Najaf

Najaf is a city in Southern Iraq.

Understand
The city covered by this article, usually referred to outside Iraq as "Najaf", in fact consists of two cities which, over the centuries, have grown until they joined together. These are Najaf, in the west, and Kufa (sometimes spelled Kufah), in the east. Both are considered holy by Shi'a Muslims, containing the graves of various important religious figures. Additionally, many key events in the lives of these figures took place in Najaf and/or Kufa. As such, the vast majority of visitors to Najaf are Shi'a pilgrims (referred to as Zuwwar in Arabic, or Za'ir in the singular), and they usually travel in groups, guided by a religious scholar. Nonetheless, independent travel is now also possible.

Get in
There are several daily flights from the capital Baghdad as well as several cities in Iran with national carrier Iraqi Airways. Additionally, there are a limited number of international flights from hubs such as Istanbul and Dubai.

You can take shared taxis to/from Baghdad, Karbala, and other cities. Shared taxis to/from Karbala are 3,000 IQD (76km one way), to/from Nasiriyah are 15,000 IQD (256km one way), to/from Hillah are 7,500 IQD, and to/from Baghdad are 15,000 IQD (as of October 2022).



Get around
Careem (ridesharing app, owned by Uber) is available in Najaf, and takes international credit cards. Note that there are roadblocks around the Imam Ali Mosque which may require a "Careem Old City" service to get past (prices are pretty much the same as the regular Careem services though).

See


Najaf is renowned as the site of the Tomb of Alī ibn Abī Tālib also known as "Imām Alī" the First Imam of Shia's, the cousin and son-in-law of the prophet Muhammad whom the Shia consider to be the righteous caliph. The city is now a great center of pilgrimage from throughout the Shi'a Islamic world. It is estimated that only Mecca and Medina receive more Muslim pilgrims. As the burial site of Shia Islam's second most important figure, the Imam Ali Mosque is considered by Shias as the third holiest Islamic site.

The Imam Ali Mosque is housed in a grand structure with a gold gilded dome and many precious objects in the walls. Nearby is the Wadi-us-Salaam cemetery, reputed to be the largest in the world. It contains the tombs of several prophets and many of the devout from around the world aspire to be buried here, to be raised from the dead with Imām Alī on Judgement Day. Over the centuries, numerous hospices, schools, libraries and Sufi convents were built around the shrine to make the city the centre of Shīʻa learning and theology.

The Najaf seminary is one of the most important teaching centres in the Islamic world. Ayatollah Khomeini lectured there from 1964–1978. Many of the leading figures of the new Islamic movement that emerged in Iraq, Iran and Lebanon in the 1970s had studied at Najaf.

The Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif also has a site which claims to be Ali's tomb and draws many pilgrims, but Najaf's claim is more widely accepted.



The countryside around Najaf is home to several khans, sometimes also called caravanserais. They were fortified roadside inns built to accommodate travelers overnight. Most of the more impressive ones are located on the historic route between Najaf and Karbala which served as an important trade and religious route.



Money
In busy areas, independent money changers set up small stands in the street. They usually offer a better exchange rate than "official" locations (such as at airports), and commonly sell local SIM cards as well.

Souvenirs
The usual souvenirs from Najaf are tasbih (prayer beads), turbah (a small piece of clay which Shi'a Muslims prostate upon in prayer), and aqeeq (gemstone) rings. In areas frequented by pilgrims, you will find an abundance of small shops selling these.

Drink
In busy areas of Najaf, there are stands selling small cups of black tea. These may cost as little as 250 Dinars, and can be served with or without sugar.

Stay safe
See the warning in the Iraq article.

Nonetheless, Najaf is one of the safest cities in Iraq. As the city is almost entirely Shi'a, ISIS and al-Qaeda have never had any popular support here. There is an extensive network of (highly effective) military and police checkpoints to keep out any would-be infiltrators, especially around areas of interest to pilgrims and tourists (such as mosques and shrines). Expect to be patted down several times before entering the inner part of a shrine.

Respect
Najaf is a holy city in Shi'a Islam, and therefore very conservative, even by Middle Eastern standards. Unlike in some of Iraq's more liberal cities, do not bother looking for alcohol here. Women are expected to wear Iranian-style chadors.

Go next
Most visitors to Najaf are Shi'a pilgrims. The pilgrimage to Iraq is called Ziyarah in Arabic, and a "complete" Ziyarah will involve visiting Karbala, Kadhimain (in Baghdad), and Samarra after Najaf, as these are the burial sites of other Imams (the twelve successors of the Prophet Muhammad, in Shi'a Islam). Other, comparatively minor, pilgrimage sites in Iraq include Hillah and Balad.