Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Lady Fatima Masuma (a) of Qum

Lady Fatima Masuma (a) was the daughter of the 7th Imam, Imam Musa al-Kadhim (a), and the sister of the 8th Imam, Imam Ali al-Rida (a). She was a noble lady who dedicated her life to Islam and Allah. She is buried in the city of Qum in Iran. This book includes her biography, education, and narration of traditions. It also includes the history and description of her shrine and a brief look at the city of Qum.

Author(s): Masuma Jaffer

Publisher(s): Jami‘at al-Zahra - Islamic Seminary for Women - Qum

Table of Contents

Foreword 4

Some Notes on the Transliteration 4

Introduction 6

Notes 7

The Biography of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 8

1.1 - Predictions about this Noble Lady 8

1.2 - The date of her birth 8

1.3 - The date of her death 9

1.4 - Her father 9

1.5 - Her mother 10

1.6 - The names and titles of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 11

1.7 - The high status of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 13

1.8 - Why did Lady Fatima Masuma (A) not marry? 16

1.9 - Lady Fatima Masuma (A) as a narrator of traditions 17

1. The tradition of Ghadīr and the tradition of Manzilat 17

1.10 - The influence of Imam al-Kāđim (A) and Imam al-Ridā (A) on Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 19

Notes 21

Journey to Qum 24

2.1 - The separation of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) from Imam al-Ridā (A) 24

2.2 - The journey of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) from Madina 24

2.3 - Lady Fatima Masuma’s (A) journey from Sāweh to Qum 26

2.4 - The events at the burial of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 27

2.5 - Others who have been buried near Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 28

Notes 30

The Shrine of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 31

3.1 - A brief history 31

3.2 - During the reign of the Safavids 31

3.3 - During the reign of the Qājārs 31

3.4 - After the victory of the Islamic Revolution 32

3.5 - The construction of the burial chamber to the present time 32

3.6 - The holy shrine at the present time 34

3.7 - The golden dome 36

3.8 - Inscriptions within the shrine 38

3.9 - Inscriptions within the dome 38

3.10 - Inscriptions on the tomb 39

Tradition 1 40

Tradition 2 40

Tradition 3 40

Tradition 4 40

3.11 - Miracles that have occurred at the holy shrine 41

1. Cure of a Serious Illness 41

2. Seeking guidance from Lady Fatima Masuma (A) by Mullā Sadrā 41

3. The resolution of the difficulties of Ayatollah Najafī by Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 42

Notes 43

The Holy City of Qum 44

4.1 - Introduction 44

4.2 - The history of Qum 44

4.3 - The Islamic Seminaries of Qum 45

4.4 - Other places of interest in Qum 46

Museum of the holy shrine 46

Masjid-e Jamkarān 47

Musallā-ye Quds 47

Various shrines of children of the Imams (A) 48

4.5 - Traditions about the virtues of Qum 48

Notes 50

The Pilgrimage of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 51

5.1 - The merits of the pilgrimage of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 51

5.2 - Etiquettes of the pilgrimage 52

Notes 52

Ziyārat (salutation) of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) 54

Bibliography 58

Foreword

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, Who has guided us to this, for we would not have been guided except by His guidance. May the salutation and blessings of Allah shower on the last and best of His Prophets, Muhammad Mustafā (S) and the sinless members of his progeny (A).

In the autumn of 2002, my family and I were blessed with the opportunity to come and pursue our studies in the city of Qum in Iran. I was immediately struck by the influence and effect that the presence of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) has on the inhabitants of the city.

I tried to find out more about this holy personality and discovered that hardly any material is available about her in the English language; of course, there was material in Persian, which I had just started to learn.

I distinctly remember sitting at her shrine, upset because the Persian language was proving difficult to master; at the time I made a pact with the noble lady, “Bless me in the task of learning this language and I will first use this knowledge to write your biography in English!”

This book is the result of that noble lady’s blessing and love for all those who reside in her city. Alhamdulillah, it was completed on the birthday of her noble father, Imam Mūsā al-Kāđim (A).

I would like first and foremost to thank Allah for giving me the opportunity to have spent 9 months in this holy city. I would next like to thank my children, Shaahid Hasan, Tahira Mahdiyya and Mujtaba Husain for their help in typing this book and their enthusiasm. And of course my husband, Abbas for his encouragement, criticism, editing and patience.

