Dhu al-Qi'dah

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Dhu al-Qi'dah

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Dhu al-Qi'dah, 5 AH -- The Battle of the Trench occurred.

The Battle of the Trench, also known as the Battle of Khandaq or the Battle of the Confederates, was a 27-day-long defense by Muslims of Yathrib (now Medina) from Arab and Jewish tribes.  The strength of the confederate armies is estimated around 10,000 men with six hundred horses and some camels, while the Medinan defenders numbered 3,000.

The largely outnumbered defenders of Medina, mainly Muslims led by the Prophet Muhammad, dug a trench on the suggestion of Salman the Persian, which together with Medina's natural fortifications, rendered the confederate cavalry (consisting of horses and camels) useless, locking the two sides in a stalemate.  

Hoping to make several attacks at once, the confederates persuaded the Muslim-allied Medinan Jews, Banu Qurayza, to attack the city from the south.  However, Muhammad's diplomacy derailed the negotiations, and broke up the confederacy against him.  The well-organized defenders, the sinking of confederate morale, and poor weather conditions caused the siege to end in a fiasco.

The siege was a "battle of wits", in which the Muslims tactically overcame their opponents while suffering very few casualties.  Efforts to defeat the Muslims failed, and Islam became influential in the region.  As a consequence, the Muslim army besieged the area of the Banu Qurayza tribe, leading to their surrender.  The defeat also caused the Meccans to lose their trade and much of their prestige.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Glasse, Cyril; Huston Smith; New Encyclopedia of Islam: A Revised Edition of the Concise Encyclopedia of Islam; Rowman Altamira, 2003.

Peters, Francis E.; Muhammad and the Origins of Islam; SUNY Press, 1994.

Ramadan, Tariq; In the Footsteps of the Prophet; Oxford University Press, 2007.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

01 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 6 AH (January 628 CC) -- The Sahaba took the Pledge of the Tree. 

The Pledge of the Tree (or Pledge of Satisfaction or Pledge of Ridwan) was a pledge that was sworn to the Prophet Muhammad by his Sahaba (his companions) prior to the Treaty of Hubaybiyyah (6 AH, 628 CC).  The pledge, sworn under a tree, was to avenge the rumored death of 'Uthman ibn Affan.

In March 628 CC (6 AH), Muhammad set out for Mecca to perform the ritual pilgrimage of Umrah.  The Quraysh of Mecca denied Muhammad's Muslims entry into the city and posted themselves outside Mecca, determined to offer resistance even though the Muslims did not have any intention or preparation for battle.  Muhammad camped outside Mecca at Hudaybiyyah and sent 'Uthman ibn Affan as his envoy to meet with the leaders of the Quraysh and negotiate the entry of Muhammad and his followers into the city.  The Quraysh caused 'Uthman to stay longer in Mecca than they originally planned and refused to inform the Muslims of his whereabouts.  This caused the Muslims to believe that 'Uthman had been killed by the Quraysh.  On this occasion, Muhammad gathered his nearly 1,400 Sahaba and called them to pledge to fight until death and avenge the death of 'Uthman.  This pledge took place under a tree and was thus known as the Pledge of the Tree.  During the process of pledging, each Sahaba  -- each companion -- came before Muhammad and pledged, with his hand on top of Muhammad's.

The pledge was successful in demonstrating to the Quraysh the determination of the Muslims.  The Quraysh soon released 'Uthman and sent a negotiator of their own, Suhayl ibn Amr, to negotiate the terms of a treaty that later became known as the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. 

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Rogerson, Barnaby; The Prophet Muhammad: A Biography; Little, Brown (Time Warner Books), 2003.

Watt, M. Montgomery; Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman; Oxford University Press, 1974.

Watt, M. Montgomery; Muhammad at Medina; Oxford University Press, 1981.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

01 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 6 AH (January 628 CC) -- The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was signed.

The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was an agreement that was reached between the Prophet Muhammad, representing Medina, and the Qurayshi tribe of Mecca.  The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah helped to decrease tension between the two cities, affirmed peace for a period of ten years, and authorized Muhammad's followers to return the following year in a peaceful pilgrimage, later known as "The First Pilgrimage". 

 

Muhammad had a premonition that he entered Mecca and did tawaf around the Ka'ba.  Tawaf is when those on the pilgrimage go around the Ka'ba (the most sacred site in Islam) seven times in a counterclockwise direction, the first three at a hurried pace on the outer part of the Mataat and the latter four times closer to the Ka'ba at a leisurely pace.  The circling is believed to demonstrate the unity of the believers in the worship of the One God -- Allah -- as they move in harmony together around the Ka'ba, while supplicating to God.  

Muhammad's companions in Medina (Madinah) were delighted when he told them about his premonition.  The Muslims all revered Mecca and the Ka'ba, and they had learned to tawaf there.  

In 628 CC, Muhammad and a group of 1,400 Muslims marched peacefully without arms towards Mecca, in an attempt to perform the Umrah -- the pilgrimage.  The Muslims were dressed as pilgrims and brought sacrificial animals hoping that the Quraysh would honor the Arabian custom of allowing pilgrims to enter Mecca.  The Muslims had left Medina in a state of ihram, a premeditated spiritual and physical state which restricted their freedom of action and prohibited fighting.  This, along with the paucity of arms carried, indicated that the pilgrimage was always intended to be peaceful.

