Ismailis in Iran (Assassins)

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Alamout Castle, Headquarter of Ismailis

Alamout Castle, Headquarter of Ismailis

 

Ismailis are, in fact, a sub-branch of the Shiite Muslims who are known by various names like Ismailis, Bateni, Qermati, Saba’ie, etc.

The point of diversion between them and 12-Imam Shiite branch (the dominant branch in Iran) began after the 6th Imam, Jafar-e-Sadeq. Unlike the Twelvers who believe the 7th Imam is the 6th Imam’s son called Musa Kazem, Ismailis believe that the next righteous Imam is his other son, called Ismail.

This sect of Shiites is also called 7 Imam Shiites or Seveners, because of their belief in the 7th Imam. Ismail’s son had to follow up the leadership of his followers behind scenes, because Ismilis were afraid of their enemies especially Abbasid Caliphs. The leadership of Ismailis still goes on in a hidden manner.

Fatimids’ Caliphate

It was in 10th century that Ismailis founded a government at North Africa under the name of Fatimids Caliphate system. Since then, they turned to be a strong power in the Islamic world and grew much mightier than before. Their ruling realm was gradually expanded to other countries like Egypt, Syria, Iraq, etc as a result of summoning some people as missioners who tried to absorb more and more followers.

The Situation in Iran

Baghdad, then, was the capital of Seljuks who believed in the Sunni branch of Islam (then and now the dominant branch in the whole world of Islam). On the other hand, the Seljuks were the invaders who were defending the previous invaders, Arabs. Like Baghdad Caliphs, Seljuk invaders were Sunnis after they had converted to Islam. Although the majority of Iranians were Sunnis too, they had been treated by both of them as the invaded nation.

The caliphate system at North Africa declined, but did not collapse. Their movement was renewed and continued for another 170 years in Iran under the leadership of Hasan-e-Sabbah and his successors. He set his headquarter in a fortress up in the mountains of the central Alborz called Alamut fortress and led his followers from there. His successors maintained the leadership of Ismailis from Alamut fortress until 1256. It was in 1256 that Mongols seized the Ismailis’ castle. They had to go on with their activities for some time in a hidden way and then escape to the eastern neighboring countries, most of all, to India.

Since the leaders of Ismailis were interested very much in studying and researching, they founded a well-known library in India to which many famous researchers were attracted. When in Iran, they had also had very well-provided libraries.

Facts & Fictions

Western writers and travelers have written stories describing the beliefs and works of Ismailis that are not approved by Ismailis.

The common theme of such stories is as follow:

“There is an old man who is the head of Ismailis living in a castle high in the mountains difficult to reach. There he has made an example of how heaven has been elaborated in Koran to tempt the young sons of his subject villagers to do whatever he wants. Instead, they could enter the heaven promised by God.

This elder of mountains was as highly respected as a prophet by the villagers. Their sons of 12 to 20 years of age were sent to such fortresses to be taught of Ismailis? doctrine of Islam, to be acquainted with the quality and value of heaven (with all its tempting joys like streams of milk, honey, water and wine and beautiful female angels, etc) and to be prepared to do whatever the elder wants them to do; meaning killing an enemy by a gold-made dagger presented to them by the elder.

At the end, either killed or victorious, they could enter heaven. To start to be prepared to do their mission, they were given hashish (the Arabic word from which “assassin” has been derived) to deprive them from referring to their sound mind and have them act according to the elder’s commands.”

It is noteworthy that Ismailis are called Assassins by Westerners. The word “Assassin” comes from the Arabic word “hashish”. There was not such substance in Iran at the time of Ismailis. The Seveners of Iran did not speak Arabic and did not take hashish. So, it will not be a proper name to attribute to them.

But Ismailis reject these stories and introduce themselves as the true followers of Mohammad, the prophet of Islam. They believe that the lack of understanding of the philosophy of martyrdom in Islam by the western writers has led them astray. Ismailis were going out to different cities and countries after being trained to invite others to their religious doctrines.

Hasan-e-Sabbah was an activist of his time against the Turk invaders, Seljuks, occupying Iran and supporting Sunni Abbasid Caliphs. As a matter of fact, they were the first political oppositions who had their enemies killed.

