Mosque Sahb Alzman(j) Kanwn Frhnky Imam Hasan Mjtby()

Within the town of Arak in the Markazi province of central Iran, Masjid Sahib al Zaman hosts worshippers alongside the Imam Hasan al Mujtaba Cultural Centre, a community institution dedicated to the spiritual and educational life of the neighbourhood. Arak is a relatively young Iranian city, founded in the early nineteenth century by order of the Qajar prince Yusuf Khan Sepahdar who chose the site for its strategic position on the road between Tehran, Isfahan, and the western provinces. Its grid of tree lined boulevards, its bazaar famed for copperware, and its carpet workshops still carry echoes of that deliberate founding vision. The title Sahib al Zaman, meaning the Lord of the Age, is a title of reverent hope used for the awaited Mahdi whose coming the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) foretold in many authentic narrations. Believers pray daily for his appearance and for the relief of suffering that will accompany his mission of justice, and communities across Iran dedicate mosques to him as a sign of that patient longing. The attached centre honours Imam Hasan al Mujtaba (may God be pleased with him), the elder grandson of the Prophet whose generosity and forbearance are celebrated in the writings of every Muslim historian. The architecture reflects twentieth century Iranian practice. A domed prayer hall tiled in blue and turquoise, a tall minaret crowned with a pointed green roof, stucco muqarnas framing the mihrab, and thick walls designed for the cold continental climate of Arak give the masjid its calm presence. Inside, carpets woven in the workshops of neighbouring villages carpet the floor, and the sound of the adhan mingles with the softer rustle of the poplar trees planted along the street outside. On this page, reliable prayer times for Masjid Sahib al Zaman in Arak are offered together with the address, a map, and visitor notes helpful for worshippers commuting in from the industrial districts, students at the nearby universities, and travellers passing between Tehran and Isfahan along the central plateau. Arak is celebrated for its petrochemical industries and its traditional sohan candy perfumed with saffron and pistachio, and after Jumu'ah many families walk a short distance to the bazaar to buy fresh bread and sweets. Guests visiting the cultural centre are greeted with hot tea poured from an Iranian samovar and the unhurried courtesy typical of Markazi province.