Um Ali, a longtime tailor in Abu al-Khasib, Basra, hand-stitches a traditional Iraqi abaya inside her workshop — a craft she has practiced for over four decades. She is known locally and nationally for her manual sewing technique. Photo by 964media
Basra
In Abu al-Khasib, Um Ali keeps the tradition of hand-sewn abayas alive
BASRA – In the bustling market of Abu al-Khasib, Um Ali, a woman in her sixties, has spent more than four decades hand-sewing traditional Iraqi abayas — a practice she continues with the same care and precision today. She is now the only tailor in the area who produces the garment without modern machines, drawing customers from Najaf, the central Euphrates region, and beyond.
“I worked in Ashar and Umm Qasr doing basic jobs, then moved to Karbala and opened my own shop there. Later I returned to Basra,” Um Ali told 964media. “Since 1985, I’ve had my own workshop, and today I run my business confidently with two shops and five women working with me — one of them is my daughter.”
She recalled being forced to leave Basra during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, abandoning her childhood home and her father’s farmland. The upheaval marked the beginning of her journey as a tailor and ultimately led to the opening of her own business.
“What distinguishes me from other tailors is that I sew abayas by hand,” she said. “That’s why I have clients from Najaf and other cities. I’m the only one in Abu al-Khasib who still does this, in addition to other types of sewing.”
Her son, too, is getting involved, helping design large banners used in religious processions. “I see in him a continuation of my path,” she said. “I hope he becomes a skilled tailor. He’s learning quickly.”
Um Ali never completed her formal education due to the war, but said she gained something just as valuable: experience, patience, and a belief in honest work. “I went through tough times where I felt deeply discouraged, but I never gave up. I told myself gold becomes stronger when it enters fire — and I must be like gold.”
She urged other women to pursue their goals, regardless of challenges. “Despair is a slow death. Life won’t wait for anyone,” she said. “Abu al-Khasib has always been a good place. It’s produced doctors, engineers, and intellectuals. People here live in peace and respect each other.”