The Tomb of Lady Fatimah the Daughter of Imam al-Kazim (A.S.)

In the sight of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), the city of Qum has a special significance and a vital role in the history and life of the virtuous community. In its cultural aspect, this city seems to occupy the second place after the city of Kufah because it has been joined with this city in many traditions.1 As for the scholastic aspect of Shi’ism, the religious school of Qum is seen as an extension of the religious school of Kufah and the second educational site that comes after it. From the city of Kufah, people from the Ash’ar Tribe migrated to Qum and scholars of the virtuous community arrived successively in this city down the ages. Some texts predict that this city would play a major role in the life of the virtuous community.2
This prediction has come true due to the harsh circumstances encountered by the religious school of Najaf in this age and the great favor of Almighty Allah endowed upon Iran where the government of Islam was established under the leadership of the religious leader, Imam Khumayni, and the active contribution of the religious school of Qum towards this great achievement.
As a result, a vital development in the religious school of Qum as well as its role and status took place.
The existence of the tomb of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah the daughter of Imam Musa al-Kazim (‘a) in the city of Qum has been significant in the development and growth of the educational and religious state of this city. In addition, traditions reported from Imam al-Ridha (‘a) about the merits of visiting the tomb of this lady are considered another factor in the development of religious studies in this city, being the center of an important class of narrators during certain stages of the history of Shi’ism.
In the previous discussion of the pilgrimages to the tombs of the Holy Imams (‘a) and their descendants, we have referred to the recommendation of visiting the tomb of this lady, considering this tomb to be one of the most important and famous tombs of the Holy Imams’ (‘a) descendants.3
1. - Muhammad ibn Sahl ibn Alyasa’ has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying: When security is lacking and people ride on their horses and isolate themselves from women and perfume, flee from their vicinity.“May Allah accept me as ransom for you,” said the reporter, “Where should we flee to?”
The Imam (‘a) answered: .Flee to Kufah and its districts or Qum and its outskirts, for tribulation shall be repelled from these two cities.‘Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 57:214, H. 29.
Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have said: The people of Khurasan are our signs, the people of Qum our supporters, the people of Kufah our pillars, and the people of Iraq are from us and we are from them.‘Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 57:214, H. 30.
Imam al-Kazim (‘a) is also reported to have said:Qum is the refuge of Muhammad’s Household (S) and the shelter of their partisans (i.e. Shi’ah). However, a group of their youths will be annihilated for disobedience of their fathers and the belittling and mocking of their grand personalities and chiefs. Otherwise, Almighty Allah will ward off from them their enemies and every misfortune.‘Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 57:214, H. 31.
2. - About the history of the city of Qum, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), having mentioned the city of Kufah, said:Kufah will be empty of true believers, and knowledge will leave this city as a snake leaves its hole. Then, knowledge will emerge in a town called Qum, which will then become the center of knowledge and superiority until there will remain there no single individual, even women in their boudoirs, uneducated in religious knowledge. That will be at a time close to the advent of our Rising Imam (i.e. al-Mahdi). Hence, Almighty Allah will make the city of Qum and its inhabitants take the place of His Proof, the Imam. Without this, the earth would certainly sink with its people and there would not be anyone playing the role of Allah’s proof on earth. Knowledge will then spout forth from this city to the peoples in the west and the east of the earth and none will remain too remote to receive the knowledge of the religion. Then, the Rising Imam will become the cause of Almighty Allah’s chastisement and wrath on the [disobedient] creatures. This is because Almighty Allah does not chastise any people except after they deny His argument against them.‘Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 57:214, H. 31.
3. - Refer to Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, pp. 562.
The following traditions are quoted from this book: Shaykh al-Saduq, through a seemingly authentic series of narrators, has reported Sa’d ibn Sa’d to have asked Imam al-Ridha (‘a) about Fatimah, his sister and the daughter of Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (‘a).
Imam al-Ridha, peace be upon him, answered: مَنْ زَارَهَا فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ.Whoever visits her (tomb) will be awarded Paradise.Through another valid series of narrators, Shaykh al-Saduq reports Imam Muhammad al-Jawad ibn al-Ridha (‘a), as saying: مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرَ عَمَّتِي بِقُمٍّ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ.Whoever visits the tomb of my paternal aunt in Qum will be awarded Paradise.‘Allamah al-Majlisi has reported from some books of formulas of Ziyarah that ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim reported on the authority of his father that Imam al-Ridha (‘a) said to Sa’d al-Ash’ari al-Qummi: “O Sa’d, we have a tomb in your city.”
“May Allah accept me as ransom for you!” answered Sa’d, “Do you mean the tomb of Fatimah the daughter of Musa ibn Ja’far (‘a)?”
The Imam answered in the affirmative and added: مَنْ زَارَهَا عَارِفاً بِحَقِّهَا فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ.Whoever visits her with full recognition of her standing will be awarded Paradise…