophet Ibrahim (a) stayed in this area and therefore the blessings and the grace of God were sent down to this land.

3- It is narrated form Imam al-Sadiq (a): “70 thousand martyrs will be resurrected from this land without reckoning.”

4- It is narrated form Imam al-Sadiq (a): “Amir al-Mu’minin announced Kufa (Najaf) as a sacred shrine as Ibrahim did for Ka’ba and prophet Muhammad did for Medina.”

5- It is narrated form Imam al-Sadiq (a): “I advise you to [visit] the back of Kufa (Najaf). There is a tomb that whoever sick person goes to it God will cure him.”

6- It is narrated form Imam al-Sadiq (a): “There is a garden of Heaven’s garden on the east of Kufa.”

7- It is narrated form Amir al-Mu’minin (a): “If the veil was removed form you[r eyes], you would see the spirits of believers in this land (Najaf) in groups visiting each other and talking to each other. The spirit of all believers is here and those of non-believers are in a deserted wasteland.”

In addition to the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a) there are other pilgrimage sites in Najaf.

===Tombs of Prophets===

The tombs of prophets: Adam (a), Noah (a), Hud (a) and Salih (a) are located in this city.

===Wadi al-Salam Cemetery===

Main entry: Wadi al-Salam Cemetery

===Tombs of Sahaba and Tabi’un===

Some Sahaba (the prophet Muhammad’s companions), Tabi’un (the Followers), companions of Imam Ali (a) and descendants of the infallible Imams are entombed in Najaf. Many of whom are buried in Thuwayya, a place located 3 kilometers away from Najaf on the route of Masjid al-Hannana to Masjid al-Kufa. They are:

- Ahnaf b. Qays

In addition to these names, people such as Abu Musa Ash’ari, Ziyad b. Abih, Mughayrat b. Shu’ba, Dawud b. Hasan al-Muthanna and Hasan al-Makfuf are buried in this region.

Some great Shi’a scholars who are entombed in Najaf are:

His tomb is located in “Shari’ al-Tusi” (al-Tusi street) next to “Bab al-Tusi” (al-Tusi gate) of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

He is entombed in a room in the gold iwan of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

He is entombed in a room next to the southern minaret in the gold iwan of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi Tabataba’i, known as Bahr al-‘Ulum, and some of his descendants are buried next to the tomb of al-Shaykh al-Tusi.

He is entombed in the corridor of “Bab al-Qibla” (Qibla gate), which is located in the south of the courtyard of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

- Mulla Mahdi and his son, Mulla Ahamd, al-Naraqi

They are entombed next to the big northern iwan of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Shirazi -the son of Mirza Mahmud- who is known by his famous fatwa about forbidding tobacco, is entombed in a room out of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a) on the east of Bab al-Tusi.

He is buried in the third eastern iwan from Bab al-Qibla in the courtyard of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

He is buried in the first eastern iwan from Bab al-Qibla in the courtyard of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

Shaykh ‘Abbas Qummi, the author of Maftih al-Jinan, Muntah al-Amal and …, is buried next to his teacher, Mirza Husyan Nuri.

He is entombed in the fifth southern room of the Bazaar gate of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a). He was one of the great religious scholars and political thinkers during the constitutional revolution in Iran. His book “Tanbih al-ummah wa tanzih al-milla” contains his political ideas about the Iranian constitutional revolution.

- Sharaf al-Dawla (‘Adud al-Dawla’s son)

- Badr al-Din Hasanwiyh (the governor of Hamadan, Dinavar, Brujird and Nahavand during ‘Adud al-Dawla’s time)

- Fakhr al-Malik Abu Ghalib (vizier of Sultan al-Dawla al-Buwayhi)

- Abu al-Qasim Husayn b. Ali (vizier of Sharaf al-Dawla)

====Al Hamdan====

Mongol Ilkhanate is one of the Shi’a governments in Iran who also ruled in Iraq in the 8th and 9th centuries. Some rulers and statesmen of Ilkhanate, Jalayirid and Timurid were buried in the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a); but the exact location of their grave is unknown. Hibat al-Din al-Shahristani reported that he had seen the grave of Timur the Lame, the founder of Timurid dynasty, next to the tomb of al-Shaykh al-Tusi in the Sardab (hypogeum).

Some Qajar rulers and statesmen are buried in the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a), such as

- Aqa Muhammad Khan Qajar

- Sultan Muhammad Hasan Khan Qajar

- Aqa Khan Mahallati, the leader of Isma’ilism.

