Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

FABRICATED SUPPLICATIONS

Our mentor Mirza Husayn al-Nuri al-Tabrasi, in his book (written in Persian) entitled Lu’lu’-va-Murjan, states:

These words, which have been unfoundedly added to this reported tradition, are no more than heresy in the religion and venturing to the words of the Holy Imam (‘a), by adding to his words things that he did not say. Moreover, these fabricated words comprise baseless and manifestly fabricated lies. Yet, what is the most astounding is that these words are spread among people so widely that they are repeated thousands of times in the holy shrine of Imam al-Husayn (‘a) each day and night in the presence of the honorable angels and in that place, which is frequently visited by the Prophets and Messengers without finding anyone to stop or deny these lies and forgeries. As a result, these fabrications have been recorded in books and published in the collections of supplications and forms of ziyarah by some foolish inexperienced people who chose attracting titles for these books. Widespread among people, these books have been handed over from one foolish to another, causing the problem to be so augmentative that even some seekers of religious studies have been circulating them.

I, myself, met with a scholar of religious studies who was visiting the martyrs with these awful words. I thus put my hand on his shoulder gently and said to him, “It is quite awful to find a seeker of religious studies like you reading fabricated words like these in a holy place like this. Is it not?”

He answered, “These words are reported from the Imam! Are they not?”

Astonished by his question, I answered, “No, they are not?”

He said, “I have found these words written in some books.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“Like Miftah al-Jinan!” he answered.

In fact, I refrained from answering him, because it was improper to argue with one who is too inattentive and too ignorant to differentiate between collections that have been collected by ordinary people and books of lofty scholars, which are considered reference books for scholars.

The Shaykh then goes on speaking about this matter, saying,

The spread of such trivial matters and insignificant heresies, such as the bathing of Uways al-Qirani and Abu’l-Darda’ who was a faithful loyalist of Mu’awiyah, the silence fasting, which is to keep silent for a whole day, and the like heresies, which have not found any one to stop or deny - these matters gave ordinary people the green light to challenge and defy the authentic religious texts and instructions. Hence, in each month and each year, we find a new false prophet or imam leading the uneducated people out of the religion in groups!

Actually, these words are worthy of ponderation, because they have been said by a lofty scholar who has full acquaintance with the taste and tendencies of the sacred religious code of law along with all its obligatory and recommended decrees. Besides, these words unveil the very much interest of this sublime scholar in this issue and reveal his depression and grief that he suppresses in his heart because of the spread of such heresies. Unlike those who have deprived themselves of the knowledge of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and sufficed themselves with familiarity with some terms and words without paying attention to the actual knowledge, this sublime scholar can comprehend the disadvantages and consequences of this issue. Moreover, such individuals who claim knowledgeability have decided the accuracy of such unfounded issues and acted upon them so awfully that they caused the matter to be more complicated and made the publics forsake such reliable reference books like Misbah al-Mutahajjid (by Shaykh al-Tusi), al-Iqbal (by Sayyid Ibn Tawus), Muhaj al-Da’awat (by Shaykh al-Tusi), Jamal al-Usbu’ (by Sayyid Ibn Tawus), Misbah al-Za’ir (by Ibn Tawus), al-Balad al-Amin (by al-Kaf’ami), al-Junnah al-Waqiyah (by al-Kaf’ami), Miftah al-Falah (by Shaykh al-Baha’i), al-Miqbas (by al-Mamuqani), Rabi’ al-Asabi’ (by al-Majlisi), al-Tuhfah (by al-Dahlawi), Zad al-Ma’ad (by al-Majlisi), and the like books to substitute them with such unfounded collections, which are full of forgeries. For instance, in the famous supplicatory prayer known as Du’a’ al-Mujir, the word bi’afwika has been added to the supplication seventy times without finding any one to deny or object to this forgery. In the famous supplication of Du’a’ al-Jawshan al-Kabir, which comprises one hundred sections, each section is given an individual forged merit.

