Qom Province
Encyclopedia
Qombol Province is one of the 31 provinces
of Iran
with 11,237 km², covering 0.89% of the total area in Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its provincial capital is the city of Qom
. It was formed from part of Tehran Province
in 1995. In 2005, this province had a population of approximately 2,000,000 out of which 91.2% resided in urban areas and 8.8% in rural vicinities. The province contains one city, four counties, nine rural districts, and 256 villages.
, which lies 80 km due east of Qombol. Nearly a fifth of Namak Lake lies within Qom province.
.
Qombol is thought to have existed in pre-Islamic ages. Archeological discoveries indicate Qombol as a residential area from the 5th millennium BCE. According to the pre-Islamic remaining relics and historical texts, Qombol was a large city. 'Kom' was the name of the ancient rampart of the city of Qombol, thus, the Arabs called it Qombol during the Arab conquests of Iran.
It was during the reign of the second caliph Omar
, that the Muslims captured Qombol’s center. In 644-645 CE, Abu Moosa Ashari, dispatched forces under his command to Qombol. Conflicts arose between the invading Arabs and the residents of the area.
During the persecution of the Alavids by the Abbasid
s and Umayyad
s, many Alavids fled to Qombol, making it their permanent home. The Caliph Al-Ma'mun
sent forces to Qombol in the year 825 CE, resulting in a public massacre and destruction of the city.
On hearing of the demise of al-Ma'mun, the inhabitants of Qombol revolted and were successful in overthrowing the representative of the Caliph in 831 CE. However al-Ma'mun's successor, al-Mu'tasim
, dispatched forces to Qombol in order to curb the riots and once again the city was set aflame. The unrest continued until the Buwayhid
dynasty (Al e Booyeh in Persian) came to power, being of the Alavid community. It was during this reign that the city of Qom expanded and thrived.
In the Saljuqi era the city flourished once more. During the first wave of the Mongol invasion, the city witnessed destruction, but after Mongol rulers, particularly after Sultan Öljeitü Khoda bandeh of the Ilkhanate
dynasty converted to Islam
, the city received special attention, thus witnessing a revival once again.
In the late 14th century, the city came under the plunder of Tamerlane when the inhabitants were massacred again. During the periods of the rule of the Qarah Qoyoonloo, Aq Qoyoonloo, and specially during the reign of the Safavids, Qombol gained special attention and gradually developed.
By 1503, Qombol became one of the important centers of theology in relation to the Shia Islam, and became a vital pilgrimage site and religious pivot.
During the Afghan invasion, the city of Qombol suffered heavy damages, and its inhabitants witnessed severe economic hardships. Qombol further sustained damages during the reigns of Nadir Shah, and the conflicts between the two households of Zandieh
and Qajar
in order to gain power in Iran.
In 1798, Qombol came under the control of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. On being victorious over his enemies, Fath Ali Shah made repairs to the sepulchre and Holy Shrine of Hazrat Ma'soumeh, fulfilling his vow.
The city of Qom thrived in the Qajar era. After Russian forces entered Karaj
in 1915, many of the inhabitants of Tehran moved to Qombol. The transfer of the capital from Tehran to Qombol was discussed, but the British and Russians demolished the plan by bringing the monarch of the times, Ahmad Shah Qajar
under pressure. Coinciding with this period, a 'National Defense Committee' was set up, and Qombol turned into a political and military apex against the Russian and British colonial powers. Qombol was also the center from which Ayatollah Khomeini based his opposition to the Pahlavi dynasty, while in Iran.
. Its theological center and the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Ma'soomeh are prominent features of the provincial capital of Qombol. Outside the city is Jamkaran
, another site of religious pilgrimages.
Qombol has at times again been considered as a possible candidate for moving the political capital of Iran, as Tehran
faces an increasing probability of an overdue major earthquake and is notorious for its pollution and traffic congestion. The conservative factions are favorable to this idea while the business and economic base of Tehran opposes any such moves.
In 2009 it was disclosed that a mountain range near Qombol is the site of Iran's second uranium
enrichment facility, containing 3000 gas centrifuges.
