Mohamed holds up a white palette with an inscription that reads "Hussein" in Arabic characters. Behind, making their way between a couple of processions carrying coffins covered with black flags, about twenty people follow him in his access to the promenade that leads to the mausoleum of Imam Ali, son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad with who is initiated into Shiism, the majority branch of Islam in Iraq and Iran, where Mohamed comes from. He is 64 years old, from Ardabil – in the north, on the borders with Azerbaijan – and has been leading pilgrimage trips to Iraq for thirty years.
After passing through a security checkpoint of Iraqi soldiers, many with thick jet-black moustaches, Mohamed stops. He points to the dome and the golden minarets, and quickly tells the story of this place that, two decades after the US invasion and the violence that unleashed on the country in the years that followed, has regained its former splendor lost since the time of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
During the time he ruled Iraq, Hussein limited and controlled Shia access to its holy places. It is currently one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the Islamic world. And the world in general. "During Saddam's time it was extremely difficult to visit Iraq. We received few permits and were always accompanied by security men", explains this man after announcing to his group that they will meet again at the same point two hours later.
"During the time of the Americans we could come, but it was dangerous. The car bombs killed many people... And then came the Islamic State," he continues. Like the group led by Mohamed, thousands of Iranians perform the same ritual this afternoon. The beginning of Ramadan coincided with the Persian New Year holiday.
And as they do every year, thousands and thousands of Iranians take advantage of this stop to visit not only Najaf but the other holy sites of Shiism in Iraq, especially the revered Karbala, where the remains of Imam Hussein lie, grandson of the prophet and revered figure in Shiism. "The Shiites consider that Imam Hussein was the leader of the revolution against oppression and injustice. He is the greatest of the martyrs and this is where his importance comes from," explains Saied Raixid Zmiezm, historian of Karbala.
When Mohamed began leading groups of pilgrims, he had just finished the war against Iran that Saddam Hussein started in 1980 after the victory of the Islamic revolution and the consequent rise of Ayatollah Khomeini. Only a few groups received authorization to visit the country. He remembers that, when crossing the land border, a caravan of official cars was always waiting for them that never left them during their journey. Currently dozens of flights leave Tehran every day for Najaf.
The current flow is so great that Imam Khomeini Airport has a special terminal for pilgrims called Salam. In the bazaar of Najaf or Karbala, the boys who invite you to buy perfumes, sweets or any kind of souvenirs alluding to the figures of Shiism advertise their products in Arabic and Persian. "Our economy depends mostly on the Iranians," confirms Hussein, a 60-year-old trader who opened his shop more than thirty years ago.
He does not hesitate to say that the massive arrival of pilgrims has changed the city. As well as the arrival of Shiite leaders in the Government of Iraq. Dozens of hotels were opened, a large industry was built around visitors, and sacred sites were expanded and renovated. The splendor is particularly evident at Arbain, the annual ceremony commemorating the forty days since Imam Hussein's death. At this time, millions of people from different parts of the world, mostly Iran, arrived in Iraq.
This large Iranian presence, while welcome from an economic point of view, is not entirely well seen in Najaf or Karbala, where some say the Iranians are seeking to take over these two cities, but also the rest of the country . It is not a lie to anyone that, if there is any actor that ended up benefiting from the invasion, it is Iran, ironically Washington's biggest enemy in the region. "It is clear that there are many in Iraq who follow Iran's alignments, but in cities such as Najaf or Karbala many are suspicious of this influence," says Ali, a trader who asks not to give more details about the his life
For many it is particularly important to try to protect the independence of the "Hawsa" of Najaf, or the Shia school in the city. "Our Ayatollah is Ali Sistani - the highest religious authority in Iraq - and we do not believe in wilaiat al-faqih", continues Ali, referring to the school that the late Ayatollah Khomeini imposed in that the religious leader has under his charge the control of the State while the mahdi, the twelfth imam, reappears.
Originally from Baghdad, Fatima is old enough to remember what life was like before Saddam Hussein. "When I was little, many pilgrims came. Many times we slept in the street and around the mausoleum, but then Saddam came and everything changed", explains this woman covered in the chador that is required of women who visit these holy places. She is sitting on the floor with her daughter and two of her grandchildren, having just finished their iftar dinner, which breaks the fast.
For her, as for many, it is a tradition to come here to perform this ceremony during Ramadan. The courtyards inside the temple, where dozens of rugs are spread for the faithful to pray, are full of groups. "During Saddam's time we had to come almost secretly. There were guards outside the city. We said a quick prayer and left," he explains.
But the departure of the former dictator and the arrival of the Americans opened a Pandora's box of violence, which has plagued the country for years, including Najaf and Karbala. "Groups such as Al-Qaida kidnapped and attacked groups of pilgrims to prevent visitors from arriving, but the effect was the opposite. Many people wanted to come, many wanted to be martyrs and die next to Imam Hussein", explains Saied Rashid Zmiezm, the historian of Karbala.
Security is back on the streets today. "It is very important that after so many things we can visit the mausoleum at any time, it is a very special place", concludes Fátima before entering the temple to pray.
