What it means
امام رضا (emâm-e Rezâ) refers to Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, the eighth Imam in Twelver Shia Islam. Both امام (emâm) and رضا (Rezâ) are of Arabic origin. امام means “leader” or “guide,” and رضا derives from the Arabic root r-d-a, meaning “contentment” or “approval.” In everyday Persian speech, Iranians often refer to him simply as امام رضا or حضرت رضا (hazrat-e Rezâ), adding the honorific حضرت to signal reverence. A common contrast is with the word نبی (nabi, prophet), which is a distinct title.
How to use it
- ما داریم به مشهد میریم، زیارت امام رضا. (mâ dârim be mashhad mirim, ziyârat-e emâm-e Rezâ.) “We are going to Mashhad for the pilgrimage to Imam Reza.”
- حرم امام رضا یکی از بزرگترین مجموعههای حرمی دنیاست. (haram-e emâm-e Rezâ yeki az bozorgtarin majmu’ehâ-ye harami-ye donyâst.) “The shrine of Imam Reza is one of the largest shrine complexes in the world.”
- مادرم هر سال نذر امام رضا میکنه. (mâdaram har sâl nazr-e emâm-e Rezâ mikone.) “My mother makes a vow to Imam Reza every year.”
- توی خونهشون عکس امام رضا رو دیدم. (tu-ye khuneshun aks-e emâm-e Rezâ ro didam.) “I saw a picture of Imam Reza in their home.”
Cultural note
Imam Reza is the only one of the Twelve Shia Imams buried within the borders of present-day Iran. His shrine complex in Mashhad is among the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world, receiving tens of millions of visitors each year. In Iranian culture, making a pilgrimage to Mashhad, called زیارت (ziyârat), is considered a deeply meritorious act, and many families aspire to visit at least once in their lifetime. The name رضا remains one of the most popular male given names in Iran, often chosen as a form of devotion.