Day 16
Bab al-Ilm
Our second day in Mashhad greeted us with sunlight streaming through our hotel window, waking us up for breakfast at 8 in the morning – a typical breakfast of naan and a varying number of spreads. Just after breakfast we took the usual walk to Imam Redha (as) ’s Haram for a tour with Sheikh Nadir. Unfortunately time would not permit us to have a comprehensive tour of such a holy place, but within our allotted time, we were shown the graves of many sheikhs and great Ulemas. One of them was Sheikh Bahai, who, among many things, was a great architect, scientist, poet, and Alim. One of his great achievements was heating an entire river in Isfahan for 300 years with a single candle, placed in a particular way through a precise mathematical calculation – all of which came to an abrupt halt when a few curious Germans decided to determine how he managed such a feat. Another great Ulema whose grave we visited was that of Sheikh Tabrisi who, through Allah (SWT)’s mercy was brought back to life in his grave, to write a comprehensive tafseer of the Holy Quran, and after having completed the last page of the tafseer, he passed away once again.Among other ulemas we saw and heard about scholars such as Ayatollah Behjat, Sheikh Ameli (the author of Wasail-us-Shia) and Sheikh Isfahani.
As the heat of Mashhad reached it’s peak, we parted to pray Zuhr namaaz and later headed back to the hotel for a hearty lunch that made us feel like we were back home with rice and dhal.
After our meal we were given a couple of ours of rest time. While some slept others prepared for tomorrows water park adventure. At about 5:30 pm we were all ready to go to the Haram once again. At the Haram we were given permission to roam around, visit the Zari of Imam Redha (as), and explore other parts of the Haram in groups, we were told to meet up right after Dua’ Tawwasul. Visiting the Zari of Imam al Redha (as) is one of the things that will stay in our hearts forever. Not all people are lucky enough to touch the Zari. The few who get to actually touch the Zari, go through a process of pain, but as soon as your fingertips brush the shiny silver bars you know it was worth it. After praying Magrib and Isha everyone found a place to sit down in the Haram and listen to the peaceful recitation of Dua Tawassul. We went back to the hotel and enjoyed a nice meal, of PIZZA! Even though we are far away from our families, this place feels just like home.
Fatema Panju and Laraib Kazmi (Canada)
Madinah al-Ilm
Today was our first full day in Mashhad. We left at 9 am for an day filled of spiritual benefit with the Eight Imam’s presence amongst us. We completed a tour of the haram and learned about the different Ulema’s buried here. Imam Rida’s (as) Haram is the largest in the world with religious personalities buried here like Sheikh Bahai, Ayatullah Mustahedi, Ayatullah Isfahani, and Sheikh Tabarsi.
Sheikh Bahai was an Alim, but also a mathematician, physician, poet, and much more. He was quite an influential scholar who was devoted to the Islam. Another Ulema, Ayatoallah Mustahedi was the greatest mystic of history. Every year for spiritual rejuvenation he would climb up Khizr Mountain and spend forty days doing worship. On Eid ul Fitr he would return.
We learned about the shafa given to many who ask. There is a booklet of a few volumes called Shafa-e-Mojeezat of all the miracles that have taken place. The stories of people have been recorded like those who couldn’t walk to those who were incurable. Allah’s (SWT) mercy was bestowed upon them through the asking of Imam Rida (as). And they were cured.
We recited a Fatiha at the grave of Sheikh Tabarsi. The interesting story about his life was his sincere desire to write a tafseer of the Quran. Before he could write a tafseer he died, but he made a covenant with Allah (SWT) asking to write a tafseer if he could come back to life. And in Allah’s (SWT) name he was brought back to life and died immediately after he completed the work.
We prayed Zuhr and Asr, and then returned to the hotel for lunch and rest. In the evening we departed for the Haram. We sat in front of the Golden Entrance of the Imam, which was quite magnificent. There were many people at the Haram from different parts of world all eager to pray Maghrib. We watched the sun settle down, and then heard drums for a half-hour to mark the end of Asr time. It felt as if we were on the battlefield, with all the intense drumming. We gathered for the recital of Dua-e-Tawwasul after Isha and then walked back to the hotel.
It was quite refreshing to be near the Imam, and amongst people who were devoted to worship of Allah (SWT).
Isna Kugshia
Day 15
Bab al-Ilm
After what seemed like forever, our twelve-hour train ride was over. We reached Mashhad! I’ve been looking forward to this day ever since I arrived. The rooms in our cabin were surprisingly big despite the size of the cabin. And after having spoken to some of the girls, I can confidently say that this must have been the best few hours of sleep so far on the trip, Alhamdulillah.
Once we got out of the train station, we took a bus to our hotel. We were all excited to see the hotel and find out who was in our groups. While on the bus, looking around, I felt that Mashhad was more presentable than Qum; the roads were more organised than in Qum. Even the random colours of the gates looked prettier! But I was always told not to judge a book by its cover.
After hearing who was in my room, I ran to room number 103 with my luggage and dumped it all over the floor and jumped in to bed. The room looked amazing; the beds were comfortable, well-presented and we had our own Iranian TV and our own fridge! This has got to be the best treat ever!
Most of the day was resting, unpacking and basically settling in. I was very excited for my first ziyarat of an Imam (as). We walked to the haram because it wasn’t far from the hotel. The whole five-to-ten minutes, I was thanking Allah (SWT) for giving me this wonderful opportunity. When I saw the dome of Imam Ridha (as) from a distance, tears flowed from my eyes and all I could think and feel was the presence of the Imam (as).
Sheikh Ali Nadir’s speech boosted my knowledge of this great personality before I went for the ziyarat as he was talking about how we should connect to the Imam (as). There were a lot of people in the courtyards and I could see, along with all my friends, that it was a lot bigger than Bibi Masuma (as)’s haram but despite the vast amount of space, people were still pushing and were centimetres away from each other. I think this shows the love for the Imam (as) and how everyone wants to be as close as they can to the Imam (as).
Mashallah, the courtyards were filled with fountains and there was a special fragrance aroud the place which made the ziyarat all the more spiritual for me. Seeing the courtyards filled with people for jamaat namaaz made me feel like we’re all one Ummah praying to our Lord. After having returned from the amazing ziyarat of Imam Ali-Ar-Ridha (as), we found out some very sad news – one of the girls in the camp had news of her grandfather’s loss. Please recite Surah Fateha for the thawab of Marhum Mohammedali Hassanali Juma. After having eaten a lovely meal of juicy chicken and chips, we all gathered in a room for a majlis to recite du’as and marshiyas for the Marhum.
I can’t wait for tomorrow’s ziyarat!
“Seeing the dome of the Imam(as) filled my eyes with tears”
“I have to say, reaching Mashhad has been the most exciting day of the trip!”
