Reflections of my life: December 2023

Friday 22 December 2023

Iraq - The Cradle of Civilization

"Know thyself, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories..." - Sun Tzu

(City of Regent, Karbala)

We were overly excited and a little nervous when we decided to embark on this trip. Regardless of what people say about Iraq and its wars, it is actually a beautiful country with long-standing history, friendly locals and cultural diversity. It was a fascinating and enriching experience for us. And another tick-off from our bucket list. Alhamdulillah...

Iraq was home to ancient Mesopotamian peoples who developed the world's first writing, agriculture and cities. Powerful civilizations from the Sumerians to the Neo-Assyrians ruled the region. This wealthy region, comprising much of what is called the Fertile Crescent, later became a valuable part of larger imperial polities, including Persian, Greek, and Roman dynasties, and after the 7th century it became a central and integral part of the Islamic world. Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th century. The modern nation-state of Iraq was created following World War I (1914–18) from the Ottoman provinces of Baghdad, Basrah, and Mosul. Iraq derives its name from the Arabic term used in the premodern period to describe a region that roughly corresponded to Mesopotamia, “Arabian Iraq” and modern northwestern Iran, “Persian Iraq”.

(Baghdad, Iraq - a mural on the wall)

The capital city Baghdad is the second largest city in the Arab world and the 4th largest in the Middle East. Iraq has several World Heritage Sites, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, most notably is the Ancient City of Babylon. Religious tourism is the most popular type of tourism in Iraq, with tens of millions of tourists from several countries visiting Holy cities and places in Iraq every year. These include: Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, with remains of Adam and Noah, according to Shi'ah belief and Imam Hussein Mosque in Karbala, with the tombs of Sayyidina Hussein, Sayyidina Abbas and the many syuhada’.