Shrine · Islamic
Najaf
Najaf Governorate, Iraq
Shrine · Islamic
Najaf Governorate, Iraq
Najaf is home to the shrine of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and is one of the holiest cities in Shia Islam alongside Karbala.
The Imam Ali Shrine is among the most revered sites in Shia Islam, and Najaf is also home to one of the oldest and most significant centres of Shia religious scholarship in the world.
The shrine has developed around the tomb of Imam Ali since the early Islamic period, with Najaf growing into a major centre of pilgrimage and Islamic scholarship across the following centuries.
This is a major centre of Shia Islamic scholarship as well as pilgrimage, home to some of the tradition's most significant religious seminaries.
As with Karbala, Iraq's security situation has been volatile in recent periods. Check your government's current, live travel advisory immediately before making any plans, rather than relying on general information here.