Kazimain

Kazimain or Al-Kazimiyah is a town located in Iraq that is now a neighborhood ofBaghdad, located in the northern area of the city about 5 km from the center of the city. The coordinates of Kazimain are 33.38 N, 44.34 E. It is a holy city in Shi'a Islam and is named after the seventh Shi'a Imam, Musa al-Kazim who is buried there, along with his grandson and the ninth Shi'a Imam, Muhammad al-Taqi.The area that now constitutes Kazimain was originally the location of a graveyard reserved for members of the Quraish tribe, in the north ofBaghdad. This land was set aside for this purpose by the Abbasid caliph, Harun al-Rashid who also foundedBaghdad. The first person to be buried here was the son of Imam Musa al-Kazim, Jafar. The Imam would later be buried here, and his grandson would be buried near him. A shrine was built over the tombs of both Imams, and thus Kazimain has become an important destination for Shi'a pilgrims.
In its early history, the town was an important center of Shi'a learning, but over time the town declined, and other cities rose to prominence. The location of the city has lent it to numerous plunders, which have resulted in damage to its shrines at different times in history. Among the most damage ever experienced by the town was after the Mongol sack of Baghdad where the shrine of the Shi'a Imams was burnt down. The area was also an important center of resistance against the British after World War I.