Despite its historical significance due to its location on the ancient Silk Road, the city of Qom has gained even greater prominence since becoming the “religious capital” of Iran.

In the years following the February 1979 Revolution—especially after its separation from Markazi Province in 1986 and later from Tehran Province in 1996, when it became an independent province under the same name—Qom rapidly adopted various urban development pathways. Massive investments have led to the construction of shopping centers and other modern buildings, industrial and residential townships, hospitals and healthcare facilities, hotels and recreational parks, as well as institutions and centers for higher education—though mostly religious in focus. Notably, the inauguration of Iran’s first monorail in this province has contributed to Qom’s current status as a metropolis, albeit unofficially.

Nonetheless, Qom has decidedly preserved its religious fabric. This religious character has made the people of the city far more inclined than others across the country to rely on certain religious practices, such as Istikhara (seeking divine guidance). In fact, the practice of Istikhara using the Quran (one of its types) is widely prevalent in Qom.

According to Dehkhoda’s Dictionary, Istikhara means seeking the best and the good from God. In religious terms, it is the act of entrusting a decision to God when a person is in doubt about proceeding with a certain matter. In Qom, reasons for performing Istikhara span a broad range—from uncertainty about marrying a specific person or traveling to a certain location, to starting a new business, choosing a field of study or university, or even deciding whether to treat an illness with a specific doctor.

Typically, a person will ask a “religious scholar” to perform Istikhara with the Quran on their behalf. However, individuals may also conduct the Istikhara themselves for what they consider less critical matters.

The most well-known figure in this field over at least the past two decades has been Majid Jafari Tabar. His grandfather, Mohammad Sadooghi, was a prominent Shia cleric, a member of the Assembly of Experts for the Constitution, and the Friday Prayer Imam of Yazd. He was assassinated by opponents of the Islamic Republic in July 1982 (Tir 1361), and official sources in the Islamic Republic refer to him as the “Fourth Martyr of the Pulpit.”

Majid Jafari Tabar, who even met with Hassan Rouhani, the president of Iran’s eleventh administration, during Rouhani’s campaign visit to Qom in May 2013 (Ordibehesht 1392), became so widely known for his Istikhara practices starting in the early 1990s (early 1370s) that not only residents of Qom, but also believers in Istikhara across the country and even abroad, sought his guidance. The demand became so high that more than 132 telephone lines operated 24/7 to deliver Istikhara results to callers. Due to the heavy volume of traffic on Qom’s telecom system, the local telecommunications authorities asked him either to adopt the Intelligent Network (IN) system or shut down his office. Eventually, under these circumstances, his Istikhara office became the first IN pilot system in Iran.

One Qom resident—who asked to remain anonymous and had contacted Majid Jafari Tabar’s office several times for Istikhara—told Peace Mark Monthly Magazine:
“Whenever a situation arose and either I or other family members were uncertain about whether or not to proceed, we’d call his office and receive a code. In the beginning, we’d get our answer quickly, but later on, there was even a time when we had to wait three days for a reply. But his Istikhara responses were worth all that waiting.”

She continued:
“The most important time we relied on his Istikhara was for my daughter’s marriage in 2005 (1384). She had two suitors at the same time. The first was a very pious and religious young man from a respectable family, but they weren’t financially well-off, and he didn’t have a high-paying job at the time he came to propose. The second was from a reputable family and worked in his father’s store in one of the city’s most well-known gold shops in Mellat Shopping Center. He was their only son, and the family was very wealthy… We were torn between the two and didn’t know which one was the better match for our daughter. But after Mr. Jafari Tabar did the Istikhara and the result was positive, we agreed to the first suitor I mentioned. Now my daughter is completely happy and lives in full comfort. Interestingly, we’ve heard that the second suitor has been divorced twice so far!”

However, the motivation for writing this piece was not Majid Jafari Tabar’s Istikharas or the lifestyles of those who believe in them—it was the issuance of an execution sentence against him.

In mid-autumn last year, a rumor spread in Qom that Majid Jafari Tabar had been arrested on financial charges and other accusations. As there was no access to his wife Mina Monagheb or to his close associates and students—or they were unwilling to speak on the matter—the situation remained unclear. Some local websites even denied the rumors. However, as no official authority made any statements on the case, the rumors spread to the point that some even claimed he had been executed. Rumor or truth, one question remained unanswered: Why were the Istikhara lines no longer responsive and the office closed?

By mid-winter last year, even though Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, head of the Special Clerical Court, declined to comment when questioned by state media journalists—saying: “We do not intend to publish news related to the Special Clerical Court”—finally, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, spokesperson for the judiciary, confirmed the matter in an interview with ANA News Agency. He stated:
“A death sentence has been issued by the Special Clerical Court for a well-known cleric identified as ‘M.J.T.’”
With this, the matter moved from rumor to a plausible reality.

Mohseni Ejei emphasized that the sentence was preliminary and could be appealed, as per the law. The official accusation mentioned in this report was “contact with jinn.”

According to recent statements by those close to him, Majid Jafari Tabar was arrested in July (Tir), and his wife Mina Monagheb was detained in November (Aban) of last year. Both are currently held in Langaroud Prison in Qom. He has been sentenced by the Special Clerical Court to defrocking and three death sentences on charges including “apostasy,” “financial misconduct,” “communication with jinn,” “spiritual manipulation,” and “claiming contact with the Imam Mahdi.” His wife, Fatemeh Monagheb, has also received a death sentence on charges of “complicity in the crimes.”

This triple execution sentence has been issued despite the fact that under the new Islamic Penal Code, even if a person commits multiple offenses, the judge is only permitted to issue the severest penalty for one of them. In effect, the new law prohibits multiple punishments.

…Despite clarifying some ambiguities, many questions remain unanswered. And given the lack of transparency from both officials and those close to the individuals involved, it is unclear whether these questions will ever be answered in the future.

Sources:
1- For more information, see Tareegh-e-Dar, Abolfazl, A Study on Istikhara and Divination, Boostan-e-Ketab Institute, 2007 (1386)
2- Persian Wikipedia