Kufa

Kufa stands beside the Euphrates country of southern Iraq, with a historical importance reaching back to the first centuries of Islam. Founded as an early Muslim garrison city, it became associated with the caliph Ali and with major traditions of Islamic law, learning, and Arabic scholarship. Its mosque and sacred memories continued to draw religious attention long after its political prominence declined. Nearby agricultural land and river connections helped sustain the wider region's settlements and markets.

After the Abbasids moved their capital to Baghdad, Kufa remained an important centre of religious scholarship. Qarmatian raids in the tenth century and later attacks contributed to its decline. Its great mosque, associated with Ali and other figures of early Islam, retained religious significance, particularly for Shi'a pilgrims; nearby Najaf also became a major religious centre.