Najaf is the capital city of the Najaf Governorate located in central Iraq. It is situated approximately 160 km (99 mi) south of Baghdad and has an estimated population of about 1.41 million people as of 2024.
The city is home to the Imam Ali Shrine, which serves as the burial place of Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law. As the first Shia Imam and the fourth Sunni Rashidun caliph, his remains are housed in a site considered by Shia Muslims to be the holiest location in Islam following Mecca, Medina, and Al-Aqsa.