Saiba Shah, London, UK
Madinah Girls
After a long and exhausting 12-hour journey aboard the train from Tehran, the bright sun, clear skies, crowded streets and of course our 8th Imam Ali Reza (as) welcomed us at last into the holy city of Mashhad. Despite the duration of the journey, each one of us took this opportunity to spend every minute we could with the individuals who we now consider sisters. If discussions were arising in one cabin, then sleep was being caught up on in another. The early morning ceremony, rushed packing and bus ride to Tehran had surely caught up to a lot of the girls and before we knew it, most of us were out like a light!
The bus ride to our hotel gave us a first glimpse at the beauty of the city. From observing the ‘busy life’ of Mashhad by driving past all the tall buildings in the core of the city with people scurrying about their daily routine, to in-taking the breathless greenery and relaxed faces of those who simply wanted to enjoy some time alone, certainly gave us a positive impression.
Upon arrival to Ariana Hotel, there was an air of excitement, yet relief that our voyage had ultimately led us to our destination.Bunking with the girls with whom our friendship has become so powerful is one of the greatest means of spending the last few days together. Countdowns have begun as to how much time each of us really has to spend with one another after three weeks of tears, laughs and memories, which will be cherished for a lifetime.
Freshening up at the hotel allowed us to prepare for our first Ziyarat at the shrine of Imam Ali Reza (as). Walking down the streets and alleys, we got our first distance glance at the massive harram. As we got closer, we were truly able to intake the magnificence of the golden dome and the vast borders of the courtyards themselves. We had the honour of having Sheikh Nadir in our presence to enlighten us and refresh our memories on the method in which we must to pay our salutations and salaams to our 8th Imam (as) on the first Ziyarat.
Struck by the gorgeous architecture, colourful designs, glistening mirrors, and marble floors, we entered into the Zari. As we progressed in the direction of the shrine itself, individuals from all over the world who had come to pay their respects to the Imam bombarded us from every direction. Simply gazing at the shrine in remembrance of our Imam and knowing in our hearts that we were a matter of meters away from him brought about tears of mixed emotions to our eyes.
This brought another day to a conclusion as we near the end of the trip. An opportunity and experience of a lifetime packed into three weeks of exhilaration and a sense of increased closeness to Allah (SWT) is quickly approaching its end. I can truly say that of all the activities I may have spent my summer doing, attending this camp was the greatest honour and privilege that I received and for that I thank none other than the Almighty Allah (SWT) for blessing this chance upon me, as well as Bibi Masuma Qum and Imam Ali Reza (as) for inviting me to their cities so that I may do their Ziyarat and pay my sincere salaams to role models of such elevated character.
Fatema Nafisa Rahemtulla
Day 14
Bab Girls
On our last day in Qum after the extra sleep we had been dying for we headed for the closing ceremony. It started off with a speech from Sheikh Nadir Jaffar on the philosophy of ziyarat, to prepare us for our Mashhad trip. Sheikh Nadir Jaffar mentioned the manners of doing ziyarat while visiting the Holy Imam. He talked about how to talk to the Imam by the heart. At the end we were all awarded with certificates for successfully completing The Bab Al‘Ilm summer camp course 2010. After the closing ceremony we headed to the haram to pray our Zohr and Asr prayers and to say our farewell, last ziyarat. Visiting her daily, the girls were very sad to leave our lovely mother, Bibi Masuma (as) for we have spent the last two weeks with her.
We returned back to the hawza to have lunch. After we finished our delicious meal we rushed to our rooms to do our final packing. We sadly waved goodbye to all the helpful people in the hawza, who have been providing us with everything we need. Today has been one of the saddest days of the trip so far, I never expected that two weeks could go so quick.
To catch a train to Mashhad we had a two-hour ride to Tehran. Everyone was looking forward to the twelve hour train journey and the coming five days in the Mashhad to meet our eighth Holy Imam (AS). I was very excited to receive my certificate for the two weeks that I stayed in Qum.
M.Darwish, Dubai, UAE and Samana Karim, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Madinah Girls
After an excessive 8 hours sleep for most of us, we were woken up for our last breakfast at Jamiat ul-Zahra. After this, we gathered at the Imam Khomeini Hawza, where the boys were staying, for the closing ceremony.
Sheikh Nadir spoke first about why we do ziyarats and gave us some advice on how to address the Imam. He mentioned the ‘golden narration’ passed down through the Imams which Imam Reza (as) related on his way to Mashhad: ‘La illaha ilallah is like a boundary and whoever enters it will be protected from hellfire. There are some conditions however and I am one of these conditions.’ The sheikh explained that this meant that belief in the 12 Imams was a prerequisite to salvation. This served as a reminder of the importance of our upcoming visit. We were encouraged to contemplate on our real reason for going to Mashhad. The sheikh related a story about a pious man who travelled for 17 hours to Mashhad to do the ziyarat for Imam Reza (as). Just before he left home, his wife asked him to buy a chardor for her. He agreed and left for Mashhad. He returned from doing the ziyarat the next day. The morning after his return, he got up early and started preparing to leave. His wife asked where he was going and he replied that he was returning to Mashhad but this time with the intention of buying her a chardor. It made us all focus on our intentions. We decided that we would allocate a day where our intention could be shopping and the other days we would allocate for ziyarat and this way we weren’t required to do the impossible – stop girls from shopping!
Representatives from the girls and boys camps then spoke. Zaynab Karim and I spoke for the girls’ side, describing our favourite parts of the trip, whether we had achieved what we wanted to and what we would be taking home. We also thanked everyone who had played a role in organising the trip and making it such a success. The boys spoke about some of the experiences.. We were each awarded a certificate to show that we had taken part in the Iran summer camp. It was clear from the applause, the loud salawats and the broad smiles that overall everyone had enjoyed the experience of Qum. Most of all, it was obvious that strong friendships had been created between all of us.
We paid a last visit to Lady Fatima Masuma’s (as) haram for Zohr namaz and a farewell ziyarat. It was sad to think that we were leaving but we were grateful that we had the opportunity to impose on the Lady’s hospitality for 2 weeks.
Predictably, packing was a mad rush with everyone trying to fit more into their suitcases than they had come with. We finally made it onto the coach and everyone crashed after the emotionally draining day. We woke up as we arrived in Tehran train station.
There was an air of excitement as we waited to board our train. After the confusion of trying to find our bunks and explaining ourselves to attendants who only spoke Farsi, we settled into our cabins for the 12 hour journey to Mashhad.
