Al-Rusafa, Iraq

This article is about places in Iraq. For the historic site in Syria also known as Sergiopolis, see Resafa.

Neighbourhood in Baghdad, Iraq

-Rusafah

ٱلرُّصَافَة
ٱلرَّصَافَة

Al-Rasafah

Neighbourhood

-Rusafah

Rusafah's location inside Iraq

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-Rusafah

-Rusafah (Iraq)

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-Rusafah

-Rusafah (Middle East)

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-Rusafah

-Rusafah (Asia)

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Coordinates: 33°19′54″N 44°24′55″E﻿ / ﻿33.33167°N 44.41528°E﻿ / 33.33167; 44.41528
Country|  Iraq
Governorate| Baghdad
Time zone| UTC+3 (AST)

Rusafa or Al-Rasafa (Arabic: ٱلرُّصَافَة \ رَّصَافَة, romanized: Ruṣāfah / Ar-Raṣāfah) is one of the nine administrative districts in Baghdad, Iraq, on the eastern side of the River Tigris (on the west side of which is Al-Karkh). It is one of the old quarters of Baghdad, situated in the heart of the city, The Rasafa side is one of the main parts of the city of Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Along with Karkh, it forms the essential components of the city, with the Tigris River flowing between them. The Rasafa side is known for its numerous cultural and historical landmarks, including the Old City, the Republic Bridge, and various markets and residential areas. and is home to a number of public squares housing important monumental artworks.

## Description

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This district is an older area on the eastern side of Baghdad; its central commercial area, a centre of markets considered one of the four old central business districts of Baghdad (Karkh, Rusafa, Adhamiyah and Kadhimiya). It includes many urban features which have become landmarks including Firdos Square and Liberation Square, the biggest landmark in Baghdad and one of the most visited. It has also been home to a number of monumental artworks including the Monument to the Unknown Soldier (1959–2002) designed by local architect, Rifat Chadirji;[1] a statue of Saddam Hussein (2002–2003) by local sculptor Khalid Ezzat, which was replaced by Freedom by local sculptor Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri, all located in Firdos Square.[2] The Freedom Monument (Nasb al-Hurriyah), a work by architect Rifat Chadirji and sculptor Jawad Saleem is Baghdad's most iconic work, and is situated in Liberation Square.[3] The sculpture of Shahriyar and Scheherazade by sculptor Mohammed Ghani Hikmat, situated on the banks of the Tigris River near Abu Nuwas Street, is another example of Iraqi art featured in the area.[4] Neighbourhoods of Rusafa district include Bab Al-Moatham and Al-Sa'adoon.

### Mausoleum of Abdul-Qadir Gilani

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Main article: Mausoleum of Abdul-Qadir Gilani

The mausoleum in the 1960s

Another prominent shrine in this district is that of the Hanbali Sufi saint, Abdul Qadir Gilani, who founded the Qadiriyya order.[5][6] The complex consist of a mosque, mausoleum, and the library known as Qadiriyya Library, which contains various books for Islam.

### Mausoluem of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal

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Main article: Arif Agha Mosque, Iraq

The Arif Agha Mosque (Arabic: مسجد عارف آغا) contains the purported mausoleum (Arabic: ضريح الإمام أحمد بن حنبل) and grave of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, founder of the Hanbali school of thought. The present structure is a 1998 reconstruction of an earlier Ottoman-period structure.[7][8] It is visited by pilgrims worldwide, similar to the aforementioned mausoleum of Abdul Qadir al-Jilani. Since 2003, the site has been under the management of the Sunni Endowment Office of Iraq.[9][10]

### Meir Taweig Synagogue

[edit]

Main article: Meir Taweig Synagogue

Meir Taweig Synagogue, also known as Meir Taweig Abraham Synagogue is a large compound in Bataween, which consists of a synagogue, a Jewish school and a library. It is the only active synagogue in Baghdad, where remaining Jews manage.

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Mosques in Iraq

Baghdad|

* 17th of Ramadan
* Abdul-Qadir Gilani
* Abu Hanifa
* Adila Khatun
* Al-Adliya
* al-Ahmadiyya
* al-Asifyah
* Al-Kadhimiyya
* Al-Khilani
* Al-Khulafa
* Al-Muradiyya
* Al-Musta'sim Billah
* Al-Rahman (under construction)
* Al-Sarai
* Al-Shawy
* Al-Wazeer
* Arif Agha
* Buratha
* Grand
* Haydar-Khana
* Ibn Bunnieh
* Murjan
* Qamariya
* Shabandar
* Sheikh Ma'ruf
* Syed Sultan Ali
* Al-Suhrawardi
* Al-Nawbakhti
* Umm al-Tabul
* Umm al-Qura
* Uzbek
* Zumurrud

Basra|

* Al-Ajbal
* Al-Kawaz
* Al-Maqam
* Great
* Imam Ali
* Imam al-Hasan
* Al-Kadhim Grand
* 'Ubayd Allah (under construction)
* Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam

