Islamic Research Foundation of Astan Quds Razavi

According to rahyafte (the missionaries and converts website)On November 12, 2013, Islamic Research Foundation entered its Thirtieth Year of Islamic Research Activities

Astan Quds Razavi [the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.)] in order to attain the valuable objective of spreading the knowledge of the Holy Qur’an and preaching the teachings of the Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.), established a cultural institution named Islamic Research Foundation [Bunyad Puzuheshaye Islami] in 1984 in Mashhad, Islamic Republic of Iran. At the Islamic Research Foundation present 22 research departments are functioning in the Islamic Research Foundation.

Objectives

Islamic Research Foundation of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.) since its inception in the year on November 12, 1984 has endeavored to attain the cited objectives and reach its goals. At present the institution is working in a newly constructed four-storey building located at the beginning of Tabarsi Avenue adjoined to the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.), whose construction commenced in 1997 and was accomplished in 2002.The four-storied new building occupies a total area of 24300 square meters and includes units for research departments, offices and conference halls. All its units are equipped with advanced centrally heating and cooling as well as audio-visual facilities.

The Grounds for Activities

Islamic Research Foundation besides its endeavors to achieve its basic objectives is also carrying out other programs and activities which are summed up as follows:

1. To establish research departments and colleges for research in Islamic sciences and humanities to achieve the cited objectives.

2. Recruiting proficient and capable scholars and researchers in the various scientific bodies.

3. Availing the research potentials available in the scientific centers and signing different agreements with researchers and translators for carrying out research, compilation, translation and edition in line with the cited objectives of the foundation.

4. Reciprocal cooperation with all the institutions of the Astan Quds Razavi in particular the cultural institutions to ascertain their research and educational needs.

5. Enhancing the scientific level of the researchers in the foundation by providing them study opportunities and scholarships in scientific organizations within the country and abroad.

6. Granting study opportunities to the researchers and scholars in the universities and Hawzah (Islamic Seminary) and granting scholarships in line with the research objectives of the foundation.

7. Printing scientific and specialized publications.

8. Organizing scientific congresses, sessions and conferences in particular commemorating and introducing the Holy Infallible Imams (A.S.) and other Islamic notables and luminaries as well as cooperating and participating in the seminars within the country and abroad. It has so far conducted 6 international congresses and more than 70 seminars since 1984.

9. Carrying out necessary actions which are deemed necessary to achieve the objectives of the foundation. If necessary, it can also establish representative offices within the country and abroad.

In addition, the foundation is Iran based body and a constituent of Astan Quds Razavi and is considered as a non-profit making institution.

The Islamic Research Foundation in the last twenty-nine years has published 1628 volumes of books in 911800 pages till the end of March, 2014 and 1627 of its volumes have been reprinted for second time or more. The copies of books published till now have surpassed the figure of fourteen million copies and its 84 published titles have attained meritorious distinction, appreciation certificates and awards from the research institutes, universities and Islamic seminaries. The research library of the Islamic Research Foundation at present contains more than seventy thousand primary and secondary resource books including more than two thousand rare lithograph books in Islamic sciences. At present it has attained distinguished place among the research institutions and publishers in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Research Departments

The research departments of the foundation can be considered as the spinal column of this research center which are as follows:

1. The Holy Qur’an

2. Hadith

3. Jurisprudence and the Principles of Jurisprudence

4. Theology and Islamic Philosophy

5. Islamic History

6. Islamic Texts Edition

7. Geography of Islamic Countries and Astronomy

8. Arabic and Urdu Translation.

9. European Languages Translation (English, French, German)

10. The Children and Young Adults Literature

11. Biography and Genealogy

12. Khurasan Studies

13. The Encyclopedia of Astan Quds Razavi

14. Bibliography

15. Pilgrims Cultural Studies

16. Religions and Islamic Schools of Thought

17. Wakf (Endowment) and Nazr (Vow)

18. Digital Islamic Encyclopedias

19. Islamic Economics

20. Islamic Art

21. Nahjul Balagha

22. Imamat

The leading Islamic quarterly in Persian titled “Mishkat” and the largest selling annual diary of the Islamic Republic of Iran famous as “Quds Diary” is being regularly published by the foundation since last twenty-nine years.

Comprehensive research has been conducted on the book Nahjul Balagha [Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Imam Ali (A.S.)] and Islamic Economics by the foundation.

