Preserving Najaf's heritage

The holy city of Najaf and its neighboring holy cities of Karbala and Kufa have tremendous significance for the Shi'i. These cities with tombs of Imman Ali, Imam Hussein, Imam Abbas, and Muslim Bin Akil are significant stewards and learning centers for Shi'i. The Shrines of these great men, immediate family of The Prophet Mohammad draw Shi'i from many countries in the region. With a majority of Shi'i in Iraq and Iran, and a significant number in Pakistan and India the number of visitors expected in any given year exceed several million. In May 2003 alone, over 1.5 million visitors came to the shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala[1]. While visitors come throughout the year, the city of Najaf has 38 official religious holidays. In Egypt, a major tourism attraction in the region, the Ministry of Tourism boasted 5 million visitors in its peak year 2002[2]. Najaf as a center of religious pilgrimage competes with these figures. With the development of local governments throughout Iraq, and specifically the growth of the cities, the heritage of Najaf must be a priority in considering its future.