The Cultural Factor of the Holy City of Najaf

Ruqayyah Ahmed Juma
Under the supervision of Lect. Dr. Shaimaa Ne’mah Muhammad

Iraq began to rise intellectually at the beginning of the twentieth century, as its people became aware of and learned about the literary and scientific renaissance that some Arab countries had preceded them to. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the city of Najaf witnessed major social changes also resulting from the changes that occurred in the region, such as the growth of the Arab nationalist movement and the rise of constitutional movements in both the Ottoman Empire and Iran. The newspapers that arrived in Najaf reported these events and changes, so the people of Najaf learned about the events surrounding them. The class of scholars and writers in Najaf was the upper and influential class at that time. This class was ahead of all classes, even the merchants and the wealthy. The foundations of class division in Najaf were based on the factors of culture and thought. The wealthy class of merchants were only placed in the back rows of the division after the scholars, writers and poets came before them, which clearly indicates the status of knowledge and scholars in Najaf.