It has to be mentioned that the researchers of the foundation have been selected from the Islamic seminary (Hawzah) and university qualification ranging from the post-graduate to the doctoral level.

Professor Emeritus Ayatullah Waez Zadeh Khurasani and Professor Emeritus Muhammad Mahdi Rukni Yazdi are the members of the Board of Directors and Ayatullah Professor Ali Akbar Elahi Khurasani, the leading Islamic jurisprudent is the Managing Director of the Islamic Research Foundation.

Some Major Achievements

“Al-Mojam fi Fiqh Lughat al-Qur’an wa Sirr Balagha” (The Greatest Encyclopedia of the Lexicon of the Holy Quran)

The Holy Qur’an Department is carrying out the compilation of a greatest encyclopedia of the lexicon of the Holy Quran under the supervision of Professor Emeritus Ayatullah Waez Zadeh Khurasani.

This book, entitled “Al-Mojam fi Fiqh Lughat al-Qur’an wa Sirr Balagha” is being compiled by the close cooperation of nearly twenty scholars since last twenty-nine years and is still under process. It can be considered as the greatest encyclopedia of the lexicon of the Holy Quran. It is expected that the number of volumes of this most comprehensive lexicon of the Holy Quran will reach fifty volumes and is also can be considered as the most valuable encyclopedia of the Holy Qur’an. Twenty six volumes of this great encyclopedia have been published so far till the end of June 2014.

The Holy Qur’an Department has till now compiled 89 titles in 210 volumes in the field of the Holy Qur’an.

Major works of the Department of Biography and Genealogy

Department of Biography and Genealogy is compiling the below-mentioned major works:

1-      Encyclopedia of the Famous Personalities of the Holy City of Mashhad

2-      Encyclopedia of the Graves of the Famous Personalities of Iran in 80 volumes.

3-      Genealogical Trees of the Imamzadehgan (The direct descendants of the Holy Imams (A.S.))

4-      Genealogical Study of Saadaat (The descendants of the Holy Imams (A.S.))

Department of Biography and Genealogy have jointly conducted five national-level seminars with different organizations elucidating the lives of the prominent Ulama and famous personalities of Iran. Nine titles of books have been compiled by the researchers of the department is published by the Islamic Research Foundation.

The department has recently launched its exclusive website titled ‘Derakht-e-Tooba’ (The Blessed Tree) regarding the Saadaat and great personalities of Islam.

http://derakhtetooba.com

A Grand Research Project in Comparative Islamic Jurisprudence

“Muntaha al-Matlab fi Tahqiq al-Mazhab” (One of the most valuable books in Comparative Islamic Jurisprudence)

The Department of Jurisprudence was established in the beginning of the year 1986 and started its research activities. Ayatullah Professor Elahi Khurasani, the Managing Director of the Islamic Research Foundation is also the director of this department. With twenty-three years of incessant efforts by the researchers from the Islamic Hawzah (seminary) this department was successful in accomplishing the below-mentioned grand research project:

Research and edition of the famous book on Shi’i  jurisprudence “Muntaha al-Matlab fi Tahqiq al-Mazhab” by Allamah Hilli (648-726 A.H.).

This book is considered as one of the most valuable books in Shi’i jurisprudence which had mentioned the views of both the Shi’i and Ahl al-Sunnah jurisprudents in detail and also consists of contemporaneous jurisprudence issues. This great work has been published in fifteen volumes by Islamic Research Foundation.

The Encyclopedia of Imam Husain (A.S.)

Digital Islamic Encyclopedias Department has compiled the Encyclopedia of Imam Husain (A.S.) in 12000 pages. The compilation of the comprehensive Encyclopedia of Imam Husain (A.S.) is the joint endeavor of fifty research scholars which took seven years to accomplish. The encyclopedia includes 3000 entries and 1300 articles covering 44 subjects.

Annotated bibliography of 4000 books written about the life and works of  Imam Husain (A.S.), genealogical tree of Imam Husain (A.S.) with 160 entries, glossary with 89 entries,82 entries on the historical journey of Imam Husain (A.S.) from Madinah to Karbala, 825 audio, pictures and videos of elegies and Maqtal-khwani(Reading the book of martyrdom) of the martyrdom of Imam Husain (A.S.) in Arabic, Persian and Turkish languages, 800 entries about the sayings of Imam Husain (A.S.) covering different Islamic subjects, 24 entries introducing the Holy Shrines of Imam Husain (A.S.) and Hazrat Abul Fazl al-Abbas (A.S.) in Karbala, answers to questions regarding the martyrdom of Imam Husain (A.S.) and the viewpoints and sayings of the scholars and luminaries of Ahl Sunnah regarding the martyrdom of Imam Husain (A.S.) are explained in detail in the encyclopedia. The DVD of the Encyclopedia of Imam Husain (A.S.) has been released in November 2012.

