Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim
Encyclopedia
Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim is a deceased Iraqi detainee, (Arabic
: ضياء كاظم عبد الزهرة; c. 1970 - January 29, 2007), also known as al-Ali bin Ali bin Abi Talib (Arabic: العلي بن علي بن أبي طالب), claimed to be from Hilla, Iraq
, was the leader of an armed extremist Shiite Islam cult
named Jund al-Samaa ("Soldiers of Heaven
" in Arabic, a well-armed Shia cult regarding the religious leadership in Najaf
as illegitimate) based in Iraq
. He claimed to be the Hidden Imam and Mahdi
.
He was detained twice in recent years. He was also known to have connections to the former regime of Saddam Hussein
since 1993.
After Saddam Hussein
was toppled in the U.S.
-led 2003 invasion of Iraq
, Abdul-Zahra's group appeared to be a legitimate political movement. Soon Abdul-Zahra, who was in his mid-30s, began telling followers that he was the reincarnation
of the Ali ibn Abu Talib, the first Shia Imam as well as the last of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. His followers were said to include Sunnis and Shiites, Iraqis and foreigners, men and women.
during the Day of Ashura
holiday. Plans called for members of the Jund al-Samaa to disguise themselves as pilgrim
s and suddenly open fire, in attempts to assassinate as many leading Shiite clerics as possible and cause overall disruption of the holiday. Beforehand, however, Zahra Kadim had already dispatched three gunmen to a hotel where senior Shiite spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
's office was located, with plans to attack the office and consequentially assassinate the leader.
with United States
, British
, and New Iraqi army forces in Najaf on January 29, 2007. He was found wearing jeans, a coat, and a hat, in addition to being armed with two pistols. He was thirty-seven years old.
The footage appeared to show the body of Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim, wrapped in a blanket. His face, with a neatly trimmed beard, matched a photo in a pamphlet found at the site entitled "Holy Coming", which identified him as the Mahdi.
Apparently, he had been claiming he was the Mahdi
, in efforts to hide his real identity and recruit new members to the cult.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: ضياء كاظم عبد الزهرة; c. 1970 - January 29, 2007), also known as al-Ali bin Ali bin Abi Talib (Arabic: العلي بن علي بن أبي طالب), claimed to be from Hilla, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, was the leader of an armed extremist Shiite Islam cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
named Jund al-Samaa ("Soldiers of Heaven
Soldiers of Heaven
The Soldiers of Heaven or Jund As-Samaa , is an armed Iraqi Shi'a messianic sect led by Dia Abdulzahra, who reportedly died in fighting in Basra, Iraq on 18 January 2008....
" in Arabic, a well-armed Shia cult regarding the religious leadership in Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
as illegitimate) based in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He claimed to be the Hidden Imam and Mahdi
Mahdi
In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on Earth for seven, nine or nineteen years- before the Day of Judgment and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny.In Shia Islam, the belief in the Mahdi is a "central religious...
.
He was detained twice in recent years. He was also known to have connections to the former regime of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
since 1993.
After Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
was toppled in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-led 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, Abdul-Zahra's group appeared to be a legitimate political movement. Soon Abdul-Zahra, who was in his mid-30s, began telling followers that he was the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of the Ali ibn Abu Talib, the first Shia Imam as well as the last of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. His followers were said to include Sunnis and Shiites, Iraqis and foreigners, men and women.
2007 Ashura attacks
Zahra Kadim was credited with planning a massive attack in NajafNajaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
during the Day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
holiday. Plans called for members of the Jund al-Samaa to disguise themselves as pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s and suddenly open fire, in attempts to assassinate as many leading Shiite clerics as possible and cause overall disruption of the holiday. Beforehand, however, Zahra Kadim had already dispatched three gunmen to a hotel where senior Shiite spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani is the highest-ranking Twelver Shia marja in Iraq and the leader of the Hawza of Najaf.-Early life:Sistani was born in Mashhad, Iran, to a family of religious scholars who traced their roots to Isfahan...
's office was located, with plans to attack the office and consequentially assassinate the leader.
Death
Zahra Kadim was killed during a fierce gun battleBattle of Najaf (2007)
The Battle of Najaf took place on 28 January 2007 at Zarqa near Najaf, Iraq, betweenIraqi Security Forces The Battle of Najaf took place on 28 January 2007 at Zarqa (alt. Zarga) near Najaf, Iraq, betweenIraqi Security Forces The Battle of Najaf took place on 28 January 2007 at Zarqa (alt. Zarga)...
with United States
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, British
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and New Iraqi army forces in Najaf on January 29, 2007. He was found wearing jeans, a coat, and a hat, in addition to being armed with two pistols. He was thirty-seven years old.
The footage appeared to show the body of Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim, wrapped in a blanket. His face, with a neatly trimmed beard, matched a photo in a pamphlet found at the site entitled "Holy Coming", which identified him as the Mahdi.
Apparently, he had been claiming he was the Mahdi
Mahdi
In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on Earth for seven, nine or nineteen years- before the Day of Judgment and, alongside Jesus, will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny.In Shia Islam, the belief in the Mahdi is a "central religious...
, in efforts to hide his real identity and recruit new members to the cult.