Hira in History
الحيرة

Hira (Arabic Heerah) is a pre-Islamic Arabian mini state inhabited by the Mundhirites and their famous king al-Nu`man ibn al-Mundhir in southern Iraq. It was a center of learning and the legendary architect al-Khuwarnaq and the Palace of al-Sadir (al-Sadeer) is associated with Hira. Two legendary churches (Dayr Hind al-Kubra and Dayr Hind al-Sughra) are also connected with Hira and its Nestorian Christians population. Later on in the early Islamic period Hira was the backdrop for the first capital of Islam (Kufa) outside the Arabian Peninsula.

Hira was founded in the 2nd Century AD., on the western edge of present day Iraq, to the South East of present city Nejef. Its kings governed the western shore of the lower Euphrates and the Arabian Gulf, and their kingdom extended inland to the confines of the Nejd in the Arabian Peninsula. The kingdom of Hira was more or less dependent, during the four centuries of its existence, on the Sassanian Empire (Lekhamid Vessel), to which it formed a sort of buffer state towards the Arabian Peninsula. During the late pre-Islamic period and shortly before the advent of Islam, the Sasanians ruled Hira after the death of King al-Nu'man ibn al-Mundhir. The people of Hira along with neighboring Arab tribes revolted and achieved their best victory over the Sasanians at the famous battle of Dhi Qar (Dhee Qaar) معركة ذي قار shortly before the coming of Islam. 

Hira was a center of learning where noted scholars of pen, science and famous poets flourished. Among them is the famous al-Nabighah al-Dhubyani النابغة الذبياني who thrived at the court of the princes of Hira, especially during the reign of al-Nu`man ibn al- Mundhir III.

In pre-Islamic time, Hira was a pluralistic and multi-religious society where Jewish, Nestorian Christians as well as Ahnaf (Hanifis), Zoroastrians and pagans lived together. The multicultural characteristics of Hira presented in the wealth of knowledge among its scholars who spoke Aramaic, Hebrew, Pahlawi, and Arabic among other ancient dialects. In the early Islamic years Hira was instrumental in the development and teaching of the Arabic language. After the battle of al- Qadisiyya القادسية in 637 which ended the Sassanian rule, and the founding of Kufa by the Muslims, Hira lost its importance giving way to Kufa, the new capital and thriving center. Recent archeological investigation at sites in Hira has revealed important artifacts and rich cultural information.