Fallujah|

* Abdul-Aziz al-Samarrai

Karbala|

* Al-‘Abbās
* Imām Husayn

Kufa-Najaf|

* Al-Hamra
* Al-Hannanah
* Great (Kufa)
* Imam Ali Shrine
* Al-Sahlah

Mosul|

* Al-Baher
* Al-Basha
* Al-Khidr
* Al-Mawsili
* Al-Nuri
* Grand (under construction)
* Hamu al-Qadu
* Prophet Jirjis
* Prophet Seth
* Al-Qasim

Samarra|

* Abu Dulaf
* Al-‘Askarī
* Imam Dur (under re-construction)

Other cities|

* Al-Nukhailah
* Anah
* Ezra's Tomb
* Great (Amadiyya)
* Great (Aqrah)
* Great (Sulaymaniyah)
* Imam Ali Al Sharqi
* Imam Qasim
* Sultan Saqi
* Jalil Khayat
* Khalidiyya Khanqah
* Al-Sham
* Prophet Daniel (Kirkuk)
* Salman al-Farsi
* Sayyida Zaynab (Sinjar)
* Shaykh Rajab

Former|

* Al-Sarraji (Basra)
* Great (Baghdad)
* Great (Samarra)
* Prophet Jonah (Mosul)
* Sayyid al-Mahmoud (Tal Afar)
* Sheikh Jawad Al-Sadiq (Tal Afar)
* Al-Arba'een (Tikirit)

* Category
* List
* Islam in Iraq
* Mosques by country

## See also

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* List of places in Iraq
* List of neighborhoods and districts in Baghdad

## References

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1. ^ Bernhardsson, M.T., "Visions of the Past: Modernizing the Past in 1950s Baghdad," in Sandy Isenstadt and Kishwar Rizvi, Modernism and the Middle East: Architecture and Politics in the Twentieth Century," University of Washington Press, 2008, p.92
2. ^ "New Statue Replaces Saddam", BBC News, 30 May 2003,Online:
3. ^ Al-Khalil, S. and Makiya, K., The Monument: Art, Vulgarity, and Responsibility in Iraq, University of California Press, 1991, p. 83
4. ^ Al-Khalil, S. and Makiya, K., The Monument: Art, Vulgarity, and Responsibility in Iraq, University of California Press, 1991, p. 74
5. ^ Alwan, Walid Abdulamir (May–June 2005). Al-Salami, Fadel Abbas (photographer) (ed.). "The Qadirya Mausoleum, Shrine of a famous sufi leader" (PDF). Islamic Tourism (17). Retrieved 2017-12-25.
6. ^ "Jilani Shrine the Sufi Heart of Baghdad". The Express Tribune. March 22, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
7. ^ فاخر, عادل. بعد أكثر من 1200 عام على وفاته.. كيف يبدو ضريح الإمام بن حنبل في بغداد؟. الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-12-20.
8. ^ ضريح الإمام أحمد بن حنبل. www.alayyam.info (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-12-20.
9. ^ الدليل السياحي للأضرحة والمراقد في العراق (in Arabic), Sunni Endowment Office, Department of General Sunni Shrines, p. 13
10. ^ من مراقد بغداد واضرحتها – ملاحق جريدة المدى اليومية. Al-Mada Supplements (in Arabic). 2012-12-02. Archived from the original on 2018-09-03.

## External links

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* Public Domain army.mil shots of "Clearing Rusafa"
* Washington Post Article

### Imam Ahmad Mosque

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* مسجد أحمد بن حنبل (in Arabic)
* Imam Ahmed Bin Hanbal | Makam of Imam Hanbal (YouTube)
* صلاة الجمعة من جامع احمد بن حنبل – بغداد
* مرقد إلامام احمد بن حمبل في #بغداد

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Districts and neighborhoods of Baghdad

Main districts|

* Adhamiyah
* Kadhimiya
* Karkh
* Karrada
* Mansour
* New Baghdad
* Al-Rashid
* Rusafa
* Sadr City
* Al-Za'franiya

Baghdad above

Neighborhoods|

* Hayy Al-A'amel
* Al-A'amiriya
* Abu Disher
* Al-Adel
* Al-Amin al-Thaniyah
* Arab Jibor
* Bab Al-Moatham
* Bab Al-Sharqi
* Bab al-Sheikh
* Baiyaa
* Dora
* Al-Fathel
* Ghazaliya
* Haifa Street
* Al-Hebnaa
* Al-Hurriya, Baghdad
* Al-Jadriya
* Haydar-Khana
* Hayy Al-Jami'a
* Jisr Diyala
* Al-Jihad
* Al Khadhraa
* Al-Maidan
* Mansour
* Raghiba Khatoun
* Al-Sa'adoon
* Saba Abkar
* Al-Saydiya
* Sha'ab
* Al-Shu'ala
* Hayy Al-Shurtta
* Al-Ubedy
* Hayy Ur
* Utafiyah
* Al-Washash
* Al-Wazireya
* Yarmouk
* Al-Za'franiya
* Zayouna
* Bataween

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