Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

HorizonsOf Thoughts

Author: Abu MuhammadZaynu'l `Abidin

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Table of Contents

Preface 4

Meaning Of Ziyarah 7

Ziyarah Of Believers 9

The Purpose Of Ziyarah 12

Another Important Meaning Of AL-Salam 17

Other Variables of al-Salam 17

Seeking The Absolute State Of-Salam 17

SEEKING AN ATTRIBUTE OF ALLAH FOR OTHERS 18

Between Declaring AL-Salam & Its Application 20

End Notes 23

Preface

In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

And may Allah's Peace and Benedictions be on Muhammad, the most perfect personification of Almighty Allah's sublime Attributes and on his infallible progeny, theAhl al-Bayt , who are rightfully known as the ships of salvation, whosoever boards in their ship, earns salvation, and whosoever lags behind and is indifferent would drown and perish.

Al-Qanduzi , theHanafite narrator of traditions in his radiant collectionYanabi ' al-Mawaddah (lit. Fountains of Stable Love) narrates that AbuDharr is reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (s) as having said:

إِنَّ مَثَلُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي فِيكُمْ مَثَلُ سَفِيْنَةِ نُوْح، مَنْ رَكِبَهَا نَجَا وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا هَلَكَ

The similitude of my progeny among you is that of the ship of Noah ('a); whosoever boards on it is saved, and whosoever does not wouldperish[ 1] The ship of al-Hussein ('a), however, according to another tradition is swifter. Observe the following narrative:

Once Imam al-Sadiq ('a) was asked about the prophetic tradition "Surely Hussein is the lamp of guidance and the ship of salvation"saying: "aren't you [theAhl al-Bayt ('a)] the ships of salvation [too]? The Imam ('a) replied:

"All of us are the ships of salvation, however the ship of al-Hussein ('a) is more spacious and faster.[ 2] This tradition is also endorsed by great mystic scholars who can appreciate the sublime secrets of religion. The late Mystic scholar `yatullah Mirza Tabrizi in his monumental prayer manual al-Muraqibat says:

It should be known that the door of al-Hussein ('a) is the door of comprehensive mercy, rapidresponse and approval. And he would say during his life time: 'the similitude of doing good is rain water which covers both the virtuous and sinful.[ 3]

Sayyid haddad al-Musawi a greatShi'ite saint and a contemporary of 'Allamah Tabatana'i , is reported to have quoted their mentor in practical gnosis, `yatullah Qazi Tabataba'i as having said:

قَالَ لِيْ أُسْتَاذِيْ الْمَرْحُوْم القاضي قدس سرّه: أنّه محالُ أن يصل إنسانٌ إلى مقام التوحيد بدون طريق سيد الشهدآء عليه السلام

My teacher,Marhum Qazi (may his spirit be sanctified) said to me that it is impossible for a human being to attain the station oftawhid [proximity to God] without the path ofSayyid al-Shuhada .[4]

And'Allamah Tabataba'i is reported to have said:

Thathazrat [i.e. Imam al-Hussein ('a)] has great attention towards the wayfarers of the path of God in removing the veil and impediments of the 'path of God'.[ 5]

One of the excellent ways of establishing contact with Imam al-Hussein ('a) is through offering salutations to his exalted personality (ziyarah ). This can be achieved either in front of his radiant tomb in Karbala, or in one's home observing some etiquette.

The secret however is that theza'ir who recites theziyarah must yearn tothe attain the apex of the meaning of what he recites and unite with the spirit of themazur (the visited one). The grand `yatullah Jawadi Amuli in his masterpiece 'Adabe Finaye Muqarriban 'says:

Ziyarah is the mystical presence of the fervent lover ('ashiq ) in the dwelling of the Beloved; it is the visitor's passionate encounter of the abode of the visited One; it is the lover's expression of intense love and consideration for the Beloved; it is when the enamored one sincerely gives his heart in the alley of the possessor of the heart…[6]

The present commentary tries to examine and reflect on one of the well-knownziyarat that many of the Muslims recite with great zeal and devotion. Most of theShi'ite Muslims express their veneration and sorrow when they recite this sublimeziyarah on the day of '`shura '.However the Infallible Imams of theAhl al-Bayt ('a) have taught us to recite it very often. Besides the ample merits that it contains, it is a program of revolution of the sleeping masses. The crux of theziyarah istawalla andtabarra ', which can correctly be referred to as 'fleeing from imperfection' and 'seeking perfection' or in beautiful words of every Muslim Lailaha illa Allah -Besides Allah- the Only Beloved, there is no otherilah (beloved).