Muhammad and his followers camped outside of Mecca.  Muhammad met with the Meccan emissaries who sought to prevent the Muslims' entry into Mecca.  After negotiations, the two parties decided to resolve the matter through diplomacy rather than warfare, and a treaty was drawn up.

The treaty was drafted by 'Ali ibn Abi Talib.  Some of the key points of the treaty were (1) Muhammad would have to return to Medina instead of having entrance into Mecca in the immediate year; (2) the Muslims would perform their pilgrimage in the next year and they would stay in peace at Mecca for three days with no arms except sheathed swords; (3) there would be a truce between both parties for ten years, whereby during this period all the people may enjoy safety and harmony; (4) whoever wished to enter into a covenant with the Prophet would be allowed to do so, and whoever wished to enter a covenant with the Quraysh would be allowed to do so; (5) whoever entered with anyone of the parties would be considered as a part of that party; (6) anyone who is a member of a party who exaggerates will be considered an exaggeration by the party as whole; and (7) anyone from Mecca who goes to Muhammad in an attempt to flee away without permission from his guardians would be sent back to the Quraysh, but anyone from the Muslims who comes over to the Quraysh will not be sent back to the Muslims.

The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah is very important to the establishment of Islam.  After the signing of the treaty, the Quraysh of Mecca no longer considered Muhammad to be a rebel or a fugitive from Mecca.  By signing the treaty, the Quraysh also recognized the Islamic state in Medina.  The treaty also allowed the Muslims who were still in Mecca to practice Islam publicly.  Further, as there was no longer a constant struggle between the Muslims and the polytheists of Mecca, many people saw Islam in a new light, which led to many more people accepting Islam.  The treaty also served as an example that Islam was not merely spread by the sword, as Muhammad had an army that could have attacked Mecca, but Muhammad chose to make a treaty instead of making war.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Armstrong, Karen; Islam: A Short History; Modern Library, 2002.

Armstrong, Karen; Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time; HarperCollins, 2007.

Esposito, John; The Oxford History of Islam; Oxford University Press, 1999.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

01 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 173 AH (March 22, 790 CC) -- Fatimah bint Musa, a Shia saint, was born. 

Fatimah bint Musa (b. 01 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 173 AH (March 22, 790 CC), Medina, Hijaz, Abbasid Caliphate - d. 10 Rabi' al-Thani 201 AH (November 7, 816 CC), commonly known as Fatimah al-Masumah or Fatima Masumeh, is recognized as a Shia saint.  She was the daughter of the seventh Twelver Shia Imam, Musa al-Kadhim, and the sister of the eighth Twelver Shia Imam, 'Ali al-Rida.  Every year, thousands of Shia Muslims travel to Qom, Iran, to honor Fatima Masumeh at her shrine. 

Fatima's brother, Imam 'Ali al-Ridha, gave Fatima the title "Masumeh", which means "infallible" or "sinless".  In Shi'ism, women either become saints by their own merits or because they are the sisters, daughters, or wives of other saints.  Fatima Masumeh is a saint because of her own holiness and wisdom.  She is said to have been knowledgeable in various Islamic sciences and in the teachings of Muhammad.  She is also a saint because of her close relationships with her brother, the eighth Shia Imam, 'Ali al-Rida, and with her father, the seventh Shia Imam, Musa al-Kadhim.

Fatima Masumeh is honored in many hadiths, or teachings, from Shia imams that proclaim the benevolence of visiting her shrine in Qom, Iran.  Her brother Imam 'Ali al-Rida stated that visiting the shrine of Fatima Masumeh is equal to visiting him, demonstrating his high esteem and love for his sister.  Other imams declare that anyone who visits Fatima Masumeh's shrine will surely go to heaven.  More miracles are reported to occur at her shrine in Qom than at the burial place of any other prophet or imam.

Before she was born, Shia imams foretold of Fatima Masumeh's holiness and piety.  Fatima was born into a distinguished Shia legacy and was raised under the care of two imam -- her father and her brother.  She is said to have absorbed their knowledge and holiness.  Fatima was born Medina, Arabia, and spent the first six years of her life learning alongside her father, Imam Musa al-Kadhim.  Contemporaries wrote that Fatima had a "special gift" of knowledge and spiritual awareness, even in childhood.  

When Fatima was ten years old, Harun al-Rashid, the fifth caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate sent Fatima's father to prison.  This separation was very difficult for Fatima.  Fortunately, her brother 'Ali (who was 25 years her senior) took care of her.

'Ali and Fatima were among Imam Musa al-Kadhim's 37 children.  However, they were the only two children from Musa's marriage to Najmah Khatun.  Najmah Khatun was a former slave from North Africa who became very learned in Islamic teaching under the guidance of Imam Musa's mother, Lady Hamidah.  'Ali would later become the eighth Imam and would gain the title Imam 'Ali al-Rida, meaning 'Ali "the Soothe" or 'Ali "in whom Allah is well pleased".