==Important Masjids==

1- Masjid al-Shaykh al-Tusi

At beginning it was his house. He made this will to bury him in this place and change it to a mosque. Nowadays this mosque is very well-known in Najaf. It is located in “al-Mishraq” neighborhood on the north of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

2- Masjid al-Hindi

It is one of the biggest mosque in Najaf. It was reconstructed in 1323, and has a strong and solid construction. Mourning sessions of Muharram are held in this mosque every year. ‘Allama Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim developed its building in the current century.

3- Masjid al-Shaykh al-Ansari

This mosque is located in “al-Huwaysh” neighborhood and was built by support and under supervision of Shaykh al-Ansari. Some elites and scholars of Hawzat al-‘Ilmiyya of Najaf held their teaching sessions in this mosque. Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Tabataba’i, the great scholar in Qajar era, and Imam Khomeini held their sessions in this mosque.

4- Masjid al-Shaykh Turayhi

This mosque in attributed to Muhaqqiq al-Karki, a great scholar of Safavid era. It was renovated and reconstructed in 1376.

5- Masjid ‘Umran b. Shahin

This mosque in one of the oldest mosques in Najaf and is attributed to ‘Umran b. Shahin, a ruler of Al Buyeh in 4th century. It is located at the entrance of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a) at Bab al-Tusi.

6- Masjid al-Khadra’

It is located on the east of the courtyard of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a). It is the mosque where Ayatulla Khu’i held his teaching sessions. This mosque is very old and attributed to Ali b. Muzaffar. It was reconstructed by Hajj Shaykh Ahmad Ansari Qummi in 1380.

Other famous mosques in Najaf are: Masjid Al Kashif al-Ghita’, Masjid al-Jawahiri, Masjid al-Ra’s, Masjid al-Haydari.

==Important Schools==

- Madrasat Miqdad al-Suyyuri (built: 9th century)

This school is one of the very old and famous schools in Najaf.

- Madrasat Mulla ‘Abd Allah (built: second half of the 10th century)

Mulla ‘Abd Allah Yazdi was a great scholar and “Naqib” of Najaf who lived in Najaf in 10th century.

- Madrast al-Sahn al-Sharif (also: Madrast al-Gharawiyyah)

Shah ‘Abbas Safavi built this school on the north of the courtyard of Imam Ali’s holy shrine. It was used as a school until the 14th century; but after that, as the cleric students left the school, it was used as a place for storing and keeping the properties of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a). Therefore, its name was changed to “Dar al-Diyafa.”

- Madrasat al-Sadr

This school is one of the biggest and most extensive schools in Najaf. It is located in “al-Suq al-Kabir” (big bazaar) which leads to the holy shrine of Imam Ali (a).

- Madrasat al-Mu’tamid (also: Madrasat al-Shaykh Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghita’)

This school is situated in al-‘Imara neighborhood. It was built by a Qajar vizier named Mu’tamid al-Dawla with the support and help of Shaykh Musa Kashif al-Ghita’ the son of ‘Allama Shaykh Ja’far Kashif al-Ghita’.

- Madrasat al-Mahdiyya (also: Madrasat al-Shaykh Mahdi)

This school is located in “al-Mishraq” neighborhood, across from the tombs of Sayyid Mahdi Bahr al-‘Ulum and al-Shaykh al-Tusi, next to Madrasat al-Qawam.

- Madrasat al-Qawam (built: 1300)

A big and famous school which is also known as Madrasat al-Fathiyya.

- Madrasat al-Irwani (built: 1307)

This school was destroyed during Sadam’s rule.

- Madrasat Mirza Hasan al-Shirazi

This small school is built next to Bab al-Tusi.

- Madrasat Mirza Husayn Khalili

It was a big school located in al-‘Imara neighborhood. It was destroyed by Ba’th regime in 1367 and its properties and endowments were confiscated.

- Madrasat al-Bukhari

It was built by Shaykh Kazim Bukhari. It is located in “al-Huwaysh” neighborhood next to Madrasat Akhund al-Khurasani.

- Madrasat Sharabyani

It is one the famous schools in Najaf. It is located in “al-Huwaysh” neighborhood.

- Madrasat Akhud al-Khurasani (the greater)

It is a very extensive school located in “al-Huwaysh” neighborhood.

