Historical sources refer to Najaf as a village situated along the Euphrates. Al-Tabari narrates:
“When al-Mansur al-Dawaniqi arrested Abdullah ibn al-Hasan and his family, he transferred them to Najaf. Abdullah said with sorrow, “Is there no one in this village who can save us from this oppressor? ”
This account indicates that Najaf was a known place at that time. The only dispute that existed among companions concerned the burial site of Imam Ali (peace be upon him); however, the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) clearly affirmed that Najaf al-Ashraf is the noble resting place of the Commander of the Faithful.
Narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them)
Some had claimed that the burial site of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was in al-Rahbah, while others claimed it was in Ray. In response to such questions, Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) stated:
“Visit him in al-Ghary.”
Hasan ibn Jahm narrates from Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him):
“The grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is in a place called Thuwayyah, slightly above that location.”
This corresponds with the narration of Safwan the Camel-Driver from Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him):
“When you reach al-Ghary behind Kufa, pass beyond it, proceed toward Najaf, and incline slightly to the right. When you reach the white hills and the area of Thuwayyah, there lies the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him).”
Some companions rejected these reports, insisting that the grave was located either in the mosque or in the governor’s palace of Kufa. But the Imams (peace be upon them) emphasized that God concealed the grave of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) not in the palace nor in the mosque, but in a hidden location so that it would remain protected from the enemies.
Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) concluded:
“Correct knowledge of the location of this grave is a blessing from God, and whoever attains it has been granted divine favor.”
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr reports:
“I asked Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him), ‘Where is the grave of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him)? ’
He said, ‘In al-Ghary.’
I said, ‘Some claim he was buried in al-Rahbah.’
He replied, ‘This is not correct. Others claim he was buried in the mosque, but this is also incorrect.’”
The Visit of Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) to the Noble Tomb of the Commander of the Faithful
Sayed Ibn Tawus, in Anwar fi Tarikh Aimmat al-Atar, narrates:
“Abu Ali Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr Hammam ibn Suhayl al-Iskafi reported that Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him) was among the Imams who identified the burial site of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and indicated the very place that is visited today.”
He states that Abu Ali ibn Hammam recorded in Anwar:
“Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him) was among the Imams who affirmed the burial site of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) and indicated the present location of the shrine.”
Sayed Abd al-Karim ibn Tawus, through his chain from Hussain ibn Ruh al-Nawbakhti and Uthman ibn Said al-Amri, narrates from Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him), from his father Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him):
“That the Imam visited the grave of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) on the day of Ghadir in the same year that al-Mutasim brought him to Samarra. He stood before the grave and recited a visitation text.”
In the same narration, Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) recited:
“Peace be upon you, O Wali of God.
You are the first oppressed one and the first whose right was usurped.
You were patient, and you sought divine reward until certainty (death) came to you.
I bear witness that you met your Lord as a martyr.
May God afflict your killer with every torment.
I have come to visit you with knowledge of your right and with enmity toward your enemies, and I present this covenant to God, the Exalted.”
Conclusion
A careful study of the narrations transmitted from the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) reveals no contradiction or divergence regarding the burial site of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). All of these narrations clearly and consistently point to the distinct signs located in the land of Najaf al-Ashraf.
