An Analysis of the Hereditary Service in the Holy Shrine of Imām Reżā as One of the Components of Spiritual Identity in Mashhad City

Family history is one of the subjects that is considered less than other subjects. Researching this subject, which has a history of using important and religious families in the holy shrine of Imam Reza by inheritance is of major importance and presents valuable information.

In this article, it is studied the Holy Shrine of Imām Reżā(AS) as one of the largest centers of family history in the world and its importance as a major spiritual component in the city of Mashhad. By discussing topics such as the history of the post of the service in the administrating of the Holy Shrine, the importance of family histories, the interaction between family histories and to service in the shrine as an influential component in the spiritual identity of Mashhad and the necessary measures to document the family history of the Shrine, it is tried to examine various aspects of the subject.

The research methodology is a library and archive one, in which, Persian and non-Persian references and sources and the related documents were used.

The results of the research show that many families have worked as the ḵādem, over several generations in the Shrine of Imām Reżā (AS) in various positions, such as ḵādem ( servant), farrāš (footmen), and darbān (doorkeepers) and their records of service are available at the Ᾱstān Quds Documents Center. Examining these documents and conducting oral history interviews by the Family Studies Unit, while documenting the old Shrine's families, can provide the context to introduce the identity of the service at the shrine of Imām Reżā(AS) as one of the main components of Rażavī Ideal Utopia