From Kashmir to Kufa

A Kashmiri traveller retraces centuries of Islamic history, visiting shrines, mosques, and cities that shaped faith and culture.

- Syed Nissar H Gilani

One of my favourite hobbies is travelling. It offers an unparalleled amount of exposure, a chance to land in a foreign country and gather immense knowledge about its culture and heritage.

This year, Iraq was on my bucket list. I made the trip early this year with a group of well-wishers and friends. Twelve days wasn't long enough to truly know the country, but it was sufficient to radically change the images once conjured in my mind when I heard the name Karbala during my childhood.

Our route covered Baghdad, the resting place of “Peeran

Governments after Saddam Hussein's departure have so far done little. Robberies, kidnappings, and prostitution are, unfortunately, on the rise. Many still believe Saddam's time was a golden era, a notion strongly refuted by others.

Peer” Sheikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani (R.A.). Next was Najaf, renowned as the burial site of Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Talib (K.W.). The city has grown significantly and has remained a center of pilgrimage for centuries. The Imam Ali mosque is housed in a magnificent structure with a gold-gilded dome. Nearby is the Wadi-as-Salaam graveyard, believed to be the largest in the Islamic world, containing the tombs of several prophets.

Over time, many hospices, schools, libraries, modern multistory commercial malls, and luxury hotels have sprung up. Najaf looks neater and cleaner than the capital, Baghdad. I was happy to see the Islamic University, established in 2004, offering a wide range of departments, alongside many other universities providing scientific and humanities faculties.