Imam Ali Shrine · Lablypedia

As the burial site of one of the most important figures in Islam, the shrine is considered by Shia Muslims as the holiest site in Islam after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Ali is considered Muhammad’s rightful successor in Shia Islam. Each year, millions of pilgrims visit the shrine and pay tribute to Ali.

History

Burial

Ali was struck by the poisoned sword of Ibn Muljam while leading the dawn prayer in the Great Mosque of Kufa on 19 Ramadan 40 AH. He died on the night of 21 Ramadan 40 AH (661 CE). Before his death, he instructed his sons, Hasan and Husayn, regarding the location of his burial. In accordance with his wish, his grave was kept secret, and its location was known only to the Shia Imams and a small number of their close followers. Ali was buried at night outside Kufa to protect his grave from desecration, particularly by the Kharijites, who were feared to exhume his body. The burial was attended by Hasan, Husayn, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, Abdullah ibn Ja'far, and several other members of his family.

The location of the grave remained concealed for over a century. It wasn't until the 8th century when the grave was revealed by the sixth Shia Imam, Sādiq. It became publicly known during the reign of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, after the decline of the Umayyad chalipate and the dispersal of the Kharijites. Shia tradition also relates that during the governorship of al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf over Kufa, approximately 3,000 graves were excavated in an unsuccessful attempt to locate Ali's burial place.

Revealing the tomb

During the reign of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, he went hunting in the plains near Kufa (present-day Najaf). While pursuing a gazelle, he noticed that his hunting dogs repeatedly stopped chasing it whenever it entered a particular area. Believing the land to be sacred, Harun ordered an investigation, which ultimately led to the identification of the site as the burial place of Ali. This event is regarded as the public discovery of Ali's long-concealed grave.

Construction of the shrine

Following the discovery of Ali's burial site, the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid commissioned the first shrine over the grave around 786 CE (171 AH). A decorative panel once displayed beneath a nearby arch depicted a hunter with a bow pursuing a gazelle, commemorating the traditional account of the shrine's rediscovery. The shrine featured four entrances, a white stone zarih, and a dome of red clay topped with a green finial. The shrine was later expanded under the Alid ruler al-Da'i al-Saghir in Tabaristan, when a third structure of remarkable scale, reportedly containing seventy arches, was constructed. Its most significant medieval reconstruction, however, was undertaken by the Buyid ruler Adud al-Dawla, who completed a grand new shrine in the late tenth century. He also founded the city of Najaf, built houses, baths, and markets, encouraged Shia settlement, and endowed the shrine with extensive charitable foundations. Adud al-Dawla became the first ruler to be buried within the shrine complex, in a chamber later known as the Tomb of the Buyid Kings.

The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited Najaf in 1327 CE, described the shrine as a magnificent pilgrimage destination with richly decorated halls, silk carpets, gold and silver lamps, and an ornate wooden tomb covered with elaborately crafted gold panels. He also noted the hospitality extended to pilgrims and students staying in the adjoining religious school. In 1354 CE (755 AH), a major fire severely damaged the shrine, destroying much of its wooden decoration, mirrors, manuscripts, textiles, and furnishings. Among the losses was a celebrated Qur'an written on deerskin that Shia tradition attributed to Ali. The shrine was rebuilt a few years later, while the original Buyid structure largely survived.

The shrine underwent extensive restoration during the Safavid period, beginning with Shah Ismail I after his conquest of Baghdad in 1508 CE. He presented valuable gifts to the shrine, including silk carpets, gilded lamps, and finely crafted wooden chests. During the reign of Shah Abbas the Great, the surrounding courtyard was completed under the supervision of Shaykh Baha'i, and Safavid patronage continued to enhance the complex. A major transformation took place in 1743 CE (1156 AH) when Nader Shah Afshar ordered the shrine's dome and twin minarets, previously covered in green tiles, to be gilded with gold. He also financed extensive repairs, donated numerous treasures that remain in the shrine's treasury, and sponsored decorative tilework that still survives today. His renovations gave the shrine its iconic golden appearance, which has remained one of its defining architectural features ever since. Subsequent Qajar rulers also contributed to the shrine, donating new silver zarihs, regilding the minarets, and carrying out further restorations throughout the nineteenth century.

Modern era

In the modern era, the Imam Ali Shrine has undergone extensive restoration and expansion. Major repairs to the shrine, including the mirrorwork of the sanctuary and surrounding halls, were completed by 1953 CE (1370 AH). Today, the shrine features a vast courtyard surrounding the tomb of Ali, which, according to Islamic tradition, is also associated with the burial places of the prophets Adam and Noah. The shrine continues to expand, most notably with the construction of the Lady Fatimah Courtyard (Sahn Fatimah al-Zahra), one of the largest shrine expansion projects ever undertaken in Iraq.

