Kufa

Kufa, also written al-Kūfah, is a historic city in central Iraq, located on the left bank of the Euphrates within the Najaf Governorate. It lies near the city of Najaf and is one of the oldest urban centers in the region.

The city was established in the 7th century as a garrison town for the early Muslim conquests. It quickly became an important political and cultural center, and during the caliphate it served as a base for rulers such as Ali. Kufa played a major role in the development of Islamic jurisprudence, hadith transmission, and religious scholarship, giving rise to the Kufan school of thought that influenced both Sunni and Shiite traditions.

Among its enduring landmarks is the Great Mosque of Kufa, one of the oldest mosques in the world, reflecting the city’s long religious heritage. The city also contributed to intellectual life through scholars and debates that shaped early Islamic theology.

Over the centuries, Kufa's political prominence declined as the Abbasid capital moved and urban power shifted elsewhere. In modern Iraq, it remains a populated urban center in the Najaf Governorate, with a predominantly Shia Muslim population. Its economy combines agriculture along the Euphrates with trade and services, and it is connected by roads to larger cities. The city has endured damage and reconstruction associated with regional conflicts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.