Basra - Iraq War and occupation

Basra (also spelled Başrah or Basara; historically sometimes written Busra, Busrah, and the early form Bassorah; Arabic: البصرة, Al-Basrah) is the third largest city of Iraq with an estimated population of c. 1,377,000 (2003). It is the country's main port. Basra is the capital of the Basra province. The city is located along the Shatt al-Arab (Arvandrood) waterway near the Persian Gulf. Basra is 55 km from the Persian Gulf and 545 km fr ...

Including:

• Basra - Early history
• Basra - Basra in Islamic theology and scholarship
• Basra - Early literary mentions of Basra
• Basra - Second World War
• Basra - 1945-1990: peacetime and the Iran-Iraq War
• Basra - Persian Gulf War
• Basra - Iraq War and occupation
• Basra - Post-war Basra
• Basra - UK fighting against Iraqi police
• Basra - Bibliography

Read more here: » Basra: Encyclopedia - Basra

An earlier settlement in the immediate vicinity was known by the Syriac name Perat d'Maishan. The present city was founded in 636 as an encampment and garrison for the Arab tribesmen constituting the armies of amir `Umar ibn al-Khattab, a few miles south of the present city, where a tell still marks its site. While defeating the Sassanid forces there, the muslim commander Utba ibn Ghazwan first set up camp there on the site of an old Persian settlement called Vaheštābād Ardašīr, which was destroyed by the invading Arabs. (according to < ...

See also:

Basra, Basra - Early history, Basra - Basra in Islamic theology and scholarship, Basra - Early literary mentions of Basra, Basra - Second World War, Basra - 1945-1990: peacetime and the Iran-Iraq War, Basra - Persian Gulf War, Basra - Iraq War and occupation, Basra - Post-war Basra, Basra - UK fighting against Iraqi police, Basra - Bibliography

Read more here: » Basra: Encyclopedia II - Basra - Early history

By the first half of 2005, Basra had become noted as a focal point for confrontations between secular Iraqi culture and Shi'ite Islam supporters [1]. In March 2005, a group of students were beaten to death for playing music, and for engaging in unconstrained interaction between males and females. Militia members armed with rifles killed at least two, shot several, and beat one young woman severely enough so that she lost her sight. Senior al-Sadr supporters praised the militia's actions [2]. The playing of music and music stores are frequently a target from Shi'ite groups who hold that music is against the teaching of Islam. Se ...

See also:

Basra, Basra - Early history, Basra - Basra in Islamic theology and scholarship, Basra - Early literary mentions of Basra, Basra - Second World War, Basra - 1945-1990: peacetime and the Iran-Iraq War, Basra - Persian Gulf War, Basra - Iraq War and occupation, Basra - Post-war Basra, Basra - UK fighting against Iraqi police, Basra - Bibliography

Read more here: » Basra: Encyclopedia II - Basra - Post-war Basra

The University of Al Basrah was founded in 1964. By 1977 the population had risen to a peak population of some 1.5 million. The population declined during the Iran-Iraq War, being under 900,000 in the late 1980s, possibly reaching a low point of just over 400,000 during the worst of the war. The city was repeatedly shelled by Iran and was the site of many fierce battles, but never fell. ...

See also:

Basra, Basra - Early history, Basra - Basra in Islamic theology and scholarship, Basra - Early literary mentions of Basra, Basra - Second World War, Basra - 1945-1990: peacetime and the Iran-Iraq War, Basra - Persian Gulf War, Basra - Iraq War and occupation, Basra - Post-war Basra, Basra - UK fighting against Iraqi police, Basra - Bibliography

Read more here: » Basra: Encyclopedia II - Basra - 1945-1990: peacetime and the Iran-Iraq War

Shirazi's "Tabaqat", which Wael Hallaq labels "an important early biographical work dedicated to jurists", covered 84 "towering figures" of Islamic jurisprudence; to which Basra provided 17. It was therefore a center surpassed only by Medina (22) and Kufa (20). Among the Companions who settled in Basra were Abu Musa and `Anas ibn Malik. Among its jurists, Hallaq singles out Muhammad ibn Sirin, Abu `Abd Allah Muslim ibn Yasar, and Abu Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani. Qatada ibn Di`ama (680-736) attained respect as a traditionist and Qur'anic interpreter. ...

See also:

Basra, Basra - Early history, Basra - Basra in Islamic theology and scholarship, Basra - Early literary mentions of Basra, Basra - Second World War, Basra - 1945-1990: peacetime and the Iran-Iraq War, Basra - Persian Gulf War, Basra - Iraq War and occupation, Basra - Post-war Basra, Basra - UK fighting against Iraqi police, Basra - Bibliography

Read more here: » Basra: Encyclopedia II - Basra - Basra in Islamic theology and scholarship