Traditions about the virtues of Qum

There are many traditions narrated from the Prophet (S) and the Imams (A) about the virtues of Qum, and a few are narrated below:

1. `Affān Basrī narrates that Imam al-Sādiq (A) asked him:

أَتَدْري لِمَ سُمِّيَتْ قُمّ قُمّ

“Do you know why Qum has been named ‘Qum’?”

I answered: ‘God, the Prophet (S) and you are more knowledgeable.’ Imam (A) replied:

إِنَّما سُمِّيَتْ قُمّ، لأَِنَّ أَهْلَها يَجْتَمِعُونَ مَعَ قائِمِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَيَقُومُونَ مَعَهُ، وَيَسْتَقيمُونَ عَلَيْهِ وَيَنْصُرُونَهُ

“Qum has been so named because the people of Qum will gather around the Steadfast Imam of the household of the Prophet (S)[Qā’im-e Āl-e Muhammad; Imam Mahdī (A)]; they will make a stand (Qīyām) under his banner, stay loyal to him and be helpers for him.”

[Ibid., vol. 60, p. 216; Tārīkh-e Qadīm-e Qum, p. 100.]

2. The Prophet (S) narrates that at the time of his Mi`rāj [Ascension to the Heavens], his attention was drawn to a land which stood out [Qum]. He asked Jibrā’īl about it and Jibrā’īl answered:

بُقْعَةُ شيعَتِكَ وَشيعَةِ وَصِيِّكَ عَلِيٍّ

“This is the land of your Shi`a and the Shi`a of your successor, Ali.”

In the beginning of this tradition, it is narrated that the Prophet (S) banished Satan from this area, saying to him:

قُمْ يا مَلْعُونُ

“Get away, Oh cursed one!”

And this is how the name of Qum came about.

[Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 18, p. 407; Shaykh adūq, `Ilal al-Sharā-`i, p. 572.]

3. Imam al-Kāđim (A) has said:

قُمّ عُشُّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمَأْوى شيعَتِهِمْ، وَلكِنْ سَيُهْلَكُ جَماعَةٌ مِنْ شَبابِهِمْ بِمَعْصِيَةِ آبائِهِمْ وَالإِسْتِخْفافِ وَالسُّخْرِيَّةِ بِكُبَرائِهِمْ وَمَشايِخِهِمْ، وَمَعَ ذالِكَ يَدْفَعُ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ شَرَّ الأَعادي وَكُلَّ سُوءٍ

“Qum is the home of the family of the Prophet (S) and a sanctuary for their Shi`a. However, a group from their youth will be destroyed due to their disobedience to their fathers and their belittling and insulting of their great figures and elders. However, Allah will defend them [the people of Qum] from the evil intent of their enemies and from any unpleasant event.”

[Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 60, p. 214; Tārīkh-e Qadīm-e Qum, p. 98.]

4. Imam al-Kāđim (A) has said:

رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ قُمّ يَدْعُو النَّاسَ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، يَجْتَمِعُ مَعَهُ قَوْمٌ كَزُبُرِ الْحَديدِ، لا تُزِلُّهُمُ الرِّياحُ الْعَواصِفُ، وَلايَمَلُّونَ مِنَ الْحَرْبِ، وَلا يَجْبُنُونَ، وَعَلَى اللهِ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ، وَالْعاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقينَ

“A man from the people of Qum will call the people towards the truth. A group of men will be attracted to him like pieces of iron to a magnet. Strong winds will not shake them. They will not flinch from war and they will not be afraid; they will trust in Allah; and the [good] end belongs to the pious.” 

[Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 60, p. 216; Tārīkh-e Qadīm-e Qum, p. 100.]

