According to Mehrab News Agency, Shafa Mosque of Tehran is one of the most attended mosques of Tehran with more than fifty years old. It is located in Vali-e-Asr Street of Tehran and many worshipers come to this mosque who are interested to Its Imam.
Ayatollah aqa Sayyed Razi Shirazi is the grandson of decedent Mirza Shirazi and was born in Najaf. He is the daughter’s son of the grand faqih, Ayatollah Sheikh Muhammad Kazem Shirazi. He is graducated from Najaf seminaries by attending the worthy lectures of some grand teachers such as Ayatollah Aqa Sheikh Muhammad Kazem Shirazi in fiqh and osoul subjects.
The Shafa Mosque was constructed by command of decedent ayatollah Boroujerdi and Ayatollah Sayyed Razi Shirazi was appointed as the Imam of this mosque in 1965. He started to teach in the University of Tehran, Department of Theology when he settled in Tehran. He also held many lectures in Philosophy and Beliefs subjects in Marvi and Sepahsalar seminaries at the same time.
It could be pointed to his activities in scientific, cultural, propagandistic, holding many religious lectures in Osoul and beliefs subjects since fifty years back in the mentioned mosque. He is so good tempered with people. This is added to some of his exclusive characteristics such as considering people’s problems in order to resolve them has attracted many people to him and Shafa Mosque of Tehran. Regular attendance in mosque and responsibility in front of people’s inquires is distinctive.
Seizing reason and morality
He knows using logic as the best principle for attracting people to Islam instead of emotional methods and believes to this fact that we can invite more people to Islam respecting morality and good temper. According to him, we cannot attract people to Islam by force. Ayatollah Shirazi asserts on role of Imam in development of mosque and increase of its functions:
‘’ Imam will be succeed in managing his mosque just if he follow the narrations and methodology of the grand prophet of Islam and the twelve Imams after him as his sample in his affairs. He has to know his followers in mosque and has to attempt in resolving their probably problems’’
He emphasises on eloquent words and having acceptable behaviour with people in order to attract them to mosques and asserts:
‘’ Today our society needs an educated, scientist and believed Imams to show Islam to people in his practice. It is recommended in the Islamic narrations to invite people (to Islam) by your practice. Basically, those Imams who are premier in servicing to people are more successful. Those Imams who come to mosques on Izan time and go from mosque after holding Salaat immediately, will not be effective enough. Imam has to spend his time in order to resolve the people’s problems and having effective communication with them. During the past years, all my attempts were focused on attraction people to Islam by using good temper. We cannot enforce anybody to believe in Islam’’
The secret of success in inviting more than 600 people to Islam
Ayatollah Shirazi talks about his used methods of inviting people to Islam and says:
‘’ Imams have to invite people to mosques by use of reason and scientific discussions. Today, we live in the world of science and most of people are educated. We have to try for Islam by help of reason and thought because Islam is the religion of reason. I used this method to invite people to Islam’’
He described the characteristics of an attractive mosque and said:
‘’ such mosque has to have a scientist Imam who could attract people to mosque with his goodness in temper, gentle dress and being updated in thought. I never exchange Imamat of mosque with teaching in seminaries and universities. Those mosques which are empty of freshness, motivation and don’t have an active, hyper and scholar Imam are appropriated only for praying. This kind of mosque will never be developed’’
He said that I have taught many years in seminary and university but Imamat of mosque is more important for me. We have to follow the grand prophet of Islam and our twelve Imamas after him in management of mosques and our personal affairs. We can find many case in the history of Islam that shows the grand prophet of Islam hugged children and pated or played with them. These manners have to be as sample for us today. He continued:
‘’ during past fifty years back, I have always attempted to behave with people rightly and acceptable. Many castes of society come to this mosque including student, poor, rich, educated and etc. I try to create coherence between them to stay in a same queue for praying’’
The results of presence of a scientist and piteous Imam
The Imam of Shafa Mosque reminds:
‘’ there are many of modern mosques which haven’t attract people but some of small mosques with low facilities have could introduce Islam to people by the capabilities of their Imams. A successful Imam can design suitable programs for his mosques for the audiences. He believes that the door of mosque has to be open to people round the clock. He adds:
‘’ Imam should show his capabilities in planning, management and designing activities. He should has more and closer communication with people in order to increase his acceptability. He has to recognize Imamat as his main job because Imam is the religious reference of his mosque area. Obviously, this mosque with such conditions will be closer to the concept of the Prominent Islamic Mosque. The behaviour of Imam effects on the behaviour of all people who live in his mosque area.
Why people are interested to Ayatollah Shirazi?
Mr Farhad Assar who knows Ayatollah Shirazi for more than thirty years and is one of the trustee board of the Shafaa Mosque says about him:
‘’ he is full of tranquillity and kindness. That’s why he is very popular among the worshippers. Some people refer to him to describe their problems to him and they become calm just after a few minutes talking with him. His behaviour has attracted many of them to him. I think if the Imam’s behaviour is good with people, he can attract many people to him as the natural manager of mosque. This is the main cause of his success of Ayatollah Shirazi after passing forty years of being as Imam in this mosque.
Mullah Sadraa’s philosophy and Sharh-e- Manzoumeh teaching
Mr Assar points to the lectures which are holding in Ayatollah Shirazi’s house or in Shafaa Mosque and continues: Sharh-e-Manzoumeh, Mullah Sadraa’s Philosophy, Osoul and Aghayed (Principles and Beliefs), lectures and interpretation of Quran are the subjects of these lectures. These courses have attracted many people to him and mosque. He points to the various parts of the mosque such as library, Basij building and kitchen. We want to expand the hall of the mosques also by popular affairs. According to Mr Assar mosque prepare some charities for the needy and poor families in cash or non-cash.