'Ali was appointed successor to the Abbasid Caliph al-Mamun, even though he was hesitant in accepting the role.  After 'Ali al-Rida gained the title of "Crowned Prince", some people refused to acknowledge  or accept 'Ali's role amidst civil war.

'Ali revealed the extent of the revolt to al-Mamun and informed him that the people considered al-Mamun to be "bewitched and mentally deranged".  'Ali also informed al-Mamun that his aides were hiding reports from him and had given their allegiance to al-Mamun's paternal uncle Ibrahim bint al-Mahdi.

In 200 AH, al-Mamun ordered 'Ali al-Rida to leave for Khorasan.  Fatima Masumeh was forced to live apart from her brother.  After one year of separation from her brother, Fatima decided to join him.  She did not leave solely because of her desire to live near her brother, but also because she believed that her knowledge and religious acumen would help her brother in his political office, especially in decisions regarding women.  

In 201 AH, Fatima Masumeh set off in a caravan with 23 friends and family members of 'Ali al-Rida.  The caravan also had another 12,000 people who were traveling to Khorasan.  But the caravan never reached Khorasan, and Fatima Masumeh never reached her brother.  The caravan was attacked by agents of the caliph while at Saveh.  Some of those in the caravan fled, but many were wounded, or taken prisoner, or killed.  Fatima Masumeh survived, but was forced to watch the executions of 23 close family members and friends.  As for Fatima, her fate was also sealed.  She was poisoned.  As she became ill, Fatima Masumeh became ill and asked to be taken to Qom, where she died.  Fatima Masumeh was buried on her host's land in Qom. 

Today, the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh is located in Qom, which is considered by Shia Muslims to be the second most sacred city in Iran after Mashhad.  Every year, thousands of Shia Muslims travel to Qom to honor Fatima Masumeh and ask her for blessings.

Fatima Masumeh's Shrine in Qom is crowded every day of the year with Shia men, women, and children from all around the world.  Some stay for hours or days praying at the mosque and circumambulating Fatima Masumeh's tomb. The economy of Qom has become reliant on this pilgrimage for the tourism it brings.  In turn, Qom has remained conservative and traditional to maintain a pious environment for pilgrims.  Many miracles have been recorded as taking place at this shrine, and they are documented in a special office within the shrine complex.  Some are published in the shrines monthly newspaper, the Payam-e Astan.

Pilgrims at the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh follow rituals that have been passed down for centuries.  Imam 'Ali al-Rida, Fatima Masumeh's brother, outlined these ritual acts as he described the way he visited her Shrine.  The prayer Imam al Rida dictated to his sister continues to be part of the pilgrimage.  Since the Safavid period (1501-1736 CC), additional rituals have been added that are now typical for many Shia pilgrimages including ritual washing beforehand, dressing in perfumed clothing, and entering the site with one's right foot.

The style of Fatima Masumeh's Shrine has developed over many centuries.  At first, her tomb was covered with a bamboo canopy.  Fifty years later, this was replaced by a more durable domed building, at the request of the daughter of Imam Muhammad at-Taqi, Sayyida Zaynab.  The family of Sayyida Zainab later added a further two domes to the Shrine.  These architectural projects marked the beginning of female patronage of the tomb of Fatima Masumeh.

During Ayatollah Khomeini's 1979 Iranian Revolution, Qom was named "the birthplace" of the Revolution.  Khomeini studied in Qom and lived there at the beginning and the end of the Revolution.  Aspects of the culture of Qom, including the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh, were used to unite the Iranian people over significant historical and mythical events.  Khomeini used images of the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh in posters, money, and stamps created during the Revolution.  Khomeini also constructed an addition to the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh and added more space for pilgrims.  In addition, the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini utilizes architectural elements that are similar to Fatima Masumeh's Shrine, such as the golden dome.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Allan, James W.; The Art and Architecture of Twelver Shi'ism: Iraq, Iran, and the Indian Sub-Continent; Oxford: Azimuth Editions, 2012.

Bowen, Donna Lee and Evelyn A. Early (ed.); Everyday Life in the Muslim Middle East (2 ed.); Indiana University Press, 2002.

 

Jaffer, Masuma; Lady Fatima Masuma (a) of Qum; Jami'at al-Zahra, 2003.

Maid, Hooman; The Ayyatolah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran; First Anchor Books, 2008.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

04 Dhu al'-Qi'dah, 7 AH (629 CC) -- The first pilgrimage to Mecca occurred.

The first pilgrimage of Umrah of Dhu al-Qi'dah (Pilgrimage of the Eleventh Month) was the first pilgrimage that the Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims made after the Migration to Medina.  It took place on the morning of the fourth day of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 7 AH (629 CC), after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah of 6 AH (628 CC).  The entire event was three days long.

Muhammad, a Meccan merchant, had reported that from the age of 40, he was receiving revelations from God.  He and his followers, called Muslims, were persecuted by the ruling clan of Mecca, the Quraysh, and forced to leave to the northern city of Medina.  Several armed confrontations followed, along with the Muslims attempting a return pilgrimage to Mecca in 628, as directed by one of the revelations.  Although they were rejected by the Quraysh in 628, the Quraysh did agree to a truce and, pursuant to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, an agreement was reached between the Muslims and the Quraysh whereby the Muslims were granted permission to return peacefully to Mecca for a pilgrimage in 629.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Muhammad Husayn Haykal; The Life of Muhammad; The Other Press, 1994.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

06 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 1364 AH (October 12, 1945) -- Maqbool Ahmed Sabri, a qawwali singer and a prominent member of the Sabri Brothers, a well-known qawwali group in Pakistan in the 1970s, 1980s and the 1990s, was born.

Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (b. October 12, 1945 [06 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 1364 AH] Kalyana, Punjab Province, British India [now in Haryana, India] - d. September 21, 2011 [23 Shawwal, 1432 AH], South Africa) was born in Kalyana in eastern Punjab.  Maqbool was initially educated in the Hindustani classical music tradition by his father Ustad Inayat Hussain Sabri and his elder brother Ghulam Farid Sabri.  His family claimed direct descent from Mian Tansen, the legendary musician of the court of Akbar the Great, the Mughal emperor.  Mehboob Baksh Ranji Ali Rang, his paternal grandfather, was a master musician of his time.  Baqar Hussein Khan, his maternal grandfather, was a unique sitarist.  His family belongs to the Sabriyya order of Sufism, hence the surname Sabri.

Maqbool Ahmed Sabri showed musical talent from a young age.  This talent was noticed by his school teacher who later asked Maqbool Ahmed Sabri's father to further instruct him and guide him in the field of music.  In 1955, Maqbool's brother in-law got him employed to sing at a theater in Karachi where he gave his first public performance.  Maqbool received a lot of appreciation from the audience by singing old Hindi film songs.  

Later, Maqbool decided to quit his as some other performers at the theater became jealous of his popularity.  With the help of his father, Maqbool formed a Qawwali group at the age of eleven and named it Bacha Qawwal Party.  The group's first public performance was in year 1956 at an Urs -- death anniversary -- ceremony where Maqbool sang Do Alam Baka Kul Giraftar Daari in the presence of many legendary Qawwals of that time.  Soon afterwards, his elder brother Ghulam Farid Sabri (who was at that time performing as a supporting lead singer with Ustan Kallan Khan's Qawwali group) joined Maqbool upon the insistence of their father.  Ghulam then became the lead singer Bacha Qawwal Party -- which soon became known as Sabri Brothers.

The first recording of the Sabri Brothers, released in 1958 under the EMI Pakistan label, was the Urdu Qawwali, Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa.  Their subsequent blockbuster hits included Bhar Do Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad, Tajdar-e-Haram, O Sharabi Chord De Peena, Khwaja Ki Deewani, and Sar E La Makan Se Talab Hui. The Sabri Brothers have sung many Qawwalis in Persian like Nami Danam Che Manzil Boodh and Chashm-e-Mast-e-Ajabe.  The Sabri Brothers have also sung a Kalaam -- a speech -- of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan which is in four languages -- Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Hindi.  The kalaam is Lam Yaati Nazeeruka Fee Nazarin. 

Maqbool is considered to have been a master of improvisational wordplay, often making references in Urdu and Punjabi, as well as Persian or Arabic, to historical events or to traditional poetry.  He is also considered to be one of the best classical singers.  

Maqbool Ahmed Sabri was also a poet who wrote famous qawwalis which included Koi Mujhse Pooche Mai Kya Chahta Hoo Madine Mei Thodi Jagah Chahta Hoo and Ajmer Ko Jaana Hai.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Sheikh, M. A.; Who's Who: Music in Pakistan; Xlibris Corporation, 2012.

"Obituary: Maqbool Sabri of Sabri Brothers passes away"; The Express Tribune, September 21, 2011.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

08 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 8 AH -- Hajj was made incumbent on Muslims.

The Hajj, sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji, or Haj, is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.  Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home. 

In Islamic terminology, Hajj is a pilgrimage made to the Ka'ba, the "House of God", in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.  It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah (belief in the oneness of God), Salat (prayer), Zakat (almsgiving), and Sawm (fasting).  The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God.  The word Hajj means "to attend a journey", which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions.

The rites of pilgrimage are performed over five to six days, extending from the 8th day of Dhu al-Hijjah to the 12th or 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.  Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and the Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian year, the Gregorian date of Hajj changes from year to year.  

The Hajj is associated with the life of the Prophet Muhammad from the 7th century of the Christian calendar, but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham.  During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of millions of people, who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals.  Each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Ka'ba (a cube-shaped building that is deemed to be the "House of God"); walks briskly back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, then drinks from the Zamzam Well.  The pilgrim also goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, spends a night in the plain of Muzdalifa, and performs symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars.  After the sacrifice of an animal (which can be accomplished by using a voucher), the pilgrim then is required to either shave or trim his head (if male) or to trim the ends of her hair (if female). 

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Armstrong, Karen; Islam: A Short History; Modern Library, 2002.

Long, David E.; The Hajj Today: A Survey of the Contemporary Pilgrimage to Makkah; SUNY Press, 1979.

Long, Matthew; Islamic Beliefs, Practices, and Cultures; 2011.

