Updated 27 June 2012

The World Federation’s Qum Office is successfully facilitating a short course for sisters in collaboration with Jamiatuz Zahra in Qum. The first batch consists of five sisters from different part of the world:

Sayyida Suniya Batool - Canada
Sayyida Farwa Batool- Canada
Sister Masuma Kassam - UK
Sister Sumaira Ahmed - Canada
Sister Dua Zahra Noorani – Pakistan
Sister Masuma Kassam commented on her experiences so far:

‘As the plane skimmed its wings over the Iranian horizon I saw the rustic landscape of my home to be for the next three months. The beauty of it lay in it’s rubble strewn pavements and dusty roads, the very surfaces which the greatest of minds and most elevated of souls have traversed upon. Little did I know that this place would embed itself within me as my true home in such little time. As I set foot in the city of Qum, I recall praying for my soul to mirror this dusty and humble landscape, rich in knowledge and purity.

One of the first things one notices is that the inhabitants of Qum are surrounded by an air of peace, tranquillity and contentment. One feels from the depths of one’s soul the presence of Hazrat Masuma (sa) as well as her guardianship over her Zawar and the students of Qum.                                       
  
With no familiar person or place in sight and not a word of Persian in hand, it is indeed a true miracle that this land can feel so much like one’s own and that Hazrat Masuma (sa), Imam Reza (as) and the Ahlulbayt can become closer than one’s nuclear family. The short course organised by The World Federation is a true blessing for those who wish to taste the treasure that Qum holds. So far I have nothing but gratitude to offer to those that organised it in a way that encapsulates teaching according to the western students’ intellectual and linguistic needs.

As a bird spreads it wings to nurture its young, our teachers in theology, Ahkam, History, Tafseer, Persian, Ethics and Comparative Religious Studies have most certainly taken us under their wing and have generously endowed us with their time and knowledge. They have been the utmost source of inspiration, in their lifestyles, humbleness and thirst for knowledge.

It is tremendously invigorating to study the philosophy behind our principles of belief, whereby one can prove the existence of a creator to oneself and others through the use of logic. This is a skill I yearn to use in my interactions with colleagues from various religious backgrounds in the west.

In addition, the lessons focusing on various religions, their theology, holy books and main principles are proving to be very insightful. Indeed, being equipped with the correct information is rapidly enhancing our discussions and abilities to present theological debates.

By all means, the Persian lessons bring about the most humorous of outcomes, as to teach Persian in Persian the teachers need to use some dubious acting techniques, so be it misinterpretations of words and sentences, teachers acting out words for you or even at times us students sharing some English with our much loved teachers, learning Persian is an experience none of us will ever forget and will always look upon fondly.

With the Ahkam lessons, it has been increasingly inspiring to learn about the laws that govern our actions as well as the philosophy behind them. These lessons go hand in hand with theology whereby one can establish a connection between the roots of our religion and it’s branches. The lessons on ‘Islamic Ethics’ focus on the principles by which we should govern our spirit, hence enabling us to apply morals from all three classes to every aspect of life.

All our lessons are increasingly inspiring and are providing us with the tools necessary for our further self-study.
In Qum, one feels the limitation and restriction of one’s body and material sense on one’s soul. It is as if spring has arrived and the fragrance of purity, wisdom and knowledge is around you but the time to fine tune your senses to benefit from it constantly escapes you. Hence I am forever grateful for the number of subjects we have managed to fit into our schedule each week.

One of the most beautiful observations I have had to date is the way the people of Qum live Islam as a hearty and natural part of their essence. Secular education comes under the umbrella of Islam as does every other aspect of life, unlike in the west where types of education are segregated. One feels an overwhelming sense of pride to be part of a society, within which the names and morals of our A’immah are embedded. Just taking a cab the other day, I was inspired by a very young gentlemen driver who with one hand on the steering wheel and the other raised in Dua, was expressing his Hajaat to Hazrat Fatema Zahra (as). It makes one ponder over the state of our very own thoughts as we do our daily jobs in the west. 

The concept of a wholesome all-encompassing religion is spellbindingly clear in the way students live their lives in the ‘khaabgah’ (dormitory). It is indeed a spiritual sanctuary, where one feels a natural affinity with nature and the creator, especially when the sound of birds alongside dua Ahad resonates around the campus at sunrise. As you can imagine, there are many facilities here including a leisure centre with a swimming pool, gym, sauna and jacuzzi. There are also some beautiful spots where one can meditate, but by far the essence of the ‘khaabgah’ is the wonderful, helpful and friendly inhabitants who in their humbleness mask the incredible depth of knowledge they possess. One of the highlights of our stay here far has been the daily salatul jamaat and celebratory or spiritual events on auspicious dates. For example we have had the opportunity to do Itekaaf and perform a’maal of lailatul raghaib in the haram. Believe it or not the ‘women in black’ have also been to the local theme park! Many more cultural trips are yet to come as is the Islamic awakening conference in Tehran which will be graced by the presence of Ayatullah Khamenei.

I have every faith that my journey here has a specific purpose and within just three weeks I have felt a certain resonance with the city of Qum that will never part with me. I look forward to the upcoming weeks of the course with hope that the knowledge shared with us embeds itself into our souls, so we can be blessed with the Ma’rifah to live by it here and take it with us as we transition to the greater realm.

For more information on how The World Federation can help you to study in Qum email qum@world-federation.org