Although great supplications of supreme significances, eloquent expressions, and articulate words have been authentically reported, we find such collections fabricate an extremely meaningless supplication, called Du’a’ al-Hubbi. Moreover, it is falsely claimed that this supplication was drawn down from the peak of the Divine Throne!! The merits that are fabricated for this invented supplication are so astounding that they astonish and confound any one who reads them!! We seek Allah’s protection against so. The following forgery is thus said about this supplication: Archangel Gabriel informed the Prophet Muhammad (s) that Almighty Allah says: I shall never chastise any servant who carries this supplication with him even if that servant deserves Hellfire to be his abode and has spent his entire lifetime disobeying Me and has never prostrated himself even one time before Me!! I thus grant him the reward of seventy thousand prophets, seventy thousand religious individuals, seventy thousand martyrs, seventy thousand watchful performers of prayers, those who give clothes to seventy thousand ones who could not find anything to put on, and those who fed seventy thousand hungry individuals!! I shall also grant him excellent merits as many as the number of the pebbles in deserts!! I shall grant him the reward of seventy thousand areas on the earth, the reward of Muhammad the Seal of Prophets, the reward of Jesus the Spirit of Allah, the reward of Abraham the Intimate Friend of Allah, the reward of Ishmael the slaughtered for Allah’s sake, the reward of Moses the Spoken by Allah, the reward of Jacob the Prophet of Allah, the reward of Adam the well-chosen by Allah, and the reward of (the Archangels) Gabriel, Michael, Seraph, ‘Izra’ili and the other angels!! O Muhammad, as for any one who prays Me with this supplication or carries it with him, I shall forgive him and I am too reticent to punish him... etc.!!

Actually, instead of laughing at such funny and nonsensical fabrications, we must weep for the books and writings of the Shi’ite scholars - these precious books and writings, which have attained the climax in accuracy, correctness, and proficiency because they were in most cases copied by experienced and religious individuals who used to compare their copies with other copies handwritten by scholars and revised by experts. Hence, whenever a difference is found, they would refer to these differences in margins.

For instance, the copier of the famous supplication of Makarim al-Akhlaq comments on the phrase wa-balligh bi’imani in a footnote that the copy of Ibn Ashnas has mentioned this phrase in this form: wa abligh bi’imani, and the copy of Ibn Shadhan has mentioned this phrase in this form: allahumma abligh bi’imani. Hence, we find footnotes in such revised books mentioning that Ibn Sakun has written the phrase in such-and-such form while al-Shahid has mentioned it in such-and-such form... etc.

This is the supreme rank in accuracy and proficiency that the books of Shi’ite scholars used to enjoy and this is the supreme efforts in revision and correctness that they used to do to their works. Unfortunately, we find that such accurate books have been abandoned and substituted with books like Miftah al-Jinan, which has been already mentioned, to be the one and only book widely circulated among people and referred to by ordinary and elite people and Arabs and non-Arabs! This is because the experienced and religious people have no longer paid attention to the traditions and reports and have no longer referred to the books written by the scholars and jurisprudents of the Ahl al-Bayt School.

Moreover, they have no longer denied such innovative and unfounded additions and they have no longer refuted the forgeries of fabricators and fakers and the distortions of the ignorant ones. They have no longer stopped the unqualified people and the foolish from interfering in these issues until we have had to come upon false supplications that were forged according to personal tastes and fake forms of ziyarah and prayers that were published in a collection of fabricated supplications.

The result has been that many books like Miftah al-Jinan sprouted up! As the problem proliferated, fabrication and distortion have spread out to creep into other books and writings. For example, the newly Persian book of Muntaha al-Amal has been messed up by its author according to his own personal inclinations and notions. Hence, in two lines of the book, the author has foisted the word alhamdu-lillahi (All praise be to Allah) four times into an authentically reported tradition, as follows:

As for Malik ibn Yusr the accursed, his two hands were paralyzed due to Imam al-Husayn’s invocation of curse on him. All praise be to Allah. In Summer, his two hands would be like two dried up woods. All praise be to Allah. In Winter, blood would fall in drops from his two hands. All praise be to Allah. So, the end of his affair was perdition. All praise be to Allah.

On other occasion, the author foisted the Persian word khanum (lady) after the names of Lady Zaynab and Lady Ummu-Kulthum as a sign of reverence and respect for these two ladies.

Because the author disagreed with Hamid ibn Qahtabah, he distorted his name into Hamid ibn Qahbah; yet, he mentioned as footnote that some copies had written the name of this man as Hamid ibn Qahtabah. Moreover, the author wrote the name ‘Abdullah instead of ‘Abd-Rabbih, and the name Zajar ibn al-Qays instead of Zahar wherever he would mention him in the book. Even the name of Ummu-Salamah, he wrote it as Ummul-Salamah!

However, my purpose behind mentioning these examples is to highlight the following two facts:

DENUNCIATION OF THE PRESENCE OF UNWORTHY THINGS IN BOOKS OF HADEES AND DUAS

First: It is noticeable that this author made all these distortions and baseless additions because he followed his own opinion and taste, intending to cover up the imperfection of the book. Yet, he believed that such imperfection cannot be removed unless distortions are added to it. We may compare this idea to the additions, changes, and alterations that we may add to some supplications and forms of ziyarah out of our ignorance that is imposed upon us by our imperfect impressions and tastes. While we claim that these maters would increase the excellence and sublimity of these supplications and forms of ziyarah, the fact is the opposite; these changes and distortions strip these supplications of excellence and sublimity and deprive them of consideration in the views of experienced and intelligent people. Hence, we must maintain the reported forms of these texts, by observing them, without adding or erasing any single letter.