Samantha Lanham
Day 13
Bab Girls
Today began as usual with our mentors waking us up for Fajr with admirable alertness. This was followed by a rare opportunity to sleep till 9 am, which was quite generous of the camp organisers. After our well-deserved rest, however; we were being hurried off to breakfast in order to make it to our class on time. Prepared for yet another breakfast of bread and jam, we were overjoyed at the plentiful array spread out just for us. Coco pops adorned the table, and as we devoured them, we knew the day would be great. We then made our way to our 3 hour practical caws class with our teacher, Sr. Batool Arastu. She gave an enlightening talk about the issues that all kinds of women face on a daily basis. Debates and discussions took place on the way back to our rooms after class, where we rushed to pack all our things for our upcoming trip to Mashhad.
Being near Bibi Masuma (as) is a great honour and one of the greatest experiences of our lives, though there wasn’t one person in the camp who was not absolutely excited about leaving to visit her brother and our eighth imam, Imam Ali Radha (as). The hours flew by and an evening of shopping was next on our schedule. After purchasing more goods in various shops and ticking off all the items on our wishlists, the call for prayer could be heard and mixed emotions surfaced. This would be our final Maghrib and Isha prayer at the haram of Lady Fatema Masuma (as).
When the salaat was over, everyone realised just how hungry they were, so we were taken to El - Baik restaurant. The food was well worth the wait and as one of my fellow Bab friends put so perfectly, “This is the best meal we’ve had so far”. Thinking we were done for the day, we were surprised to learn that we were being treated to some time in an arcade just behind the restaurant. We headed for the bumper cars first. “They were truly the best ones I have ever been on. You don’t find any this great in America,” one Bab-al-ilm student said about them. Next, we went for the go-karts, which was an enjoyable experience, despite all the protective gear we were made to wear while driving. Finally, we filed back onto the bus to head back to the Jamiah, which greeted 32 exhausted but very happy girls at 2 am.
Tathir Daya (Stanmore, UK) and Massuma Panju (Brampton, Canada)
Madinah Girls
Although classes had officially ended, we had not yet completed our introduction to all the hawza subjects. What remained was a single three-hour session for Ahkam, or Islamic law, in which we covered important and practical rules regarding women’s issues, as well as Wudhu and Tayammum. This was a very informational session and we benefited from it a lot.
Thereafter, we had the afternoon off before spending some time for shopping in the early evening. More than the items we bought, it was nice to just walk along the streets of Qum and observe the daily bustle of people on a beautiful summer day. A few of us even decided to explore the more narrow dirt roads of the bazaar for some fresh juice before meeting up at the Haram of Bibi Masooma (as) for Maghrib namaaz. Being our last full day in Qum, it was a nice to finally be able to relax and explore the city for what it is.
Finally, the official end to the summer course aspect of the camp was marked with a dinner outing to the famous El Baik. A delicious meal of burgers, fried chicken and pizza was followed by some free time in the arcade. Most notable were the bumper cars and go-karts. After a long and enjoyable night, we made our way back to Jamiatul Zahra to spend our last night in Qum. Indeed our experience has already provided us with a lifetime of memories; and while we look forward to travelling to Mashhad, this holy city will no doubtedly be missed.
Zainab Karim
Day 12
Bab Girls
Today was different. After Fajr at the hawza, we hopped on a coach bus to Tehran - the day most of us were excited to wake up early for! A few hours later, we found ourselves walking down the steps, led by Iranian officials and the national anthem of Iran, towards the blessed Zarih of the late Grand Ayatullah Khomeini. As unforgettable as this experience may have been, the special VIP visit arranged for us held back the public so we could do ziyarat of his shrine, giving us exclusive access to his Zarih.
Before we knew it we were at a famous graveyard known as Behest-e-Zehra. There, 72 martyrs killed in a single bomb blast during the Iran-Iraq war laid beneath our feet. A few Renowned Ayatullahs and scholars were buried there as well. We also visited the grave of the soldier who was in charge for distributing water, and died of thirst due to his selflessness. Miraculously, Allah (SWT) has kept his gravestone damp with water till today because of his action.
We then made our way to Tehran University for Jumma Namaaz, where ladies who worked there greeted us very warmly. Another amazing experience, as we were placed in the first few rows of the congregation that was being broadcasted later that night on TV. After the Khutba, we walked to a traditional Iranian restaurant, where were served the famous ‘Chelo-Kebabs’, and Zam Zam Cola. We left feeling refuelled and ready to move on.
The next place we visited was the Prison of Savak. We watched a short documentary and saw wax figures of the brutality the Shah of the time afflicted upon the people who were supporting the renaissance. Fatema Kanani from London, England, brought tears to my eyes when she expressed her feelings about the prison. “The tour of the Prison of Savak was the best place we’ve been to so far, yet the most heartbreaking. I was devastated to learn about pain and torture that was inflicted upon the innocent prisoners. Everybody should make a point to visit it. We also learned a very valuable lesson - Iranian freedom came at a very expensive price.”
The last place we visited was in the City of Rey. Shah Abdul Azim, one of the sons of Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (as). The beautiful shrine and palace included the shrines of Hamza, the son of Imam Musa-al-Kazim (as), as well as Tahir, the son of Imam Zain-Ul-Abideen (as). After the long, wonderful day, we headed back home to Jami-atuz-Zahraa.
Aneesah Jaffer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Madinah Girls
When we departed for Tehran early this morning, we had no idea what an eventful and emotional day it was going to be. After a two and a half hour bus ride, we arrived at Tehran and stopped at a park for a quick breakfast then headed off to the shrine of Imam Khomeini where a ceremony awaited us. Present at this ceremony were soldiers who were specifically welcome guards to the shrine of Imam Khomeini. We marched towards the shrine to the sound of ‘Khomeini ey Imam’ escorted by two of the guards while other guards stood on either side of us. I felt very honoured to have been welcomed in such a grand manner and I am sure everyone else in the group felt the same way. Paying respects to Imam Khomeini at the shrine, I felt very inspired as I thought about how much he had accomplished in his life and yet how pure of a character he had. This reminded me of what one of the speakers had said to us; all of us can be Khomeini, all of us can make a difference. With these thoughts in mind I made a resolution to strive towards realizing and using my potential to build a better character and to work with others to strengthen our Imaan.
Our next stop was Behishteh Zahra, which translates as the garden of flowers. This is the graveyard where the martyrs of the Iran – Iraq war as well as the martyrs of the revolution are buried. Inside the building are the graves of 72 men killed by the opposition of the revolution; and the outside is a vast graveyard with many shohada of the war. We visited one particular grave, which was that of a young shaheed who had died in service to his fellow soldiers. He made sure they had water even though he was dying of thirst and as a sign of his selflessness, water and a beautiful fragrance continuously emanates from his grave. This visit emphasised the thoughts and resolutions I had this morning at the shrine of Imam Khomeini and it also gave new meaning to selflessness and service in the name of Allah (SWT).