Nigosian, S. A.; Islam: Its History, Teaching and Practices; Indiana University Press, 2004.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

11 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 148 AH (December 29, 765 CC) -- 'Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, the eighth Imam in Twelver Shi Islam, was born in Medina, Hijaz, Abbasid Caliphate (now Saudi Arabia).

'Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, also spelled Rida or Reza and also known as Abu al-Hasan, was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.  'Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (b. 11 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 148 AH [December 29, 765 CC], Medina, Hijaz, Abbasid Caliphate [now Saudi Arabia] - d. 17 Safar, 202 AH [June 6, 818], Tus, Persia, Abbasid Caliphate) was eighth Imam of the Twelver Shi‘a (r. 799-818).  He was born in Medina and was summoned from a quiet, scholarly life by the reigning Abbasid caliph al-Ma’mun to accept appointment as heir apparent.

'Ali al-Rida was an Imam of knowledge according to the Zaydi (Fiver) Shia school.  He is also seen as a major religious figure for many Sunnis, particularly Sufis.  He lived in a period when Abbasid caliphs were facing numerous difficulties, the most important of which was Shia revolts.  The Caliph al-Ma'mun sought out a remedy for this problem by appointing 'Ali al-Rida as his successor, through whom he could be involved in worldly affairs.  However, according to the Shia view, when al-Ma'mun saw that the Imam was even more popular al-Ma'mun decided to correct his mistake by poisoning him. 

‘Ali al-Rida’s imamate coincided with a great reversal of fortune for the Shia.  He attained the imamate at the age of 35 after the brutal persecution and martyrdom of this father, Musa al-Kazim, at the hands of the Caliph Harun ar-Rashid.  After Harun’s death, however, events rapidly evolved.  After a civil war between Harun’s sons Amin and Ma’mun ended in Ma’mun’s victory, ‘Ali al-Rida was summoned to Ma’mun’s capital at Merv (Marv) in northeastern Iran.

 ‘Ali al-Rida, as the head of the house of 'Ali and, therefore, leader of the Shi‘a, could bring a vast claim of potential support for the cause of whoever made an alliance with him.  The caliph brought him to Transoxiana, named him the heir apparent, and replaced the black insignias of the ruling 'Abbasids with those of 'Alid green.  This strange episode ended soon, however, when ‘Ali al-Rida died while traveling with Ma’mun from Merv back to Baghdad. The Shi‘a, doubting the honesty of the caliph’s motives in the first place, believe that he had ‘Ali al-Rida poisoned.  ‘Ali al-Rida was interred at Tus by Ma’mun in a mausoleum already containing the remains of Ma’mun’s father Harun al-Rashid, the Abbasid caliph of Arabian Nights fame.  The spot soon grew in significance because of the presence there of the 'Alid imam.  Its name was changed to Masshad (literally, “shrine” or “sanctuary”).  It became one of the most important centers for Shi‘a pilgrimage and is now at the center of Iran’s third largest city, to which it gives its name.  

Alī ibn Mūsā al-Ridā was the seventh descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and the eighth of the Twelve Imams. His given name was ‘Alī ibn Mūsā ibn Ja‘far.
 
On the eleventh of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 148 AH (December 29, 765), 'Ali ibn Musa al-Rida was born in the house of Imam Musa al-Kadhim (the seventh Imam of Islam) in Medina. He was titled "al-Rida" which means "the one in whom God is well pleased."

 

He was born one month after the death of his grandfather, Ja'far as-Sādiq. The mother of 'Ali al-Rida was Najmah, a former slave purchased and freed by Bibi Hamidah Khatun, wife of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq.  

Najmah was also a distinguished and pious lady.  Originally a North African slave woman, she was purchased and freed by Bibi Hamidah Khatun.  'Ali was said to be shadid ummah or Aswad, meaning he had a very dark-skinned or black complexion.  

During his childhood, 'Ali al-Rida accompanied his father, Musa al-Kadhim, who repeatedly would tell his friends, "'Ali al-Rida shall be the Imam after me." 

'Ali al-Rida’s father was martyred in 799, when 'Ali al-Rida was 35, and he was given the responsibility of the Imamate.  'Ali al-Rida was not looked upon favorably by Hārūn Rashīd, and the people of Medina were disallowed from visiting 'Ali al-Rida and learning from him. Harun attempted to kill him but was unsuccessful.

After the death of Hārūn Rashīd, Hārūn's two sons began fighting for control of the Abbāsid Empire. One son, Al-Amin, had an Arab mother and thus had the support of Arabs, while his half-brother Al-Ma'mun had a Persian mother and the support of Persia. Al-Ma'mun believed that Persia was sympathetic to the Hashemites and asked for 'Ali al-Rida to meet him in Persia. 'Ali al-Rida left his only son, Muħammad at-Taqī, and his wife and set out for Merv.

After defeating his brother, al-Ma'mun named 'Ali al-Rida his successor. He hoped to win Shī'a support through this move, but the passage of caliphate would occur only if 'Ali al-Rida outlived al-Ma'mun (as with all promises of succession). Al-Ma'mun even changed the black Abbāsid flags to green, the traditional color of the house of 'Alī ibn Abī-Tālib, the first Shī'a imam.