Second: The author of the book that we have given as example is alive; he can thus revise and correct his book. Nevertheless, we find his book full of distortions and deformation. How would be the matter with other books then? And how can we, after that, trust the other published books? Hence, the only books that we can trust must be those which were written by famous scholars who must have submitted their works on more knowledgeable people who would then admit these writings before they would be published.

In the biography of Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman - the trustworthy, sublime, and preferred scholar and companion of the Holy Imams - it has been reported that he wrote a book on the recommended devotional acts on days and nights. When Abu-Hashim al-Ja’fari submitted the book to Imam al-’Askari (‘a), the Imam, having browsed the entire book, said, “This is the faith of my fathers and me. It is absolutely true.”

Commenting on this incident, we say: Because Abu-Hashim wanted to follow the example of Yunus in writing a book, he did not stop at the abundant knowledgeability, experience, sublimity, and religiousness of Yunus; therefore, he submitted the book before the Imam (‘a) to seek his opinion.

It has been also reported that Bawraq al-Shanajani al-Harawi, one of the honest, virtuous, and upright personalities, traveled for Samarra’ to meet Imam al-’Askari (‘a) and show him the book entitled al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah, which was written by Fazl ibn Shadhan, the sublime scholar, saying, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! I would like you to see and browse this book.” The Imam (‘a), having looked through the book, said, “This is true. You may depend upon it.”

There are many other traditions confirming this fact.

When I proceeded with the current work, I have already realized the impressions of the people of this age and their inattentiveness to such matters of accuracy and revision. Nevertheless, I wrote this book in order to put them under conclusive argument. I therefore exerted all possible efforts to quote the supplications and forms of ziyarah, mentioned in this book, from their original sources, taking into consideration the different copies of these supplications. I have also done my best in correcting and omitting the mistakes so that the reader who acts upon the material of this book would trust and confide in it. However, I have one condition; the copiers of this book must not distort any thing of it and the reader must neglect the materials that do not correspond to his personal impression and taste.

Shaykh al-Kulayni reported ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Qasir as saying:

One day, I visited Imam al-Sadiq, blessings of Allah be upon him, and said, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! I have invented a supplication.”

The Imam (‘a) answered, “Save me from your inventions!”

Hence, the Imam (‘a) turned away from his inventions and disallowed him to show him the invented supplication.

The Imam (‘a) then endued the man with a favor to do.

Shaykh al-Saduq, may Allah perfume his tomb, has reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Sinan that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said:

I see coming that a seditious matter shall inflict you, leaving you without visible sign or leader to the true guidance. None will be saved from so except those who say the Supplication of the Drowned (Du’a’ al-Ghariq).

The reported asked, “What is the Supplication of the Drowned?”

The Imam answered: It is as follows:

يَا اللّٰهُ يَا رَحْمَانُ يَا رَحِيمُ يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ

The reporter, repeating these words, added a word to the supplication as follows:

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ وَ الْاَبْصَارِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ.

The Imam said, “It is true that Almighty Allah is the turner of hearts and visions. But you must say as same as I say.”

The aforementioned two traditions must be sufficient deterrent for those who alter the supplications by adding statements or distorting others, following their personal tastes and impressions. Finally, Allah is the Protector against so.

ZIYARAH OF AL ABBAS IBN ALI

The noble Shaykh Ja’far ibn Qawlawayh al-Qummi has reported through a considerable chain of authority that Abu-Hamzah al-Thumali reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying:

If you intend to visit the tomb of al-’Abbas ibn ‘Ali (‘a) that lies on the bank of the River Euphrates opposite to al-Ha’ir, you should stop at the gate of the shed (precinct) and say these words:

