Demons like Nimrood to Ummadyads, Abbasids and others have gone into oblivion but the progeny of Abraham is blossoming and holding flag of his religion aloft from Karbala, Najaf to all over the world, writes M Hasan
Hillah (Iraq): The glorious existence of a tomb of the Prophet Abraham over top of a Hill, nearly 13 km from prehistoric town of Hillah in Iraq, is testimony to the triumph of good over evil as down to the hill lies the ruins of Demon King Nimrood who tried to burn the prophet Abraham to death. The area is historically known Kish.
No doubt Demons like Nimrood to Ummadyads, Abbasids and others have gone into oblivion but the progeny of Abraham is blossoming and holding flag of his religion aloft from Karbala, Najaf to all over the world. Hillah also has the tomb of Zaid, who was son of fourth Shia Imam Zainul Abedin.
Meandering through dusty and deserted roads on February 5, 2025 it was nearly one-hour drive from Najaf to Hillah in central Iraq to reach Hilltop where the tomb of Prophet Abraham stood tall and amid vast barren desert down the hill lies the haunted ruined palace known as “Nimrood tower” (see pic). The people generally avoid going there and prefer to watch from the tomb of Abraham.
Kish is located 13 km Hillah and six km east of the ancient city of Babylon. The large deserted site comprises several dozen ruin mounds, the largest being Tell Uhaimir (ancient Kish- Nimrood Tower) and Tell Ingharra (ancient Hursagkalama). Both mounds feature the remains of a ziggurat, or temple tower, and associated temple complexes. Though Nimrood had claimed himself to be “God” the god Zababa was worshipped in Kish itself, and the goddess Inana or Ishtar in Hursagkalama. The site was first occupied in at least the fourth millennium BC, and the latest archaeological remains found there date to the late Abbasid period.
Located just five km north of the city of Hillah, Babylon was a marveled city of the ancient world, especially under the rule of king Nebuchadnezzar (605–562 BC). It was the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and its walls and hanging gardens were considered one of the seven wonders of the world.
Hillah is located adjacent to the ancient city of Babylon, and close to the ancient cities of Borsippa and Kish. It was once a major centre of Islamic scholarship and education. The tomb of the Abrahamic prophet Ezekiel is also reputed to be located in a nearby village, Al Kifl, which has one of the world’s oldest mosques. It was religious place of Jews which was later converted into a mosque after the villagers accepted Islam. It is learnt that Imam Ali had laid foundation stone of this mosque which has tilted minaret. It is an archeological marvel. Al Kifl had also become a major administrative centre during the rule of the Ottoman and British Empires.
Ottomans had established modern schools, including the school Al-Rashidiya where material was taught in Turkish. The first elementary school in Hillah was Madrasat Al-Sharqia, which was founded in 1918 with one class and twenty students. It was located on the top floor of the Grand Mosque and the first director of it was Abdul Mahdi al-Hilali. Later the school moved to a building on the Shatt al-Hilla with four classes, but this school was not stable because the majority of students left these schools to study at the seminary. The first secondary school in Hillah, established in 1927, was Al-Hillah Secondary School. Another school was Moderiat Alm’arif, founded in year 1931.
Hillah is the capital of Babylon Province and is situated in a predominantly agricultural region which is extensively irrigated with water provided by the Hillah canal, producing a wide range of crops, fruit and textiles. Its name may be derived from the word “beauty” in Arabic. The river Euphrates runs in the middle of the town, and it is surrounded by date palm trees and other forms of arid vegetation, reducing the harmful effects of dust and desert wind.
Pics: 1: ruins of Nimrood Tower, 2: Tomb of Prophet Abraham, 3: Al Kifl mosque, 4: Old structure of Al Kifl Mosque, 5: Jews of Al Kifl
(M Hasan is former Chief of Bureau Hindustan Times, Lucknow)
