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.]