Report 5: A Shrine, a Library and a Women’s Theological School in Qom

 

FOR's Friendship Delegation to Iran: May 2006

Stanley Campbell reports on a meeting with an Iran-Iraq war veteran:

“One of the imams, described as a “war hero” (he had lost three fingers from both hands) joined us for dinner after our meeting at the Society for Chemical Weapons Victims Support.  I had a chance after dinner to speak to him through an interpreter.

I said I recognized him as a war veteran, and that I had been in Vietnam, where I learned to hate war.  I thought we should pray together for peace.  He said that was a good idea, but that we should pray for the return of the Messiah.  I agreed that we await His return, but it might be good to hold a public prayer service so that the world would see and it may stave off military intervention.  The translator wasn’t proficient, but the imam seemed to be in general agreement.”

Gray Henry Blakemore added the following about our meeting with Coleman Barkes and Robert Bly, the translators of Rumi and other Persian poets who were in Iran to be honored for their work.

“We encountered them in Isfahan and went together to the palace on Imam Square. Both are being honored at a special ceremony (to which the FOR delegation was invited but unable to attend) for their translations of Persian classical literature and poetry. Coleman has, by his exuberant interpretation of Rumi, been partly responsible for Rumi’s being the best-selling poet in America.”

Gray also reported on her talk with an Iranian woman at the widow’s NGO in Teheran:

“We had the opportunity to speak at length with lovely Elahe (“from God”) and her sister Elham (“spiritual inspiration/imagination”) Elahe is 26, a graduate in engineering, but cannot find work.  She comes to the NGO to learn carpet-making which she enjoys.  Her father, who had been an intellectual of special standing, died five years ago.

Delegate Gray Henry Blakemore, second right, with Coleman Barkes (on her right) and Robert Bly (on her left) , the translators of Rumi and other Persian poets.

Elahe tells us that because many educated youth have no work and cannot afford an apartment, they cannot marry.  She said her soul was very sad and hopeless for the future. I would have thought her faith could sustain her but it seemed not to be a source of refuge.  Perhaps religious education, as it does everywhere in the world, passes on the rules but does not convey how to use one’s spiritual heritage for inner transformation.

Our guide told us later that a government official had maintained that it was better to have educated people, even though they were unemployed,  than people who were not educated.”

At the Shrine of an 8th Century Female Saint

We arrived in Qom in the evening on Tuesday, May 16th.  We hurried to the shrine of Hazrat Masumeh to meet with Shii clerics.  The shrine complex centers around the 8th century female saint, Masumeh.  We moved through the throngs of pilgrims who had come to Qom to visit one of Iran’s most revered sanctuaries. 

The magnificent gold dome and splendid minarets were luminous above the great “iwan” (niche), which sparkled with the reflection of a mosaic of tiny mirrors.  Our group of ladies donned an array of chadors of grey and blue patterned cloth shaped in a half circle. We were assisted by passing Iranian women, who really enjoyed watching us get into proper attire.

Removing our shoes, we entered an ornate floral chamber and were seated and given gifts and refreshments. We listened to a brief presentation about Masumeh, and then a mild and quite lovely cleric gave a beautiful talk about the differences between Sunni and Shia Islam.  Richard Deats introduced the delegates and Gray Blakemore presented some books on Islam from her publishing house (Fons Vitae).

Next, we were taken to the museum which houses gifts donated to the shrine, including a gigantic Qur’an which is larger even than the Mamluke volumes.  It was unusual to see Qajar tomb lids with modern day cherubim surrounding the figure.  A Canadian Muslim, who has been studying in Qom for 12 years, joined us, then returned with us to the hotel for supper.

Gray was fortunate to be able to visit the interior of the shrine, where a crowd of women pressed eagerly into the mirrored interior.

FOR delegates Eleanor Manire-Gatti (in the front), Sahar Driver (behind Eleanor), Jean Mont-Eton ( right) and Ellen Poisson (left) donning chadors before entering the shrine of Masouma in Qom.

“This experience was paralleled only by the Hajj, when people are trying to kiss the black stone. It was like being carried by a wave. Within, the women tried to make their way to the burial place itself, a rectangular screen indicating the very spot of the grave below. Each woman hoped to be among those who could touch the outer screen, thereby “touching” the “barkat” or grace emanating from the saint herself.

