Expansion Project of the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (AS): The Courtyard and Prayer Hall of Hazrat Fatima (SA)

The expansion project of the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), named the Blessed Courtyard and Prayer Hall of Hazrat Fatima (peace be upon her), is being constructed on a plot of land measuring 400 meters in length and 150 meters in width, with a total built-up area of 220,000 square meters. It is located on the western side of the shrine.

You can view the complete design and layout of the blessed courtyard of Hazrat Fatima (SA) in the image below.

[Image: Design of the Courtyard of Hazrat Fatima (SA)]

In the image above, the initial location and placement of the shrine are indicated, marking the project’s commencement. The preliminary phase involved purchasing the surrounding land, including adjacent hotels and shops.

This courtyard stretches from the sanctuary (Maqam) of Imam Sajjad (AS) at its beginning to the current courtyard of the shrine at its end.

The complex is divided into two main sections: devotional and non-devotional, as detailed below.

A) Devotional Section:

The devotional section is built on a 29,000 square meter land area. It features 4 main floors and three mezzanine levels. With a built-up area of 85,000 square meters, it has a capacity to accommodate up to 100,000 visitors per hour. This section includes:

• Three levels of prayer halls (Shabestan) and an open courtyard.

• A seminary (Madrasa).

• A medical center.

• Utility plants.

• Storage rooms.

• A portion of the restroom facilities.

• Service areas.

The interior decoration of this prayer hall is notable for its stonework on over 1,200 columns—each floor’s hall is clad with a distinct type of stone—and features more than 800 internal domes.

B) Non-Devotional Section:

The non-devotional section includes:

• A museum.

• A library.

• Ablution (Wudu) and purification (Taharat) facilities.

• Administrative buildings.

• A guesthouse and restaurant.

• A dedicated parking garage.

Administrative and Information Building:
Constructed on a 4,400 square meter plot with a 15,000 square meter built-up area, it houses administrative offices, technical and engineering departments, a conference hall, and service sections.

Library:
Built on a 3,100 square meter plot with a 2,000 square meter built-up area, this 6-story library has a capacity for over 250,000 books.

Shrine Guesthouse and Restaurant:
Located on a 4,400 square meter plot with a 14,500 square meter built-up area, it has the capacity to prepare and cook 10,000 meals per serving.

Ablution (Wudu) and Purification (Taharat) Facilities:
Built on a 15,000 square meter area, it contains 900 bathroom units. Combined with the facilities around the existing courtyard, it is equipped to serve over 140,000 pilgrims at peak times.

Dedicated Parking Garage:
Constructed on a 10,000 square meter area.

Museum:
Built on a 3,100 square meter plot with an 18,000 square meter built-up area across 6 floors.

This project commenced with the acquisition of surrounding administrative and private properties, securing a significant area of land. The subsequent demolition and leveling for this massive project were enormous undertakings.

The images below show a glimpse of this demolition phase.

[Images: Demolition Phase]

Due to the soil conditions in Najaf and the specific engineering requirements of the Hazrat Fatima (SA) courtyard, the project management was required to undertake piling around the site, as shown in the image below.

[Image: Piling Work]

Following the completion of piling, excavation and site preparation for construction began. Excavation on this scale was an extremely arduous and challenging task, demanding continuous, day-and-night, and persistent effort. The images below show the excavation phase for the lovers of Aba Abdillah (Imam Hussain AS).

[Images: Excavation Phase]

Given the scale of the excavation, foundation work (footing) and the sub-structure for the concrete framework were carried out simultaneously.
Concrete pouring and progressing the project according to the strict timeline required immense effort and extremely precise management.

[Images: Foundation and Concrete Work]

One of the major and extensive engineering aspects of this grand project is its utility systems. To get a glimpse of its scale, one need only look at the underground service channels.

[Image: Underground Utility Channels]

Finally, after all these efforts, hardships, and continuous perseverance for the pilgrims and residents near the sanctuary of the Commander of the Faithful, a courtyard named after his noble wife—the daughter of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the consort of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), the mother of Hasan and Hussain (AS), and the unparalleled lady of the world, Hazrat Fatima (SA)—has been built.

We present to you images from inside this magnificent courtyard.

[Images: Interior of the New Courtyard]

The images below show exterior views of the blessed courtyard.

[Images: Exterior of the New Courtyard]