Mosque · Kufa
Great Mosque of Kufa
One of the oldest mosques in Islam, where Imam Ali (as) led prayers and was fatally struck during the dawn prayer in Ramadan 40 AH.
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Destination · Iraq
Kufa
Close to Najaf, Kufa was Imam Ali’s (as) capital. Its Great Mosque, and the shrine of Muslim ibn Aqil, are closely tied to the events leading to Karbala.
الكوفة
Sites in Kufa
Shrine · Kufa
Shrine of Muslim ibn Aqil (as)
The resting place of Muslim ibn Aqil, Imam Hussain’s (as) envoy to Kufa, who was killed there in 60 AH. It adjoins the Great Mosque of Kufa.
Full guideShrine · Kufa
Shrine of Hani ibn Urwa
The resting place of Hani ibn Urwa, who sheltered Muslim ibn Aqil, Imam Hussain’s (as) envoy, and was killed in Kufa in 60 AH. It is beside the shrine of Muslim ibn Aqil, within the Great Mosque of Kufa complex.
Summary only, full guide comingShrine · Kufa
Shrine of al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi
The resting place of al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi, who led an uprising in Kufa after Karbala to avenge Imam Hussain (as). It is within the Great Mosque of Kufa complex.
Summary only, full guide comingHistoric site · Kufa
House of Imam Ali (as)
The house in Kufa associated with Imam Ali (as) during his caliphate. It is about 100 metres from the Great Mosque of Kufa and is visited as a separate site.
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Mosque · Kufa
Masjid al-Sahla
A first-century mosque about two kilometres north-west of the Great Mosque of Kufa. Shia tradition holds that prophets prayed here, and narrations attributed to Imam al-Sadiq (as) describe it as the place where Imam al-Mahdi (ajtf) will reside after his reappearance. A station (maqam) within it is attributed to him.
Summary only, full guide coming
About Kufa
How to read this guide
Each statement is labelled so you can tell what kind of information it is.
- Historical record
- Widely documented in historical sources.
- Shia belief
- Religious belief held in the Twelver Shia tradition.
- Accounts differ
- Sources disagree. We note this openly.
- Practical
- Visitor logistics. These can change.
Why Kufa matters
Historical record
Imam Ali (as) governed from Kufa and was fatally struck in its mosque during the dawn prayer in Ramadan 40 AH (661 CE). [al-Shaykh al-Mufīd]
Historical record
Muslim ibn Aqil, cousin and envoy of Imam Hussain (as), was sent to Kufa in 60 AH and was killed there shortly before the events of Karbala. [The History of al-Ṭabarī]
Sample itineraries that include Kufa
Najaf, Kufa and Karbala in four days
A first ziyarat covering all three cities, starting in Najaf and ending in Karbala.
- 1
- 2
Day 2: Kufa
Kufa Mosque, Muslim ibn Aqil, Masjid al-Sahla
Kufa is close to Najaf. Check travel arrangements locally.
- 3
Day 3: Travel to Karbala
Travel by road, then visit Imam Hussain (as) once you have rested.
- 4
- Travel times between cities are not included because we have not yet sourced them.
- Opening arrangements have not been verified.
Sources
Written by A humble human
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