The mosque –- which was partially destroyed -- carries the name of 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, the founder of the Qadiriya Sufi order, one of the most widespread Sufi schools in the Muslim world. Al-Jilani, who died in 1166 in Baghdad, is also buried inside the mosque.
Al-Mada accused “takfiris” (literally: people who excommunicate others) of being behind the attack, a hint towards extremist Sunni groups. Several strands of Salafism in Sunni Islam find Sufi beliefs and religious practices to be objectionable, and in some cases, heretical, and it would not be far-fetched to assume that zealous extremists may have been behind the attack –- especially groups inspired by the Wahhabi tradition, which is especially harsh vis-à-vis Sufism.
Sufi orders, which differ greatly in terms of teachings and rituals, prospered at different epochs in Islamic history, and millions of Muslims today affiliate themselves with Sufi schools (or Tariqa) from North Africa to the Far East. In Iraq, Naqshabandi and Qadiri orders have a significant following. Sufis in Iraq also play a political role and since the US invasion in 2003, several videos have been released by a Naqshabandi group depicting attacks against US forces.
Az-Zaman covered the same event, dubbing the bombing “(an attack) on the symbol of the unity of Iraqis.” The newspaper described the Qadiri shrine as a revered symbol for Iraqis “of all sects.” Interestingly, the paper added that “this form of attack” has become widespread as of late, “and differs from the suicide bombings for which al-Qa'ida is notorious.”
Az-Zaman also said that the Iraqi security did receive intelligence warning that an attack on the shrine was imminent, but no measures were deployed to protect the site.
After Iraq’s bitter experience with bombings in sacred sites -– most famously, the Samarra bombing in 2006 that flared a wave of sectarian killing -– has pushed many Iraqi politicians to denounce the attack and warn against rash reactions, including the president, Jalal Talabani, who expressed his commitment to rebuild the mosque and treat the wounded.
In other news, Sadrist leaders denied yesterday’s rumors claiming that a former Sadrist minister “defected” to the US and received asylum in the United States, after briefing the American Army on the “secrets” of the Sadr movement.
Salih al-'Aqili, a Sadrist depute, told Az-Zaman that the allegations regarding the defection of 'Ali al-Shammari (ex-minister of health) are “fabricated” and “spread to defame the Sadrist Current.”
Al-'Aqili also spoke to the newspaper about the directives given by Muqtada al-Sadr (who resumed his public appearances last Friday) to his top-ranking lieutenants during an important meeting in Najaf on Monday.
Al-'Aqili said that Muqtada focused on making the Sadrist Current more amenable and “open” to Iraqis from different sects, and stressed that the party should “open a new page” with “everyone” in Iraq, Muqtada allegedly called for “collaboration with the Sunnis,” the newspaper claimed. As al-'Aqili put it: “the Sadrist Current is trying to enter the Iraqi arena with a new appearance and a new style.”
