Ahlul Bayt (AS) News Agency (ABNA): Lady Masuma (s.a) was a virtuous and noble lady from the household of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). She was born and raised in a family that immersed her in an ocean of knowledge and wisdom. However, before she had even reached the age of ten, her honorable father was martyred in Harun’s prison through the poison of oppression, casting a sea of grief upon her noble heart. During these times of sorrow and loneliness, her only source of solace was her brother, Imam Reza (peace be upon him). Suddenly, Ma'mun separated the sacred presence of the eighth Imam from his family, forcibly taking him to Khorasan and imposing an exile upon him there.
Lady Masuma (s.a), who now saw her only hope—her brother—taken away from her after her father’s martyrdom, was deeply distressed and heartbroken. She could not bear the separation from her brother, and so, after a year, she set out for Iran. However, the exact reason for her journey to Iran is not entirely clear. Based on existing historical accounts and narrations, the following explanations can be given for her travel:
1. According to some reports, the reason for Lady Masuma’s (s.a) journey to Iran was to visit her brother. As mentioned earlier, after the martyrdom of her honorable father, she had developed a deep love, attachment, and reliance on her brother, Imam Reza (peace be upon him), and she greatly benefited from his spiritual and intellectual presence. When she saw her Imam and brother taken away from her, she could not endure this separation. Thus, she decided to travel from Medina to Khorasan to visit him, entering Iran in the year 201 AH. (1)
2. Another narration states that after Imam Reza (peace be upon him) arrived in Khorasan, he wrote a letter addressed to his noble sister, Fatima Masuma (s.a), and sent it to Medina through one of his servants. The Imam ordered the servant not to stop at any resting place until the letter was delivered to Medina as quickly as possible. Upon receiving her brother’s letter, Lady Masuma (s.a) immediately prepared for the journey. (2)
However, the story of this letter is not found in early or classical sources. Some researchers have inferred its existence from references in older books. (3)
From these two narrations, it can be understood that Lady Masuma (s.a) was deeply attached to her noble brother, and the favorable conditions surrounding him in Khorasan prompted her to travel there to be with him.
The esteemed researcher Mr. Jafarian writes:
"After Ali ibn Musa (peace be upon him) came to Iran, groups of Sayyids (descendants of the Prophet) migrated to Iran. Ma'mun’s leniency—unlike his father’s harsh policies toward the Sayyids—played a huge role in the growth and honor of the Alawis. The journey of Lady Masuma (s.a) to Iran was among the migrations that occurred in connection with Imam Reza’s (peace be upon him) arrival in Iran." (4)
Mar'ashi also writes on this matter:
"The Sayyids, hearing of Imam Reza’s (peace be upon him) leadership and the protection Ma'mun had granted him, turned toward Iran. A group of his brothers and cousins—numbering over twenty—came to Iran and were honored in Qom." (5)
Historical Reasons
The journey of Lady Masuma (s.a) and other descendants of the Imams was not made out of negligence. Historical evidence shows that this journey was undertaken with full awareness of the circumstances. These reasons include:
1. The book "Karimat Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them)" mentions a letter from Imam Reza (peace be upon him) to Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a), in which the Imam requested her to travel. The author of the book, citing the "Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih", states that Imam Reza (peace be upon him) ordered one of his servants to deliver a written message to Lady Fatima Masuma (s.a), and she immediately prepared for the journey upon receiving it. (6)
2. Ma'mun’s political strategy initially involved gaining the favor of the Alawis, and he treated them well at first. However, this policy later turned into persecution and oppression. Perhaps this was why Lady Masuma (s.a) and other descendants of the Imams decided to travel.
"After the martyrdom of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) in 202 AH, Ma'mun sent a letter to the Abbasids and their allies in Baghdad, seeking reconciliation and announcing the end of his pro-Alawi policies. He reinstated the previous Abbasid policy of suppressing the Shi’a and persecuting the Talibis." (7)
3. Most sources cite the visitation of her brother as the reason for Lady Masuma's (s.a) journey. None of the sources suggest that her travel was accidental.
Some key references include:
- "Tarikh-e Qom" by Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Hasan (8)
- "Hayat al-Sitt" by Mahdi Mansouri (9)
- "Rayahin al-Shari’ah" by Zabihollah Mohallati (10)
- "Muntaha al-Amal" by Sheikh Abbas Qomi (11)
4. The routes Lady Masuma (s.a) chose were the same ones Imam Reza (peace be upon him) had been forbidden from taking. This indicates her careful planning and awareness. She intended to continue her brother’s mission of spreading and explaining the pure and authentic teachings of Islam.