سَلامُ اللّٰهِ وَ سَلامُ مَلائِكَتِهِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَ اَنْبِيَائِهِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَ عِبَادِهِ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ جَمِيعِ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَ الصِّدِّيقِينَ [وَ] الزَّاكِيَاتُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ فِيمَا تَغْتَدِي وَ تَرُوحُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ اَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اَشْهَدُ لَكَ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ وَ التَّصْدِيقِ وَ الْوَفَاءِ وَ النَّصِيحَةِ لِخَلَفِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ الْمُرْسَلِ وَ السِّبْطِ الْمُنْتَجَبِ وَ الدَّلِيلِ الْعَالِمِ وَ الْوَصِيِّ الْمُبَلِّغِ وَ الْمَظْلُومِ الْمُهْتَضَمِ فَجَزَاكَ اللّٰهُ عَنْ رَسُولِهِ وَ عَنْ اَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ صَلَوَاتُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِمْ اَفْضَلَ الْجَزَاءِ بِمَا صَبَرْتَ ، وَ احْتَسَبْتَ وَ اَعَنْتَ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ لَعَنَ اللّٰهُ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ وَ لَعَنَ اللّٰهُ مَنْ جَهِلَ حَقَّكَ وَ اسْتَخَفَّ بِحُرْمَتِكَ وَ لَعَنَ اللّٰهُ مَنْ حَالَ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ مَاءِ الْفُرَاتِ اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكَ قُتِلْتَ مَظْلُوما وَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ مُنْجِزٌ لَكُمْ مَا وَعَدَكُمْ جِئْتُكَ يَا ابْنَ اَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَافِدا اِلَيْكُمْ وَ قَلْبِي مُسَلِّمٌ لَكُمْ وَ تَابِعٌ وَ اَنَا لَكُمْ تَابِعٌ وَ نُصْرَتِي لَكُمْ مُعَدَّةٌ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللّٰهُ وَ هُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ فَمَعَكُمْ مَعَكُمْ لا مَعَ عَدُوِّكُمْ اِنِّي بِكُمْ وَ بِاِيَابِكُمْ [وَ بِآبَائِكُمْ‏] مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ بِمَنْ خَالَفَكُمْ وَ قَتَلَكُمْ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ قَتَلَ اللّٰهُ اُمَّةً قَتَلَتْكُمْ بِالْاَيْدِي وَ الْاَلْسُنِ.

You should then enter, throw yourself on the tomb, and say the following words:

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ اَيُّهَا الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ الْمُطِيعُ لِلَّهِ وَ لِرَسُولِهِ وَ لِاَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ سَلَّمَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ وَ مَغْفِرَتُهُ وَ رِضْوَانُهُ وَ عَلَى رُوحِكَ وَ بَدَنِكَ اَشْهَدُ وَ اُشْهِدُ اللّٰهَ اَنَّكَ مَضَيْتَ عَلَى مَا مَضَى بِهِ الْبَدْرِيُّونَ وَ الْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّٰهِ الْمُنَاصِحُونَ لَهُ فِي جِهَادِ اَعْدَائِهِ الْمُبَالِغُونَ فِي نُصْرَةِ اَوْلِيَائِهِ الذَّابُّونَ عَنْ اَحِبَّائِهِ فَجَزَاكَ اللّٰهُ اَفْضَلَ الْجَزَاءِ وَ اَكْثَرَ الْجَزَاءِ وَ اَوْفَرَ الْجَزَاءِ وَ اَوْفَى جَزَاءِ اَحَدٍ مِمَّنْ وَفَى بِبَيْعَتِهِ وَ اسْتَجَابَ لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ وَ اَطَاعَ وُلاةَ اَمْرِهِ، اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكَ قَدْ بَالَغْتَ فِي النَّصِيحَةِ وَ اَعْطَيْتَ غَايَةَ الْمَجْهُودِ فَبَعَثَكَ اللّٰهُ فِي الشُّهَدَاءِ وَ جَعَلَ رُوحَكَ مَعَ اَرْوَاحِ السُّعَدَاءِ وَ اَعْطَاكَ مِنْ جِنَانِهِ اَفْسَحَهَا مَنْزِلا وَ اَفْضَلَهَا غُرَفا وَ رَفَعَ ذِكْرَكَ فِي عِلِّيِّينَ [فِي الْعَالَمِينَ‏] وَ حَشَرَكَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ الصِّدِّيقِينَ وَ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ حَسُنَ اُولَئِكَ رَفِيقا اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكَ لَمْ تَهِنْ وَ لَمْ تَنْكُلْ وَ اَنَّكَ مَضَيْتَ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ مِنْ اَمْرِكَ مُقْتَدِيا بِالصَّالِحِينَ وَ مُتَّبِعا لِلنَّبِيِّينَ فَجَمَعَ اللّٰهُ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ رَسُولِهِ وَ اَوْلِيَائِهِ فِي مَنَازِلِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ فَاِنَّهُ اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

It is expedient to say this form of ziyarah while standing behind the holy tomb and facing the kiblah direction, as is also advised by Shaykh al-Tusi in his book of Tahdhib al-Ahkam.