- Madrasat Akhud al-Khurasani (built: 1328)

It is located in al-Buraq neighborhood.

- Madrasat al-Qazwini

This school is located in al-‘Imara neighborhood near Masjid al-Hindi. It was built in 1324 and reconstructed in 1384. In 1991 uprising in Iraq (al-Intifadat al-Sha’baniyya) Ba’th forces exploded the school by dynamites and set its library on fire.

- Madrasat Bad Kubih’i

This school is located in al-Mishraq neighborhood.

- Madrasat Sayyid Kazim Yazdi

It is one of the best, most famous and extensive schools in Najaf. This school is located in “al-Huwaysh” neighborhood.

- Madrasat al-Hindi (built: 1328)

This school is located in al-Mishraq neighborhood.

- Madrasat Sayyid ‘Abd Allah Shirazi (built: 1372)

- Madrasat Burujirdi

This school was built by Ayatullah Burujirdi’s order and superintendence of Shaykh Nasr Allah Khalkhali. This school is located in al-Buraq neighborhood.

- Madrasat Dar al-Hikma

This school was built by Ayatullah Hakim’s order. Ba’th forces destroyed this school after the 1991 uprising in Iraq (al-Intifadat al-Sha’baniyya). However, it was rebuilt after Saddam and reopened in 1392.

- Madrasat Dar al-‘Ilm

This school was built by Ayatullah Khu’i’s order. Ba’th forces destroyed this school after the 1991 uprising in Iraq (al-Intifadat al-Sha’baniyya).

- Madrasat al-‘Allama Balaghi

This school was built by Ayatullah Sistani’s order.

- Madrasat al-Jami’at al-Najaf al-Diniyya (religious university of Najaf)

This school is located in “al-Sa’d” neighborhood on Kufa-Najaf route. Sayyid Muhammad Kalantar founded this scholarly institute. Having a precisely scheduled curriculum is one of the most important features of this school. Currently, it is the biggest and the most important religious school in Najaf.

Some other schools in Najaf are: al-Tahiriyya, Rahbawi, Jawharji, ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Baghdadi, Kalbasi, ‘Alawiyya, Murtadawiyya and Muntada al-Nashr.

==Important Libraries==

- Maktabat al-’Alawi (‘Alawi library)

It is also called “al-Haydariyya”, “al-Khizanat al-Gharawiyya” and “Maktabat al-Sahn.” It was founded in 4th century or earlier. ‘Adud al-Dawla al-Daylami played an important rule in foundation and development of this library. In the 8th century (755) the library caught fire; many books including a handwritten 3-volume Qur’an by Imam Ali (a) burned away. However, by the effort of Hawza scholars the library was revived again. But afterward, due to inattention, the library lost its importance and many of its book were lost or damaged. Nowadays, except for very few books, nothing has remained from that precious repository.

- Maktabat al-Imam Amir al-Mu’minin (a)

The library of Imam Amir al-Mu’minin (a) was founded by the effort of ‘Allama Amini and was opened in Eid al-Ghadir 1373. It is one of the richest and most reliable libraries in Najaf.

- Maktabat Ayatullah al-Hakim.

- Maktabat Husayniyyat al-Shushtariyyn

This library is one of the oldest libraries in Najaf. It was founded by Hajj Mirza Ali Muhammad Najaf Abadi in the late 13th century.

- Maktabat al-Shaykh Aqa Buzurg Tihrani

During several years of research about Shi’a authors and their books, Aqa Buzurg Tihrani gathered many valuable books from all over the world, especially from Iran and Egypt, in his personal library. In 1375 he endowed all his books to public. There were about 5000 volumes including 100 rare manuscripts.

- Maktabat Madrasat al-Sadr

This library was founded in the early 13th century by Hajj Muhammad Husayn Khan Sadr. It was one of the most famous libraries in Najaf at that time; but due to inattentions many of its books were disappeared. Nowadays, this library is not noteworthy.

- Maktabat al-Imam al-Hasan (a)

This library, which has a beautiful building, is located at the end of “Shari’ al-Rasul.” It was founded by Shaykh Baqir Sharif al-Qurashi.

Other important libraries in Najaf are: Maktabat al-‘Allama Shyakh Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghita’, Maktabat Madrasat al-Qawam, Maktabat Madrasat Akhund al-Khurasani, Maktabat Madrasat al-Khalili, Maktabat Madrasat Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Yazdi and Maktabat Ayatullah Burujirdi.

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