Islamic Shrine, the shrine of Imam Ali
Every religion and culture have their own place and ways to preserve their artifacts, and history, their own place of worship, shrines, and sacred places. It is, therefore, important that as a member of any religion, you get the chance to visit some of the religious places as they will make you learn more about your religion and even know part of history which you did not have any information about its existence. In this class, I will choose to study Islamic Shrine, the shrine of Imam Ali. The shrine of Imam Ali which is located in Najaf, Iraq, is one of the most significant places where the Shi’ites have considered as a religious landmark
Najaf was considered a religious landmark, as Imam Ali, who was the predecessor of Prophet Muhammad is said to have been buried there. Since then, the tomb of Imam Ali has been preserved as a religious landmark where people visit to learn about the history of the religion, and also do their prayers. Soon after the death of Prophet Muhammad, a debate arose between the Sunni and the Shi’a about who should lead the Muslims. One group demanded that they choose the leader while the other group demanded that Muhammad’s closest relative be given the opportunity to lead them. The conflict between the Sunni and Shi’a Muslims is said to be caused by this conflict. Since Ali was Muhammad’s son in law, he was chosen to replace Muhammed. The death of Imam Ali meant that an Islamic martyr had died, and therefore the place became a historical and religious landmark.
I have been in the place more than once, and I always keep visiting Najaf. Since 750 AD, the tomb of Ali has been considered to be an important religious landmark. Visiting the place gives one the chance to engage with some of the people in the tomb that have rich knowledge about religion. Taking prayers at the tomb is also a nice experience that any Muslim would like to have.
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