The Holy Shrines through Dwight Donaldson’s The Shi‘ite Religion: The Al-Kadhimayn Shrine as a Model

Abstract

The holy shrines are among the most significant religious and cultural landmarks for Muslims in general and for Shi‘ites in particular, especially in Iraq. This study examines the Al-Kadhimayn Shrine through the lens of Dwight Donaldson’s book The Shi‘ite Religion. The importance of this research lies in its focus on the history of this sacred site, which houses the graves of Imam Musa ibn Ja‘far al-Kadhim and his grandson Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad (peace be upon them), as recorded by Donaldson.

The study concentrates on several key aspects: defining the term “holy shrines” linguistically and technically; providing a brief biographical note on the orientalist Donaldson and an overview of his book; examining the legitimacy of visiting sacred sites; and, finally, addressing the major challenges faced by the Al-Kadhimayn Shrine throughout history.