You may then enter, throw yourself on the tomb, and say the following words while facing the kiblah direction:

السّلام عليك ايّها العبد الصّالح

According to the previously mentioned narration, the ziyarah of al-’Abbas ends here. But Sayyid Ibn Tawus and Shaykh al-Mufid, as well as other scholars, have added the following:

You may then turn to the side of the head and offer a two-unit prayer. Afterwards, you may offer prayers as many as you wish. You may also supplicate Almighty Allah earnestly. After these prayers, you may say the following supplicatory prayer:

اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ لا تَدَعْ لِي فِي هَذَا الْمَكَانِ الْمُكَرَّمِ وَ الْمَشْهَدِ الْمُعَظَّمِ ذَنْبا اِلا غَفَرْتَهُ وَ لا هَمّا اِلا فَرَّجْتَهُ وَ لا مَرَضا اِلا شَفَيْتَهُ وَ لا عَيْبا اِلا سَتَرْتَهُ وَ لا رِزْقا اِلا بَسَطْتَهُ وَ لا خَوْفا اِلا آمَنْتَهُ وَ لا شَمْلا اِلا جَمَعْتَهُ وَ لا غَائِبا اِلا حَفِظْتَهُ وَ اَدْنَيْتَهُ وَ لا حَاجَةً مِنْ حَوَائِجِ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ لَكَ فِيهَا رِضًى وَ لِي فِيهَا صَلاحٌ اِلا قَضَيْتَهَا يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

You may then return to the tomb, stop at the side of the legs, and say the following words:

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا اَبَا الْفَضْلِ الْعَبَّاسَ ابْنَ اَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ سَيِّدِ الْوَصِيِّينَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ اَوَّلِ الْقَوْمِ اِسْلاما وَ اَقْدَمِهِمْ اِيمَانا وَ اَقْوَمِهِمْ بِدِينِ اللّٰهِ وَ اَحْوَطِهِمْ عَلَى الْاِسْلامِ اَشْهَدُ لَقَدْ نَصَحْتَ لِلَّهِ وَ لِرَسُولِهِ وَ لِاَخِيكَ فَنِعْمَ الْاَخُ الْمُوَاسِي فَلَعَنَ اللّٰهُ اُمَّةً قَتَلَتْكَ وَ لَعَنَ اللّٰهُ اُمَّةً ظَلَمَتْكَ وَ لَعَنَ اللّٰهُ اُمَّةً اسْتَحَلَّتْ مِنْكَ الْمَحَارِمَ وَ انْتَهَكَتْ حُرْمَةَ الْاِسْلامِ فَنِعْمَ الصَّابِرُ الْمُجَاهِدُ الْمُحَامِي النَّاصِرُ وَ الْاَخُ الدَّافِعُ عَنْ اَخِيهِ ، الْمُجِيبُ اِلَى طَاعَةِ رَبِّهِ الرَّاغِبُ فِيمَا زَهِدَ فِيهِ غَيْرُهُ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ الْجَزِيلِ وَ الثَّنَاءِ الْجَمِيلِ وَ اَلْحَقَكَ [فَاَلْحَقَكَ‏] اللّٰهُ بِدَرَجَةِ آبَائِكَ فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي تَعَرَّضْتُ لِزِيَارَةِ اَوْلِيَائِكَ رَغْبَةً فِي ثَوَابِكَ وَ رَجَاءً لِمَغْفِرَتِكَ وَ جَزِيلِ اِحْسَانِكَ فَاَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الطَّاهِرِينَ وَ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ رِزْقِي بِهِمْ دَارّا وَ عَيْشِي بِهِمْ قَارّا وَ زِيَارَتِي بِهِمْ مَقْبُولَةً وَ حَيَاتِي بِهِمْ طَيِّبَةً وَ اَدْرِجْنِي اِدْرَاجَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ وَ اجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ مِنْ زِيَارَةِ مَشَاهِدِ اَحِبَّائِكَ مُفْلِحا مُنْجِحا قَدِ اسْتَوْجَبَ غُفْرَانَ الذُّنُوبِ وَ سَتْرَ الْعُيُوبِ وَ كَشْفَ الْكُرُوبِ اِنَّكَ اَهْلُ التَّقْوَى وَ اَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ.

If you intend to take leave, you may approach the holy tomb and say the following words, which has been reported from Abu-Hamzah al-Thumali and have been mentioned by other scholars:

اَسْتَوْدِعُكَ اللّٰهَ وَ اَسْتَرْعِيكَ وَ اَقْرَاُ عَلَيْكَ السَّلامَ آمَنَّا بِاللّٰهِ وَ بِرَسُولِهِ وَ بِكِتَابِهِ وَ بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ اللّٰهُمَّ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ اللّٰهُمَّ لا تَجْعَلْهُ آخِرَ الْعَهْدِ مِنْ زِيَارَتِي قَبْرَ ابْنِ اَخِي رَسُولِكَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ ارْزُقْنِي زِيَارَتَهُ اَبَدا مَا اَبْقَيْتَنِي وَ احْشُرْنِي مَعَهُ وَ مَعَ آبَائِهِ فِي الْجِنَانِ وَ عَرِّفْ بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ رَسُولِكَ وَ اَوْلِيَائِكَ اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ تَوَفَّنِي عَلَى الْاِيمَانِ بِكَ وَ التَّصْدِيقِ بِرَسُولِكَ وَ الْوِلايَةِ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ اَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ الْاَئِمَّةِ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلامُ وَ الْبَرَاءَةِ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَاِنِّي قَدْ رَضِيتُ يَا رَبِّي بِذَلِكَ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ.