5. Imam al-Sādiq (A) has said:

سَتَخْلُو كُوفَةُ مِنَ الْمُؤمِنينَ وَيَأْزَرُ عَنَهَا الْعِلْمُ كَما تأزَرُ الحَيَّةُ فى جُحْرِها، ثُمَّ يَظْهَرُ الْعِلْمُ بِبَلْدَةٍ يُقالُ لَها قُمُّ، وَيَصيرُ مَعْدِناً لِلْعِلْمِ وَالفَضْلِ حَتَّى لا يَبْقى فِى الأرْضِ مُسْتَضْعَفٌ فى الدّينِ حَتَّى الْمُخَدَّراتِ في الْحِجالِ، وَذلِكَ عِنْدَ قُرْبِ ظُهُورِ قائِمِنا

“Soon Kufa will become empty of the faithful, and knowledge will go out of Kufa as a snake goes out of its lair. Then the knowledge will appear in a land called Qum. It will become the centre of knowledge and merits. No-one, not even the women at home, will be unaware of the religion of God. This will be close to the time of the reappearance of our Qā’im (Imam Mahdī).” 

[Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 60, p. 213; Tārīkh-e Qadīm-e Qum, p. 95.]

Ziyārat (salutation) of Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a)

السلام على آدم صفوة الله

Peace be on Adam, the Selected one of Allah.

السلام على نوح نبيّ الله

Peace be on Nūh, the Prophet of Allah.

السلام على ابراهيم خليل الله

Peace be on Ibrāhīm, the Friend of Allah.

السلام على موسى كليم الله

Peace be on Mūsā, who was Spoken with by Allah.

السلام على عيسى روح الله

Peace be on `sā, the Spirit of Allah.

السلام عليك يا رسول الله

Peace be on you, O Messenger of Allah.

السلام عليك يا خيرخلق الله

Peace be on you, O Best of Allah’s creatures.

السلام عليك يا صفى الله

Peace be on you, O Selected one of Allah.

السلام عليك يا محمّد بن عبد الله خاتم النّبيّين

Peace be on you, O Muhammad son of `Abdullāh, the Seal of the Prophets.

السلام عليك يا امير المؤمنين علي بن ابي طالب
وصيّ رسول الله

Peace be on you, O Commander of the Faithful, Ali son of Abū Tālib, and the Successor of the Messenger of Allah.

السلام عليك يا فاطمة سيّدة نساء العالمين

Peace be on you, O Fatima, the leader of the women of the worlds.

السلام عليكما يا سبطى نبىّ الرّحمة وسيّدى شباب اهل الجنّة

Peace be on you, O the two grandsons of the Prophet of mercy, and the masters of the youth of Heaven.

السلام عليك يا علي بن الحسين سيّد العابدين وقرّة عين النّاظرين

Peace be on you, O Ali son of Husain, the leader of worshippers, O tranquillity for those who gaze at you.

السلام عليك يا محمّد بن عليّ باقر العلم بعد النّبيّ

Peace be on you, O Muhammad son of Ali,
O revealer of knowledge after the Prophet.

السلام عليك يا جعفر بن محمّد الصّادق البارّ الأمين

Peace be on you, O Ja`far son of Muhammad,
the truthful, the righteous, the trusted.

السلام عليك يا موسى بن جعفر الطّاهر الطّهر

Peace be on you, O Mūsā son of Ja`far,
the pure, the purified.

السلام عليك يا على بن موسى الرّضا المرتضى

Peace be on you, O Ali son of Mūsā,
the pleased, the pleasing.

السلام عليك يا محمّد بن عليّ التّقيّ

Peace be on you, O Muhammad son of Ali, 
the pious.

السلام عليك يا عليّ بن محمّد النّقيّ النّاصح الأمين

Peace be on you, O Ali son of Muhammad,
the pure, the benevolent, the trusted.

السلام عليك يا حسن بن عليّ

Peace be on Hasan son of Ali.

السلام على الوصيّ من بعده

Peace be on the successor after him.

اللّهمّ صلّ على نورك وسراجك ووليّ وليّك ووصيّ وصيّك وحجّتك على خلقك

O Allah, Bless Your light and torch, the heir of your vicegerent, the successor of Your appointed successor and guide for mankind.

