Iraqi National Guards Us Raid Mosque

Juan Cole 11/20/2004

Iraqi National Guards, US, Raid Mosque of Abu Hanifa, Kill 2

Iraqi security forces backed up by US troops raided the famed mosque of Abu Hanifa on Friday and arrested its prayer leader, Shaikh Muayyad Adhami. They set off stun grenades and appear to have killed two of the worshippers. Abu Hanifa founded the Hanafi school of Islamic law, one of 4 major Sunni schools, which is particularly popular in Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Central Asia.

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page