Qum

Qum (pronounced as “ghom” and rarely as its Arabic form “qumm”) is a city located 150 kilometers south of Tehran and the second most important religious center in Iran, enshrining the tomb of Fātima, the sister of the eighth Shi'ite Imam, ‘Alī al-Riḍī (d. 202 AH/817 CE), and containing a number of important seminaries connected with prominent Shi'ite scholars. The city, which has grown from a small provincial town to the capital of the central province, is home to a number of ethnic and linguistic groups that continue to settle in its traditional and religiously vibrant setting. Although the natural environment is in general unfavorable in terms of weather, water, and vegetation, with the introduction of modern techniques of agriculture and water drawing and distribution, Qum enjoys a constant flow of pilgrims and students from all over Iran and around the world.

Historically, Qum has been known for its strong undercurrent of religious sentiments. Even before their conversion to Islam, the people of the city were known for their rebelliousness and resistance to unjust rulers. When Arab conquerors established their rule (in the ninth century) and began exacting high taxes, the people rebelled frequently, and the caliphal authorities had to crush the rebellions, which led to the massacre of its inhabitants. By the end of the ninth century, Qum had become a bastion of Shi'ism. A number of prominent Shi'ite scholars who had settled in Qum and were teaching there increased the city's importance as a center of Shi'ite theology and tradition. In 817, Fātima passed through the city on her way to visit her brother, ‘Alī al-Riḍā, in Ṭūs (Mashhad). She fell ill, died, and was buried in Qum. Her mausoleum increased the reputation of the city and actually proved to be its most attractive feature in its future development as the “Vatican” of Shi'ite Islam. While its seminaries provided high-quality religious education, the shrine of Fātima functioned as a spiritual cement that bonded various competing religious leaders and saints in a unique solidarity. The shrine also became the pivot around which the city developed in different directions, inducing the rulers and dignitaries to expand the sanctuary through their pious endowments and lavish gifts adorning the edifice.

The sanctuary of Fītima is richly embellished, and its four courtyards are adorned with seminaries and a hostel for pilgrims. Among the famous scholars who came to study and to teach are Mull? Muḥsin Fayḍ, Mullā Ṣadrā Shirāzī, and Qaḍī Sa’īd Qūmī. The cemeteries around Qum extend over an enormous area and include the tombs of many well-known scholars and distinguished people. The city is also known for its crafts, especially its hand-woven carpets. The tradition of seeking refuge in the shrine also attracted a large number of exiles and persons escaping from law enforcers. Among the contemporary Shi'ite scholars who have left a deep mark on the city, contributing to its importance as the leading center of Shi'ite learning and leadership, are Ayatullah Burujird? (d. 1961), Ayutollah Mar'ash? Najaf? (d. 1990), and Ayatullah Khomeini (d. 1989). Qum also witnessed rivalry with Najaf, Iraq, based on activist and conservative interpretations of the Shi'ite tradition, with major implications for both the political and the intellectual life of the Shi'ites in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon and around the world.

...