السلام عليك يا بنت رسول الله

Peace be on you, O daughter of the Messenger of Allah!

السلام عليك يا بنت فاطمة وخديجة

Peace be on you, O daughter of Fatima and Khadījah!

السلام عليك يا بنت امير المؤمنين

Peace be on you, O daughter of 
the Commander of the Faithful!

السلام عليك يا بنت الحسن والحسين

Peace be on you, O daughter of 
Hasan and Husain!

السلام عليك يا بنت وليّ الله

Peace be on you, O daughter of 
the vicegerent of Allah!

السلام عليك يا أخت وليّ الله

Peace be on you, O sister of 
the vicegerent of Allah!

السلام عليك يا عمّة وليّ الله

Peace be on you, O aunt of the vicegerent of Allah!

السلام عليك يا بنت موسى بن جعفر
ورحمة الله وبركاته

Peace be on you, O daughter of 
Mūsā son of Ja`far! May Allah shower 
His mercy and blessings on you!

السلام عليك عرّف الله بيننا وبينكم فى الجنّة

Peace be on you. 
May Allah grant us your companionship in Heaven,

وحشرنا فى زمرتكم

And put us in your group,

وأوردنا حوض نبيّكم

And lead us to your Prophet’s Fountain,

وسقانا بكأس جدّكم منّ يّد علىّ ابن ابى طالب
صلوات الله عليكم

And quench our thirst out of your grandfather’s own cup, in the hand of Ali. May Allah bless you all!

أسأ ل الله أن ّيرينا فيكم السّرور والفرج

I ask Allah to grant us, through you,
happiness and ease,

وأن يجمعنا وإيّاكم فى زمرة جدّكم محمّد
صلّى الله عليكم

And to brings us and you into the group of your grandfather, Muhammad. May Allah bless you all!

وأن لا يسلبنا معرفتكم إنّه وليّ قدير

And not to deprive us from understanding your status. Truly, He is the Guardian and is All-powerful.

أتقرّب إلى الله بحبّكم والبراءة من اعدائكم

I seek nearness to Allah through my love for you, and through my enmity for your enemies,

والتّسليم إلى الله راضيا به غير منكر ولا مستكبر

And I surrender to Allah willingly, neither denying nor being arrogant,

وعلى يقين ما أتى به محمّد وبه راض

And I accept with unshaken faith what was brought by Muhammad, and am content with that.

نطلب بذالك وجهك يا سيّدي اللّهمّ ورضاك
والدّار الآخرة

We seek Your providence by this, O my Master! And Your pleasure in the next world, O my Lord!

يا فاطمة ٱشفعى لى فى الجنّة
فانّ لك عند الله شأناً مّن الشّأن

O Fatima! Intercede for me, so that I enter Heaven, 
for indeed you have a great status in the eyes of Allah!

اللّهمّ إنّى اسألك أن تختم لى بالسّعادة
فلا تسلب منّي ما أنا فيه

O Allah, I ask You to make my destiny good,
and not to take away what I have [out of Your favour] at present.

لا حول ولا قوّة إلا بالله العليّ العظيم

There is no might or power save that of Allah, the Exalted, the Great.

اللّهمّ استجب لنا وتقبّله بكرمك وعزّتك
وبرحمتك وعافيتك

So by Your Generosity, Honour, Mercy and Bounteousness, accept our supplication.

وصلّى الله على محمّد وآله أجمعين وسلّم تسليماً
يا أرحم الرّاحمين

And may the blessings of Allah shower on Muhammad and all his household and give them abundance and peace. O the most Merciful of the merciful!

The Pilgrimage of Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a)

The merits of the pilgrimage of Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a)

There have been many traditions from the Imams (a.s) about the rewards awarded to those who perform the pilgrimage of this noble lady, some of which are mentioned below:

1. Imam al-Sādiq (a.s) has said:

وَسَتُدْفَنُ فيها امْرَأةٌ مِنْ اَوْلادي تُسَمّى فاطِمَةَ، فَمَنْ زارَها وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الجنّة

“A lady from my children, by the name of Fatima will be buried in Qum. Whoever visits her [shrine], will certainly be admitted to Heaven.”

[Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 48, p. 317; vol. 60, p. 216 & vol. 102, p. 266.]

2. Imam al-Sādiq (a.s) has also said:

اِنَّ زِيارَتََََها تََََعْدِلُ الجَنَّة

“Visiting her earns Heaven.”

[Ibid., vol. 60, p. 219.]

3. Sa`d ibn Sa`d al-Ash`arī narrates, “I asked Imam al-Ridā (a.s) about the reward awarded for performing the pilgrimage of Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a) and the Imam (a.s) replied:”

مَنْ زارَها فَلَهُ الجنّة

“Whoever visits her [shrine], his reward will be Heaven.”

[Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 267]

4. Imam al-Ridā (a.s) has also said:

مَنْ زارَها عارِفاً بِحَقِّها فَلَهُ الجنّة

“Whoever visits her [shrine], while knowing and being aware of her high status, the reward for him will be Heaven.”

[Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 48, p. 317.]

5. Imam al-Ridā (a.s) has also said:

مَنْ زارالْمَعْصومَةَ بِقُمّ كَمَنْ زارَني

“Whoever visits Masuma in Qum, it is like he has visited me.”

[Nāsikh al-Tawārīkh, vol. 3, p. 68; Rayāhīn al-Sharī`a, vol. 5, p. 35.]

And Imam al-Ridā (a.s) has also said:

اَلا فَمَنْ زارَني وَهُوَ عَلى غُسْلٍ، خَرَجَ مِن ْذنوبِهِ كَيومٍ وَلَدَتْهُ اُمُّهُ

“Be aware, whoever visits me in a state of purity [after doing ghusl], he will come out of sin and become cleansed [purified of sin], as if he has just been born from his mother.”

Therefore, it follows that that same purity is obtained from performing the pilgrimage of Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a).

[Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridāa, vol. 2, p. 260.]

6. A Shi`a went to perform the pilgrimage of Imam al-Ridā (a.s) and after the pilgrimage he decided to go to Karbalā. On his way, he saw Imam al-Ridā (a.s) in a dream. Imam (a.s) said to him, “Why did you not also pass through Qum and perform the pilgrimage at the grave of my sister?”

[Anwār al-Masha`sha`īn, vol. 1, p. 212]

7. Mullā Haydar Khānsārī narrates a tradition from Imam al-Ridā (a.s): 

“Whoever is unable to perform my pilgrimage, he should perform the pilgrimage of my brother in Ray [Hadrat Hamzah, buried near Hadrat `Abd al-`Ađīm] or my sister [Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a)] in Qum. He will get the same reward as he would for performing my pilgrimage.”

[Mullā Haydar Khwānsārī, Zubdat al-Tasānīf, vol. 6, p. 159]

8. Imam Muhammad Taqī al-Jawād (a.s) has said:

مَنْ زارَ عَمَّتي بِقُمّ فَلَهُ الجَنَّةُ

“Whoever visits my aunt [Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a)] in Qum, will enter Heaven.”

[Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 102, p. 265.]

From the foregoing traditions we can see the immense reward, narrated from three Imams (a.s), of performing the pilgrimage of this noble lady.

An interesting point is that, in tradition no. 5 above, Imam al-Ridā (a.s) has made the reward of performing the pilgrimage of Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a) equal to that of performing pilgrimage at his own grave.

It is also interesting to compare this tradition with the following: 

Imam al-Sādiq (a.s) was asked, 

“what is the reward of someone who performs the pilgrimage of one of the Imams (a.s)?” Imam (a.s) replied:

كَمَنْ زارَ رَسولَ الله

“It is like he has visited the Prophet (S) of Allah.”

[Uyūn Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. 2, p. 262.]