Brief Introduction of the Qum Province

According to some historical records the city of Qum was in existence before the advent of Islam and was one of the prosperous cities in Iran. Some have considered it belonging to the pre-Islamic era of Tahmwars but many historians claim that it was built during the first century hijrah.

The oldest source which mentions that Qum was built in the Islamic era is the travel account related to Abi Dalf.

This region in the ancient period was called as Barawastan and its rural segment was known as Kamidan and the central area of this rural segment was called Kam. In the first century hijrah this city was called as Kam and was considered as a part of Isfahan area. Qum city was liberated by Islamic combatants in 23 A.H./643 A.D., and the people of this area embraced Islam and followed the Shi'ite creed from the beginning.

In the year 94 A.H./712 A.D., the Ashari tribesmen settled in Qum and played an important role in building and expanding the city. From 142 A.H./759 A.D., they abstained from paying taxes to the ruling caliphs and since then Qum emerged as a semi-autonomous region in the heart of the Islamic world. In the year 189 A.H./204 A.D., Qum separated from the Isfahan region and became an independent city and obtained a special place in training Shi'ite scholars and jurisprudents.

After the burial of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) in Qum it prospered quickly and turned into a safe haven for the Shi'ites and lovers of the Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.). Since then the people started constructing their residential units near the holy shrine of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) for the purpose of getting easy access to the ziyarah of the holy grave. Many leading scholars and Ulama also settled in the vicinity of the holy shrine of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S) and played a great role in the propagation and spread of Islam.

During different phases of history, the holy and religious city of Qum has suffered great losses at the hands of the tyrants and during many invasions this city was pillaged and plundered and its inhabitants were massacred. During the last century Reza Khan and his son of the Pahlavi dynasty perpetrated inhuman crimes in the city but the emergence of the Islamic revolution under the dynamic leadership of Imam Khomeini (R.A.) gave a new life to the city and it turned into a centre of the Islamic revolution.

The 9th January 1978 uprising of the people of Qum is considered as a honour of distinction for the city in history because it strengthened the Islamic revolution. After the victory of the Islamic revolution and imposition of the eight years long war on Islamic Republic of Iran, this city dedicated 5200 martyrs and 7600 disabled in the imposed war. At present, under the leadership of the supreme leader of Islamic revolution Hadrat Ayatullah al-Uzma Khamenei it is playing a leading role in successfully combatting the internal and external cultural aggression against the sublime values of Islam and is endeavouring to pave the way for the glad reappearance of Imam Mahdi (May Allah (SWT) hasten his reappearance). Insha'Allah.

Geographical Conditions of Qum

Qum province occupies an area of 11238 sq. kms and is located in the central part of Iran. This province is connected to Tehran province in the north, to the Semnan province in the east, to the Isfahan province in the south and to the Markazi province from south-west to north-west.

This province occupies less than one percent of the total area of Iran and is the twenty-eighth and the smallest province in the country. The altitude of the centre of the province is 928 metres above the sea level, the mountainous region of Kuh Valija occupies the highest altitude in the province with 3330 metres above the sea level and the Salt Lake of the province is the low lying region with an altitude of 700 metres above the sea level.

The present population of the city is estimated about one million. According to the administrative division of the country the province comprises of one city, 5 towns, 4 districts and 936 habitations out of which 356 are populated.