Hasan-e-Sabbah

He was born at Qom, one of the early settlements of Arabs in Iran and a center of Twelvers in the early 11th century. He went on with his religious schooling at Rey, near Tehran, center of Ismailis activists. First he was against them, but later became the leader of them inviting others to this doctrine too. He set up his fortress at Alamut in an area where people were the last Iranians converting to Islam. The area was called Daylam and the people were always warriors disobeying Arabs and other invaders. In politics, they wanted their own independent dynasties and in religion, they wanted a branch different from that of Arab invaders.

Hasan-e-Sabbah managed to get some Seljuk officials assassinated in Iran and turn to be the major threat to ruling Seljuks. During this period of 170 years, Hasan-e-Sabbah and his successors created dreadful nightmares for the enemies of Iranians until, Hulagu, the Mongol seized the Alamut fortress.

Ismailis’ Famous Fortresses in Iran

Some of the preserved fortresses in Iran are: Alamut (north of Qazvin), Lambesar (near Shahrud river), Gerd kuh (near Esfehan), Khalenjan (near Esfehan), Meymoon Dezh (at Rudbar) and Samiran (near Manjil – the best preserved in its area out of many).

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Glorious Day for Historical City of Yazd

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Glorious Day for Historical City of Yazd   

Marco Polo described Yazd as “a good and noble city” with “a great amount of trade”. This noble city now stands a chance to become another UNESCO cultural and architectural site in Iran.

THE 40th UNESCO World Heritage Committee begins to review 34 global nominations in Krakow, Poland, including Iran’s candidate, the historical texture of Yazd. The 21 members of the committee are to discuss the tentative list from all corners of the world in 10 days to reach a verdict which to some are really important such as the Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore, Pakistan, Historic Centre of Vienna, Austria, Cerrado ecoregion in Brazil.

It has been 9 years since the registration of Historic city of Yazd in the tentative list; however, due to several ill-matched and uncommon constructions which unbalance the historical texture of Yazd, it is still on a lengthy waiting list of Iran. The UNESCO International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) finds a number of defects in the texture of the city which look somewhat incongruous to the homogeneous clay structure of the area. According to the World Heritage Site website “The historical structure of Yazd is a collection of public-religious architecture in a very large scope comprising of different Islamic architectural elements of different periods in a harmonious combination with climatic conditions.”

For the past two years, Iranian officials of the Cultural Heritage Organization cooperating with the locals and authorities of Yazd by arranging and conducting workshops and meetings, has been doing its best to pave the way for the 22nd UNESCO World Heritage Site in Iran and today finally Yazd joined in the World Heritage List of Iran.

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Trekking Iran’s Lut abandon: a wild, remote experience – in pictures

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Trekking Iran’s Lut abandon: a wild, remote experience – in pictures

Iran’s Dasht-e Lut with its mammoth rises, salt fields and kaluts gives an epic excursion of amazing magnificence and wild, as found in these pictures

Iran’s Lut abandon is a powerful place of moving sands and wind-impacted shake arrangements. It is the setting for an epic trek offered by Secret Compass. Here a gathering cross the Mega-Dunes on the eastern flank of the Dasht-e-Lut.
The trekking group assembles to the western edge of the Mega-Dunes.
Support vehicles race across the flat desert plain heading towards the Eye of the Lut.
Pillars of fossilised escarpments in the Eye of the Lut.
Star Dune fields west of the Eye of the Lut.
Remnants of fossilised dune fields west of the Star Dunes.
Descending towards the Kalut valleys of the western Dasht-e-Lut.
Plain leading to the broken escarpments of the Kaluts.
Search for a passageway through the Kalut field.
The Kalut fields nearing the western edge of the Dasht-e-Lut.

 

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Mausoleum of Oljaytu uncovers fourteenth century Persian design

 

Mausoleum of Oljaytu uncovers fourteenth century Persian design

TEHRAN – An UNESCO World Heritage site, the fourteenth century Mausoleum of Oljaytu is exceedingly perceived as a structural perfect work of art especially because of its imaginative twofold shelled arch and expound inside adornment.

The exceptionally forcing arch stands around 50 meters tall from its base. Secured with turquoise-blue faience tiles, the staggering structure rules the horizon of Soltaniyeh, an old city in Zanjan area, north-western Iran.

The inside has for some time been under redesign, stuffed with platform posts. In any case, its design is such amazing that researchers including A.U. Pope portrayed it as ‘suspecting the Taj Mahal’. It is the most punctual existing case of the twofold shelled arch in Iran.

