Pourmohammad Taghi Jafar Abadi also said: “Although this dining hall’s history turns back to the time of Safavid dynasty with the name of “Blessed Factory”, its establishment goes back to the time of Timurids”.

He further noted: “Existence of this center before Safavid eras has also been mentioned in distinguished books such as Makarem Akhlaq (Generosities of Ethics) These books reiterate that feeding the poor was a routing job in this center”.  

Referring to a 435-year old document as the oldest existing source talking about Imam Reza shrine’s dining hall, Pourmohammad Taghi Jafar Abadi added: “The official date of establishment of the hall goes back to the time of Safavid dynasty when it started its job under the name of “kitchen”. It was this time from which the daily regular cooking was done to feed pilgrims and the poor”. 

The expert stated: “Activities of the dining hall promoted in quantitative and qualitative manners during Qajar era following a decline during Afsharid time. The leap happened under custodianship of Haj Mirza Mousa Khan as the first authoritative custodian of the complex”.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Pourmohammad Taghi Jafar Abadi said: “The dining hall of the complex has changed different names and locations during its lifetime; it’s name is now “Dining Hall of Hazrat Reza (AS)”.

He also mentioned: “Donations and endowments have always been main budget sources of the hall in addition to the annual budget allocated by the organization itself”.

Expert of the Office of Documents at Imam Reza holy shrine referred to other points mentioned in these historical documents and said: “These documents show things such as types of offerings, quantity, quality and time of reception in the center, types of dining hall’s dishes, and equipment of the hall in the past”.