A00270 - The Burial of Ebrahim Raisi at the Imam Reza Shrine
I noted with interest that Ebrahim Raisi, the President of Iran, who died on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in a helicopter accident was laid to rest at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad.
Ebrahim Raisi: Iran buries late president at shrine in Mashhad (bbc.com)
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I found this of interest because the Imam Reza Shrine which is described as the "holiest" shrine in Iran happens to be not only the world's largest mosque in area
but it is also arguably the largest memorial in area to a person of African descent in the history of the world. Imam Reza is historically known as Imam Ali al-Rida and, as I have written elsewhere,
On the eleventh of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 148 AH, a son was born in the house of Musa al-Kadim (the seventh Imam of Twelver Shi'a Islam) in Medina. He was named 'Ali and titled al-Rida, literally meaning in Arabic, "the soothe", since it was believed that Allah was pleased with him.
'Ali was born one month after the death of his grandfather, Ja'far al-Sadiq, and was brought up in Medina under the direction of his father, Musa al-Kadim. His mother, Najmah, was a distinguished and pious lady. Originally a North African slave woman, Najmah was purchased by, and freed by, Bibi Hamidah Khatun, the wife of Ja'far al-Sadiq. 'Ali ibn Musa was said to be shadid ummah or Aswad, meaning he had a very dark-skinned or black complexion.
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In my list of the 100 Greatest Muslims, I have placed Imam Reza -- Ali al-Rida -- at Number 99 on my list. I did so partly because I was intrigued by the fact that this person of African descent has a shrine that draws millions of people every year to come and remember Imam Reza and the other notables that are buried there. For me, that is quite a tribute. However, I placed Ali al-Rida at Number 99 because I wanted him to be next to his sister, Fatemeh Masumeh, Fatemeh Masumeh had the same mother as Ali al-Rida and, therefore, was also a person of African descent. Like her brother, she led a very honorable life and like her brother, a massive shrine was founded in her name
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Perhaps nowhere else in history have there been such magnificent shrines created for a brother and sister. So, on my list, Fatima Masumeh is at Number 100 so that, in my world, Ali and Fatima can be linked forever.
Peace,
Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
May 24, 2024
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