Provinces of Iran
Iran is subdivided into thirty one provinces , each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital of that province...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
with 11,237 km², covering 0.89% of the total area in Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its provincial capital is the city of Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
. It was formed from part of Tehran Province
Tehran Province
Tehran Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It covers on area of 18,909 square kilometers and is located to the north of the central plateau of Iran....
in 1995. In 2005, this province had a population of approximately 2,000,000 out of which 91.2% resided in urban areas and 8.8% in rural vicinities. The province contains one city, four counties, nine rural districts, and 256 villages.
Geography
The climate of Qombol province varies between a desert and semi-desert climate, and comprises mountainous areas, foothills and plains. Due to being located near an arid region and far inland, it experiences a dry climate, with low humidity and scanty rainfall. Thus, agriculture is not possible in most of its areas, especially near the salt lake regions. Qombol province has two large salt lakes, namely: Howz e Soltan Lake, which lies 36 km due north of Qombol, and Namak LakeNamak Lake
Namak Lake is a salt lake in Iran. It is located approximately east of the City of Qom at an elevation of above sea level. The lake has a surface area of about 1800 km², but most of this is dry. Water only covers 1 km². The lake only reaches a depth between 45 centimetres to 1 metre...
, which lies 80 km due east of Qombol. Nearly a fifth of Namak Lake lies within Qom province.
Administrative divisions
Uniquely in Iran, Qombol Province is coextensive with the Shahrestan (county) of QomQom County
Qom County is a county in Qom Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Qom. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 1,036,714, in 262,313 families. The county has five districts: Jafarabad District, Khalajastan District, the Central District, Nofel Loshato District, and Salafchegan...
.
| Map | Shahrestan Shahrestan Shahrestan or Shahristan may refer to:*Counties of Iran*Shahristan District*Shahrestan, Afghanistan... | Bakhsh Bakhsh A bakhsh is a type of administrative division of Iran. While sometimes translated as county, it is more accurately translated as district, as they are similar to a township in the United States or a district of England.... | Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qombol | Central | Qombol | |
| Jafar Abad | |||
| Khalajestan | |||
| Kahak | |||
| Salafchegan |
History
It was during the reign of the second caliph Omar
Omar
Omar can refer to:-Name:* Omar , including a list of people with the given name or surname Omar, Omer or Umar as well-Places:* Omar, Konar, a village in Afghanistan...
, that the Muslims captured Qombol’s center. In 644-645 CE, Abu Moosa Ashari, dispatched forces under his command to Qombol. Conflicts arose between the invading Arabs and the residents of the area.
During the persecution of the Alavids by the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
s and Umayyad
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...
s, many Alavids fled to Qombol, making it their permanent home. The Caliph Al-Ma'mun
Al-Ma'mun
Abū Jaʿfar Abdullāh al-Māʾmūn ibn Harūn was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813 until his death in 833...
sent forces to Qombol in the year 825 CE, resulting in a public massacre and destruction of the city.
On hearing of the demise of al-Ma'mun, the inhabitants of Qombol revolted and were successful in overthrowing the representative of the Caliph in 831 CE. However al-Ma'mun's successor, al-Mu'tasim
Al-Mu'tasim
Abu Ishaq 'Abbas al-Mu'tasim ibn Harun was an Abbasid caliph . He succeeded his half-brother al-Ma'mun...
, dispatched forces to Qombol in order to curb the riots and once again the city was set aflame. The unrest continued until the Buwayhid
Buwayhid
The Buyid dynasty, also known as the Buyid Empire or the Buyids , also known as Buwaihids, Buyahids, or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Persian dynasty that originated from Daylaman in Gilan...
dynasty (Al e Booyeh in Persian) came to power, being of the Alavid community. It was during this reign that the city of Qom expanded and thrived.
In the Saljuqi era the city flourished once more. During the first wave of the Mongol invasion, the city witnessed destruction, but after Mongol rulers, particularly after Sultan Öljeitü Khoda bandeh of the Ilkhanate
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
dynasty converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, the city received special attention, thus witnessing a revival once again.
