Imam Reza Shrine’s English-speaking mourning group promotes the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) 

With the aim of expanding cultural and religious activities in English and addressing the intellectual and religious needs of English-speaking pilgrims, the English-speaking mourning group at Imam Reza Shrine was established through the efforts of the Europe and East Asia Section of the Office for Foreign Pilgrims’ Affairs of Astan Qods Razavi (AQR).
The group seeks to provide a platform for a variety of religious, cultural, and educational programs in English at Imam Reza Shrine.
Ali Zarif, a Europe affairs ceremony expert at AQR’s Office for Foreign Pilgrims’ Affairs, said: “The English-speaking group at Imam Reza Shrine began its activities in early July this year, and its first session was held on the eve of Tasu’a in the Quds courtyard of the holy complex.”
Zarif added: “The group’s second session was held during the final ten days of Safar, on the eve of the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Reza (AS), in the Ghadir portico. The third session was held in early October at the Nations portico of the holy shrine.”
He said the group’s main objective is to train English-speaking speakers, professors, and eulogists. “We are working to build the capacity needed to hold cultural and religious programs in English, provide cultural services, and convey religious teachings to English-speaking pilgrims from countries around the world,” he explained.
Zarif noted: “The group brings together people from diverse backgrounds who are interested in the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), including international students at universities in Mashhad, English-language learners, and others interested in the culture and teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS).”
The AQR official continued: “This group can provide an opportunity to identify and empower talented individuals interested in cultural and religious outreach in English. It can also help establish Imam Reza Shrine as a center for cultural and intellectual engagement with English-speaking pilgrims from around the world.”
Mohadeseh Kouchaki, a member of the shrine’s English-speaking religious group, said: “Participating in the group’s programs has opened up new opportunities for me to serve specific groups of Imam Reza’s (AS) pilgrims. Speeches, mourning ceremonies, and supplications are conducted in English during these sessions. As an international language, English has considerable potential for conveying Islamic beliefs and teachings to audiences worldwide. Holding these programs in English can enable more people to benefit from the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS).”
Seyyed Rouhollah Hosseini, a speaker and religious expert with the group, also said: “Today, language is not merely a means of communication between people; it is also one of the most important tools for conveying culture and religious teachings. Imam Reza Shrine has a global reach, and its audiences are not limited to a single language or geographical area. Pilgrims visit this luminous shrine from countries around the world, and we must be able to present the message and teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) in ways they can understand and that meet their needs.”
Hosseini added: “Establishing an English-speaking group can help young people and students who are proficient in English find opportunities to serve the culture and teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS).”