Kufa

Quick Facts: Who was Kufa?

Subject:

Kufa

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A historically significant city in Iraq, central to early Islamic political and scholarly life.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Kufa (Arabic: الْكُوفَة "al-Kūfah"), also spelled Kufah, is a city in Iraq, about 170 kilometres (110 mi) south of Baghdad, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000. Along with Najaf, Karbala, Mashhad, Kadhimiya, Samarra and Qom, Kufa is a holy city in Shia Islam. The city was founded in 638 CE (17 AH) during the reign of the second Rashidun caliph, Umar.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Great Mosque of Kufa was home to Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the first Shia Imam and the fourth Rashidun caliph. The mosque is also the site where he was assassinated. Kufa was the final capital of his caliphate. The mosque also contains the shrine of Muslim ibn Aqil, his companion Hani ibn Urwa, and the revolutionary, Al-Mukhtar. Kufa was also the founding capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

During the Islamic Golden Age, it was home to the grammarians of Kufa. Kufic script is named for the city. Keffiyehs are sometimes mistakenly thought to have originated from Kufa. After the Arabian hegemony and the fall of Persian Empire, and its geographic proximity to the imperial capital, Ctesiphon) at Battle of Al-Qadisiyyah in 636, Kufa was founded and given its name in 637–638 CE, about the same time as Basra. Kufa and Basra were the two amsar (garrison cities) of Iraq, serving as military bases and administrative centers.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2003: 2003 Milestone — The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Kufa

True or False: “The Kufic script was named after the region of Najaf, not the city of Kufa.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The Kufic script is named directly after the city of Kufa itself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Kufa