'Ali al-Rida did not outlive al-Ma'mun.  He was killed in Persia while accompanying al-Ma'mun at Tus. Most scholars agree he was poisoned by al-Ma'mun but it is impossible to verify it. 'Ali al-Rida is buried within Imam Reza Mosque, in Mashhad, Iran.

'Ali al-Rida is buried at the Imam Reza shrine in the city in Khorasan, Iran, which afterwards gained the name Mashhad al-Rida meaning "the place of the martyrdom of al-Rida".

Today the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad occupies a total area of 598,657 square meters (147,931 acres) and is the largest mosque in the world.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Sayings of 'Ali al-Rida

• "Everyone's friend is his reason; his enemy is his ignorance."

• "Worship is not abundant prayer and fasting; rather it is abundant reflecting on the affair of Allah, the Great and Almighty."

• "Man is not worshipful unless he is clement."

• "Faith is a degree above Islam; fear of Allah is a degree above faith; and nothing less than fear of Allah has been divided among men."

• "Faith is four pillars: trust in Allah, satisfaction with Allah's decree, submission to Allah's command, and entrusting (affairs) to Allah."

• "If one lacks five attributes, do not expect to gain anything good out of him for your life in this world or your life to come: if his lineage is known to be untrustworthy, if his nature lacks generosity, if his temper lacks balance, if he lacks a noble conduct, and if he lacks fear of his Lord."

• "If only three years of a person's span of life has remained and he tightens the bond of kin, Allah will make them thirty years, and Allah does whatever He wills."

• "Imamate is compulsory for religion and it is a system for Muslims. It is cause of benefit in this world and dignity for Believers."

• "Adhere to the weapon of the prophets!" They asked, "What is the weapon of prophets?" He replied, "Supplication."

• "A believer's secret supplication is equal to seventy open supplications."

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Axworth, Michael; A History of Iran: Empire of the Mind; Basic Books, 2010.

Bobrick, Benson; The Caliph's Splendor: Islam and the West in the Golden Age of Baghdad; Simon and Schuster, 2012.

Donaldson, Dwight M.; The Shi'ite Religion: A History of Islam in Persia and Irak; Burleigh Press, 1933.

Khaldun, Ibn; The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History; in Three Volumes; Princeton University Press, 1958. 

Lorentz, John H.; The A to Z of Iran; Scarecrow Press, 2010.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

29 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 220 AH (November 29, 835 CC) -- Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Jawwad, the ninth of the Twelve Imams, died.

Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Jawwad (b. 10 Rajab, 195 AH [April 12, 811 CC], Medina, Abbasid Empire - d. 29 Dhu al-Qi'dah, 220 AH [November 29, 835 CC], Baghdad, Abbasid Empire) was known as al-Jawad ("the generous") and al-Taqi ("the pious"), but was also called Abu Ja'far al-Tani (the second Abu Ja'far) and Ibn al-Rida ("the son of al-Rida").  His mother, Sabika (or Kayzaran), was a slave girl from Nubia from family of Maria a-Qibtiyya, who was the slave mother of Muhammad's young son Ibrahim.

Al-Jawad was about four when his father, 'Ali al-Rida, was summoned to Khorasan by the Caliph al-Ma'mun who wanted him to become his successor.  The Shia would keep asking al-Rida would a child like al-Jawad be able to take the position of Imam, if something happened to al-Rida.   Al-Rida would remind them of Jesus who, according to the Qur'an, was also at a very young age when he became a prophet.  

Al-Rida died when al-Jawad was seven years old.  Accepting al-Jawad as Imam became an immediate issue of controversy for both the Shia and the Abbasids.  The Shia had no experience with a minor serving as Imam while the Abbasids objected to al-Jawad's marriage to al-Ma'mun's daughter.  The Abbasids' opposition was mostly stemmed from the fact that the Abbasids were worried from Ma'mun's pro-'Alid policies.  Thus, they convinced Yahya ibn Aktham, the chief judge of the Abbasids, to humiliate al-Jawads by asking questions he might not be able to answer.  To their surprise, however, al-Jawad was able to answer all questions.  The same thing happened with prominent Shia who came together from all over the Islamic world, to see the young Imam.  The Shia scholars were so impressed by al-Jawad that their doubts were dispelled and al-Jawad was thereby accepted as their Imam. 

After al-Rida's death, which the Shia attribute to al-Ma'mun, al-Ma'mun came back to Baghdad and this time summoned al-Jawad to Baghdad.   Then al-Ma'mun gave his daughter, Ummu Fadhi, to al-Jawad in marriage, saying he wanted to be a grandfather in the line of the Apostle of God and of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib.  The next Imam, however, was born from a slave girl, named Samanah. Al-Jawad had no child with Umma Fadhl, who kept complaining to her father that al-Jawad was engaged with slave girls.  

Al-Ma'mun did not harass al-Jawad about his engagement with the slave girls.  Indeed, he even let al-Jawad go back to Medina to be with his family.  However, the next Caliph, al-Mu'tasim summoned al-Jawad to Baghdad again.  Al-Jawad left his son, 'Ali al-Hadi, in Medina and came to Baghdad, where he did not live longer than a year.  Al-Jawad died at the age of 24, which was the shortest life among Shia Imams.  According to some sources, al-Jawad, like his father, was poisoned by his wife, Umma al-Fadhl at the urging of al-Mu'tasim.  He was buried beside his grandfather, Musa al-Kadhim, in the Maghabir Ghoraysh, which later became known as Kadhimiya. 

