Al-Askari Mosque

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This article is about the Iraqi mosque. For the medieval Egyptian capital, please see Al-Askar.

Al-Askarī or the `Askariyya Mosque/Shrine (Arabic: مرقد الامامين علي الهادي والحسن العسكري‎ Marqad al-Imāmayn `Alī l-Hādī wa l-Ħassan al-`Askarī) is a Shī`a Muslim holy site located in the Iraqi city of Samarra 125 km (78 mi) from Baghdad. It is one of the most important Shī`ite mosques in the world, built in 944.^[1] Its dome was destroyed in a bombing in February 2006 and its two remaining minarets were destroyed in another bombing in June 2007, causing widespread anger amongst Shī`a Muslims. Furthermore, the remaining clock tower was also destroyed in July 2006.

The remains of the 10th and 11th Shī`a Imāms, `Alī l-Hādī and his son Hassan al-`Askarī, known as "the two `Askarīs" (al-`Askariyyān), rest at the shrine.^[2] It stands adjacent to a shrine to the Twelfth or "Hidden" Imām, Muħammad al-Mahdī. The `Askariyya Shrine is also known as the "Tomb or Mausoleum of the Two Imāms", "the Tomb of Imāms `Alī l-Hādī and Hassan al-`Askarī" and al-Hadhratu l-`Askariyya.

Also buried within the Mosque are the remains of Hakimah Khatun, sister of `Alī l-Hādī, and of Narjis Khatun, mother of Muħammad al-Mahdi.^[3]

Time magazine reported at the time of the 2006 Al-Askari Mosque bombing that “al-Askari [is] one of Shi'ite Islam's holiest sites, exceeded in veneration only by the shrines of Najaf and Karbala. Even Samarra's Sunnis hold al-Askari in high esteem. The expression 'to swear by the shrine' is routinely used by both communities".^[4]

1 History
2 Bombings
- 2.1 2006 attack
- 2.2 2007 attack
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

The Al-Askari Mosque in 1916.

The Imāms `Alī l-Hādī (also known as an-Naqī) and Hassan al-`Askarī lived under house arrest in the part of Samarra that had been Caliph al-Mu'tasim's military camp (`Askaru l-Mu'tasim). As a result, they are known as the `Askariyyān ("Dwellers in the Camp"). They died and were buried in their house on Abī Ahmad Street near the mosque built by Mu'tasim.^[5] A later tradition attributes their deaths to poison. A lot of people believe that the mosque was designed in 1762 by Dor the great of Persia but there is no clear evidence of it.

Nasir ad-Din Shah Qajar undertook the latest remodelling of the shrine in 1868, with the golden dome added in 1905. Covered in 72,000 gold pieces and surrounded by walls of light blue tiles, the dome was a dominant feature of the Samarra skyline. It was approximately 20 m (66 ft) in diameter by 68 m (223 ft) high.

[edit] Bombings

[edit] 2006 attack

Main article: Al-Askari Mosque bombing (2006)

The Mosque after the first bombing,2006

On February 22, 2006, at 6:55 a.m. local time (0355 UTC) explosions occurred at the mosque, effectively destroying its golden dome and severely damaging the mosque. Several men, one wearing a military uniform, had earlier entered the mosque, tied up the guards there and set explosives, resulting in the blast. Two bombs were set off^[6]^[7] by five^[8] to seven^[9] men dressed as personnel of the Iraqi Special forces^[10] who entered the shrine during the morning.^[11]

[edit] 2007 attack

Main article: 2007 al-Askari Mosque bombing

At around 8 a.m. on 13 June 2007, suspected al-Qaeda operatives destroyed the two remaining 36 m (118 ft)-high golden minarets flanking the dome's ruins. No fatalities were reported. Iraqi police have reported hearing "two nearly simultaneous explosions coming from inside the mosque compound at around 8 a.m."^[12] A report from state run Iraqiya Television stated that "local officials said that two mortar rounds were fired at the two minarets."^[12]