Sulaymaniyah

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Sulaymaniyah (BGN: As Sulaymānīyah; Arabic: السليمانية‎; Kurdish: سلێمانی, Silêmanî, Silémaní, historic: Sharezûr) is a city in the east of Iraqi Kurdistan. It is situated in the northeast of Iraq, and is the capital of Sulaymaniyah Governorate.

1 History
2 Bahá'í significance
3 Kurdish culture in Sulaimaniya
- 3.1 Kurdish writers of 19th century
- 3.2 Kurdish writers of 20th century
4 Sulaimaniya Airport
5 Sister Cities
6 Statistics
7 See also

[edit] History

The modern city of Suleimania lies in a narrow valley where the ancient Kurdish city and country of Sharazur was located; it was founded in 1784 by a Kurdish prince known as Ibrahim Pasha Baban who named it for his father Sulaiman Pasha (Sulaiman is the Islamic version of the name Solomon). Since being founded as the capital of a powerful Kurdish principality it has grown to about 800,000 people. It is the cultural centre of the Sorani-speaking Kurds and an important economic centre for Iraqi Kurdistan.

During the post-World War I-British occupation of the newly created state of Iraq, Sulaymaniyah was the center of nascent Kurdish nationalism, and it was from here that Shaykh Mahmud Barzanji raised the first rebellion against British occupation in 1919. After his defeat at Bazyan Pass that year, he was exiled for several years, only to return and raise another unsuccessful rebellion centered in Sulaymaniyah in 1923. With Kurdistan's subsequent inclusion in Arab Iraq, Sulaymaniyah enjoyed a few further years of greater autonomy than western Kurdish cities like Irbil and Mosul.

Since liberation in 1991, it has been administered by Kurdistan authorities and serves as one of the metropolis of Iraqi Kurdistan (KRG). The city is quickly becoming a tourist attraction for Iraqis and other Middle Easterners due to its relative prosperity, security and natural beauty. It is also known for its strong economic ties with Iran.

[edit] Bahá'í significance

Sulaymaniyah was the city Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith, came to live in during his sojourn to the mountain of Sar-Galú in Kurdistan.

Still pursuing a solitary existence in the mountains near the city, a certain Shaykh Isma'il, leader of the Khalidiyya Order, visited Bahá'u'lláh and succeeded in obtaining his consent to transfer his residence to the city of Sulaymaniyah (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 121). It was here that word spread to Baghdad, that a stranger, a Persian, renowned for his wisdom and learning appeared in that city. His family and friends recognized that this could be none other than Bahá'u'lláh, and the petition of all secured his return to Baghdad.

[edit] Kurdish culture in Sulaimaniya

Sulaimaniya is considered as the center of the Sorani Kurdish culture in Kurdistan. Development of Sorani as a modern literary language started in this city around early 19th century.

[edit] Kurdish writers of 19th century

Nali, (1798-1855)
Mahwi, (1830-1906)

[edit] Kurdish writers of 20th century

[edit] Sulaimaniya Airport

The airport is situated at the western part of the city.

The international Airport was opened at 7/21/2006. The most flights are operated by Kurdish Airlines; Fly Air connects Sulaimaniya with Turkey, Hamburg International with Munich and Frankfurt, several other airlines also with Stockholm and Kopenhagen.