An incredible grandson of Hulegu, author of the Il-Khanid administration, Oljaytu was a Mongol ruler who, subsequent to fiddling with different religions, embraced the Shia name Mohammed Khodabandeh.

The city of Soltaniyeh was quickly the capital of Persia’s Ilkhanid tradition (a branch of the Mongol administration) amid the fourteenth century.

As per the UNESCO, the Mausoleum of Oljaytu is a basic connection and key landmark in the improvement of Islamic engineering in focal and western Asia. Here, the Ilkhanids additionally created thoughts that had been progressed amid the established Seljuk stage (eleventh to mid thirteenth hundreds of years), amid which expressions of the human experience of Iran picked up qualification in the Islamic world, along these lines setting the phase for the Timurid period (late fourteenth to fifteenth hundreds of years), a standout amongst the most splendid periods in Islamic workmanship.

The extensive vault is the soonest surviving case of its sort, and turned into a vital reference for the later improvement of the Islamic arch. Essentially, the amazingly rich inside of the catacomb, which incorporates coated tiles, brickwork, marquetry or outlines in decorated materials, stucco, and frescoes, delineates a vital development towards more intricate materials and topics.

Under visitors’ eyes

Here is a select of remarks that guests to the catacomb have presented on TripAdvisor, a standout amongst the most mainstream travel sites on the planet:

Stunning engineering regardless of the platform

The vault of Soltaniyeh showcases astounding block work engineering and blue mosaics. It has been experiencing real rebuilding since the 1970s which is as yet progressing, so expect platform. Regardless of this, the visit is important. (FrenchTraveler frame Paris; went by Oct. 2016)

Tragically inside not pleasant

From outside the block vault is amazing however inside it is still under redesign. The inside is loaded with frameworks and there is nothing to see inside along these lines. With everything taken into account it’s not worth going there in an additional trek. Yet, it can be a decent stop in transit with the view from outside. (StefanBaW235 from Biberach (Riss), Germany; went to April 2017)

Awesome outside, dull inside

While this UNESCO recorded vault shape catacomb looks truly great from outside, on account of its sparkling blue shading arch, its inside is truly disillusioning.

We saw a full perspective of development structure that dominate every fragile show-stopper as well as the staying old made works are all seriously harmed and appears need legitimate support. (Suwatss from Bangkok; went by April 2017)

Plain is striking

Here’s another fabulous site that has been in a condition of redesign for a significant long time, as indicated by the site’s guide. The platform covers wherever inside, however admiring within the vault is advantageous. Outside is excellent, the unadorned squeezed Adobe mud/block compliments the brilliant blue turquoise vault. (Miriahm D. from Boulder, Colorado; went by May 2016)

 

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Naqsh-E-Rostam

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Persepolis

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About Shiraz

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10 images that show why Nasir al-Mulk Mosque truly deserves its place on the view of passengers

 

10 images that show why Nasir al-Mulk Mosque truly deserves its place on the view of passengers

The Nasir al-Mulk Mosque or the Pink Mosque in Shiraz, Iran. From the outside it looks like a conventional mosque, but inside there is something more …
The nasir al-mulk mosque is located in the city of Shiraz near Shah-e-cheragh shrine and built in the time of the king qajar of nasir al-mulk.

The shape and tiles of the mosque of Nasir al-Mulk are of the most beautiful craftsmanship in Iran. Its most beautiful parts are Taq Morvarid (which means pearl ceiling). Taq Morvarid is covered with the most beautiful molds in Iran.

The mosque has a large courtyard with a large pond in the middle of it. On the north side there is yard vault pearl.

The nasir ol mulk mosque has serail and there are two parts division east and west.

Westward on has tiled sanctuary along 12 pillars also this has window colored glasses with reflection colored light and this cause the beauty of the mosque among other mosque of Iran.
West district has covered brick more have worked on the Nave vault on bearing columns with screw on them and their six in two rows also this sleeping chamber has seven ports and these are seraglio to mosque yard.the seven port of colorful made glass and Wood.

Stone work and design Inspired by Vakil Mosque more vault and wall of west bed chamber design with beautiful tiled. Floor clad with turquoise tiles and ceiling dressed flower and bush pattern and Quran verses.
West bedroom built for summer.
East bed chamber is not nice as west and it did for the winter.

