Who is Hazrat Masoumeh? Fatima Masoumeh was the sister of the 8th Imam in Shia faith, Imam Reza. The alleged martyrdom of Fatima Masoumeh (Shahadat of Bibi Masooma) in Qom, changed the fate of the city forever. The event took place in Qom in 816 AD. When al-Mamun, the caliph at the time got intimidated by the growing favor of Imam Riza in Iraq, he ordered his thugs to move Imam Reza to Khorasan. Most of the members of his family and the majority of his supporters were left in Iraq. But it wasn’t long before the longing for his beloved brother became unbearable and Fatima decided to join him in Khorasan. The journey proved to be a deadly one. Anti-Shia militants attacked Fatima, her attendants and fellow travelers. The aftermath of the attack was disastrous. The assassins surrounded the small caravan and murdered 23 members of Fatima’s family. Fatima was one of the few people who survived the incident but soon she became ill. According to some sources, a vile woman from the enemy camp had poisoned Fatima. When Fatima finally realized that certain death was upon her, she asked her small coterie of followers to move her to Qom. Fatima wanted to be buried in Qom since she had heard from her father that Qom was the center of Twelver Shiism. She succumbed to illness less than a month after her move to Qom. Fatima Masumeh Shrine is the core around which all the glory of Qom is woven. The city becomes the center of attention in Iran during the celebrations held on the birthday of Fatima Masoumeh (Wiladat of Bibi Masooma) in Qom. The construction of the Shrine goes back to the 16th century during the Safavid era. Later Fath-Ali Shah Qajar ordered the tomb to be silver-coated. The marvelous golden dome, the spectacular glasswork and intricate internal decorations of the Shrine are its most conspicuous sights. Other mighty religious building in the city is Qom Jame’ Mosque that has been functioning as the official site for public prayer for centuries. Natural wonders, religious and historic sites claim most of Qom’s tourist attractions. Imam Khomeini, the great leader of Islamic Republic of Iran, is a revered figure among his followers. Before his exile to Turkey in 1964 (then to Iraq and finally France), Imam Khomeini lived and taught in Qom’s famous seminary. Imam Khomeini House in Qom is a site of inspiration for his supporters and a museum of modern Iranian history. Qom’s Great Timcheh is built in the tradition of Great Bazaars in Iran that includes such extraordinary structures as Tabriz Bazaar and Kashan Bazaar. The spectacular architecture and decorations of the triplet domes in Qom’s Great Timcheh gives the bazaar a spiritual atmosphere. Qom’s tours have a lot to offer besides the obvious bounty of historic sites. In addition to the spots mentioned above, our Qom day tours will also take you to Feyzieh Religious School, the largest center for studying theology and the Islamic law. We have written extensively about Qom’s remarkable set of accommodation. Here we only mention a recent development; the establishment of many Qom hostels and guesthouses. These cheap hostels are the ideal choice of accommodation for economy travelers.
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