In the late 14th century, the city came under the plunder of Tamerlane when the inhabitants were massacred again. During the periods of the rule of the Qarah Qoyoonloo, Aq Qoyoonloo, and specially during the reign of the Safavids, Qombol gained special attention and gradually developed.
By 1503, Qombol became one of the important centers of theology in relation to the Shia Islam, and became a vital pilgrimage site and religious pivot.
During the Afghan invasion, the city of Qombol suffered heavy damages, and its inhabitants witnessed severe economic hardships. Qombol further sustained damages during the reigns of Nadir Shah, and the conflicts between the two households of Zandieh
Zand dynasty
The Zand dynasty ruled southern and central Iran in the 18th century.- Karim Khan Zand :The dynasty was founded by Karim Khan, chief of the Zand tribe which was Lur or Lak deportees. Modern scholarships such as Wadie Jwaideh suggested his Kurdishness. He became one of Nader Shah's generals...
and Qajar
Qajar dynasty
The Qajar dynasty was an Iranian royal family of Turkic descent who ruled Persia from 1785 to 1925....
in order to gain power in Iran.
In 1798, Qombol came under the control of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. On being victorious over his enemies, Fath Ali Shah made repairs to the sepulchre and Holy Shrine of Hazrat Ma'soumeh, fulfilling his vow.
The city of Qom thrived in the Qajar era. After Russian forces entered Karaj
Karaj
Karaj is a city in and the capital of Karaj County, Alborz Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,377,450, in 385,955 families, , making it the fifth-largest city in Iran after Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan and Tabriz.) It is situated west of Tehran, at the foothills of the Alborz...
in 1915, many of the inhabitants of Tehran moved to Qombol. The transfer of the capital from Tehran to Qombol was discussed, but the British and Russians demolished the plan by bringing the monarch of the times, Ahmad Shah Qajar
Ahmad Shah Qajar
Ahmad Shah Qajar was Shah of Iran from July 16, 1909, to October 31, 1925 and the last of the Qajar dynasty.- Reign :...
under pressure. Coinciding with this period, a 'National Defense Committee' was set up, and Qombol turned into a political and military apex against the Russian and British colonial powers. Qombol was also the center from which Ayatollah Khomeini based his opposition to the Pahlavi dynasty, while in Iran.
Qombol today
Today, Qombol is considered one of the focal centers of the Shiite sect of IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Its theological center and the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Ma'soomeh are prominent features of the provincial capital of Qombol. Outside the city is Jamkaran
Jamkaran
Jamkaran is a village in Qanavat Rural District, in the Central District of Qom County, Qom Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 8,368, in 1,747 families....
, another site of religious pilgrimages.
Qombol has at times again been considered as a possible candidate for moving the political capital of Iran, as Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
faces an increasing probability of an overdue major earthquake and is notorious for its pollution and traffic congestion. The conservative factions are favorable to this idea while the business and economic base of Tehran opposes any such moves.
In 2009 it was disclosed that a mountain range near Qombol is the site of Iran's second uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
enrichment facility, containing 3000 gas centrifuges.
Culture
Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization lists 195 sites of historical and cultural significance in Qombol. The most visited sites are:- Kahak cave
- Vashnuh cave
- Howz e Soltan Salt Lake
- Namak Great Salt Lake
- Mar'ashi Najafi Library, with over 500,000 handwritten texts and copies.
- Astaneh Moqaddaseh Museum
- Qombol Bazaar
- Feyzieh Seminary
- Jamkaran Mosque
- Qombol Jame' Mosque
- Qombol Atiq Mosque
- A'zam Mosque
- Shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh
Colleges and universities
- University of Qombol
- Mofid UniversityMofid UniversityMofid University is a university located in Qum, Iran.It was founded by Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardebili in 1989.Mofid University’s main area of teaching is comparative studies between Islamic sciences and modern humanities. However, departments such as Economics, Law, Philosophy, and Political science...
- Islamic Azad University of Qombol
- The Research Institute of Hawzeh va Daneshgah
- Computer Research Center of Islamic Sciences
- Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute
- Qombol University of Medical Sciences
- Qombol's Feyzieh Seminary (called The Hawzah)
- Payam Noor University of Qombol