The Name Allah exemplifies all the perfect attributes of Allah, which the human beinghas been molded to appreciate and naturally seek.Therefore theziyarah in reality is a call to the innate nature (fitrah ) of the human being.

In expressing veneration and seeking the higher levels of peace for Imam al-Hussein ('a) we are trying to unite with the ideas, thoughts and towering volition of Imam('a), and in cursing his opponents, who overtly declared to be Muslims and believers, but were extensions of hypocrites, we are trying to flee from all their ideas, thoughts and actions.Hence this recital trains thereciter to overhaul himself and unite with the spirit of the sacred Imam ('a).

Understanding the aforementioned subtlety obliges every high-spirited seeker of truth to aim for the achievement of the crux of theziyarah rather than being selfishly motivated to gain personal benefits. The rewards of theziyarah which are both sacred and sublime should not be the only factor to lead us to recite it.

It is the natural love for the Imam ('a) who exemplifies the Divine Attributes in himself that should transport us to recite this humble presentation. In fact some traditions, as we shall soon consider, clearly state that whosoever visits Imam al-Hussein ('a) in Karbala is as if he has visited Allah in His Throne.

Another very important point to bear in mind is that because thereciter of thisziyarah has been guaranteed by the Imams ('a) to be availed with any need that he has, he/she must be very careful in understanding 'that which is a need" from that "which is not really a need". The great saint `yatullah haddad al-Musawi , a contemporary of 'Allamah Tabataba'i would see people clinging at the radiant enclosure where Imam al-Hussein ('a) is buried, and instead of seeking their real needs would ask for those things that would add to the burden that they already have accumulated. Heis reported to have said:

إنّ أكثر النَّاس حينما يذهبون إلى زيارة العتبات المقدسة يقفون ماسكي الضريح فيتوسلون بالإمام (ع) لحوائجهم المادية فيحملون ثقلاً على ثقلهم ولم يسئلوا الإمام (ع) بأن يأخذ منهم ثقلهم و هو التعلق با لدنيا، بل يسئلونه بأن يعطيهم بيتاً أو ولداً أو زوجاً أو سيَّارةً، وما سمعنا عن أحدٍ دخل بخدمته وقال له خذ منّي كذا وكذا

When most of the people visit the holy shrines, they stand holding fast onto the enclosures of the graves and mediate with the Imam ('a) for the fulfillment of their material needs, thus adding a burden over their burdens, and they do not ask Imam to remove their burden which is 'attachment to the world'; rather they ask him to give them a house or an off spring or a wife or a car; and we never heard from anyone who entered at his service, and asked him: 'Take away so and so from me.[7]

Before we begin this radiantziyarah , which is reckoned to be among the sacred traditions[8] (ahadith qudsiyyah ) as well, and understand both its particular as well as its universal import, it is imperative to generally know the significance ofziyarah , and its exalted purpose.

MeaningOf Ziyarah

The word 'ziyarah 'is derived from the word "zawr " which means to deflect or draw away from something. A lieis called zur because it deflects from the path of truth. Theza'ir is known to be so, because he deflects from other than "the one he intends to visit". That is why some lexicographers translate "ziyarah " to mean intention (qasd ), for the one who deflects from other than a certain entity intends the entity. Al-Fayumi , a well-knownlexist in his authoritative lexicon al-Misbah al-Munir says:

و(الزِّيَارَةُ) فِي الْعُرْفِ قَصْدُ الْمَزُوْرِ اِكْرَامًا لَهُ وَاسْتِئْنَاسًا بِهِ

'The conventional meaning of al-ziyarah is to intend the one to be visited, for his veneration orintimacy.' [9]

And it is said that the reason whyziyarah is referred to as visiting the saintly human beings, is because it is to deflect from the material routine and draw away from the corporeal world and incline towards the world of spirit, while one is present in the corporeal environment and maintains his/her bodily form[10] .

