And Imam Ali (as) said...

And Imam Ali (as) said: ‘After Noah Flood, a tree named ‘Shah Drakht’ (King Tree) was planted. People counted this tree holy and built 12 hamlets around it. The names of these hamlets were the names of Iranian months: Farwardin, Ordibihisht, Khordad, Tir, Murdad, Shahriwar, Mihr, ’Aban, ’Azar, Day, Bahman, Isfand. Each month they held festival in one of them. Of course the festival in hamlet of ’Isfand was more splendorous and more people gathered.

In that festival, they put fire to a tree and when its smoke went up into air, they began to cry and shed tear. Allah sent them a prophet who guided and advised them, but they denied him. Their prophet cast curse on them and that holy tree got dried.

Then they dug a deep well and threw Allah’s prophet into it, and in this way he was martyred.’” [^2] But it is understood from the 180th sermon of Nahj-ul- Balaqah that they did not have only one prophet, for the Imam (as) said: “Where are the people of the cities of Ar-Rass who killed the prophets and suspended the traditions of the Divine messengers and revived the traditions of the despots?...” The next verse implies that Allah did not punish them astonishingly: but it says: “And unto each of them We did give examples...” Allah answered their criticisms as was done about the criticisms upon the Prophet (S).

Allah made divine ordinances clear for them and explained the truths of the religion. Allah warned them and retold them the stories and destiny of the former nations. But when none of these was effective the status was as the verse says: “...and every one (of them) We did destroy with utter extermination.” Yes the divine way of treatment is to send messengers for guiding people and to destruct their rejecters.

Therefore, ancient places can provide people lesson (and narration of history and retelling the story of misled; persons can be a ground for propagation, training and prohibition of doing evil).