The Encyclopedia of Astan Quds Razavi Department

The compilation of the Encyclopedia of Astan Quds Razavi has commenced by collecting the sources and formulating the entries for this work and its aim are to introduce all those elements which were responsible in the development of this holy shrine to the pilgrims and researchers.

Studies in the Islamic Economics

Islamic Research Foundation has successfully organized two international seminars in the field of Islamic Economics and the articles presented in these seminars have been published in Persian, Arabic and English.

In addition to this, the important work of the foundation in the field of Islamic Economics is the compilation of the book “Islamic Economics Texts in the Holy Qur’an, Sunnah and the Views of the Jurisprudents” in sixteen volumes.

The Children and Young Adults Literature Department

This department has published has published so far 146 titles of books in 390 volumes and ten books on children and young adults have attained meritorious distinction, appreciation certificates and awards from the research institutes, universities and Islamic seminaries.

Seminars and Congresses

The Islamic Research Foundation from the beginning of its functioning in order to develop the expertise views in the necessary fields have organized various sessions and all of them were able to obtain great achievements. These seminars and congresses organized are as below:

1. International Seminar on Geography of Islamic Countries: 5-9 May 1985.

2. Seminar on Rural Migration in the year 1365 Sh / 1986 CE.

3. The First International Islamic Economics Research Conference, 5-8 September, 1988.

4. The Second International Islamic Economics Research Conference, 5-7 September, 1990.

5. International Seminar on Silk Road with the cooperation of UNESCO, 23-15 August, 1990.

6. The Congress of Books and Libraries in Islamic Civilization, 11-13 September, 1995.

7. The Conference on Imam Ali (A.S.), Al-Ghadeer and Islamic Unity, 15 February 2001.

Meanwhile, an International Congress of Waqf (Endowment) will be held in near future.

Mishkat Journal

First issue of Mishkat quarterly Islamic journal was published in 1984 and till now 123 issues of has been published. From 1984 till 1998 Professor Emeritus Ayatullah Muhammad Waez Zadeh Khurasani was the Editor-in-Chief of the journal and since 1999 Professor Emeritus Muhammad Mahdi Rukni Yazdi has taken the charge as the Editor-in-Chief of this journal.

Contact Information:

Islamic Research Foundation

Near Tabarsi Underpass,

Adjoined to the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.)

P. O. Box: 91735-366

Mashhad – IRAN

E-mail: intrelation@islamic-rf.ir

Website: www.islamic-rf.ir

Telephone No: 0098-511-2232501-10

Fax No: 0098-511-2230005

English Publications of the Islamic Research Foundation

1-      A Glossary of the Islamic Terms, Philosophy, Theology and Logic, English-Persian, Persian–English, By: Jawad Qasemi, pp. 335.

2-      A Glossary of the Islamic Technical Terms, Persian–English, By. M.T. Akbari, pp. 760.

3-      A Classified Bibliography on Islamic Economics, Parts 1-3, Dr. Sabry S. Shaban, pp.761.

4-      A Selection of Papers Presented to the First Islamic Economy Research Conference, Edited by: Dr. Sabry S. Shaban, pp.212.

5-      Child Custody in the Islamic Jurisprudence, Dr. Saeid Nazari Tavakkoli, Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani, pp. 211.

6-      The Battle of Harrah, Muhammad Ali Chenarani, Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani, pp. 140.

7-      The Fourteen Luminaries of Islam, Ahmad Ahmadi Birjandi, Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani, pp. 267.

8-      Caliphate and Imamate, Ahmad Namaee, pp.196.

9-      Imam Ali b. Musa Al-Rida (A.S.), Imam of Kindness and Knowledge, Ahmad Turabi, Translated by Mubina Virjee & Vahideh Shokofty, pp. 94.

10- Ali’s (A.S.) Life Motto, Sayyid Reza Sadr, pp. 77.