Sometimesziyarah is translated as 'ittihad al-za'ir ma'al mazur ' (i.e. the unity of the visitor with the visited one).In simpler words: 'to paint oneself with the attributes of the visited one'. This definition does not contradict the former definitions, for 'seeking and uniting with the attributes of themazur (visited one)' is nothing but 'deflecting and drawing away from attributes contrary to themazur '. In a subtler expression, we can say 'ziyarah is to flee from imperfection as we struggle for attaining perfection[11] .'

Allusions of this realitycan also be gotten from theQur'anic verse: 'And flee towards Allah'[12] . Imam al-Sadiq ('a) is reported[13] to have commented on this verse saying "ayhujju " (the verse means 'perform hajj').And the literal import of hajj isqasd (intention). Therefore hajj, as it is correctly conveyed is not only 'hajju bayt Allah al-haram ' (intending the sacred House of Allah), but hajj Allah (intending Allah) as the verse explicitly conveys:fa firru ila Allah (so escape towards Allah).

And escaping towards Allah is seeking His Noble Attributes and fleeing from the contrary.And hajj ifperfomed with its proper etiquette, as the experts of the kernel of Islamic law mention, enables one to attain such noble attributes.

Some narratives explicitly say that doingziyarah of the Holy Prophet (s) and the infallibleImams( 'a)[14] is like doing theziyarah of Allah. Consider the following traditions:

عَنْ زَيْد الشَّحَّامُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لاَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (ع): مَا لِمَنْ زَارَ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ (ص)؟ قَالَ: كَمَنْ زَارَ الله َعَزَّوَجَلَّ فَوْقَ عَرْشِهِ .

Zayd al-Shahham is reported to have said: I asked Abu 'Abdilah (al-Sadiq ('a)): What is the reward for one who visits the Messenger of Allah? The Imam ('a)said: 'It is like one who has visited Allah on His throne ('arsh )[15] '

عَنْ زَيْد الشَّحَّام، عَنْ اَبِيْ عَبْدِ اللهِ( ع) قَالَ: مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرَ الْحُسَيْنِ بنِ عَلِيّ(ع) عَارِفًا بِحَقِّه كَانَ كَمَنْ زَارَ اللهَ فِيْ عَرْشِه .

Zayd al-Shahham is reported to have said: Abu 'Abdilah (al-Sadiq ('a)) said: Whosoever visits the grave of al-Hussein ('a) with the knowledge of his rights is like one who visits Allah in His Throne.[16]

عَنْ جَابِر اَلْجُعْفِي، قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلى جَعْفَر بنِ مُحَمّد(ع) فِيْ يَوْمِ عَاشُوْرَآء، فَقَالَ لِيْ: هَؤُلاَءِ زُوَّارُ اللهِ وَحَقُّ عَلى الْمَزُوْرِ اَنْ يُكْرِمَ الزَّائِرَ .

Jabir al-Ju'fi is reported to have said: I came toJa'far bin Muhammad (al-Sadiq ('a)) on the day of '`shura ', and he said to me: 'These people are the visitors of Allah (zuwwar Allah), and it is the right of themazur to honor theza'ir …[ 17]

The abovetraditons imply that because the Imams ('a) are manifestations[18] of Allah's Sublime Names[19] , visitingthem and seeking closeness to them is the same as seeking closeness to Almighty Allah. Seeking closeness here, we should understand, does not refer to spatial limitations, but spiritual proximity.