The tomb is covered by an exquisitely crafted teakwood sarcophagus originally donated by Shah Ismail I of the Safavid dynasty. Over the centuries, it has been repeatedly restored and enriched with decorative elements. The sarcophagus is adorned with Qur'anic inscriptions, including Surah al-Insan, Jawshan al-Kabir, and other verses and traditions relating to Imam Ali. It measures approximately 4.83 × 3.03 × 1.83 meters and is enclosed within a protective glass case installed in 1942 CE during the installation of a new zarih. The shrine also houses numerous precious offerings, including antique jewelry, diamond necklaces, jeweled crowns, and a golden lantern decorated with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and pearls.

1991 uprising

During the 1991 uprising in Iraq, the shrine was damaged during attacks by the Iraqi Ba'athist regime. Both the zarih and the wooden sarcophagus sustained damage, traces of which remain visible today.

2003 bombing

On 29 August 2003, two car bombs were detonated outside the shrine. The attack killed 95 people crowded around the shrine for Friday prayer, including Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, spiritual leader of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq. The attack was devastating for the Shia Muslims in Iraq, because such a revered cleric was killed as well as over 90 other people.

In response to the attack, thousands of mourners marched in the streets of cities and towns across Iraq. The mourners, many of whom blamed Saddam Hussein's loyalists for the attack, held anti-Ba'athist protests. Saddam himself released a taped audio message in which he denied having any involvement.

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Architecture and decoration

Numerous structures have existed over the tomb of Imam Ali since its discovery during the rule of Harun al Rashid in the 8th century. The current structure though dates back to the Safavid period in the 17th century and was designed by the famous polymath Sheikh Bahāʾī. The shrine consists of the central tomb chamber topped by a large double shell onion-shaped dome 42 metres (138 ft) high, and flanked by twin 38-metre-tall (125 ft) minarets. The inner shell of the dome is visible from the inside of the tomb chamber while the monumental outer shell is visible from the courtyard of the shrine and throughout the city. The inside of the tomb chamber and its surrounding halls are ornamented with an array of mirror mosaics, most of which has been replaced over the years and are not original. The ceramic mosaics that adorn the inner shell of the dome however are original and date back to the original construction of the shrine during the Safavid period. At the front of the shrine stands a large golden iwan flanked by two minarets. The monumental dome, iwan, and minarets are adorned with gold coated copper plates, though they were originally adorned with green and blue ceramic tiles in the typical Safavid fashion. The gilding of the shrines dome and façade elements occurred in 1743 under the orders of the Iranian king Nader Shah Afshar and his wife Razia Begum. The golden iwan, dome, and minarets contains numerous inscriptions in Persian, Arabic, and Azeri Turkish with poems in praise of Ali ibn Abi Talib inscriptions chronicling the gilding of the shrine by Nader Shah. The left and right side walls of the shrine are ornamented with cuerda seca tile panels most of which date from either the 18th or 19th centuries. Imam Ali's shrine is among the last of the Shi'ite shrines in Iraq to retains its nearly full set of original antique tiles.

Around the shrine on its North, East, and Southern sides is a large courtyard surrounded by pointed arch arcades, while the shrine is linked on the West to the Al-Ra's Mosque. The courtyard arcades are two floors in height and contain various small chambers historically used as dormitory rooms for seminary students, today most are used as administrative offices. The Al-Ras mosque (literally "The Head Mosque") is oriented in the direction of the head of Ali Ibn Abi Talib's grave. The original Al-Ras mosque is said to have dated from the Ilhanate period in 14th century however it was demolished in 2005 by the shrine's administration and rebuilt in a modern style using contemporary construction materials and methods. Local architectural historians and preservationists have argued the destruction of the original Al-Ras mosque destroyed an important part of the shrine's architectural heritage and the introduction of modern construction methods and materials has damaged the architectural integrity of the shrine. The original Ilkhanate era mihrab of the Al-Ras mosque underwent restoration in 2023 after having been kept in storage for 18 years and will be put on display in the shrine's museum.

Entrance to the shrine is through three main monumental iwans on the eastern, northern and southern sides, called the Main or Clock Portal, al-Tusi Portal and the Qibla Portal respectively. There are two additional monumental portals, the Portal of Muslim Ibn 'Aqil, north of the Clock Gate, and the al-'Amara, or al-Faraj Portal, at the southwestern corner. The most notable of these entry portals is the Clock Portal (Iwan-i-Sa'at) and is topped by a tall clock tower ornamented with mosaic tiles. The clock mechanism and its bells were produced in Manchester, England and brought to the shrine in 1887, this is visible on iron engravings on the bells.

Zarih

The tomb is enclosed by a silver zarih donated by Saif al-Din, the leader of the Isma'ili community. The zarih was officially unveiled on 13 Rajab 1361 AH (5 August 1942) during a special ceremony attended by the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Said and other prominent Shia political and religious figures. It was crafted by Indian artisans over a period of five years. According to historical accounts, the zarih was made using approximately 10,500 mithqals of pure gold and 2 million mithqals of silver, although other sources cite figures of 8,750 mithqals of gold and 1.5 million mithqals of silver. The zarih stands approximately 4 meters high from its base to the top of its crown and measures 6.35 × 5.10 meters. It features four lattice windows on both the eastern and western sides and five windows on the northern and southern sides, with one of the southern openings serving as the entrance to the enclosure.