You may then pray Almighty Allah for yourself, your parents, your brethren-in-faith, and for Muslims. You may choose any statement of supplication you like.

STATURE AND POSITION OF AL ABBAS

Imam al-Sajjad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is reported to have said, “May Allah have mercy upon al-’Abbas. He preferred his brother to himself and sacrificed himself for him until his two hands were severed. So, Almighty Allah shall give him as compensation two wings to fly with the angels in Paradise in the same way as He shall do to Ja’far ibn Abi-Talib. Verily, al-’Abbas shall enjoy such a supreme position with Almighty Allah due to which all martyrs will hope to have its like on the Resurrection Day.”

It has been also reported that al-’Abbas, peace be upon him, was thirty-four years old when he was martyred. His mother, Ummu’l-Banin, used to go out to the al-Baqi’ Cemetery to elegize, weep, and mourn for al-’Abbas and his brothers. Whoever passed be her would not be able to stop weeping for her mournful style.

Actually, it is not strange to find a loyalist (to the Ahl al-Bayt) weeping for al-’Abbas when he listened to the mournful words of Lady Ummu’l-Banin, because even Marwan ibn al-Hakam, the bitterest enemy of the Ahl al-Bayt, could not help weeping when he heard the mournful words of this lady.

Elegizing al-’Abbas and her other sons, Ummu’l-Banin composed the following poetic verses:

يَا مَنْ رَاَى الْعَبَّاسَ كَرَّ عَلَى جَمَاهِيرِ النَّقَدِوَ وَرَاهُ مِنْ اَبْنَاءِ حَيْدَرَ كُلُّ لَيْثٍ ذِي لَبَدٍ

اُنْبِئْتُ اَنَّ ابْنِي اُصِيبَ بِرَأْسِهِ مَقْطُوعَ يَدٍوَيْلِي عَلَى شِبْلِي اَمَالَ بِرَأْسِهِ ضَرْبُ الْعَمَدِ

لَوْ كَانَ سَيْفُكَ فِي يَدِيْكَلَمَا دَنَا مِنْهُ اَحَدٌ

She also composed the following verses:

لا تَدْعُوِنِّي وَيْكِ اُمَّ الْبَنِينَتُذَكِّرِينِي بِلِيُوثِ الْعَرِينِ

كَانَتْ بَنُونَ لِي اُدْعَى بِهِمْوَ الْيَوْمَ اَصْبَحْتُ وَ لا مِنْ بَنِينَ

اَرْبَعَةٌ مِثْلُ نُسُورِ الرُّبَىقَدْ وَاصَلُوا الْمَوْتَ بِقَطْعِ الْوَتِينِ

تَنَازَعَ الْخِرْصَانُ اَشْلاءَهُمْفَكُلُّهُمْ اَمْسَى صَرِيعا طَعِينَ

يَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي اَ كَمَا اَخْبَرُوابِاَنَّ عَبَّاسا قَطِيعُ الْيَمِينِ

ZIYARAH OF IMAM HUSAYN (A) ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS

The forms of ziyarah of Imam al-Husayn (‘a) on special occasions are many in number.

ZIYARAH OF IMAM HUSAYN (A) ON THE 1ST OF RAJAB

The first form of ziyarah is restricted to the first and the fifteenth of Rajab and the fifteenth of Sha’ban.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said, “He who visits al-Husayn (‘a) on the first of Rajab will have all his sins forgiven by Almighty Allah.”

Abu-Nasr is reported to have narrated that he asked Imam al-Rida (‘a) about the best times of visiting Imam al-Husayn (‘a). The Imam (‘a) answered, “The best times are the fifteenth of Rajab and the fifteenth of Sha’ban.”

According to the opinion of Shaykh al-Mufid and Sayyid Ibn Tawus, the following form of ziyarah is dedicated to the first day of Rajab and the fifteenth night of Sha’ban. However, al-Shahid added that it is also dedicated to the first night of Rajab, the fifteenth night of it, the fifteenth day of it, and the fifteenth day of Sha’ban.

In conclusion, this form of ziyarah is dedicated to six times.

