Iraq: Difference between revisions

The origin of Shi'ism in Iraq goes back to the time of [[Imam Ali (a)]], which started in [[Kufa]]. A large number of [[hadith]] narrators in Kufa were Shi'a Muslims, who transmitted Shi'ism to [[Baghdad]] in the middle of the 2nd/8th century. Although Shi'ism originated from [[Medina]], Kufa is regarded as their leading base. One third of Kufa people were Shi'a in the time of [[Umayyad dynasty]]. Shi'ism expanded from Kufa to other cities including Baghdad, Basra and a number of cities in [[Iran]]. Abu Bakr al-Khwarizmi (d. 383/993) sent a letter to Shi'a Muslims in [[Neyshabur]] and introduced Shi'ism as religion originated from Iraq:

A large number of Shi'a Muslims of [[Basra]] opposed the enemies of [[Imam Ali (a)]] in the [[Battle of Jamal]]. The tribe of 'Abd al-Qays who were living in Basra were Shi'a Muslims and followers of Imam Ali (a). Khuza'a and Bajila tribes were Shi'ite. When Imam al-Husayn (a), set out for Kufa, he sent a letter to Shi'a Muslims of Basra and invited them to support him. They gathered around in the house of [[Mariya al-'Abdiyya]]. [[Sharik b. A'war]], a prominent Shi'a figure in Basra, passed away just before the martyrdom of [[Muslim b. 'Aqil]]. Shi'a Muslims of Basra were mentioned in the ancient historical books. [['Abd al-'Aziz al-Jaludi]] was a Shi'a author from Basra. The names of hundreds of Shi'ite figures from Basra were mentioned in the book ''al-Nusra li Shi'at al-Basra''. Baridis, Shahiniyya, and Banu Mazid were a number of Shi'a rulers in Basra. Today Basra is the second largest city of Iraq and one of the most important Shi'ite cities in the world.

After Baghdad was founded by immigrants from [[Kufa]], Basra, and [[Khorasan]] as well as settlement of a large number of grand Shi'ite scholars in Karkh, a region in Baghdad, who were noble or official chiefs in Baghdad. The region of Karkh is called the region of [[Rafidi]] in sources. Yaghut al-Himawi expressed: "Those who lived in Karkh were all Twelver Shi'a Muslims and there were no [[Sunni]] among them." When [[Buyids]] came to Baghdad in 344/955, they remarkably supported Shi'a Muslims and Shi'ite ceremonies such as holding mourning ceremonies of the [[Day of 'Ashura]] and [[eid al-Ghadir]], which led to start of oppositions between Sunni Muslims of Bab al-Basra and Shi'a Muslims of Karkh region. Then after the emergence of Turks in Baghdad, Shi'a Muslims were prosecuted and distressed.

The region of Buratha which includes [[Buratha mosque]] is regarded as an  important Shi'ite region in Baghdad. It is regarded a sacred region for Shi'a Muslims which was damaged and destroyed many times. Today this region is considered as one the most important Shi'ite communities where [[Friday Prayer|Friday's prayer]]s are held.

Wasit was founded by [[Hajjaj b. Yusuf]] near [[Tigris River]] on the way of Kufa and Basra, therefore it was called Wasit; which means in the middle. It was later destroyed by a flood of Tigris River. Today Wasit is a province in Iraq, with [[al-Kut]] as its capital; it is regarded a Shi'ite region.

[[Sa'id b. Jubayr]] was regarded a prominent leading members of [[tabi'un]] who had tendencies toward Shi'ism; he was also a student of [[Ibn 'Abbas]]. He was slayed by the orders of Hajjaj b. Yusuf. [[Twelver]] and [[Zaydi]] Shi'a Muslims gradually settled in Wasit in the time of Abbasid dynasty. [[Hisham b. Hakam]], a well-known Shi'a [[Mutakallim]], was born in Kufa but he grew up and started his trades in Baghdad. [[Ibrahim b. Hayyan al-Asadi al-Kufi]], a companion of [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]], moved from Kufa to Wasit and stayed there. [[Ubay Allah b. Abi Zayd Ahmad al-Anbari]], [[Ahmad b. Sahl al-Wasiti]], [['Ali b. Bilal al-Baghdadi]] and [['Ali b. Muhammad Shakir Laythi Wasiti]] lived in Wasit.

[[Hasan b. 'Ali b. Nasr b. 'Aql]], known as [[Abu 'Ali 'Abdi al-Wasiti al-Baghdadi]] was an Iraqi poet in the 6th/12th century who composed a number of poems for rulers of the time. Abu l-Fadl Isfandyar b. Muwaffaq b. Muhammad b. Yahya, a Shi'a poet, was born in Wasit.  

[[Muhammad b. Fallah Masha'sha'i]], the founder of [[Musha'sha'iyya]] Shi'a government in the south of Iran and Iraq, was also born in Wasit. He studied in [[Hillah]], he was a student of [[Ibn Fahd al-Hilli]]. A number of descendants of Shi'a Imams are buried in Wasit as well.

The history of Shi'ism in [[Samarra]] does not go back so long. Only [[Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Shirazi|Mirza Shirazi]] lived in Samarra when he was a [[marja' al-taqlid]]. Balad, a city 20 km off Samarra, is entirely Shi'ite, except for a number of villages around it. The burial place of [[Muhammad b. al-Imam al-Hadi (a)|al-Sayyid Muhammad]] is one the Shi'ite sites there. In 1991 a large number of people of Balad were in trouble, 395 were executed, 225 were imprisoned and more than one hundred families were forced to leave the city; they settled in a dessert in the south west of Iraq.

 

Shi'ism in [[Mosul]] goes back to the time of [[Hamdani]] and [[Buyid]] governments. [[Badr al-Din Lu'lu' al-Musili]], governor of Mosul in the 7th/13th century, made huge efforts in expanding Shi'ism. The burial places of Shi'a poets, literary men and descendants of Imams in the sixth and seventh centuries which were mentioned in sources as [[Ghali]] or [[Rafidi]] prove the history of Shi'ism in Mosul. More than 400 Shi'ite families are living in Mosul. Shi'a Turkmen currently are living in [[Kirkuk]], 100 meters north of Mosul.

Shi'ism among a number of Nomadic unions such as [[Banu Salama]] and [[Ta'i]] goes back to a long time ago. However Shi'ism is fresh among other nomadic tribes including Rabi'a, Khaz'al, Banu Tamim, Zubayd, Banu 'Umayr, al-Diwar, al-Dafafi'a. Iranian's visit to Holy shrines in Iraq as well as presence of clergymen in order for preaching and expanding Shi'ism led to the growth of Shi'a Muslims among nomadic tribes. Ibrahim al-Haydari al-Baghdadi (1882) in his book "Al-Majd" explained about Shi'ism among nomadic tribes in Iraq and differentiated between Sunni and Shi'a tribes there.