Dome

The inner dome of the Shrine of Imam Ali is semicircular in form and richly decorated with mosaic tilework. It rises approximately 23.5 meters above the floor of the sanctuary and has an interior diameter of 13.5 meters. Externally, the dome has a characteristic bulbous profile, standing 18.15 meters high from its base to the tip of its finial, with an outer diameter of 16.6 meters. The space between the inner and outer shells creates a double-dome structure, a distinctive feature of Persian and Islamic architecture. The dome contains twelve windows that provide both natural light and ventilation. Each opening measures approximately 4 meters in height, 2.1 meters in width, and 1.45 meters in depth.

During the reign of Nader Shah Afshar, the interior inscription of the dome was decorated with enamel work, while the supporting muqarnas were adorned with mirror mosaics. The inner drum of the dome is embellished with colored glass panels bearing Qur'anic verses, surrounded by 48 verses from the celebrated Ayniyyah poem of Ibn Abi al-Hadid, with twenty-four verses above and twenty-four below. Additional Qur'anic inscriptions include Surah al-Fajr encircling the interior beneath the dome and Surah al-Naba' written in Thuluth calligraphy around the base of the drum.

Until 1743 CE (1156 AH), the exterior of the dome was covered with glazed ceramic tiles. By order of Nader Shah Afshar, these were replaced with gilded metal plates, giving the shrine its iconic golden appearance. The dome is clad with 3,426 gilded panels, each containing approximately eight mithqals of pure gold.

Iwans, minarets and courtyards

The floor of the Shrine of Imam Ali is paved with marble donated by the Isma'ili community, while the lower sections of the walls are clad in Iranian marble. The sanctuary and its four surrounding halls (riwaqs) are richly decorated with tilework and mirror mosaics crafted by Iranian artisans. These halls provide access to the shrine from the north, south, and east, with the eastern hall opening onto the celebrated Golden Iwan. Located on the eastern side of the shrine, the Golden Iwan is a rectangular, open-air structure whose walls are entirely covered in gold. Flanking it are two gilded minarets rising approximately 35 meters in height, bearing inscriptions from Surah al-Jumu'ah. Near the entrance to the eastern hall, gilded Persian verses in praise of Imam Ali, composed by Orfi Shirazi and inscribed by the calligrapher Muhammad Ja'far Isfahani in 1156 AH (1743 CE), remain among the shrine's finest epigraphic works.

The Golden Iwan is unique in being roofless and includes shoe storage areas on both its northern and southern sides that open into the courtyard. Adjacent roofed chambers and the surrounding façades are adorned with Persian and Arabic poetry, Qur'anic inscriptions, and sayings attributed to Imam Ali. Some of these inscriptions were damaged during attacks by Saddam Hussein's regime but were later restored using gold. The shrine's courtyard has a distinctive design that allows the rising sun to shine directly toward the tomb throughout the year.

The two-story square courtyard is surrounded by arcaded chambers that historically housed leading Shia scholars, making the complex one of the foremost centers of Shia learning for centuries. Their façades and vaulted ceilings are decorated with high-quality tilework from Isfahan, much of which has been carefully restored over time. The shrine complex covers an area of approximately 13,244 square meters, while the main courtyard occupies about 4,219 square meters, accounting for roughly one-third of the total area.

Religious significance

As the burial site of one of Islam's most important figures, the Imam Ali Shrine is considered by all Shia Muslims as the fourth holiest site in Islam. According to Shia belief, buried next to Ali within this mosque are the remains of Adam and Nuh (Noah). The Boston Globe reported "for the Muslim Shias, Najaf is the fourth holiest city, behind Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine." It is estimated that only Mashhad, Karbala, Mecca, and Medina receive more Muslim pilgrims. A hadith attributed to Ja'far al-Sādiq, the Sixth Shī'ite Imām, mentions the site as one of "five definitive holy places that we respect very much".

The site is visited annually by at least 8 million pilgrims on average, which is estimated to increase to 20 million in years to come. Shia Muslims believe that Ali did not want his grave to be desecrated by his enemies, practically the Kharijites, and consequently asked his two sons, Hasan and Husayn, to bury him secretly. The secret gravesite was revealed later during the Abbasid Caliphate by Imam al-Sādiq, and the city of Najaf grew around the shrine. Many hadiths from the Shia Imams and from Muhammad are about Ali.

Muhammad: "Are you not content, Ali, that you have the same rank with regard to me as Aaron had with regard to Moses, except that there is no prophet after me? There is no sword but Zulfiqar (Ali's sword), and there is no hero but Ali. Whoever visits Ali while he is alive, it is as if he has visited me; and whoever visits him after his death, it is as if he has visited me during my lifetime. I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its gate."