Eastward has seven pillars free design and simple and opposite from east there are eight arcades of the courtyard porch has been isolated.East district is not beautiful as west bedroom and it is built for the winter. East bed chamber has seven pillars without design is also very simple and in the middle of the row. In front of the east bedroom there is veranda with eight vaults and they separate east district from courtyard. There is a door in the eastern country house when you meet water there also pond and corridor.

 

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3000-Year-Old Glazed Bricks Discovered in Iran’s Sardasht

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3000-Year-Old Glazed Bricks Discovered in Iran’s Sardasht
Archaeological excavations in the Rabat hill of the northwestern city of Sardasht of Iran led to the discovery of glazed bricks from the time of the Mannaean, 8th century BC.

Here is the translation of a report from the Department of Public Relations of the Research Institute of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Crafts and Tourism Organization (ICHO):

Reza Heidari, the head of the fifth season of archaeological excavations in Rabat hill, said that his team has excavated old pottery, architectural remnants and glazed bricks in the site.

Heidari added that the bricks are decorated with geometric, mythological, and human motifs that represent a relationship between neo-Assyrian empire and art and religion.

“Among the ancient objects found on the site are the glazed bricks, the names of the pagan gods of Bel and Nebo and Mannaean kings are inscribed in Assyrian cuneiform,” said Heidari, noting that the excavations in Sardasht Rabat hill started in 2005.

The Mannaeans were ancient people who lived in today’s northwestern Iran, south of the lake Urmia, around the 10th to 7th century BC. Lived. At that time they were neighbors of the empires of Assyria and Urartu, as well as other small buffer states between the two, such as Musasir and Zikirti.

In the Bible (Jeremiah 51:27) the Mannians are called Minni. In the Jewish Encyclopedia (1906), Minni is identified with Armenia.

 

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Iran’s Kashan, One of Most Memorable Cities to Visit: UN Envoy

 

Iran’s Kashan, One of Most Memorable Cities to Visit: UN Envoy

Gary Lewis, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Iran, says the central Iranian city of Kashan with a culture that is even richer than Isfahan is one of the best places to visit.

In view of the closing ceremony of a French week in Kashan, which took place in Kashan from 11 to 17 February, Lewis welcomed the beauties and cultural richness of Kashan and described it as one of the most memorable places to visit.
“As you travel to Kashan, visit the old Tepe Sialk, take the clay pots with long handles in your hands and watch the images of animals and geometric shapes on them, you observe culture and art,” the UNDP representative noted.

According to a report by ISARS from Farsi, he then pointed out the 5000-year-old Kashan civilization and its monuments and relics from Sassanid, Seljuq, Safavid and Qajar.

“I hope our French friends had the opportunity to visit all the monuments, including the Borujerdi and Tabatabaei houses.”

 “French artists visited Kashan at Tehran, Qom, Yazd and Isfahan, Kashan is a city with a much richer culture than Isfahan.”

“I have a lot of friends in Isfahan, I hope no one would inform her about my comment!” He joked.

“After returning to France, French artists will talk with people who have no idea of ​​Iran to change their opinions.”

“During four years of residence in Iran, it is the eighth time that I travel to Kashan with my wife,” he emphasized.

“After traveling to 39 Iranian cities, I can say that Kashan is my second memorable place to visit, I would always like to come here.”

Lewis said he believes Iranians are hospitable, intelligent, cheerful and proud of their culture and history.

“I see the culture of a country as its history, tourism is the link between the cultures that can be strengthened by tour guides,” he commented.
Elsewhere in his comments, he noted that a better future for different cultures can be built if their friendship goes beyond national symbols.

“This cultural event promoted two major UN mentality: creating peace and thoughtfulness, and economic opportunities,” Lewis said.

He went on to say that such events help different cultures come closer together. “Before this event, I always wondered what could be achieved by meeting other cultures.”

“During a French week in Kashan, different cultures have become accustomed to one another through art workshops of theater, photography, cooking and collages.”

Then he spoke to the members of the French Embassy who were taking part in the ceremony and said, “They are the ambassadors of friendship and a better future in terms of humanity, beyond national emblems and flags.”

Lewis invited people to keep each other and build bridges.

“Some verses of the Iranian poet Saadi Shirazi are written on the walls of the United Nations Headquarters in New York to say that all people are like the organs of a single body, so we should seek peace rather than war.”

 

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