n the square of el Meidan, in the
neighbourhood of the _serai_, is also a noble building.

The other mosques do not merit any particular attention, and in general it
may be said that Bagdad architecture is neither distinctive nor imposing.
Such attractions as the buildings possess are due rather to the richly
coloured tiles with which many of them are adorned, or to inscriptions,
like the Kufic inscription, dated A.D. 944, on the ruined _tekke_ of the
Bektash dervishes in western Bagdad. More important than the mosques [v.03
p.0196] proper are the tomb mosques. Of these, the most important and most
imposing is that of Kazemain, in the northern suburb of the western city.
Here are buried the seventh and ninth of the successors of Ali, recognized
by Shi'as, namely Musa Ibn Ja'far el-Kazim, and his grandson, Mahommed Ibn
Ali el-Jawad. In its present form this mosque dates from the 19th century.
The two great domes above the tombs, the four lofty minarets and part of
the facade of this shrine, are overlaid with gold, and from whatever
direction the traveler approaches Bagdad, its glittering domes and minarets
are the first objects which meet his eye. It is one of the four great
shrines of the Shi'ite Moslems in the vilayet of Bagdad. Christians are not
allowed to enter its precincts, and the population of the Kazemain quarter
is so fanatical that it is difficult and even dangerous to approach it.

In the suburb of Muazzam, on the western side of the river, is the tomb of
Ab[=u] [H.]anifa (_q.v._), the canon lawyer. There is a large mosque with a
painted dome connected with this tomb, which is an object of veneration to
the Sunni Moslems, but it seems cheap and unworthy in comparison with the
magnificent shrine of Kazemain. On the same side of the river, lower down,
is the shrine of Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (of Jilan), founder of the
Q[=a]dirite (Kadaria) sect of dervishes, also a noted place of pilgrimage.
The original tomb was erected about A.D. 1253, but the present fine dome
above the grave is later by at least two or three centuries. The possessor
or controller of this wealthy mosque is the _nakib_, locally pronounced
_najeeb_, or marshal of the nobles, whose office is to determine who are
Se'ids, _i.e._ entitled to wear the green turban. He is second only to the
governor or vali pasha in power, and indeed his influence is often greater
than that of the official ruler of the vilayet. Just outside of the wall of
the western