1.1 - Introduction Qum is the smallest province in Iran. It was previously a district belonging to the state of Arāk, then it was attached to Tehran until it was finally certified as an independent province. The province has an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. It is bounded by Tehran and Sāweh to the north, Delījān and Kāshān to the south, and the Salt Lake and Tafresh to the east. The province includes one city, four ...
Imam Jawad’s (A.S.)seventeen years of Imamate coincided with the reigns of Ma’mun and Mu’tasim Abbasi, two of Abbasid Caliphs: 15 years in the reign of Ma’mun(1) and two years in the reign of Mu’tasim. During this period the Imam experienced great hardship in preaching Shiism. Ma’mun’s reign was especially hard on the Imam for as Ibn Nadim has said: “Ma’mun was the most knowledgeable of the ...
On the first of Dhi al-Qa’dah in 173 AH, the city of Medina was enlightened by the birth of Hadrat Fatimah Ma’soomah (A.S.)(1). She was born to Imam Moosa ibn Ja’far (A.S.) and her mother, Najmah. Hadrat Fatimah Masumah (A.S.) was the second and last child of Najmah, after her older brother, Imam Ali ibn Moosa al-Reza (A.S.). In fact, after Imam Reza (A.S.), she has the highest status and position amongst the children of Imam Moosa ...
More than 6,000 Shia groups have announced that they are ready to welcome pilgrims on the traditional walking ceremony of Day of Arba’een in Iraq. Every year, forty days after Day of Ashura which marks martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his companions in the planes of Karbala some 1400 years ago, millions of Muslims gather in the holy city of Najaf and walk all the way to Karbala in memory of Imam Hussein. According to Shafaqna news website the ...
Human beliefs, like man's knowledge, science and technology, advance with the centuries. Religion predates history, and has always engaged mankind's particular affection and attention. Language, writing, and means of livelihood have all progressed in parallel with man's mental and spiritual growth. They wax and wane, as is the human condition. Religions multiplied; deities proliferated. Some were represented as imaginary beings, some as animals, ...
The eternal nature of the punishment that the faithless and wicked are to suffer in hellfire presents a problem for many people. Given the fact that evil acts are marked by the finiteness of the world, how, they ask, can requital for those acts be eternal and everlasting? Can there be any common measure between a finite act and an infinite punishment?A punishment that is to extend over an indefinite future does indeed represent an extreme form ...
The science of scholastic, or speculative, theology (kalaam) is an Islamic science. It is concerned with discussing Islamic beliefs, or what should be upheld of such beliefs from an Islamic perspective. Thus, kalaam seeks to explain the matters relating to these beliefs, advancing the evidence in support thereof and defending the same.Muslim scholars divide the body of Islamic teachings into three categories:1. Beliefs: This category deals with ...
It is reported that Lady Fatima (A) said:"My father said to me: `He who prays on your behalf, Allah, Exalted and Glorified is He, shall forgive him and make him join me wherever I may be in Paradise."For this reason, and to benefit the dear readers of this book, we include her visitation here and accompany it with the English translation. (This is the visitation mentioned in Mafatih Al?Jinan (The Keys To Paradise)):In the name of Allah, Most ...
In respect of his manners and qualities, Imam Muhammad Taqi (A.S.) – the ninth infallible successor f Prophet Muhammad (SAW) - occupied that lofty position of humaneness that is the distinguished characteristic of the Prophet (SAW) and his progeny. The predominant feature of his life style was to meet everybody with humility, to help the needy, to maintain human equality and observe simplicity.To offer help to the indigent secretly, to ...
When Hadrat Fatima Masoumah (A.S.) was buried in Qum there was a shade made of straw on the holy grave built by Musa bin Khajraj. The first dome which was in the form of a tower, was built by Hadrat Zainab (A.S.), the daughter of Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad (A.S.) in the middle of third century hijrah. Stone, bricks and stucco were used as construction material for this dome.
With the burial of the ladies from the Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) ...
Consider a sect, whom despite its truth, is put under pressure by the government and other political and religious groups. They are slaughtered in the open and in secret, never leaving them a decade in peace, and the government to maintain its hatred and animosity tricks the society, well despite its desire to be kind to this group. Considering the vast territory of the government, the story gets even worse by going farther away from the ...
And with the first chain of narration from Ali b. Mahzyar, from al-Hasan b. Mahboob, from Malik b.Atiyya, from Abu Hamza al-Thumali, who said: "I had not heard of anyone more pious and ascetic than Ali b. al-Husain, peace be upon him, till I learnt about Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be upon him." Then Abu Hamza said: "Whenever Ali b. al-Husain, peace be upon him, spoke about piety and asceticism and admonished people, he made all those present weep." ...
A glance at the fundamental philosophical questions, to which spiritual and materialist philosophies give contradictory answers, clearly shows that the areas of contention between the two opposing points of view have nothing to do with experimental matters. Whatever the solutions found to scientific problems, they would not in any way affect the way these philosophical questions are answered. For example, accepting or rejecting Euclid's theory ...
My friend took me to a mosque next to the mausoleum, where the floors were covered by carpets, and around its Mihrab there were some Qur'anic verses, engraved in beautiful calligraphy. I noticed a few turbaned youngsters sitting near the Mihrab studying, and each one of them had a book in his hand.I was impressed by the scene, since I had never seen Shaykhs aged between thirteen and sixteen, and what made them look so cute was their costumes. My ...
The Holy Imams of Ahlul-Bayt (A.S.), their followers, and those who supported them during the history of Islam, represented political oppositions against the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers, who usurped the caliphate and imposed their tyrannical rule on the Muslims and who stayed away from the political course, decreed by the Holy Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) for his Ummah.All the political slogans and plans, declared by Mamun, aimed to draw the ...
Fatimah (peace be upon her) is grand and eternal on the account that she has been united with Allah. She has absorbed herself in His.She is greater than the great, because she is acquainted with Allah, who is the greatest, and she is eternal forever until Doomsday, because she is acquainted with the Eternal.Fatimah (peace be upon her) is a woman, whose grandeur cannot be inserted in expression and words, because we cannot analyze the infinite ...
The religion of Islam is what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, propagated. For he (the Prophet): "Does not speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed." So the Prophet had the right to nominate the Muslim successor for the succession. That is because the succession is the high responsible authority for the lawful. Therefore al-Hasan b. 'Ali was the legitimate successor whether the people pledged allegiance ...
A Christian man once entered the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H&H.P), so the people said “Hey you! You are not allowed to enter the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah, for you are a Christian man, so leave” Thus, he said:” Yesterday, I saw the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H&H.P) with the Jesus, son of Mary (S.A), in my dream. So, Jesus said to me: “Embrace Islam by the hands of the Last Prophet, Mohammad son ...
Anyone approaching Baghdad from the north or the west will be impressed by the sight of the four golden minarets at Kadhmayn, the Shrine of the Two Imams, Imam Musa al-Kadhim and Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad, peace be upon them. They are respectively the Seventh and the Ninth of the Twelve Imams, at whose tombs we are accustomed to seek healing and to invoke their intercession for the forgiveness of our sins and the fulfilment of our needs. The ...