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Donaldson, Dwight M.; The Shi'ite Religion: A History of Islam in Persia and Irak; AMS Press, 1933.

Sharif al-Qarashi, Baqir; The Life of Imam Muhammad Al-Jawad (translated by Abdullah al-Shahin); Ansariyan Publications, 2005.

Tabatabaei, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn; Shi'ite Islam (translated by Sayyid Hossein Nasr); State University of New York Press, 1975.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Fatima bint Musa

Fatimah bint Musa (b. 1 Dhu al-Qi'dah  173 AH – d. 10 or 12 Rabi' al-Thani 201 AH, approximately March 22, 790 CC – November 7 or 9, 816 CC), commonly known as Fatimah al-Masumah or Fatemeh Masoumeh was the daughter of the seventh Twelver Shia Imam, Musa al-Kadim, and sister of the eighth Twelver Shia Imams, Ali al-Rida. Every year, millions of Shia Muslims travel to Qom to honor Fatima Masumeh at her shrine. 

Fatemeh Masoumeh was the eldest daughter of Musa Kazem, and the Shia consider her to be the holiest child of Musa Kazem after her brother Ali al-Rida (Ali Reza). 

Fatemeh Masoumeh was highly praised in the narrations and speeches of four Shiite Imams. Jafar Sadiq, the sixth Shia Imam, in two narrations; Ali al-Rida, the eighth Shia Imam, in five narrations; and Mohammad Taqi, the ninth Shia Imam, pronounced that whoever visits Masoumeh in Qom will go to heaven.

Another prominent feature of Fatemeh Masoumeh is her position of intercession.  According to the narration of Jafar Sadiq and Ali al-Rida, Fatemeh Masoumeh will intercede for the Shiites on the Day of Judgment so that all of them will enter Paradise.

Another prominent feature of Fatemeh Masoumeh, as Jafar Sadiq pointed out, is that the shrine of Fatemeh Masoumeh in Qom is the shrine of all Shia Imams. This means that all twelve Shia Imams are present in the shrine of Fatemeh Masoumeh and whoever visits Fatemeh Masoumeh in Qom is deemed to have visited all twelve Shia Imams.

Another very valuable feature of Fatemeh Masoumeh is the title -- Masoumeh -- given to her by Ali Reza.  "Masoumeh" in Arabic means pure and innocent. Ali Reza's purpose in giving this name to his sister was to indicate that Fatemeh Masoumeh is a pure and innocent human being, which is very valuable for Shiites, and shows that Fatemeh Masoumeh has a degree of infallibility. 

Lady Hamīdah was the mother of Fatima’s father as well as the owner of Fatima’s mother, Lady Najmah, a slave of African descent Lady Hamīdah had a dream that the Prophet told her that Najmah needed to become the wife of her son, so that she could birth “the best people in the world”. While Najmah was more focused on the son, Imam al-Ridā, she would also give birth to Fatima as a product of the marriage.

It is written that even before she was born, Shi'i Imams foretold Fatima Masumeh's holiness and piety. Fatima was born into Shi'i legacy, raised under the care of two Imams - her father and her brother - and she is said to have absorbed their knowledge and holiness. Fatima Masumeh was born in Medina in 173 AH and spent the first six years of her life learning alongside her father, Imam Musa al-Kadhim. She had a special gift of knowledge and spiritual awareness, even in childhood. When she was ten years old, Harun al-Rashid, the 5th caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate sent her father to prison. This separation was very difficult for Fatima, but her brother 'Ali was 25 years her senior and took care of her.

'Ali and Fatima are among Imam Musa al-Kadhim's 37 children, but they are the only two children from the Imam's marriage to Najmah Khatun. Their mother was a former slave from North Africa who became very learned in Islamic teachings under the guidance of Imam Musa al-Kadim's mother, Lady Hamidah. Ali would later become the 8th Imam and gain the title Imam 'Ali al-Rida. The historian al-Tabari states that 'Al-Rida' means "The One Well-pleasing [to God] from the House of Muhammad." He was appointed successor to the Abbasid Caliph al-Mamun, though he was hesitant in accepting this role. As 'Ali al-Rida gained the title of "Crowned Prince" , some people refused to accept his role amidst civil war.  'Ali al-Rida revealed the extent of this revolt to al-Mamun, stating that people considered him (al-Mamun) "bewitched and mentally deranged," were hiding reports from him, and had given their allegiance to his paternal uncle Ibrahim ibn al-Madhi instead of him.

In 200 AH, al-Mamun called for 'Ali al-Rida to leave for Khorasan.  Fatima Masumeh was forced to live apart from her brother.  After one year of separation from her brother, Fatima Masumeh decided to join him. She did not leave solely because of her wish to live near her brother; scholars also suggest that Fatima Masumeh's knowledge and religiosity would help her brother in his political office, especially in decisions regarding women.  In 201 AH, she set off in a caravan with 23 family members and friends of Imam 'Ali al-Rida, alongside another caravan of 12,000 people traveling to Khorasan. The caravans never made it to Khorasan, though, and Fatima Masumeh never reached her brother. They were attacked by agents of the caliph while at Saveh.  Some fled, but many were wounded, taken prisoner, or killed. Fatima Masumeh survived, but was forced to watch the murders of the 23 close family members and friends. It is written that Fatima Masumeh was then poisoned by a woman.  Fatima became ill and asked to be taken to  Qom, where she died and was buried in her host's land.

