a town of Irak Arabi, founded by the caliph Owar after the ruin of Ctesiphon. It was the residence of the caliphs until Almanzor removed the seat of government to Bagdad. It afterwards fell into decay, and at present there remains little more of it than the mosque in which Ali was assassinated. This is a plain building of a square form, and is still held in high veneration by the Mahommedans. It is ninety miles south of Bagdad.