Najaf at the Threshold of Rising

  Najaf was the first city which revolted against both Turks and the British. This coincidental revolt is unprecedented not only in Iraq but in the Middle East area after the first world war. In May 22,1915, Najaf raised to revolt against Ottoman Turks and expelled them in a way that they never came back to the city. And in 19 March, 1918, revolted against British and expelled them from Najaf.

    Most of the researchers believe that the Najaf uprising was the introduction of an expanding revolution of Iraq in 1920 and provided the serious motives for the thought of attaining freedom and independence which revealed and manifested in this period of time and resulted two years later. In this study it has been attempted to explain the roots and grounds of revolt and to asses the main reasons, the way it happened and its effects through studying the available resources in relation to this event.