The Shrine of Fatima Masumeh is located in Qom, which is considered by Shia Muslims to be the second most sacred city in Iran after Mashhad.  

Fatima Masumeh was the sister of the eighth Imam, Ali al-Rida, and the daughter of the seventh Imam, Musa al-Kadhim. In Shia Islam, women are often revered as saints if they are close relatives to one of the Twelver Imams. Fatima Masumeh is therefore honored as a saint, and her shrine in Qom is considered one of the most significant Shia shrines in Iran. Every year, thousands of Shia Muslims travel to Qom to honor Fatima Masumeh and ask her for blessings.

Also buried within the shrine are three daughters of the ninth Twelver Shī‘a Imām Muhammad al-Taqi.

The mosque consists of a burial chamber, three courtyards and three large prayer halls, totaling an area of 38,000 square meters (410,000 square feet). The three prayer halls are named: Tabātabā'ī, Bālā Sar, and A‘dham.

Although Shia theology formally states that the relatives of the Imams, the imamzadehs, hold a lower status than the Imams, popular  Shi'ism still strongly venerates imamzadehs. In Iran, there are many more burial places of the Imams' relatives than there are for the Imams themselves. Imamzadehs are considered to be close to God and religiously pious because of their close relation to Imams. The Shi'a commonly travel on pilgrimages to shrines of imamzadehs, such as the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh, the sister of the 8th Imam 'Ali al-Rida, in Qom, Iran. Men and women seek cures to ailments, solutions to problems, and forgiveness of sins at these sites. Many hadiths, or teachings, are recorded from Shia Imams praising the veneration of Fatima Masumeh, and proclaiming that those who make a pilgrimage to her Shrine will "certainly be admitted to heaven."

Fatima Masumeh's Shrine in Qom is crowded every day of the year with Shia men, women, and children from all around the world. Some stay for hours or days praying at the mosque and circumambulating her tomb. The economy of Qom has become reliant on this pilgrimage for the tourism it brings. In turn, Qom has remained conservative and traditional to maintain a pious environment for pilgrims. Many miracles have been recorded as taking place at this shrine, and they are documented in a special office within the shrine complex. Some are published in the shrines monthly newspaper, the Payam-e Astan.

Pilgrims at the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh follow rituals that have been passed down for centuries. Imam Ali al-Rida, Fatima Masumeh's brother, outlined these ritual acts as he described the way he visited her Shrine. The prayer Imam al-Rida dictated to his sister continues to be part of the pilgrimage. Since the Safavid period, additional rituals have been added that are now typical for many Shia pilgrimages including ritual washing beforehand, dressing in perfumed clothing, and entering the site with one's right foot.

Since the beginning of Qom's history in the 7th century of the Christian calendar, the city has been associated with Shi'ism and set apart from the Sunni caliphate.  Many Shia hadiths referred to Qom as a "place of refuge for believers," calling it a deeply religious place. After Fatima Masumeh's death in Qom and the construction of her Shrine, scholars began to gather in Qom and the city gained its reputation for religious learning. Today, Qom is still noted for its religious seminaries and organizations.

Fatima Masumeh died in Qom in 201 AH as she travelled to join her brother, Imam Ali al-Rida in Khorasan. The caravan she travelled in was attacked in Saveh by the Abbasid Sunnis, and 23 of Fatima Masumeh's family and friends were killed. Fatima Masumeh was then poisoned by a woman from the Sunni enemies, fell ill, and asked to be taken to Qom, where she died. Fatima Masumeh's host in Qom buried her in his plot of land.

The style of Fatima Masumeh's Shrine has developed over many centuries. At first, her tomb was covered with a bamboo canopy. Fifty years later, this was replaced by a more durable domed building, at the request of the daughter of Imam Muhammad at-Taqi,  Sayyida Zaynab. The family of Sayyida Zainab later added a further two domes to the Shrine. These architectural projects marked the beginning of female patronage of the tomb of Fatima Masumeh.

From 1795–1796, Fath Ali Shah Qajar converted two Safavid sahn or courtyards into one large courtyard and, in 1803, fixed the golden dome. In 1883, Amin al-Sultan added the new sahn e-jadid or "New Court" to the Shrine complex.

During the Ayatollah Khomeini's 1979 Iranian Revolution, Qom was named "the birthplace" of this movement. Khomeini studied in Qom and lived there at the beginning and end of the Revolution. Aspects of the culture of Qom, including the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh, were used to unite the Iranian people over significant historical and mythical events. Khomeini used images of the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh in posters, money, and stamps created during the Revolution. Khomeini also constructed an addition to the Shrine of Fatima Masumeh and added more space for pilgrims. In addition, the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini utilizes architectural elements that are similar to Fatima Masumeh's Shrine, such as the golden dome.