Tomb of Imamzadeh Ismail in Miyaneh

Iranians honor the descendants of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and the Shia Imams and have always shown special respect for them throughout history. All over Iran, shrines and tombs have been built on the graves of these noble people, which is a sign of this exemplary respect for them. These places are usually by the people of the region to visit, pray, and hold various religious and social ceremonies throughout the year. Therefore, in addition to their religious importance, these shrines and tombs should be considered bases for cultural and social activities. In East Azarbaijan Province, which is considered one of the main bases of religious activities in Iran, these shrines play an important role. Many descendants of Imams are buried in this province, one of which is Imamzadeh Ismail, who was the descendant of Imam Sadiq (AS), the sixth Shiite Imam. This blessed tomb is located in located in the city of Miyaneh.

History and Geography of Miyaneh

Miyaneh County is located in the east of East Azarbaijan Province. Being the center of this county Miyaneh City is situated at a distance of 138 km from Tabriz City and has a population of more than 100 thousand people. The average height of the city of Miyaneh above sea level is about 1100 meters and agriculture is one of the main occupations of its people. From among the agricultural products of this city, wheat and apple are the most important ones. The two mountain ranges of Boz Ghoosh and Qaflankuh are located in Miyaneh County. The average annual rainfall in this county is about 320 mm. With these conditions, Miyaneh is full of spectacular and eye-catching natural landscapes, and a trip to it, in addition to providing the opportunity to visit numerous historical places and attractions, also creates the possibility of enjoying these landscapes.

According to historical texts, the longevity of Miyaneh City dates back to prehistoric times. In the archaeological excavations, a terracotta statue from the Sasanian era (224 to 651 AD) was discovered, which is one of the oldest artifacts found in the archaeological excavations of this region. Also, there are some Assyrian and Urartian inscriptions in parts of this city, which reflect the importance of the region in that era.

History of the Shrine of Imamzadeh Ismail

The initial construction of the Tomb of Imamzadeh Ismail is related to the Safavid era (16th century AD). Of course, due to numerous restoration and reconstruction operations, only a small part of the original building has remained intact and has preserved its old shape. Thus, the complex that can be seen today should be considered a combination of old and new architectural styles. Among the various components of the structure, the construction time of its 13-meter-long minaret dates back to 1258 AH (1842 AD). The internal area of the tomb is about 30 square meters. The dome of the complex is located above this space and has a height of more than four meters. The height of this dome is also about six meters.

According to the writing engraved on the tombstone of this noble Imamzadeh, his grave was discovered in 923 AH (1517 AD) and available sources, Imamzadeh Ismail is a descendant of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (AS), the sixth Shiite Imam.

Imamzadeh Ismail lived during the Abbasid rule over Islamic lands (750 to 1258 AD). The Abbasids were hostile towards the descendants of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and put them under pressure. Therefore, some of them migrated to Iran to be safe from the Abbasids. It is said that Imamzadeh Ismail secretly moved out of Hejaz and traveled to Iran through Iraq and settled in the city of Miyaneh.

However, only after several months of his stay in Miyaneh, he passed away due to illness and was buried in a place that had remained unknown for quite some time. After the passage of several centuries, in 923 A.H., one of the local residents of the city had a dream in which he was informed about the cause of death of this Imamzadeh as well as the location of his grave. Based on the signs that the person had received in his dream, the mentioned place was dug and a stone was found that revealed the identity of the buried person. There is a tomb with the name of Imamzadeh Muhammad in the historical village of Kandovan, which is believed to be the tomb of Imamzadeh Ismail’s father.

National Registration of Imamzadeh Esmaeil Mianeh Shrine

This tomb, which is located in the south of the Jame’ Mosque of Miyaneh on Imam Khomeini Street, was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 1969 AD.