‘Abdullāh bin Ṣāliḥ al-Harawī narrates that Imam Riḍā (peace be upon him) has said, “May Allah have mercy on the one who revives our tenets.” I then asked him, “How can one revive your tenets?” “Through learning our knowledge and teaching it to others; If people find out about the merits of our words, they will certainly follow us”, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) replied.
‘Uyūn Akhbār al-Riḍā (P.B.U.H.), vol. 1, p. 307
One of the great forms of Allah’s grace and kindness towards us is His bestowal of the Infallible Imams (P.B.U.T.) upon us so that we may learn how to lead a Godly life through observing their way of life and eventually achieve eternal prosperity through practising their valuable instructions.
The city of Mashhad is a piece of heaven as it is home to the son of the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) who is the eighth star in the sky of Imamate. Every year millions of passionate pilgrims from around the world and other parts of Iran come to this spiritual sanctuary in order to quench the thirst of their souls by drinking from the limpid spring of the guidelines of the Infallible Imams (P.B.U.T.).
Each one of those serving at the Holy Shrine of Imam Riḍa (P.B.U.H.) is in one way or the other serving the respected pilgrims of Imam Riḍa (P.B.U.H.) so that such they may make their pilgrimage with peace of mind whilst being able to benefit from this heavenly shrine.
In line with the above, the Office for the Management of Foreign Pilgrims at the Holy Shrine of Imam Riḍa (P.B.U.H.) has also been making every effort to introduce in various ways the way of life of Ahl al-Bayt (P.B.U.T.)–and that of Imam Riḍa in particular–to the followers and devotees of this doctrine.
The measures taken by this office are in line with propagating the Islamic civilization and culture appropriate to the needs and requirements of foreign pilgrims in order to provide them with insight and spiritual growth. Such measures take place in conjunction with the remarks made by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the instructions given by the custodian of the Holy Shrine of Imam Riḍā (P.B.U.H.) while at the same time taking into account the provisions stipulated in the Twenty-year Outlook Document of the Holy Shrine of Imam Riḍā (P.B.U.H.).
Some of the examples of the efforts made by this office in line with serving the foreign pilgrims of Imam Riḍā (P.B.U.H.) in the international sphere are as follows:
Holding special cultural programmes
Holding regular seminars on Islamic knowledge known as ‘Circles of Knowledge’
Holding academic conferences
Holding educational classes and workshops
Holding cultural competitions and contests
Holding poetry readings
Holding conversion ceremonies for new converts to Islam
Responding to letters received from pilgrims
Dispatching books and other cultural products to all over the world
Responding to religious enquiries
Offering live internet interaction at Razavi Talk
Publishing the best of Islamic literature in several languages in the form of authored and translated books
It has been for some time that the call of Islam is echoing in every corner of the world with the hope of bringing people back to the truth to which they have been a stranger while at the same time inclinations towards Islam and the tendency of hearts towards seeking the truth is growing rapidly throughout the world.
We hope that the seekers of truth would find this book a useful and informative read and that it would be a step in the right direction as far as increasing the knowledge of pilgrims and devotees of the Infallible Imams (P.B.U.T.) are concerned. Finally, we hope that this work would bring about the pleasure and satisfaction of the Glorious Allah.
O’ Allah, bless Muḥammad and Muḥammad›s household, provide me with a sound guidance which I seek not to replace, a path of truth from which I swerve not, and an intention of right conduct in which I have no doubts! Let me live so long as my life is spent in obeying you.
The Management of Foreign Pilgrims