▁ ▁Ira q ▁is ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁holy ▁cities ▁of ▁Naj af ▁and ▁Kar b ala , ▁pil gr image ▁sites ▁for ▁millions ▁of ▁Sh ia ▁Muslim s . ▁Naj af ▁is ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁Ali ' s ▁tomb , ▁and ▁Kar b ala ▁is ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁tomb ▁of ▁Muhammad ' s ▁grand son , ▁third ▁Sh ia ▁Im am ▁Hus ay n ▁ibn ▁Ali . ▁Naj af ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁center ▁of ▁Sh ia ▁learning ▁and ▁sem in aries . ▁Two ▁other ▁holy ▁sites ▁for ▁Tw el ver ▁Sh ia ▁in ▁Ira q ▁are ▁the ▁Al - K ad h imi ya ▁Mos que ▁in ▁Bag hd ad , ▁which ▁contains ▁the ▁tomb s ▁of ▁the ▁sevent h ▁and ▁nin th ▁Sh ia ▁Im ams ▁( M ū s ā ▁al - K ā dh im ▁and ▁Muhammad ▁al - T a q ī ) ▁and ▁the ▁Al - A sk ari ▁Mos que ▁in ▁S ā m arr ā , ▁which ▁contains ▁the ▁tomb s ▁of ▁the ▁t enth ▁and ▁ele vent h ▁Sh ia ▁Im ams ▁( A li ▁al - H adi ▁and ▁Has an ▁al - ‘ A sk ar ī ). ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁sect arian ▁violence ▁between ▁Sh ias ▁and ▁S unn is ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁Saf av ids ▁After ▁being ▁named ▁cal i ph ▁in ▁ 6 5 7 , ▁Ali ▁established ▁his ▁capital ▁at ▁K uf a ▁in