With Zuhr time approaching we boarded our coach once again and headed to the University of Tehran. On our way to the University we stopped for fresh melon juice on the street, which was a welcome treat on a hot, sunny day. Again we had the honour of receiving VIP service, being visitors to the University; we were able to sit in the front for the Jum’ah prayers. Halfway through the khutbah we were provided with wireless translators that enabled us to understand what the speaker was saying. He emphasised the importance of the youth in building the next generation and the importance of economically supporting Muslim countries, among other points. We felt very welcome and gained a lot from the speaker.
After a delicious lunch of kabab kubideh and chicken kabab we left for our final excursion; the prison of Savak now known as the Ebrat museum. This prison was where, during the time of the Shah, the supporters of the revolution were imprisoned and subjected to unimaginable acts of torture. A brief movie about what the prison was like and the kinds of torture that the prisoners were subjected to was shown to us. We were then guided to different rooms within the prison and observed wax models that depicted prisoners, torturers and prison cells. With tears in our eyes we saw the instruments of torture and watched graphic videos of the kinds of tortures that had taken place. Even with such horrendous treatment and such awful living conditions not one prisoner disclosed any information on Imam Khomeini or the revolution that was taking place in Iran. This shows their unshaken faith and dedication to the freedom of their country. Many lives were lost and extreme hardships endured for the success of the revolution.
Reflecting on this experience I realised that this is not merely a historical event that we acknowledge, shed a few tears for and then forget about as we become engrossed in our lives. Even today there are people throughout the world that are suffering from oppression and injustice, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Throughout the world even in places like Palestine and Iraq are striving for freedom and are yearning for their cries for help to be voiced. Our du’a may be a powerful weapon. Let us pray to Allah (SWT) to give us the tawfeeq to fulfil our roles as Muslims and to unite to relieve our brothers and sisters. Ameen.
Mehdiya Lalji, Minnesota, USA
Day 11
Bab Girls
We awoke with the beautiful recitation of the Holy Quran at the hawza as we prepared to go the haram for Fajr namaaz. For me these morning visits have been the highlight of my journey so far. The peace and tranquillity at the haraam in the mornings is indescribable and after Fajr every day we get the opportunity to perform a ziyarat. As soon as we came back from the haram, we had our final twilight session where we summarised the talks from all the previous sessions. As well as the summaries we also contemplated on the various meanings of La Illa Ha Illa Allah. Sis Aneesah Jaffer from Vancouver expressed her thoughts in the following words “It made me think that the one who created everything in all his magnificence is the most high. I’m nothing compared to everything in all the universes and all of His creations”.
We then headed to our final classes of Aqaid, Akhlaq and Quran, where we discussed the moral of Prophet Yusuf (a.s)’s story, hajj and Islamic ideology. I personally learnt that Insh’Allah one day if I get the opportunity to perform Hajj it is important to be mentally prepared as its very easy to get caught up in the physical rituals. Sis Sajeda Rahemtulla from Canada summarised her views about the classes in 4 words “An extremely enlightening experience”.
In the evening after rest time, we went to ‘40 stars’ for the ziyarat of Imam Redha (a.s)’s grandson and his 40 Syed companions who were buried next to him. We also visited shaykhan graveyard, which was interesting because the graves were embedded into he ground unlike conventional graveyards. We also did the ziyarat of Sheikh Abbas Qomi who was a great scholar. Finally, we arrived at the Haram for the evening namaaz and ziyarat. Our day ended with the amazing recitation of Dua e Kumail.
Fatema Alidina, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania
Madinah al-Ilm
Reflection
Today, as per every other day we had an early start of around 3:30 am, as we prepared to make way to the Haraam by 4:00 am. This, becoming progressively harder as the days wear on meant I literally got out of bed like a zombie, put my chador and made my way to the bus. However once we arrived there, the spiritual upliftment of the Haraam helped me wake up to offer the Fajr prayer. The tranquillity of the Haraam despite the morning rush gives a sense of peace and contentment in one’s heart and allows one to sit and simply be and contemplate.
Once back home, after a stimulating twilight and exercise session for us sleepyheads, we made our way to our classes. Being our last twilight session, this was saddening as these sessions greatly benefited me; they helped me think about my life, my goals and what was missing from it, despite the mental pressure of staying awake at the early hour of 6:00 am. I would have to give credit to Sister Zahra Walji who not only managed to keep most people awake, but also made us think at this early stage in the morning.
After breakfast, we trooped off to classes with an 8:00 am start. Again, being the last day of our classes, it was both relieving and saddening. The first class was started by Sheikh Mohamed Khalfan, where we learned about the etiquette of reciting ziyarat which will be very beneficial for our upcoming trip to Mashad. In Sheikh Ali Reza Walji’s Akhlaq class, we culminated our lectures and discussions on the need and importance of purifying the self (nafs) and how this relates to our ultimate goal of getting closer to Allah (SWT). Finally in Sheikh Ali Azim Shirazi’s Aqaid lessons, we summarised the Islamic worldview in relation to the materialist and spiritualist worldviews, and how Islam managed to integrate both the physical, spiritual and gnosis aspects of existence.
After a long morning, we all rushed back to bed to sleep during Qaylullah, which is the best time to sleep during the day. We set off again in the afternoon, where we started off with the ziyarat of an Imam Zada and forty shuhada. The people of the Haraam were very hospitable, giving us the history of the Imam Zada and presenting us with the gift of a dua book. Our next stop was to visit the graveyard of the martyrs of the Iran-Iraq war. This complimentated the previous talk by a survivor of the Iran-Iraq war, where he spoke of the faith and courage of the youth during the Iran-Iraq war in order to protect the Revolution.
Walking into the graveyard, one felt an aura of sadness and peace. Whilst it was tragic to see the immense loss of life and potential, it was amazingly inspiring to hear about their faith and courage. Finally the day ended with namaaz and Dua Kumayl under the clear sky. Reciting Dua in such a place and manner was an amazing experience as the Dua felt like it came from the heart, with true feeling and emotion, whilst the Farsi pauses in the middle allowed me to think about what I was reciting. It was a great end to a tiring but fulfilling day.
Day 9
Bab al-Ilm
For me today was a day of reflection and realisation. Following our daily Fajr in the Haraam and twilight we made our way to classes. We all learned today from one of our teachers, Sheikh Ali-Reza Walji, that nobody can be perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and has problems but we should learn to forgive them instead of dwelling on what happened in the past.
Today across the Bab group there was a buzz of excitement all day. Tonight was the night of 15th Shabaan and everyone was excited about the evening. As we planned to stay up all night in prayer and dua, we rested during the afternoon. For the first part of the evening we headed to Sheikh Nadir’s house. The excitement of the night was alive in the streets of Qum as the decorations were up and people gathered in the streets to celebrate, and give out sweets and drinks. The entire city of Qum was lit, celebrating the birth of the one who will bring justice. Everyone had a smile, a smile of satisfaction and relief, today was a reminder of Allah’s promise, the Mahdi (ajf).
