By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz
      
Iran is basking in the blessings of “Dah-e Karamat” or the “Ten Days of Dignity” and there are celebrations everywhere in the Islamic Republic.
The said day spans the birth anniversaries of the blessed brother and sister, whose shrines are the two most sacred spots in Iran.
The first of Zi’l-Qa’dah was the birthday of our Innocent Lady of Qom, Hazrat Fatema al-Ma’soumah (SA), while the 11th of this month happens to be the birthday of Imam Reza (AS), the 8th Infallible Heir of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), whose shrine is in Mashhad, Khorasan.
Since yesterday, tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over the country as well as from abroad are heading to Qom to pay their respects at the shrine of Hazrat Ma’soumah who was born in Medina in 173 AH.  
Every year, Iran celebrates this auspicious occasion as “Day of the Virtuous Daughters”, since Ma’soumah departed from the world at a young age without being married. 
“Ma’saumah” means “Innocent”. Her brother bestowed this titled upon her after her sudden passing away, saying: “Whoever visits (the shrine of) Ma’soumah in Qom is like the one who has visited me.”
No wonder, according to reliable hadith, Paradise has eight stairways and one of them is through the Iranian city of Qom, and undoubted from the shrine of Ma’soumah, especially through her intercession with God Almighty.    
The “Ziyarah” or standard form of salutation for this noble lady, which has been recorded on the authority of Imam Reza (AS), contains the phrase: “O Fatema! Intercede for me (on the Day of Judgment), so that I enter Heaven; for indeed you have a great status in the sight of Allah.”
It is interesting to note that the city of Qom is referred to as the “haram” or sanctuary of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt, as per a famous hadith from the Prophet’s Sixth Infallible Heir, Imam Ja’far as-Sadeq (AS) – the grandfather of Hazrat Ma’soumah who passed away a quarter century before her birth.
As for her other famous epithet “Karima-e Ahl al-Bayt”, which means the Munificent Lady of the Prophet’s Progeny, it was given to her by her great grandfather Imam Muhammad al-Baqer (AS) in a dream to Ayatollah Seyyed Mahmood Mar’ashi Najafi (father of the famous bibliophile Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Shahab od-Din Mar’ashi).
When the elder Mar’ashi Najafi supplicated for forty consecutive nights with the intention of discovering the site of the grave of Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA) – the Prophet’s Infallible Daughter and the Noblest Lady of all times – he had a dream on completion of his prayers.
He saw himself in the presence of the Prophet’s Fifth Infallible Heir, Imam Baqer (AS), who said to him: “Tidings to you of the “Karima-e Ahl al-Bayt.”
He thought the term “Karima-e Ahl al-Bayt” meant the Prophet’s Daughter, at which the 5th Imam remarked: “I mean the holy grave of Fatema al-Ma’soumah (SA) in Qom.”
The Imam added: “It is Allah’s Will that the location of the holy grave of Lady Fatema az-Zahra (SA) be hidden from everyone.”   
On waking up, the Ayatollah understood and informed his family that all the honour and grandeur reserved for the concealed grave of the Prophet’s Infallible Daughter has been accorded to the tomb of Lady Fatema al-Ma’soumah (SA) in Qom. He, however, soon passed away in holy Najaf, but his illustrious son, Grand Ayatollah Shahab od-Din Mar’ashi Najafi, migrated to Iran and would often proudly say that one of the reasons for his settling in Qom was the dream of his father.
For over sixty years, every morning, the late Ayatollah Shahab od-Din Mar’ashi, used to be the first person to perform the pilgrimage at the shrine of this noble lady. He would wait outside her shrine for the doors to be opened. Even during his final illness before his death, he requested to be carried to her shrine in order to salute her in the proper manner.
Now we better understand the prediction of her grandfather, Imam Ja’far as-Sadeq (AS): “A lady from my offspring whose name will be Fatema, daughter of Musa, will be buried in Qom. On the Day of Judgment she will intercede for my Shi’a to enter Heaven.”
“Peace on you, O daughter of Musa son of Ja’far! May Allah shower His mercy and blessings on you! Peace on you. May Allah grant us your companionship in Heaven, place us in your company, lead us to your Prophet’s Fountain, and quench our thirst out of your grandfather’s own cup, by the hand of (Imam) Ali. May Allah bless you all! 
“I beseech Allah to grant us through you happiness and ease, and to place us and you into the group of your grandfather, Muhammad (SAWA). May Allah bless you all! Truly, He is the Guardian and is All-Mighty. I seek nearness to Allah through my devotion for you, and through my enmity for your enemies…