مرقد ابراهيم بن مالك الاشتر النخعي

Near the town of Ad Dujayl in Salah ad Din Governorate, the shrine of Ibrahim ibn Malik al Ashtar al Nakhai commemorates one of the most celebrated loyalists of the Prophetic household, a warrior whose father Malik al Ashtar had served Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, may God be pleased with him, as a trusted governor of Egypt. Ibrahim led the forces that avenged the tragedy of Karbala in 686 and defeated the Umayyad commander Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad in a battle near the river Khazir. His courage, devotion to the family of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and sincerity in seeking justice have secured him a permanent place in the devotional memory of Iraqi Muslims for more than thirteen centuries.

The shrine building rises from the dry Tigris plain with a golden dome visible across the farmland for many kilometres, and two slender minarets clad in turquoise tile flank its entrance. Pilgrims arrive by bus, taxi and car from across Iraq, from Lebanon, Iran and the Gulf, and the approach road is lined with small stalls selling prayer books, rosaries, perfumes and simple food. Inside, the ziyarah hall is laid with cool marble and enclosed in silver filigree that worshippers touch while reciting greetings to Ibrahim and his noble lineage.

The walls carry calligraphic panels in thuluth and nastaliq scripts bearing verses of the Quran, lines of praise for the family of the Prophet and lists of those companions who stood by them through persecution. Chandeliers of Bohemian crystal illuminate the shrine at night, and during Muharram and Safar pilgrims gather for majalis recounting the events of Karbala and the later struggles of those who defended its legacy.

Ad Dujayl itself became internationally known in the late twentieth century for the tragedy that befell its residents under the former regime, and the shrine today also serves as a quiet memorial to the resilience of Iraqi villages that have endured so much. A small museum beside the shrine displays historical photographs, manuscripts relating to Ibrahim's campaign and weapons recovered from the battlefield. Hospitality services offer arriving pilgrims hot tea, rice and lamb stew free of charge, funded by endowments from devotees across the wider Muslim world. Every visitor is invited to enter, to greet the buried companion of the Prophetic family, and to depart carrying with them the moral courage that Ibrahim's name still evokes.