I would also like to thank my tutor, Agha Mohammed Ali Shomali, for meticulously proof-reading the book and for his valuable suggestions and input.

This book is dedicated for the pleasure and approval of Allah, and in honour of Lady Fatima Masuma (A) and her grandfather the Prophet of Allah (S) and the Pure Members of his household (A). May Allah accept this small token from all of us.

Some Notes on the Transliteration

In the book, some of the names of individuals and places, that may be less well-known, have been transliterated as a guide to pronunciation.

The key is as follows:

Arabic letter         Transliteration

ع                             `

ض                           D

ذ                              dh

ح                             h

ص                           s

ط                            t

ث                            th

ظ                            đ

ā for the long vowel, pronounced as in car

ī for the long vowel, pronounced as in meet

ū for the long vowel, pronounced as in boot

Masuma Jaffer

Qum, Iran

7th Safar 1424 A.H

10th April 2003 C.E

Introduction

Lady Fatima Masuma (A) was the daughter of the 7th Imam, Imam Mūsā al-Kāđim (A) and the sister of the 8th Imam, Imam Ali al-Ridā (A). She was a noble lady who dedicated her life to Islam and Allah. She was highly gifted and due to the training of her father and brother, she has achieved a high reputation in history for her knowledge and piety.

She was only six years old when her father was arrested by Hārūn (the 6th Abbasid Caliph) and thereafter, she was brought up under the care of her brother, Imam al-Ridā (A) for twenty-one years.

In the year 200 A.H, Ma’mūn (the 7th Abbasid Caliph) forced the Imam (A) to move from Madina to Khurāsān, in Iran. And so, Lady Fatima Masuma (A) was once more separated from her guardian.

In the year 201 A.H, she decided to leave Madina and travel to Khurāsān to be at the side of her brother, intending to help him in his mission to preach Islam. But regrettably, she never reached him.

The caravan that she was travelling with, was ambushed at Sāweh, where she had to witness the brutal killing of her close family members. As a result, she can be compared to Lady Zaynab (A), who suffered a similar plight in Karbalā.

Lady Fatima Masuma (A) was taken ill at Sāweh. From here, the Shi`a of the nearby Qum brought her to their city, where she spent her last few days, before passing away during the month of Rabī` al-Thānī in 201 A.H.

Lady Fatima Masuma (A) is buried in Qum, Iran. Due to her blessed presence and patronage, the city has grown into a centre of Shi`a learning; a destination for thousands of Muslim students from over 80 countries.

The Mirror Tiled Porch Entrance to the Shrine of Lady Fatima Masuma (A), from the New Courtyard

Life in Qum largely revolves around the Haram of Lady Fatima Masuma (A), which is the focal point of this holy city.

Every year hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come from all over the world to pay homage to this noble lady. They come to pay their respect to Lady Fatima Masuma (A) in accordance to the reliable traditions of three Holy Imams (A) which are quoted below:

From the 6th Imam, Imam Ja`far al-Şādiq (A):

    تُقبَض فيها امْراةٌ منْ وُلْدى، اِسْمُها فاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ مُوسى، وتَدْخُلُ بِشَفاعَتِها شيعَتي الجنّة بَأجْمَعِهِمْ

“A lady from my children whose name will be Fatima, daughter of Mūsā, will die in Qum. On the day of Judgement this lady will intercede for all my Shi`a to enter Heaven.”1

From the 8th Imam, Imam Ali al-Ridā (A):

    مَنْ زارَ الْمَعْصومَةَ بِقُمْ كَمَنْ زارَني

“Whoever visits Masuma in Qum is like the one who has visited me.”2

From the 9th Imam, Imam Muhammad Taqī al-Jawād (A):

    مَنْ زارَ عَمَّتي بِقُمَّ فَلَهُ الجَنَّةُ

"Whoever visits my aunt in Qum will enter Heaven.”3

Notes

1. `Allāmah Muhammad Bāqir Majlisī, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 60, p. 228; Qādī Nūrullāh Shūshtarī, Majālis al-Mu’minīn, vol. 1, p. 83.

2. Mīrzā Muhammed Taqī Khān Sepehr, Nāsikh al-Tawārikh, vol. 3, p. 68; Shaykh Dhabīhullāh Mahallātī, Rayāhīn al-Sharī`ah, vol. 5, p. 35.

3. Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 102, p. 265.