The form of this ziyarah is as follows:

When you intend to visit the holy tomb of Imam al-Husayn (‘a) at these times, you may bathe yourself, put on the cleanest of your clothes, stop at the gate of the holy shrine directing the face toward the kiblah direction, and invoke Almighty Allah’s greetings upon the Holy Prophet, Imam ‘Ali, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra’, Imam al-Hasan, Imam al-Husayn, and the Holy Imams - peace be upon them all.

The form of invocation of greetings and the form of asking permission to enter the holy shrine will be cited in the coming form of ziyarah known as Ziyarah on ‘Arafah (or ‘Arafat) Day.

You may then enter the shrine, stop at the holy tomb, and repeat the following word one hundred times:

اللّه اكبر

You may then say the following words:

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ [السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ‏] السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ سَيِّدِ الْوَصِيِّينَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا اَبَا عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُسَيْنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ فَاطِمَةَ سَيِّدَةِ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا وَلِيَّ اللّٰهِ وَ ابْنَ وَلِيِّهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا صَفِيَّ اللّٰهِ وَ ابْنَ صَفِيِّهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُجَّةَ اللّٰهِ وَ ابْنَ حُجَّتِهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حَبِيبَ اللّٰهِ وَ ابْنَ حَبِيبِهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا سَفِيرَ اللّٰهِ وَ ابْنَ سَفِيرِهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا خَازِنَ الْكِتَابِ الْمَسْطُورِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا وَارِثَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْاِنْجِيلِ وَ الزَّبُورِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا اَمِينَ الرَّحْمَنِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا شَرِيكَ الْقُرْآنِ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا عَمُودَ الدِّينِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بَابَ حِكْمَةِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ [السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بَابَ حِطَّةٍ الَّذِي مَنْ دَخَلَهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْآمِنِينَ‏] السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا عَيْبَةَ عِلْمِ اللّٰهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مَوْضِعَ سِرِّ اللّٰهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ثَارَ اللّٰهِ وَ ابْنَ ثَارِهِ وَ الْوِتْرَ الْمَوْتُورَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى الْاَرْوَاحِ الَّتِي حَلَّتْ بِفِنَائِكَ وَ اَنَاخَتْ بِرَحْلِكَ بِاَبِي اَنْتَ وَ اُمِّي وَ نَفْسِي يَا اَبَا عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ لَقَدْ عَظُمَتِ الْمُصِيبَةُ وَ جَلَّتِ الرَّزِيَّةُ بِكَ عَلَيْنَا وَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ اَهْلِ الْاِسْلامِ فَلَعَنَ اللّٰهُ اُمَّةً اَسَّسَتْ اَسَاسَ الظُّلْمِ وَ الْجَوْرِ عَلَيْكُمْ اَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ لَعَنَ اللّٰهُ اُمَّةً دَفَعَتْكُمْ عَنْ مَقَامِكُمْ وَ اَزَالَتْكُمْ عَنْ مَرَاتِبِكُمُ الَّتِي رَتَّبَكُمُ اللّٰهُ فِيهَا ، بِاَبِي اَنْتَ وَ اُمِّي وَ نَفْسِي يَا اَبَا عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ اَشْهَدُ لَقَدِ اقْشَعَرَّتْ لِدِمَائِكُمْ اَظِلَّةُ الْعَرْشِ مَعَ اَظِلَّةِ الْخَلائِقِ وَ بَكَتْكُمُ السَّمَاءُ وَ الْاَرْضُ وَ سُكَّانُ الْجِنَانِ وَ الْبَرِّ وَ الْبَحْرِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ عَدَدَ مَا فِي عِلْمِ اللّٰهِ لَبَّيْكَ دَاعِيَ اللّٰهِ اِنْ كَانَ لَمْ يُجِبْكَ بَدَنِي عِنْدَ اسْتِغَاثَتِكَ وَ لِسَانِي عِنْدَ اسْتِنْصَارِكَ فَقَدْ اَجَابَكَ قَلْبِي وَ سَمْعِي وَ بَصَرِي سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا اِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولا اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكَ طُهْرٌ طَاهِرٌ مُطَهَّرٌ مِنْ طُهْرٍ طَاهِرٍ مُطَهَّرٍ طَهُرْتَ وَ طَهُرَتْ بِكَ الْبِلادُ وَ طَهُرَتْ اَرْضٌ اَنْتَ بِهَا [فِيهَا] وَ طَهُرَ حَرَمُكَ اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكَ [قَدْ] اَمَرْتَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَ الْعَدْلِ وَ دَعَوْتَ اِلَيْهِمَا وَ اَنَّكَ صَادِقٌ صِدِّيقٌ، صَدَقْتَ فِيمَا دَعَوْتَ اِلَيْهِ وَ اَنَّكَ ثَارُ اللّٰهِ فِي الْاَرْضِ وَ اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكَ قَدْ بَلَّغْتَ عَنِ اللّٰهِ وَ عَنْ جَدِّكَ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ وَ عَنْ اَبِيكَ اَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ عَنْ اَخِيكَ الْحَسَنِ وَ نَصَحْتَ وَ جَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّٰهِ وَ عَبَدْتَهُ مُخْلِصا حَتَّى اَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ فَجَزَاكَ اللّٰهُ خَيْرَ جَزَاءِ السَّابِقِينَ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ وَ سَلَّمَ تَسْلِيما اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ صَلِّ عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ الْمَظْلُومِ الشَّهِيدِ الرَّشِيدِ قَتِيلِ الْعَبَرَاتِ وَ اَسِيرِ الْكُرُبَاتِ صَلاةً نَامِيَةً زَاكِيَةً مُبَارَكَةً يَصْعَدُ اَوَّلُهَا وَ لا يَنْفَدُ آخِرُهَا اَفْضَلَ مَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى اَحَدٍ مِنْ اَوْلادِ اَنْبِيَائِكَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ يَا اِلَهَ الْعَالَمِينَ.

