The significant increase in the number of scholars on the scientific scene in Karbala was the impetus to establish more religious institutes and seminaries to meet the demands of apprentices in the holy city, and to make room for them to present their scientific and intellectual products.
The Two Holy Shrines could not accommodate the increasing number of scholars and thinkers in Karbala at the time, and the arrivals coming from other provinces, as well as those of foreign nationalities, such as Persians, Afghans, Indians, Kurds, Turks, and many others.
Hence, some schools were named after the countries of their founders, so they significantly expanded, flourished, and became scientific, civilizational and cultural landmarks of the city of which Karbala is entitled to be proud of.
Those landmarks were described by German traveler "Niebuhr" upon his visit to the holy shrine of Imam Hussein and the religious schools surround it, as "The complex of this great mosque is located on a large area surrounded by the houses of scholars and clerics on its four sides."
We will review the most important of these schools during the history of Karbala, which was at one time, filled with students and brilliant youth who were keen to attend scientific lessons to benefit from religious, literary, philosophical and intellectual topics that were presented in those lessons.
Among the most prominent religious schools that were operational and practiced their activities effectively in Karbala, are:
1. Al-Adhdiyah Al-Ula School: which was founded on 369 Hijri, 980 AD.
2. Al-Adhdiyah Al-Thaniya School: which was founded on 371 Hijri, 982 AD.
3. Sardar Hasan Khan School: built in 1180 Hijri, 1767 AD by Sardar Khan Al-Qazwini.
4. Al-Sayyid Al-Mujahid School: This school was established in the name of the jurist Sayyid Muhammad al-Mujahid in 1242 Hijri, 1826 AD.
5. Al-Sadr Al-Aadham Al-Nouri School: This school was established by the great religious clerk Sheikh Abdul-Hussein Al-Tahrani, who died in 1286 Hijri, 1869 AD.
And there are many other schools that practiced their scientific activities in Karbala, such Al-Ziniya School, the Great Hindiya School, Badukuba School, Mirza Karim al-Shirazi School, Al-Baqaa School, Selimiye School, Mahdia School, the Minor Hindiya School, Ibn Fahd Al-Hilli School, and the Sherif Al-Ulama School.
Source:
Mawsueat Karbala Al-Hadharia, publication of Karbala Center for Studies and Research.
[Vol. 4, p. 54-55].