"Ma'mun had prevented Imam Reza (peace be upon him) from traveling through Shi’a-populated areas to avoid uprisings against the government. Lady Masuma (s.a) wisely chose these forbidden routes to counter Ma'mun’s conspiracy. Moreover, her arrival in Qom—a center of opposition to the Abbasid rule—further proves her deliberate choice in this journey." (12)
5. The most critical factor was the oppressive atmosphere in Iraq, which led to the migration of the Imam’s descendants, including Lady Masuma (s.a), from Medina to Iran:
"During the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates, the Alawis were among the main opposition movements. Under the tyrannical rule of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf (75-95 AH) over Iraq, the Alawis became prime targets of his attacks. This forced them to seek refuge in the eastern regions of the caliphate. The Alawis, persecuted by the caliphs’ agents, found the most suitable safe havens in Iran—particularly the southern plains and the Alborz mountain ranges, including cities like Qazvin, Ray, Qom, Saveh, and Aveh. These areas were chosen because they provided easy access to mountainous regions in times of danger.
After the uprising of Yahya ibn Abdullah, the migration of the Alawis continued. When the issue of Imam Reza’s (peace be upon him) succession arose, many Alawis accompanied him to Khorasan. As news of this movement spread across the Islamic world, more Alawis from various regions—especially Medina—headed to Khorasan. Imam Reza (peace be upon him) had 21 brothers, all of whom, along with their cousins from the Hasani and Husayni Sayyids, traveled toward Khorasan.
When they reached the regions near Ray, they learned of Imam Reza’s martyrdom and faced threats from Ma'mun’s forces. Some of these Sayyids were martyred there, while most took refuge in the mountains of Tabaristan and settled there.
A group of Alawis who had accompanied Imam Reza’s (peace be upon him) brother—known as Sayyed Jamal al-Din Ashraf—reached Qom. Upon hearing of the Imam’s martyrdom, they fled to Deylaman via Qazvin... The migration of the Alawis continued in later periods as well..." (13)
Conclusion
The historical evidence makes it clear that Lady Masuma (s.a) and other descendants of the Imams did not travel to Iran accidentally. The letter from Imam Reza (peace be upon him), Ma'mun’s policies, the desire to visit Imam Reza (peace be upon him), the propagation of Imamate and Shi’a teachings, the choice of travel routes, and—most importantly—the oppressive atmosphere in Iraq were all factors that led Lady Masuma to travel toward Iran. Along the way, she never neglected the mission of spreading the teachings of Imamate and Shi’a Islam. (14)
Thus, based on these explanations, two main reasons prompted Lady Masuma’s (s.a) journey to Iran:
1. The immense love and attachment between Imam Reza (peace be upon him) and Lady Masuma (s.a), as she deeply relied on her brother in various aspects of her life.
2. Imam Reza’s (peace be upon him) high position in Ma'mun’s caliphate, which provided an opportunity for the Prophet’s descendants (Sayyids) to propagate Shi’a teachings. Many migrated to Iran from different regions and were warmly received by the people.
Recommended Resources for Further Study
1. Maqatil al-Talibin – Abul-Faraj al-Isfahani
2. Tarikh-e Mardom-e Iran – Abdul-Hussein Zarrinkoob
3. Tarikh-e Qom – Hasan ibn Muhammad Qomi
4. Tarikh-e Gozideh – Hamdollah Mostowfi
5. Al-Irshad – Sheikh Mufid
6. Hazrat Masoumeh va Shahr-e Qom – Mohammad Hakimi
7. Hazrat Masoumeh, Fatima-e Dovom – Mohammad Mohammadi Eshtehardi
8. Karimat Ahl al-Bayt – Ali Akbar Mahdipour
Footnotes
(1) Mirazimmi, Bargah-e Fatima Masoumeh, p. 24.
(2) Faqih Mohammadi, Anwar-e Parakandeh, Vol. 6, p. 123.
(3) Ibid.
(4) Jafarian, Tarikh-e Tashayyo’ dar Iran, p. 162.
(5) Mar'ashi, Tarikh-e Tabaristan, p. 277.
(6) Mahdipour, Karimat Ahl al-Bayt, p. 493.
(7) Pak, Qom dar Do Qarn-e Nokhost-e Hijri, p. 35.
(8) Qomi, Tarikh-e Qom, p. 213.
(9) Mansouri, Hayat al-Sitt, p. 9.
(10) Mohallati, Rayahin al-Shari’ah, Vol. 5, p. 30.
(11) Qomi, Muntaha al-Amal, Vol. 2, p. 843.
(12) Pak, op. cit.
(13) Pargari, Tarikh-e Tahavvolat-e Siyasi, p. 126.
(14) Kariman, Qasran, Vol. 1, p. 171.
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