Location of his Grave
The question about the location of Hazrat Ali’s (ra) grave is often asked. Differing narrations are found in the books of history which are as follows:
Hazrat Ali (ra) was buried in Kufa and the location was kept secret.
It is also said that Hazrat Ali (ra) was buried in the central mosque in Kufa.
Another narrations states that Hazrat Imam Hasan (ra) and Imam Husain (ra) took the body of Hazrat Ali (ra) to Medina and buried him in Janat al-Baqi, next to Hazrat Fatimah (ra).
According to another narration, when they [i.e. Imam Hasan (ra) and Imam Husain (ra)] placed Hazrat Ali’s (ra) body in a casket and loaded it onto a camel, the camel went missing. The camel was captured by the Tayy tribe and they thought that the casket contained some wealth. However, when they opened it, they found a body but were unable to identify it. They then buried the casket with the body inside and nobody knows where Hazrat Ali’s (ra) grave is now.
Then in another narration, it is stated that Hazrat Hasan (ra) buried Hazrat Ali (ra) in Kufa, in the quarters belonging to one of the family members of Jadah bin Hubaidah. It is said that Jadah was Hazrat Ali’s (ra) nephew.
Imam Ja‘far Sadiq narrates, “Hazrat Ali’s (ra) funeral prayer was offered in the night and he was buried in Kufa. The location of his grave was undisclosed, but it was near to the Qasr Imarat.”
In another narration it is mentioned that after the demise of Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Imam Hasan (ra) led Hazrat Ali’s (ra) funeral prayer and he was buried outside of Kufa. His grave was undisclosed lest the Khawarij etc. dishonoured it.
Some Shias say that Hazrat Ali’s (ra) grave is located in Najaf at a place which is known today as Mashad al-Najaf.
According to another narration, Hazrat Ali (ra) was martyred in Kufa, but the whereabouts of his grave are unknown. After the demise of Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Imam Hasan (ra) led the funeral prayer and he was buried in the Dar al-Imarat of Kufa, fearing that the Khawarij would dishonour his body.
Allama Ibn Athir writes:
“There is a famous narration; which states that whosoever claimed that Hazrat Ali’s (ra) body was loaded on an animal and the animal went missing and that nobody knows where it went, this narration is incorrect. The one who stated such a thing was careless and has no knowledge of the true events, nor can rationale or the Shariah agree with this narration. The majority of the ignorant Rafawid hold the belief that Hazrat Ali’s (ra) grave is located in Mashad al-Najaf. There is no proof or evidence to support this. On the contrary, it is believed that this is the grave of Hazrat Mughirah bin Shu‘bah (ra).”
(Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, Vol. 4, Ch. 7 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2001], pp. 316-317) (Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1987], p. 477)
Imam Ibn Taimiyya writes:
“Scholars are in agreement that the grave at Mashad in Najaf is not of Hazrat Ali’s (ra). In fact, that is the grave of Hazrat Mughirah (ra) bin Shu‘bah. Despite being in government in Kufa and more than 300 years passing, the Ahl-e-Bait [family of the Holy Prophet (sa)], Shias and other Muslims never claimed that this was the grave of Hazrat Ali (ra). 300 years after the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali (ra), that site became known as Mashad-e-Ali. Thus, the narrations which state that this is the grave of Hazrat Ali (ra) are completely incorrect.”
(Encyclopaedia Sirat Al-Sahaba Al-Kiram, Vol. 1, [Dar al-Salam, Riyadh, 1438 AH] p. 436)
After stating the different narrations that have been mentioned above regarding the tomb of Hazrat Ali (ra), Allama Ibn Jawzi writes in his book of history:
وَاللّٰهُ اَعْلَمُ اَيُّ الْاَقْوَالِ اَصَحُّ “Allah knows best which narration is most correct and authentic.”
(Al-Muntazam Fi Tarikh Al-Ummam Wa Al-Maluk, Vol. 5, [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2012] p. 178)