Sectarian Imaginings of Place in Najaf: Conflicting Narratives of Ali Ibn Abi Talib’s Shrine

The burial site of Ali ibn Abi Talib (d. 661) was kept hidden for more than 150 years out of fear that his enemies would desecrate his corpse. Popular narratives attribute the “miraculous” discovery of the grave to the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (d. 809), who is also credited with having built its first tomb structure to commemorate the revered figure of Ali. Soon after, the grave evolved into a full-fledged shrine site and became a popular pilgrimage destination. This paper will examine medieval narratives around the legends of Ali’s grave in Najaf, Iraq and takes into consideration opposing Shi’i and Sunni narratives that highlight scholars’ contestation over the legitimacy of `Ali’s grave and the power of emplacing graves in Islam. I trace the scholarly debates around Ali’s grave to shed light on the complex nature of the construction and perception of sacred place as well as sectarian identity in medieval Iraq. Working with Shi’i and Sunni narratives, this paper will highlight the polemics between Sunni and Shi`i scholars regarding their claims on the authenticity of `Ali’s grave, which correspond to distinct sectarian imaginings of sacred space and place within Islam.