 “As I emerged, the great square was teeming with pilgrims, and as it was a Tuesday, the shrine would be open for “ziyerat” – visiting – throughout the entire night.”

One Man’s Passion, One Man’s Library

Our first stop on the morning of Wednesday, May 17 was at the library founded by Ayatollah Marashi Najafi 88 years ago.  A shrine containing his remains is at the entrance to the library, and was placed there at his request so that all who enter may pay respects to the founder of this library.

Ayatollah Najafi began collecting books as a young man, when he realized that the cultural heritage of Iran and Islam was being purchased by collectors and taken to the West.

He had no money of his own but worked and prayed and fasted for others in order to collect the funds to build this library. It was also his custom to skip one meal a day to save money for books. When he died, his personal possessions were worth only 800 Tomans (about $10).

We saw many treasures in the display room of the library, including a 1,300-year-old Qur’an, written in the ancient Kufic script, and other Qur’ans which illustrated the development of the script.  We also saw books in Hebrew, Coptic, Armenian, and other languages, and works by Islamic scientists, including a 900-year-old book on astronomy which was written in Farsi.

The catalog for this library comprises 34 volumes, and yet represents only a third of the books that are held here.

A view of the student's dorm at women’s theological college, Jami’at Al-Zahra in Qom

We also toured the sections where books are disinfected, microfilmed, repaired and restored, and scanned.  When Ellen Francis was working at the United Nations in Teheran in the late 1970s, she helped to set up a UNESCO book preservation project, since very little was being done in this area. She was delighted to see state-of-the art techniques in use in Iran today.

While we were at the Najafi library, a few of us were interviewed by a television station based in Qom. 

International Theological College for Women

Following our visit to this magnificent library, attended a meeting at the women’s theological college, Jami’at Al-Zahra. Sitting around a long table with a microphone for each person, we were served juice, coconut cookies and pistachio nuts. The school’s director of external relations and several professors spoke with us at length.

The school has 900 foreign students, from more than 40 countries, of whom 700 are day students and 200 boarders. The graduates may not pursue careers, since their role as homemaker and mother is of the highest importance. Yet they may become part-time religious teachers, or use their education in other ways. 

The women in our delegation were invited to tour the women’s dormitories and library. The architecture is stunning and there is a large, lovely garden that is at the center of the women’s space. In this space, the women can take off their hijab and relax with each other. We saw women of many nationalities in many different types of dress, including tee shirts, and a Pakistani woman in shalwar kameze (Pakistani traditional dress.)

We were fortunate to meet Laurie, a Mennonite student, who came to Iran from Tennessee with her husband for three years of study of Islam and its literature.  They now have a baby too! 

Laurie’s hijab was stunning: a light blue scarf under her outer black covering which she folded up under her arms. She translated for the librarians as we talked with them. 

While the women on our delegation met with the women students, the men met with the director of Jami’at al Zahra. The school’s director of external relations interpreted for us. The director was tall, grave, courtly, and composed, and possessed the unusual physical features of having his irises surrounded by white when looking straight ahead.

He offered the usual greeting, “In the Name of God, the merciful, the compassionate”, and then delivered, in measured tones, a summary of the past and future of the school, and answered questions.

We asked about differences between Sunnis and Shiites. His answer was to say that they were not, at the center, that great and that it was his understanding that some were attempting to exaggerate the differences.

FOR delegates talk to the faculty of the women’s theological college,
Jami’at Al-Zahra in Qom

The next question was, “How can someone be a suicide bomber and be convinced that he is doing the right thing?” The director likened suicide bombers to police, firemen, soldiers and others who risk their lives in the belief that they are protecting others.

As a matter of technique, the director answered the questions by returning questions to us, the only reasonable answers to which supported his point of view.  He ended with an extended example of defending one’s home against a homicidal and violent intruder. He did say, however, that he considered the event of 9/11 not to have been an act of defense.  We did not ask him for a definition of “defense”.

We asked if he would pray with us. Altogether the meeting was dignified, respectful, friendly, and gracious, and indeed it was considerate of the busy man to spend this time with us.

As we left, Ali Shomali, the external relations director, showed us the model of the future expansion of the school, which has the goal of 7,000 resident students.  He said that there was a constant need for money, notwithstanding the fact that much of the school’s income comes from the operation of a soft-drink factory.  The school is privately funded, in the Iranian sense of the word.

©2005 Fellowship of Reconciliation