The 476th session of the Qom Studies Foundation (Bonyad Qom-pajouhi) was held on the evening of Tuesday, October 5th, 2025¹ with the theme: “Oral History of the Alavi Qard al-Hasana Fund of Qom.” The event took place at the office of Ayatullah Haj Sayyid Ali Muhaqqiq and brought together several board of trustees, board of directors, the current managing director of the fund, and experts from the Qom Studies Foundation.

The prominent figures present included: Ayatullah Haj Sayyid Ali Muhaqqiq Damad, Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Haj Shaykh Mohammad-Hossein Ashari, Haj Sayyid Ali-Mohammad Fayz, Haj Mehdi Hakami (members of the board of trustees of the Alavi Qard al-Hasana Fund), Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Mohammad-Hossein Taqavi, Haj Shaykh Ali Ashari (members of the board of directors), and Morteza Tanabandeh (Managing Director).

Remarks by Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Muhaqqiq Damad

He opened the session with a brief history of the fund, stating: “The initiative to establish the first Qard al-Hasana fund did not begin in Qom but rather in Tehran, next to the Lorzadeh Mosque, where a fund was formed which later became known as the ‘Lorzadeh Fund.’” He added that the legitimacy of such funds required the approval of marājiʿ to avoid any juristic ambiguities.

One of the founders of the Lorzadeh Fund, he explained, was Haj Sayyid Taqi (known as Hashemi). After its establishment, he travelled to Qom to seek religious validation from the late Ayatullah Haj Agha Morteza Haeri (r). Ayatullah Haeri approved the idea and even recommended establishing a similar fund in Qom. This paved the way for the founding of the Alavi Qard al-Hasana Fund of Qom.

The initial founding board, as per existing statutes, included: the late Ayatullah Meshkini, the late Ayatullah Sayyid Mehdi Rouhani, the late Ayatullah Ahmadi Miyānji, the late Hujjat al-Islam Haj Shaykh Mohammad-Hasan Mowassil Arāni, the late Haj Ebrahim Montazeri, the late Haj Yadollah Rajabiyan, and the late Haj Mohammad-Hasan Rezvani. The fund became practically active around 1969 or 1970 and was officially registered in 1972.

During Ayatullah Muhaqqiq Damad’s speech, other members also recalled the names of early founders and contributors, such as the late Haj Mohammad-Taqi Adibi, the late Haj Mohammad-Taqi Eslamiān, the late Sayyid Hossein Saraji, the late Sayyid Ebrahim Sadeqi, and the late Haj Ali Khodāparast. Ayatullah Muhaqqiq Damad especially remembered Haj Adibi as a trustworthy and generous individual who donated a small shop in the Safa Passage for the fund’s initial operations.

Remarks by Haj Sayyid Ali-Mohammad Fayz

Haj Fayz gave a historical overview of the fund’s development in two phases: First Phase: A gathering of philanthropists and followers of the late Ayatullah Haeri, who met weekly under the theme “Struggle Against Poverty” in various homes. As the activities expanded and the need for a fixed base emerged, Haj Mohammad-Taqi Adibi proposed donating his shop in the Safa Passage to the fund, half as a gift, half for use. This gave the fund a permanent base and independence from its mobile structure.

In 1972, the first official meeting of the founding board was held, and the fund’s statute was drafted. Participants included: Ayatullahs: Sayyid Mehdi Rouhani, Mirza Ali Ahmadi Miyānji, Sayyid Ali Muhaqqiq Damad, Sayyid Taqi Hashemi, Shaykh Mohammad-Hasan Mowassil Arāni, Sayyid Ali-Mohammad Fayz, and Ebrahim Montazeri Mojaverestani

The statute had two core aims:

A) To provide affordable housing for the poor with long-term installments and to complete half-built mosques

B) To offer interest-free loans (Qard al-Hasana) to those at risk of bankruptcy, with a cap of 500,000 rials and a 25-month repayment period

A seven-member committee was responsible for investigating the applicant’s creditworthiness and repayment ability. Fayz also noted that as the fund’s influence grew, it attracted the attention of SAVAK (the Shah’s intelligence agency), which caused some founding members, like Ayatullah Meshkini, to avoid public association so as not to jeopardize the fund’s continuation.

Financial Report and Expansion of the Fund

According to the minutes of a meeting held in 1357 SH (1978) at the home of the late Haj Mowassil, the total balance of the fund at the end of 1356 SH (1977–78) was as follows:

• Total Deposits: 244,153,250 rials

• Total Loans Disbursed: 131,466,969 rials

• Cash and Bank Balances: 47,699,366 rials

• Documents held by the Managing Director: 63,928,285 rials

Additionally, a portion of the adjacent Zurkhaneh (traditional gym) next to the fund’s office was purchased and added to the administrative space. Contrary to some suggestions, no service fees were charged to borrowers, and from the outset, even fund employees were not compensated for their services.

Among the fund’s most notable actions was the purchase of three shares (3/6 ownership) of the Safa Passage by Haj Mohammad-Taqi Adibi, which he donated to the fund. In another demonstration of generosity, during a financial crisis, he personally guaranteed and paid sixty million rials to keep the fund operational.

Construction Activities of the Fund in the Housing Sector

Another question raised during the session was about the fund’s real estate and housing development projects. Participants explained that the fund, in a public welfare initiative, constructed 100 residential units in the Safa Shahr and Yazdan Shahr areas of Qom. This project was carried out with the guidance of the late Ayatullah Haeri (r) and with a focus on affordable repayment plans, ensuring that monthly installments never exceeded the typical rental costs. Some homeowners were still finishing their payments even as recently as a year or two ago.

It was noted in the discussion that the land for the project was provided by the custodians of the Āstān (holy shrine administration), using unused northern lands of Safa Shahr. One of the most persistent advocates of this project was the late Ayatullah Haj Agha Morteza Haeri, who worked tirelessly, especially in securing water and arranging its pumping from lower areas to upper ones for the housing project.

Final Acknowledgements and Summary

At the end of the session, the attendees expressed their gratitude to Ayatullah Muhaqqiq Damad, the fund’s managing director, and all the members of the Board of Trustees. Morteza Tanabandeh was then invited to present a brief update on the current status of the fund.

Remarks by the Fund’s Managing Director, Morteza Tanabandeh

In his brief but heartfelt remarks, Tanabandeh expressed his appreciation for the Qom Studies Foundation, the Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors, and the efforts of the fund’s founders, stating:

“With God’s help and the trust of our elders, the Alavi Qard al-Hasana Fund has been able to continue its growth in line with its original principles. Currently, we have a large number of daily applicants for loans, and on average, loans are disbursed to about 100 individuals each day. There are no requirements to open an account in order to receive a loan. No service fees are charged, not even SMS fees. Our core value is respecting every visitor, and we strive to ensure that each applicant leaves satisfied.”

He concluded: “I sincerely thank everyone for their support and cooperation, and I pray that God grants us continued success in serving His creation.”

The session concluded with the recitation of Sūrat al-Fātiḥah for the soul of Ayatullah Haeri and all the founders and benefactors of the fund.

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