11- A Summary of Fatima’s (S.A.) Biography, Translated by Sayyid Saeed Arjmand, pp. 75

12-  Imam Sajjad (A.S.), Translated by Sayyid Saeed Arjmand, pp. 68

13- Imam Ja’far Sadiq (A.S.), Translated by Sayyid Saeed Arjmand, pp. 70

14-  Imam Reza (A.S.): A Summary of Biography, Translated by Sayyid Saeed Arjmand, pp. 78

15- Hesham ibn Hakam, Muhammad Reza Atai, pp.62.

16- Objective of Life, Professor Muhammad Taqi Ja’fari, pp. 40.

17- The Doctrine of Jihad in Islam, Dawood Elhami, pp.136.

18- Landmarks of Mashhad, Dr. Hyder Reza Zabeth, pp. 119.

19- Islamic Ideology and Geographical Phenomena, Dr. Abbas Saidi Rezwani, pp. 146.

20- Decorum for Visiting the Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.), Translated by: Dr. Muhammad Legenhausen, pp. 54.

21- The Underlying Concepts of the Daily Prayers, Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Khamene’i, pp. 72.

22- The Golden Chain Tradition (Hadith Silsalat al-Dhahab from the Sunni Point of View, Muhammad Muhsin Tabasi, translated by    Ahmad Namaee, pp.120.

23- Animal, Welfare Acts and Utilization in Islam, Dr. Saeid Nazari Tavakkoli, Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani, pp. 184.

24-Story of Sun, A Look at Imam al-Reza’s (A.S.) Life, Syed Muhammad Najafi Yazdi, Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani, pp. 126.

25- Yearning to Meet, Professor Muhammad Mahdi Rukni, Translated by: Ahmad Rezwani, pp. 160.

The First Ever Unique Encyclopedia of the Holy Qur’an Published in Mashhad, Iran

The first ever unique Encyclopedia of the Holy Qur’an in Arabic entitled “Al-Mojam fi Feqh Lughat al-Qur’an wa Sirr Balagha” (A Dictionary of Quranic Lexical Items and its Rhetorical Secret) compiled in sixty volumes have been accomplished by the Holy Qur’an Department of the Islamic Research Foundation, the constituent research institution of Astan Quds Razavi [the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.)] located in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran. This comprehensive work is considered as the most valuable lexicon in the etymology of the words of the Holy Qur’an. This first ever unique Encyclopedia of the Holy Qur’an have been accomplished after twenty nine years of incessant efforts of a group of twenty leading scholars in Quran’ic sciences under the supervision of Emeritus Professor Ayatullah Muhammad Vaez Zadeh Khurasani, who is the prominent professor of the Islamic seminary (Hawzah) and University in Iran. This great encyclopedia is also considered as the magnum opus of the reverend author.

During the extensive research endeavours after collecting numerous primary sources of the Qur’anic sciences more than half a million index cards were prepared for this monumental work. The origin of every word mentioned in the Holy Qur’an comprises the subject entry of this great work which is arranged in alphabetical order. The origin of the every Qur’anic lexical item have been researched with different aspects of the Holy Qur’an and analyzed by discussing the views of all the prominent philologists and exegetists of Islam from the beginning of Islam till the present era. The commentary, eloquence and the circumstances of the revelation of every Quranic lexical item have also been discussed in detail. In the beginning of the every entry the derivations from the origin of every word are reviewed comprehensively.

“Al-Mojam fi Feqh Lughat al-Qur’an wa Sirr Balagha” (A Dictionary of Quranic Lexical Items and its Rhetorical Secret) has till now received the below-mentioned literary awards.

1-      The Book of the Year Award, 1380 Sh /2001 CE.

2-      The Selected Book Award of the Islamic Seminary of Qum, 1380 Sh /2001 CE.

3-      The Selected Book Award in the seminar to pay homage to “the Servants of the Holy Qur’an” in the field of text culture conducted in the year 1379 Sh / 2000 CE.

4-      The Book of the Year Award in the field of Holy Qur’an, Tehran, 1384 Sh /2005 CE.

5-      The Selected Book Award in the Biannual Book of the Year in Khorasan Razavi province, Mashhad, 1384 Sh /2005 CE.

This monumental work on the Holy Qur’an have been accomplished in fifty volumes and so far twenty fix volumes of this great work have been published comprising 20912 pages in Royal octavo size with hardback cover.