We gathered on the roof of his home for a lecture with Sheikh Khalfan who advised us on the amaals we were about to perform. After the lecture, we headed to Khizr Mountain for Dua-e-Kumayl. The beautiful recitation alongside the breath-taking view brought most of us to tears. As we sat together reciting Dua Kumayl, we cried out to our Lord for forgiveness. With tears still rolling down our cheeks, we descended from the mountain and head towards Masjide Jamkaran
After Dua-e-Kumayl, we headed to Masjid-e-Jamkaran to finish our amaal and pray Fajr. The only problem was that our bus dropped us off over a mile away from the mosque! We finally reached the mosque and there were thousands (if not millions) of people. But, at the Masjid, you could hear all the people crying and calling to our to our 12th imam and you couldn’t help but feel a bit of anticipation when you realize our days are almost up and before we know it, our Imam will be here to rescue us all. At Jamkaran, we prayed Fajr then headed back to the hawza. For me the busy atmosphere of of Masjid-e-Jamkaran allowed me to realise the importance of this great night, a memory that I hope will remain for many years to come Insh’Allah.
As we headed towards Masjide Jamkaran, we saw people from everywhere praying for the faraj of our Imam. Today, I remembered that it is out of his manifestation of Allah’s mercy that I am here. In this holy place of Jamkaran, we all sat completing our Aamals for this holy night, Our three Surah Yaseens ensured our safety for the next year. As we recited our Ziyarat of Imam Husain, we felt that eternal pain embedded in the heart of every Shia ignite. We called out to the Imam of our time, “Ya Sahebuzamaan! Adrikni, come quickly, for the sake of Husain’s trampled body, for the sake of the holy blood spilt unjustly.”
As dawn filled the sky. We heard the call of truth from every direction- the call to Fajr prayers! We remembered how the Twelfth Imam, the promise of Allah (SWT) was born at this moment! The happiness and hope became apparent on our faces, for some it was tears, for others it was peace of mind. After completing Fajr salaat and Ziyarat Ale Yaseen, we rode back to what we all now call home - the hawza Jamiah tu Zahra.
After some rest, we visited Ayatullah Wahid Khorasani, an eminent Marajah amongst the shia community, many young men had also come to receive their Imamahs from this great man. Khorasani has the most attendees for his Dars programs. His advice for us was to read one Quran every month and dedicate it to Imam al Hujjah (as). This is surely due to the fact that Sahibul Asr is our speaking Quran. After our visit we prayed salaatul Zuhr and Asr in the Haram of Sayedah Masumah (as) which was filled with people who were enjoying this auspicious day.
After some more rest, we visited the last house of Ayatollah Khomeini. This was his dwelling during the revolutionary period of his life. It was amazing to see how such an influential man lived such a simple life, this is how the Shia of Imam al Hujjah should be. After this brief visit, we went to Darul Zahra to celebrate to Wiladat of our Holy Imam. This was truly a wonderful reminder of home as we recited Qasidahs in Farsi, Arabic and Urdu listened and to a lecture by Sheikh Shomali about the rahmah of our Imam (ajf). We finished our day with biryani and greeted the bride who also held her walima at Dar ul Zahra. Today truly allowed us to build that undivided submission to the will of Allah (SWT)- our Imam. As the Quran says, “Soon We will show our signs to them in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes manifest to them that he is the truth.” (41:53)
Sarah Jacksi, New York, USA and Mehreen Zahra Jiwa, Caledon Canada
Madinah al-Ilm
The day started off like any other, with an early morning visit to the Haram for Fajr prayers. The Jamaat namaaz was followed by an opportunity to do the Ziyarat of Bibi Masuma. Although this has become a daily routine, it doesn’t feel like one. Every Ziyarat and visit to the shrine brings about a sense of renewed awe at the personality of this great lady. Each opportunity to visit the shrine makes us realise how lucky we are to be able to do this almost every day.
The sense of thankfulness was coupled with the realisation that we had been blessed with the opportunity to spend 15th Sha’baan, the birth anniversary of Imam Zamana (AJTF), in the holy city of Qum, the abode of Masjid Jamkaran. We were all looking forward to staying up all night doing a’maal; for many of us it would be the first time.
We prayed Maghrib before leaving for the programme at night; this bus ride was like no other. The 15th of Shabaan is a public holiday in Iran and that was made evident by the fact that the streets were bustling with people, decorations and lights lined the streets and qasidas were playing loudly.
We noticed crowds of people gathering at various spots on the street, burning oudh and handing out sweet saffron-water. Families were picnicking and kids were playing; we even passed a mini-carnival along the way. I have never seen a city feel so vibrant and alive as Qum on this night.
After drinking the extremely refreshing juice we headed to Sheikh Nadir’s house. We had a discussion about Imam Mahdi (AS) and the importance of the 15th of Shabaan with Sheikh Khalfan. Then, we headed to Khizr Mountain.
The mountain was full of people, all praying and doing amaals. The view from the base of the mountain was amazing; we could see the entire city of Qum spread out before us, brightly lit in the night. The happiness within the hearts of the people was further manifested with fireworks across the city.
We settled down at the base of the mountain and recited Dua Kumayl. The feeling of reciting Dua Kumayl under the open sky next to Khizr Mountain is hard to describe. The feeling of peace and tranquillity that overcomes you as you recite the dua is one every Shia should have the opportunity to experience.
Dua Kumayl
After Dua Kumayl was completed, we headed down to the bus to go to Masjid Jamkaran for the rest of the night’s a’maals. It was only a few hours till Fajr and the Mosque was already packed, with the rush of people overflowing and filling the vast courtyard. The atmosphere was incredible – it was truly uplifting that we were able to spend a few hours of the sacred night of the 15th of Sha’baan in the very masjid commissioned by our Imam (AJTF).
We made our way back to Jamiatul Zahra around sunrise and got some much needed rest before the long day ahead. In the early afternoon, we were given the opportunity to meet Ayatollah Waheed Khorasani. The visit started with a graduation ceremony of some of the Hawza students who were honoured with the opportunity to have this great personality bless them on such an auspicious day. Ayatollah Khorasani then provided us with a few words of wisdom – to read Quran everyday, and dedicate it to our Imam (AJTF); indeed, if we make the effort to remain connected to the Holy book and Allah (SWT)’s representative on Earth, we can only attain success.
