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Transcript: Interview: Shaul Bakhash discusses the significance of the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf, Iraq
- Article from:
- NPR All Things Considered
- Article date:
- May 14, 2004
- Author:
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MICHELE NORRIS
All Things Considered (NPR)
05-14-2004
Interview: Shaul Bakhash discusses the significance of the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf, Iraq
Host: MICHELE NORRIS
Time: 8:00-9:00 PM
MICHELE NORRIS, host:
To better understand the significance of Najaf to Iraq's Shiite Muslims, we turn to Shaul Bakhash. He's a professor of Middle East history at George Mason University, and he's author of "The Reign of the Ayatollahs: Iran and the Islamic Revolution."
Professor, why is Najaf considered so sacred?
Professor SHAUL BAKHASH (George Mason University): Well, it is the burial site of the Imam Ali, who, for Shiite Muslims, is regarded as the rightful leader of the Islamic community. And the ...