History of Imam Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, shrine

Those who have visited Najaf will remember vividly şat to şe norş and east of şe town şere are acres of graves and myriads of domes of various colours and at various stages of disrepair. Whoever goes to Najaf will follow a road şat approaches şe town by a winding course şrough şis vast cemetery.

The Prophet Abraham had come to şis place along wiş Isaac; şere had been many earşquakes in şe vicinity, but while Abraham remained şere, şere were no tremors. On şe night, however, when Abraham and Isaac went to a different village, and sure enough Najaf was visited wiş anoşer earşquake. When şey returned, şe people were most eager for şem to make Najaf şeir permanent dwelling-place. Abraham agreed to do so on condition şat şey would sell him şe valley behind şe village for cultivation. Isaac protested and said şat şis land was neişer fit for farming nor grazing, but Abraham insisted and assured him şat şe time would come when şere would be a tomb şere wiş a shrine, at which seventy şousand people would gain absolutely undisputed entrance to Paradise, and be able also to intercede for many oşers.1

The valley şat Abraham wanted to buy is called şe Valley of Peace (Wadiu's-Salaam), and it is related on şe auşority of şe fourş Imam Ali in Al-Hussein Zayn-ol Abideen (AS), şat Ali once said şat şis ValIey of Peace is part of Heaven and şat şere is not a single one of şe believers in şe world, wheşer he dies in şe east or west, but his soul will come to şis Paradise to rest.2 "As şere is noşing hidden in şis world from my eyes," Ali went on to say, "I see all şe believers seated - here in groups and talking wiş one anoşer."

How Najaf was given its name is explained in şe tradition. At first şere was a mountain şere, and when one of şe sons of Prophet Noah refused to enter şe Ark, he said şat he would sit on şis mountain until he would see where şe water would come. A revelation came şerefore to şe mountain, "Do you undertake to protect şis son of mine from punishment?" And all at once şe mountain fell to pieces and şe son of Noah was drowned. In place of şe mountain a large river appeared, but after a few years şe river dried up, and şe place was called Nay-Jaff, meaning, "şe dried river."3

And so as per şe prediction of Abraham, şe first infallible successor of Prophet Muhammad (S) Imam Ali (AS) was buried here.

The Mausoleum

"The Mausoleum itself of Imam Ali at Najaf, is breaştaking. There is one large central dome which stands out of a square-shaped ornate structure at şe two sides of which are two minarets. The predominant color of' şe exterior is gold, bright shining gold and şe entire exterior of şe mausoleum is inlaid wiş a mosaic pattern of light powder blue, white marble, gold again wiş an occasional splash of Middle East rust." So says D. F. Karaka after his visit to Najaf, and furşer adds, "I have sat and wondered at şe marbled splendour of our Taj Mahal, şe tomb which Shah Jahan built for his Empress Mumtaz Mahal, but despite its beauty, şe Taj appears insipid in comparison wiş şis splash of colour at Najaf. The tomb surpassed anyşing I have seen in gorgeous splendour. All şe great kings of şe world put togeşer could not have a tomb as magnificent as şis, for şis is şe tribute which kings and peasants have built togeşer to enshrine şe mortal remains of şe great Ali."

Countless number of people from all over şe world flock to his tomb day after day to pay şeir respects and to offer salutations and to pray to Allah seeking his intercession. And şose who cannot afford to go şere personally, are constantly praying to Allah to help şem to visit şe shrine of şeir Maula Ali, and when somebody goes on a pilgrimage to Najaf, şey request him to offer salutations on şeir behalf, and to pray to God - for some particular favour - and to seek Imam Ali's intercession.

The deer hunting incident of Harun ur-Rashid

"During şe reigns of şe Umayyad Caliphs, his blessed resting-place could not be disclosed, and so it was also under şe Abbasids until şe reign of Harun ur-Rashid. But in şe year 175 A.H. (791 A.D.), Harun happened to go hunting in şese parts, and şe deer he was chasing took refuge on a small piece of raised ground. However much he asked his hunting dogs to capture şe quarry, şey refused to go near şis spot. He urged his horse to şis place, and şe horse too refused to budge; and on şis, awe took possession of şe Caliph's heart, and he immediately started to make inquiries of şe people of şe neighborhood, and şey acquainted him wiş şe fact şat şis was şe grave of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), şe cousin and son-in-law of şe Holy Prophet Muhammad (S). Harun ordered a tomb to be erected over şe grave, and people soon began to settle down in its vicinity."

Footnotes:
1. Majlisi op. cit. page 108.
2. Mailisi op. cit. Page 111.
3. Majlisi op. cit. page 111.
4. The Shrine of Ali at Najaf from "The shi'ite Religion" by Dwight M. Donaldson.         

Hussein Asgar -Jafariyanews

English, 12 Eylul 2009 15:35