A'zam Mosque: Difference between revisions

'''Aʿzam mosque''' (Persian: {{ia|مسجد اعظم}}) in [[Qom]] is one of the greatest [[mosque]]s of [[Shi'ite]] Muslims which is located near the [[holy shrine of Lady Fatima al-Ma'suma (a)]]. The most crowded classes of [[seminary of Qom]] are held in this mosque. A'zam mosque was built by the support of [[Ayatollah Burujirdi]] and [[Husayn Lurzadeh]] was the architect of the mosque.

A number of significant political events took place in A'zam mosque including the speech of [[Imam Khomeini]] in 1964. This mosque is regarded as an important place where [[Islam]]ic teachings are taught and [[marja']]s hold their sessions there. In addition, [[congregational prayers]], important [[religion|religious]] ceremonies and [[funeral]]s of grand religious scholars are generally held in A'zam mosque.

Ayatullah Burujirdi told Muhammad Taqi Falsafi that he had planned to buy the houses neighboring west and southwest of the holy shrine of [[Lady Fatima al-Ma'suma (a)]] to build a huge mosque. [[Seminary of Qom]], Astane square and a courtyard were situated around the holy shrine, which left only one side of the shrine with a dark guesthouse and old buildings which worried people.  

On [[Dhu al-Qi'da]] 11, 1373/July 12th, 1954, concurrent with the anniversary of birthday of [[Imam al-Rida (a)]], the building of A'zam Mosque started and it took six years to complete. Ayatullah Burujirdi paid a part of expenses and the rest was paid by people's charities.

A'zam Mosque covers about twelve thousand square meters and its building is made by reinforced concrete which is among the most firmly strong Islamic religious buildings. It has four large shabistans, the one in the center covers four hundred square meters and the lateral shabistans are nine hundred square meters each, also there is another shabistan in northern side which is three hundred square meters; the height of its ceiling is ten meters. The lavatories and servants' room are located on its western side. A library with two halls and a storage is located on its western side as well.

The mosque is built according to Islamic architecture. It has a giant dome with a diameter of thirty meters and its height from the roof is fifteen meters and from the ground is thirty five meters. The mosque has also two tall [[minarets]] with the height of twenty five meters from the ground. A tower watch is located on the northern side which can be seen from all angles.

With respect to decoration, tiling and Islamic artistic features, A'zam mosque is quite an amazing example in recent century. All the carpets in the mosque are woven in Kerman particularly for A'zam mosque. The expenses of this mosque are paid by people and businessmen. It is estimated that it cost sixty to one hundred billion Rials to build the mosque.

[[File:کتابخانه آیت الله بروجردی.JPG|250px|thumbnail|Manuscripts in the library of A'zam Mosque]]

The library was built in western side of the mosque which contains 7096 manuscripts, eight thousand lithographic copies, two hundred precious printed books and over 660 illustrated books as well as [[Manual of fatwas]] and textbooks of [[Qajar]] era. Today Sayyid Muhammad Jawad 'Alawi Burujirdi, a descendant of Ayatullah Burujirdi, is holding the trusteeship of the library which is administrated by [[Seminary of Qom]].

According to [[Waqf]] (endowment) document of the mosque, the trusteeship of A'zam Mosque and other endowed properties were held by the founder, [[Ayatullah Burujirdi]]. After the demise of Ayatullah Burujirdi, Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Tabataba'i was holding the trusteeship from 1340/1961 to 1356/1972 during which some construction deficiencies were repaired. Then Sayyid Sadiq Tabataba'i Burujirdi was holding the trusteeship for twenty seven years. During that time, there were disagreements on the management of A'zam Mosque. Since 2004 the trusteeship was given to Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Tabataba'i who held meeting with descendants of Ayatullah Burujirdi and the trusteeship was given to Sayyid Muhammad Jawad 'Alawi Burujirdi.

*The critical speech of Muhammad Sadiq Tihrani against Muhammad Reza Pahlavi on the anniversary of demise of Ayatullah Burujirdi in 1962.

*Conflicts between supporters of Imam Khomeini and Ayatullah [[Sayyid Kazim Shari'tmadari]] in 1966.

==Seminary Classes of Marja's==

Today A'zm Mosque is the most important place where political and religious ceremonies are held in [[Qom]]; also the funerals of religious scholars are held there. Every year [[I'tikaf]] is performed in A'zam mosque in the months of [[Rajab]] and [[Ramadan]].

* The content of this article is mainly adopted from {{ia|[[fa:مسجد اعظم قم]] مسجد اعظم قم}} in Farsi WikiShia.