We prayed our Zuhr and Asr namaaz at the Haram of Bibi Masuma Qum (AS) before heading back to Jaamia. It was our second time visiting the shrine at that time of the day and the difference from the time of Fajr namaaz was apparent. Compounded by the fact that it was 15th Sha’baan, the Haram was incredibly busy. Unfortunately we did not get to spend quality time with Lady Masuma (AS) because of the rush, but remained hopeful of doing her Ziyarat again the following day Inshal…
After lunch, we visited the house of Ayatollah Khomeini in Qum. This particular house was said to be his last place of residence before the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979. It was a modest place of residence and consisted of only a few rooms, a living space in the bottom floor, and a library and receiving room for visitors made up the top floor. Imam Khomeini was eventually sent to Turkey and then to France; when he returned from exile he moved to Tehran. The tour of his house provided insight as to who this great leader was.
The celebrations of the 15th of Shabaan concluded with a Khushali program at Dar al Zahra. The function was a truly remarkable experience. The small hall has probably never been as full as it was that night, which created a sense of ronak in and of itself. Moreover, there was poetry in Urdu, Arabic, Farsi and lectures in Gujarati, English and French. Being so out of our traditional routine, this 15th of Shabaan was truly memorable.
Day 8
Bab al-Ilm
Today was our 8th day on the course since we were united as one in the holy city of Qum to perform the Ziyarats and seek closeness to Allah. Once again waking up for Fajr namaaz by the beautiful recitation of the Holy Quran made my heart feel content. Today we were out on our first field trip since we reached Qum. First we travelled to the Shah’s palace where they had a water fountain outside that used to be filled with gold coins so that when the sunlight reflected onto it the rays would then reflect onto the stained glass windows creating a rainbow effect in his bathroom. Thereafter, we went to see Imam Baqir’s son’s grave who died whilst fighting with the king of the time.
Lastly we headed towards the cave called ‘Chal Nakhjir’ in Naraa. It was a 1km walk to the end of the path in the cave. All of us felt a little cold but yet it was amazing. The cave has 3 layers with a lake being at the bottom. It was an amazing experience as we saw 4 different stoned animals: an elephant, a crocodile, a turtle and a rhinoceros. From the cave we headed to the city of deli jaan, where we ate the popular chelo kebabs of Iran.
“Lunch was quite interesting. I think I ate enough chelo kebabs to last a few days.” Commented one of the participants.
An amazing end to a long, tiring day was a game of volleyball between dorm mates which was very lively and lots of fun.
“The volleyball game was a good sporty experience as well as the cave as it was the first time I have ever been to a cave, I felt very peaceful and calm when I was there and I look forward to another day tomorrow.” Said another of the participants.
Fatema Punjani
Madinah al-Ilm
Jaanaam! Shoma as Khoja Hasti? JANAM? A lady’s voice with a thick Iranian accent invited me to turn around and meet a family of five Iranians, all peering at us at us as we boarded the yellow bus that would be our transport for the day. We were slightly dazed and puzzled by the hot sun that showed no sign of mercy, I stood looking at the Iranian family, until she prompted me again, “Janaam” it was confirmed she was talking to me, and so I began my day in the Holy City of Bibi Masuma Qum.
The bus journey that took both Bab and Medina groups to our first destination which lasted 2.5 hours. The journey was a very interesting journey one as it allowed me to talk to and get to know many of the students on the trip that I was previously unable to do, due to tightly packed schedules. After taking to one very young girl in particular I realised that the Bab girls are very strong in their beliefs and their love for the 8th Imam and Bibi Masuma, more than I had allowed myself to believe. Lesson No 1 for the day “Do not jump to conclusions”!
After a long and bumpy ride we reached our 1st destination: “a Castle”. The architecture was amazing and we learned that it was built 200 years ago for one of the Shahs of Iran. With its amazing scenery and beautiful ponds, the castle gardens proved to be a great way for us girls to strengthen the bond that had formed between us; walking in the gardens, admiring Allah’s creation and of course posing for photos!!!
We were then off to our second destination of the day, an eye opener: Imam Baqir’s son. We only really know that 12 Imams so alhamdulillah we were grateful that we were able to visit.
Now we were off to the third destination, the most exciting of all, the drive was one filled with the sound of light snoring and whispers. Even the mentors Saida and Fatima were caught on camera catching up on long overdue sleep. When we finally reached our surprise destination, we clambered out of the bus into the hot afternoon sun and made our way to the entrance of what looked like a cave, AND IT WAS! A fully AIR CONDITIONED ONE!
Some 21 years ago it had undergone some artificial re construction in order to make it a very popular tourist attraction. The cave was 1200 metres long and we walked through it. We completed a tour of the cave and enjoyed the different shapes found within like turtles and alligator rocks. We returned to the Hawza after having lunch.
Visiting the cave was a spiritual awakening as it made some remember the meditation of the last prophet in a mountain until the Quranic verse was revealed. Mountains may seem like rocks and dead objects, but indeed even they will testify to the Quran on day of Judgement. Therefore we must analyse our surroundings with care and deep thought. Everything has a purpose and only through discovering it can one achieve nearness to Allah (swt).
Sabiha Kaaba, of Stanmore, UK
Day 7
Bab al-Ilm
Today was our 7th day in the holy city of Qum, and naturally by now we are beginning to get used to the different way in which time passes here during the day. Understandable of course considering the mammoth number of things we do in just one day. If we were this productive at home, we would probably achieve so much more.
At our twilight session we learned how all of our actions in life are either goal orientated or pleasure orientated, and how the main goal in life is to make all of our actions goal orientated and for the pleasure of Allah. For most of us this was a new concept and was interesting to learn about. And of course we cannot have any spiritual exercise without our daily dose of physical activity. Exhausting but enjoyable- we are still wondering where Zahra Aunty gets all her energy from!
Our Aqaid lecture today was by Sheikh Ali Azim Shirazi, who talked about the differences between an Islamist and a materialist. Our akhlaq lesson was a bit different today as we had a debate on whether it is better to do worship and good deeds without understanding, than it is to work on knowing oneself and understanding our actions. This made the class a lot more interactive and allowed everyone to think and contribute.
We found the debate insightful and its changed my perspective on the balance between worship and self awareness.
As evening approached we went to visit the Ayatollah Marashi Library. Here Sheikh Nadir enlightened us on the struggles and hardships faced by Ayatollah Marashi Najafi whilst founding the 3rd largest Muslim library. It is inspirational to think that despite the poverty he found himself in, he persevered and did everything within his power, including fasting on other’s behalf, in order to fund the project in the way of Islam.
At Ansariyan Bookshop
Our next visit was to the Ansarian bookshop which contained an extensive range of English books which I felt were very relevant to my life. The perfect end to the day in the form of an ice cream, and then of course an early night for- all lights out!
