Salaam alaykum

I would like to introduce in brief the geographical position of the district of Bam. It is situated in south-west of Iran and is bordering the [Sunni] province of Sistan and Baluchistan. From the religious point of view, Bam is the geographical and religious throat of the country being on the front invasion line of Wahabbism.

Based on this fact, if the city of Bam did not exist, 500 kilometers of the [Shia] faith borders would have been invaded. The people of Bam, since the advent of Islam, i.e. from the 23 Hijri, accepted the Islam. By tolerating many sufferings, hardships and problems, like wars and fighting, they fulfilled their holy responsibility of preserving and protecting the madhhab of Shia Ja’fari.  Unfortunately, after the catastrophic earthquake, the cultural and religious affairs of the people of Bam, like other wheels of economic, social, welfare, development, and security were disrupted. There is a need of allocating sources, funds and facilities for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Bam and expertise planning.

The district of Bam with a population of over 250,000 people suffered a great loss of lives and properties after the most tragic natural disaster in the history of Iran. Because of the critical situation, the faith and culture of the city are highly threatened by the enemies of Shia and Islam. Thanks and gratitude deserve to be expressed to people of different nations and governments who have extended their help assistances in all of the above mentioned fields. But from the cultural and religious side, not only no help was given but there was a real threat [from outside].

Following the cultural (religious) rehabilitation of the district of Bam under the auspices of the Central Management of Hawza 'Ilmiyyah Qum and with the full support of the World Federation of Shia Ithnaashari, a Foundation has been established in order to counter the cultural and religious threats and to work effectively in these fields.

The first practical steps taken by the Foundation [of Khatamul Anbiyaa] - in less than two months after the earthquake - in the field of culture in the months of Muharram and Safar were as follows:

A) Activities Accomplished to date:

1. Erection of 14 tents of Husainias each of the size 18 x 18 meters in Bam and Baravat.
2. Providing complete facilities of the 14 Husainias.
3. Forming of [new] Boards of Trustees consisting of 140 members from the previous Boards of Trustees of the mosques and Husainias and organizing them.
4. Holding daily three times namaaz jamaats.
5. Holding duas (Kumayl, Tawassul and Nudbah) recitation functions.
6. Holding azadari and religious functions.
7. Holding cultural functions on different occasions.
8. Holding limited educational classes (on aqaaid and ahkaam) in the Husainias.
9. Providing wafq (endowment) documents for the Husainias and their facilities. All the goods and items of the Husainias have been made waqf and handed to the chairmen of Boards of Trustees.

B) Other Programmes to be Taken:

1. To find a land for constructing the Foundation's office and the centres for the hawza teachings for sisters and brothers.
2. To build the office of the Foundation.
3. To build the hawza for the brothers.
4. To build the hawza for the sisters.

Following the previous discussion and agreement with Sayyid Muhammad Ridha Shushtary - the representative of the World Federation - on the construction of the office of the Foundation and also the hawza buildings for the sisters and brothers, and considering that the World Federation has the same project as seen in its website, I, as the Imam Jum'ah of Bam announce my readiness to welcome the delegation of the World Federation to Bam in order to coordinate the necessary plan for the construction of the above buildings. I hope that feasible action will be taken to implement this project as soon as possible.

The visit of the previous delegation (of the World Federation to Bam), the announcement of its  programmes on Bam's rehabilitation, and the pursuance and presence of its representative in Bam have raised expectation among the people of Bam and the authorities; hence, responding to them becomes necessary.

Finally, we would like to express our thanks and gratitude to the World Federation for their previous timely and worthy donation to Bam for the special occasion of Muharram and Safar which indeed has shown impact throughout the world. We pray for the jazaye khayr for the cadre of World Federation and all those who are involved in this project.

We hope the next phase would start as soon as possible so that we would be able register the students (talabas) for the Hawza educational centres for the sisters and brothers. If the World Federation would announce its final decision on this matter, we would start immediately to admit the students in a temporary building.

I pray Allah for the continuous successes of the esteemed World Federation.

With salaams to you and to all righteous servants of Allah.

Asghar Askary
Imam Jum'ah of Bam