Al-Askari mosque facts for kids
The Al-`Askarī Mosque (also called the `Askariyya Shrine) is a very important holy place for Shī`a Muslims. It is located in the city of Samarra in Iraq. Samarra is about 60 miles away from Baghdad. This mosque is one of the most important Shīite mosques in the world. It was first built in 944. Sadly, its beautiful golden dome was destroyed in February 2006 during an attack.
Inside this shrine are the tombs of two very important leaders in Shī`a Islam: the tenth Imām, `Alī l-Hādī, and his son, the eleventh Imām, Hassan al-`Askarī. They are often called "the two `Askarīs." The shrine is also very close to a special place for the Twelfth Imām, Muħammad al-Mahdī, who is known as the "Hidden Imām." People also call this shrine "the Tomb of the Two Imāms."
Other important people buried inside the mosque include Hakimah Khatun, who was the sister of `Alī l-Hādī, and Narjis Khatun, who was the mother of Muħammad al-Mahdi. The mosque is so important that Time magazine once said it was one of the holiest sites for Shī`a Islam, second only to the shrines in Najaf and Karbala. Even people from other groups in Samarra respected it greatly.
History of the Al-Askari Mosque
The Imāms `Alī l-Hādī and Hassan al-`Askarī lived in Samarra. They were kept under a kind of house arrest in a military camp area. Because of this, they became known as the `Askariyyān, which means "Dwellers in the Camp." They passed away and were buried in their house. This house was near a mosque that had been built by a ruler named Mu'tasim. Some stories say they died from poison.
A special shrine was built around their tombs in 944. It was built by a governor named Nasīr ad-Dawla. This shrine quickly became a very popular place for pilgrims to visit. Over many centuries, the shrine was improved and rebuilt several times. Important rebuildings happened around 1053 by Arslan al-Basasiri and in 1209 by Caliph an-Nasīr li-Dīn Allāh.
The most recent major changes to the shrine happened in 1868. This was done by Nasir ad-Din Shah Qajar. The famous golden dome was added in 1905. This dome was covered with 72,000 pieces of gold. It was also surrounded by walls made of light blue tiles. The dome was a very noticeable part of the Samarra skyline. It was about 20 meters wide and 68 meters tall.
Attacks on the Mosque
2006 Attack
On February 22, 2006, at about 6:55 a.m., there were explosions at the mosque. These explosions completely destroyed its golden dome. The rest of the mosque was also badly damaged. Before the blasts, several men had entered the mosque. They tied up the guards and then set off explosives. It is believed that five to seven men, dressed like military personnel, caused the explosions.
2007 Attack
About a year later, on June 13, 2007, another attack happened. Around 9 a.m., suspected attackers destroyed the two tall golden minarets. These minarets were 36 meters high and stood next to the damaged dome. Luckily, no one was reported to have died in this attack. Iraqi police said they heard "two nearly simultaneous explosions" from inside the mosque area. Some reports also suggested that two mortar rounds were fired at the minarets.