Zahra Juma & Esmat Jiwa
Madinah al-Ilm
The ink of a scholar is mightier then the blood of a martyr and today we witnessed why, Ayatullah Marashi Najafi, the founder of the third biggest Shia library in the world.
At the library of Ayatullah Mar’ashi Najafi
To seek knowledge is incumbent and this course has allowed me to appreciate that we need to grow from being children of Muslims to children of Islam and that can only happen with the acquisition of knowledge. In the pursuit of knowledge Ayatullah Najafi used to earn his living fulfilling the namaaz and the fasts of those who had recently demised. He then used the money to buy one meal half of which he ate for lunch and the other for dinner. The remainder money was used for his books.
He is buried in his library for he wanted the dust of the taalib to fall on his grave, and a great tribute to all he has done for Islam. His legacy left me in awe, one which made me introspect and wonder, how much have I done for Islam? Is my knowledge sufficient? What is my legacy?
With all these thoughts in mind we proceeded to Ansariyan book shop where honestly all the girls stripped the walls bare.
Inshallah we all get the tawfeeq to gain from those books that we brought and we too leave behind a legacy of some sort.
Madinah al-Ilm participant
Day 6
Bab al-Ilm
Today we started our day like any other day with Fajr at the Haram of Bibi Masuma, however for me this morning was particularly spirituality uplifting as I begin to adjust to Iranian sleeping patterns, this is for me the time of utmost peace and tranquillity.
From the haram we headed to Khizr Mountain where we had our first twilight session with Sheikh Nadir. Thinking about the atmosphere, it mirrored the spiritual feeling I felt at the haram. At the base of mountain, we had a lecture by Sheikh Nadir, which I found very beneficial. He spoke about how everything in this world has an effect on us from the way we sleep, eat and talk. We also admired the beauty of the mountain, and how it embodied Allah’s majesty. Overall I found it very helpful. We then had a refreshing breakfast of cheese, bread and water with cool lime juice.
Then we got to one of the most enjoyable experiences of the day, the shopping! Roaming through the bazaars, I managed to find some really good buys namely a ring for my mother and a necklace for my sister and myself. We then went for Juma, after which pleasantly tired, we headed home.
After resting, we got on a bus, and headed to Dar us Zahra, the World Federation office where we met an Iran-Iraq war veteran who shared his life and war experiences with us. The stories deeply inspired and touched me, and listening to him I felt he inspired us youngsters to give up our lives for Islam by the stories of how the Iranian youth and Imam Khomeini gave up their lives for the Iranian Revolution in the name of Islam.
Student of Bab al-Ilm
Madinah al-Ilm
Like previous days, our first day of Jumuah in Qum also started early, rising before the sun. Being one who takes sleeping not too lightly and rarely experiences such early mornings, from the first day here, I was surprised that I was even able to pull myself out of bed. But mornings here are an experience in them selves. There is a feeling of tranquillity and calmness surrounding the campus, and stepping out in the courtyard fills you with a feeling of peace.
Like other mornings, we headed to the shrine of Hazrat Masuma for the morning prayers. Despite it being the early hours of 4 and 5 in the morning, the Haram was swarming with people. I personally enjoy going in the morning rather then in the afternoon and night because there is less hustle and a feeling of serenity is present there. After we prayed the morning prayers we were given some time to do ziyarat of Hazrat Masuma. Even having gone to the Haram numerous times I still cannot get over the majesty of the Haram. It is indescribable. The beauty and grandeur of the Haram makes you ponder at the greatness of Hazrat Masuma herself. I don’t think it is possible to ever tire of sitting there, either to contemplate or recite Duas.
Not even two hours into our day and already having gained so much, we head to Khizr Mountain. Having reached there we sit down for a reflection session with Sheikh Nadir. The discussion is based around the idea that every place and every thing manifests an attribute of Allah, and in connecting with that place or thing we should also manifest that attribute. We concluded with understanding that climbing the mountain shouldn’t just be a physical climb, but a spiritual one as well. Keeping this in mind we began the climb after breakfast.
The climb was definitely more then a physical exercise. Each step was like a step away from the duniya and a step closer to Allah. The higher we climbed the smaller the buses and people and the rest of the city became. It was a difficult climb, as the sun was beginning to strengthen. But after reaching the top we harvested the reward as a nice breeze cooled us off. It is said that prophet Khizr was seen praying in that place, and so a Masjid was constructed there. According to Hadith, prophet Khizr and Imam Zamana (as) shared a close relationship, and were seen in each other’s company. Therefore the Masjid was built parallel and in a similar fashion as Masjid al-Jamkaran, which can be seen from the top of the mountain. From the top of Mount Khizr you can see the entire city of Qum with its many minarets and dusty brown buildings surrounded by desert all around it. It was a remarkable sight.
After the trip to Mount Khizr we were given the opportunity to shop at the bazaar near the Haram of Hazrat Masuma (as). Although language was a barrier for all of us, we were able to communicate with the shopkeepers. It was nice to see the honesty of the shopkeepers. We stayed at the Haram until the time of jumah. Jumah is the busiest time at the Haram, and therefore security was heightened.
After a few hours of rest at Jamiat, we headed to Dar al Zahra, the World Federation Qum Office, where a speaker came to speak with us. He was a voluntary soldier in the Iran-Iraq war. He spoke about the war as well as the Iranian revolution. The speech was beyond inspirational. He talked about jihad and the courage and love in the hearts of the soldiers, that they were willing to give everything up for the sake of Islam and shahada. He was an extremely motivating speaker, and his words touched the heart. I could feel my heart yearn to achieve what those soldiers had, that type of strength and iman. It was a great end to a long day that not only exercised our physical selves but our spiritual selves as well.
Amena Karim – Minnesota, USA
Day 4
Bab al-Ilm
The 4th day in Qum started off with a group discussion in our twilight session where we took 3 minutes to think about nothing, which is something, many of us haven’t ever done. The point of this activity was to see how open our minds are and to see what is in our minds. Later on we shared what came into our minds. I felt it was harder then I thought it would be; it took me no longer then 20 seconds to think about something else. This shows that many of us have a lot on our minds and this task also helps us to practice how we can help improve our concentration in namaaz.
Later on we went into our daily classes out into the garden with our teacher Sister Razia Najafi which opened up a talk about human judgement and how sometimes we think certain events happen not in our favour, but in the end its really what Allah has planned for us.
For lunch we enjoyed Iranian Chello Kebab and then we went to Bait Al Noor, a place where Bibi Masuma (A.S) stayed before she passed away. We had a talk by Asad uncle who told us the story about Bibi Masuma and how she was in prayer at Bait Al Noor for 17 days before she passed away.
