Father’s Day in the Persian calendar coincides with the birth anniversary of Shia Muslims’ first Imam, Ali (AS).

Imam Ali is the father (and grandfather) of other Shia Muslim imams, and his wife’s birth anniversary is dubbed Mother’s Day in the Persian calendar. Fatimah (SA) is the daughter of the Muslim Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH).

In Iran, Father’s Day falls on the thirteenth day of the lunar calendar month of Rajab, the birthday anniversary of the first Shia Imam, whom Muslims revere for his loyalty to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), devotion to Islam, and love for his family.

In the 10th century one of the outstanding Shia scholars, Sayyid Sharif al-Raḍi, assembled many of Imam Ali’s sermons, letters, and short sayings dealing with various subjects in the book Nahj al-Balaghah (The Path of Eloquence), which became one of the most widely read and influential books in the Islamic world.

Muslims find a great model in the character of Imam Ali as the husband of Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, Hazrat Fatemeh (SA), and father of two later Shia Imams, Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein.

“The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) is a personality whose greatness, characteristics, and high status in Islam are not debated among Muslims. Therefore, we can confidently claim that the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) can serve as the common point among all sects of Islam,” Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said.

“The affection for the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) is very valuable. We have a tradition that says those who love a person will have that person beside them on Judgment Day. Affection is of paramount importance. However, affection is not enough by itself. We need to follow Imam Ali (a.s.) as well. We, who are known as Shias in the world, have interpreted Shia as ‘those who follow Ali’. We must follow him and pursue the same goals as he did.”

In Islam, parents are given high status, and the Holy Quran has frequently urged the followers to honor, respect, and obey their parents. The holy book at least 15 times has referred to parents’ status. Thus, on these days, Muslims and particularly Iranians go to visit their parents and express their affection to them.

In Iranian culture, the day is observed in recognition of the role of fathers in the family, raising the children, and society as a whole.

On that joyous occasion, people usually pay visits or send gifts to their fathers to pay tribute to them.

In addition to the religious teachings, a father is one of the pillars of family in Iranian culture. 

Every year, Scores of Iranians celebrate the birth anniversary of Imam Ali (PBHH) at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashad. 

Iranian museums offer free admission on Jan. 25

This year, entry to cultural heritage sites and museums will be free on January 25, which marks the National Father’s and Men’s Day on the birthday anniversary of Imam Ali (AS).

Reported by Tohid Mahmoudpour