You may then kiss the holy tomb and put your right and then your left cheeks on it. You may then circumambulate it and kiss it from the four sides.

Shaykh al-Mufid adds: You may then direct towards the tomb of ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, stop there, and say the following words:

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ اَيُّهَا الصِّدِّيقُ الطَّيِّبُ الزَّكِيُّ الْحَبِيبُ الْمُقَرَّبُ وَ ابْنَ رَيْحَانَةِ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ شَهِيدٍ مُحْتَسِبٍ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ مَا اَكْرَمَ مَقَامَكَ وَ اَشْرَفَ مُنْقَلَبَكَ اَشْهَدُ لَقَدْ شَكَرَ اللّٰهُ سَعْيَكَ وَ اَجْزَلَ ثَوَابَكَ وَ اَلْحَقَكَ بِالذِّرْوَةِ الْعَالِيَةِ حَيْثُ الشَّرَفُ كُلُّ الشَّرَفِ [وَ فِي الْغُرَفِ السَّامِيَةِ] كَمَا مَنَّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ جَعَلَكَ مِنْ اَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ الَّذِينَ اَذْهَبَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهَّرَهُمْ تَطْهِيرا صَلَوَاتُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ وَ رِضْوَانُهُ فَاشْفَعْ اَيُّهَا السَّيِّدُ الطَّاهِرُ اِلَى رَبِّكَ فِي حَطِّ الْاَثْقَالِ عَنْ ظَهْرِي وَ تَخْفِيفِهَا عَنِّي وَ ارْحَمْ ذُلِّي وَ خُضُوعِي لَكَ وَ لِلسَّيِّدِ اَبِيكَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكُمَا.

You may then throw yourself on the tomb and say the following words:

زَادَ اللّٰهُ فِي شَرَفِكُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ كَمَا شَرَّفَكُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ اَسْعَدَكُمْ كَمَا اَسْعَدَ بِكُمْ وَ اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكُمْ اَعْلامُ الدِّينِ وَ نُجُومُ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ.

You may then direct towards the martyrs and say the following words:

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ يَا اَنْصَارَ اللّٰهِ وَ اَنْصَارَ رَسُولِهِ وَ اَنْصَارَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ اَنْصَارَ فَاطِمَةَ وَ اَنْصَارَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ اَنْصَارَ الْاِسْلامِ اَشْهَدُ [اَنَّكُمْ‏] لَقَدْ نَصَحْتُمْ لِلَّهِ وَ جَاهَدْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَجَزَاكُمُ اللّٰهُ عَنِ [مِنَ‏] الْاِسْلامِ وَ اَهْلِهِ اَفْضَلَ الْجَزَاءِ فُزْتُمْ وَ اللّٰهِ فَوْزا عَظِيما يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ مَعَكُمْ فَاَفُوزَ فَوْزا عَظِيما اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكُمْ اَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْزَقُونَ اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكُمُ الشُّهَدَاءُ وَ السُّعَدَاءُ وَ اَنَّكُمْ الْفَائِزُونَ فِي دَرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى وَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ.

You may then return to the side of the Imam’s head to offer the (two-unit) prayer of ziyarah and pray Almighty Allah for yourself, your parents, and your brethren-in-faith.

It is worth mentioning that Sayyid Ibn Tawus has mentioned a form of ziyarah of ‘Ali al-Akbar (the elder son of Imam al-Husayn) and the other martyrs mentioning them by names. However, I will not cite this form hereinwith because of its lengthiness.