Lecture at Bait al Noor
For the evening we made our way to the Haram for evening prayers and Dua Kumail. Sitting in the courtyard of the haram under the moonlit sky, reading Dua brought about a feeling of serenity that many of us rarely feel in our lives back home. For another wonderful day on this trip I thank Allah (S.W.T.) for giving me the opportunity to be here.
Zahra Mussa
Madinah al-Ilm
What a better way to begin the day than by visiting one of holiest and most highly ranked personalities for female Muslims; Lady Masuma. Opportunities like this are very rare and it is humbling to know that she chose me to wake up in her city. I feel spiritually refreshed as I walked towards making a special connection with her.
Back at the Jamia, we had a very constructive ‘twilight’ discussion where we looked at the importance of knowing the self. I have come to realising that there is more to me then I think, I now appreciate that I need to make constant effort with myself to help me appreciate that it is thru the soul that I know Allah.
In the afternoon we set off towards Bait al Noor, the place where Lady Masuma spent the last 17 days of her life. We had the treasured opportunity to offer salaat in the mehrab where the holy lady had performed her ibadaat, it gave a sense peace from within, knowing that the maqam is one where she supplicated to Allah, so this place is one favoured by Allah.
Being a Thursday we then proceeded to Sheikhan a graveyard filled with great Aalims including Ayatullah Javad Qumi who played a key role in the Islamic Revolution amongst other great spiritual personalities. We paid our respects and asked Allah in their names for intercession as scholars and martyrs are ranked highly in the eyes of Allah and are an axis to gaining his mercy.
At Shaykhan Graveyard
Today we were blessed enough to be under the open sky to recite Dua Kumail, sitting amongst hundreds of women, and the haraam echoed with “Ya sareeyar reza ighfirili mun la yumliku illad dua” – not only were we uttering the words of Imam Ali but also we were sitting next to Bibi Masuma who could intercede for us to get to Jannah.
Leaving the haram I realized how much I would miss the haram, the peaceful and spiritual atmosphere that is so unique.
Mahdiya Lalji
Day 1 and 2
Bab al-Ilm
After setting off from Heathrow on Sunday evening by the grace of Allah (SWT) we arrived in Qum early on Monday morning. After praying Fajr at the airport, with a buzz of excitement in the air the girls made their way to Jamiah-az-Zahra. After the girls had their first Iranian breakfast and received their chadors, they rested and settled in at the Hawza.
Later on in the day was the opening ceremony, marking the start of what has been an amazing journey so far. After a beautiful Quran recitation, we were all inspired as to how blessed and fortunate we all are to be invited to be the zawar of Imam Reza (A.S) and Lady Masuma. The students were given advice on how to fulfil their true potential on this important and life-changing journey, and learned what to expect over the coming weeks.
We then made our way to perform Salaat and our first Ziyarat at the Haram of Lady Masuma. We were fortunate to have a short talk on the etiquettes of Ziyarat and the philosophy behind it, enabling us to perform our first Ziyarat in this holy city of Qum with better insight and understanding.
As our first day in Qum came to an end, the atmosphere amongst the girls was one of contentment and excitement as they looked forward to what the next day has in store for them.
Haram of Bibi Masuma: the group’s first ziyarat
- Participant
After Fajr prayers in the Haram of Bibi Masuma, we had our first group discussion which was an eye opener for all the girls. They shared their deep thoughts to each other for the very first time, briefing their purposes and what they wanted to achieve from this trip.
The daily classes started with three different great scholars, all of them teaching at the Hawza. In one of the classes the lecturer cautioned that our biggest enemy is our own self, together with Shaitan.
The girls are beginning to adapt to this new lifestyle Alhamdulillah, even though the culture is quite different to what they are used to back home. After prayers and lunch the girls rested in the afternoon.
In the evening we had the honour to meet the representative of Ayatullah Seestani: Sayid Mohsin Hashimi. The girls used this precious opportunity time and asked a various different Fiqh questions and also said their prayers behind him in Jamaat.
Masjide Jamkaran
The day ended with a trip to Masjid-e Jamkaran with Dua – E – Tawassul with tears in their eyes. All of them went back to Jamia satisfied after a dinner of burgers.
Zainab Ladha, of Trollhattan Sweden, mentor for Bab al-Ilm
Madinah al-Ilm
Having arrived in Qum and felt the air of this blessed city, the group felt relieved to rest after a long journey.
The opening ceremony was one that brought to life the unique and honourable opportunity we have all been blessed with, not only to be the zawar of Imam Reza a.s. and his sister Lady Masuma, but to be on a journey for which the angels have laid down their wings, the journey of gaining knowledge.
For everything in life Allah has prescribed for us an example of it at its best, so the best of mankind is the Holy Prophet, the best of the months is Shahr Ramadhan, the best nights is Laylatul Qadr, the best stone is Hajr Aswad and the best of books is the Holy Quran – while we come together to mark the initiation of this journey we are reminded that our ultimate goal is to be the best soldiers we can possibly be for the Imam of our time as he has selected us to be in this city to mark his wiladat.
Before we all paid Salutations to Lady Masuma one of our teachers enlightened the group on the concept of offering Salaam, its etiquette and the transformational role it should play in our lives. This really helped the girls to connect to the Ziyarat moving away from a mere ritualistic offering but one that came from the depths of their heart which left no dry eye in sight.
- Participant
Despite only a few hours sleep last night, we were all eager to go back to Lady Masuma’s Haram to take part in congregational prayers. I am constantly struck by the beauty of this sacred Haram every time I enter it. Every building is a work of art; it inspires, humbles and makes me determined to use this experience to become a better person – one more worthy of being in this place.
We focussed on self reflection this morning, starting with individual ziyarats to Lady Masuma, followed by a ‘Twilight’ lecture on teaching the self about the dangers of the self. The lecturer asked each of us WHY we had come on this course and what we hoped to achieve. All the sisters, even those who said they were originally forced to come by their parents, had admirable intentions of increasing their knowledge of Islam and gaining nearness to Allah.
An early morning jog through the hawza with frequent snacks and drinks kept us awake and alert for our first lectures, the privilege to learn from a range of learned hawza scholars dawned on us which was a humbling opportunity.
Q & A with Sayyid Muhsin Hashemi (representative of Ayatullah Sistani)
It feels like we have all known each other for much longer than a day, the spirit of this trip seems to be embodied in the sincere and kind behaviour of all the sisters towards each other and the tireless efforts of the mentors.
I’m left feeling that my heart is more receptive to the truth of Islam and Allah then it has been in a long time. I eagerly anticipate tomorrow’s Akhlaq lecture – learning about the awareness of and how to tame the nafs. This seems so fundamental to embodying Islam and practising it in everything that we do, think and say. Inshallah, Allah will guide us all and enable us to achieve our own goals and those He has set for us.
Samantha Lanham of UK