In other words, as theza'ir (one who deflects from other than the attributes of themazur ) comes spiritually closer to the Imam ('a) he is in reality painting himself with the Attributes of Almighty Allah which the Imam enjoys but with limitations..rather , the Imams ('a) are sheer Manifestations (ma³ahir) of Allah's Names and thus in reality no Attribute belongs to other than Allah:

اَللهُ لاَ إلَهَ إلاَّ هُو لَهُ الأسْمآء الحُسْنى

Allah, other than Him there is no God; and to Him Alone belongs the Beautiful Names…[20] Those who are well versed with the secrets of prayer (Asrar al-Salat ) do appreciate this reality in the state ofruku ' when they vision that no one other than Almighty Allah has any perfection whatsoever. ImamKhumayni in his Etiquette of Prayer says:

Ziyarah Of Believers

Islam highly encourages one to visit his/her Muslim brother/sister. However, it does not emphasize on any kind ofziyarah whatsoever. It encourages meaningfulziyarah -ziyarah with a purpose and aim. Observe the following traditions: Imam al-Sadiq ('a)is reported to have said:

قَالَ تَزَاوَرُوا فَإِنَّ فِي زِيَارَتِكُمْ إِحْيَاءً لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَذِكْراً لأحَادِيثِنَا وَأَحَادِيثُنَا تُعَطِّفُ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَإِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ بِهَا رَشَدْتُمْ وَنَجَوْتُمْ وَإِنْ تَرَكْتُمُوهَا ضَلَلْتُمْ وَهَلَكْتُمْ فَخُذُوا بِهَا وَأَنَا بِنَجَاتِكُمْ زَعِيمٌ

'Visit one another, for verily in your visitation is the revival of your hearts, and a remembrance of our speeches; our speeches make you harbor affection for one another; and if you act according to them, you would be guided and saved, and if you shun them, you would go astray and perish; therefore follow them while I guarantee yoursalvation.' [21]

And Imam al-Baqir ('a) is reported to have said:

تَزَاوَرُوا فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ حَيَاةٌ لاَمْرِنَا رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْداً أَحْيَا أَمْرَنَا

'Visit one another in your homes for surely in that is the life of our affair; may Allah's Mercy be upon one who revives ouraffair.' [22] It should be noted that the revival of the affair discussed in the above traditions is nothing but the revival of Islamic values, for theAhl al-Bayt ('a) are protectors of Islamic values and to remember them and their teachings is to elevate the human spirit in reality. One should not conjecture that there is any personal again that these infallible leaders of truth derive from such gatherings. Ratherit is their followers who benefit.

Another important point to bear in mind is that 'the revival of their affair' cannot bemereby achieved by thoughts andwords.We must sow the seeds of resolution in our visitations to reap the fruits of applying the teachings of theAhl al-Bayt ('a).

Sofar ziyarah has been reduced to visitation in the earthly abode. The Islamic worldview, however, due its sharp and accurate cognition of reality as taught by the Holy Qur'an, the Holy Prophet (s) and his infallible successors, does not limitziyarah to the corporeal reality. It rather believes that human beings can communicate with those who have transcended this limited world of matter and can listen to them as well. In our daily prayer, we address the Holy Prophet (s) as follows:

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

Peace be unto you O Prophet and may Allah's Mercy and Blessings be on you.[ 23]

This statement presumes the presence of themukhatab (the addressee).And therefore we believe that the Prophet (s) is present and can behold our presence too.

One of the important etiquette of entering the shrine of the Holy Prophet (s) and the infallible Imams of theAhl al-Bayt ('a) is to read the well-knownidhn al-dukhul (recital of permission to enter). Theza'ir (visitor) adopts a very humble attitude, and appreciating the presence of the Holy Prophet (s) seeks his permission to enter his hospice. In this well-known recital, we say:

... واَعْلَمُ اَنَّ رَسُولَكَ وَخُلَفَائَكَ عَلَيْهِمُ السّلام اَحْياَء عندك يُرزَقون، يَرونَ مَقَامِي وَيَسْمَعُوْنَ كَلاَمِي، وَيَرُدّوْنَ سَلاَمِي.

…and I know that Your Apostle and vicegerents (upon whom be peace) are alive, receiving sustenance in Your neighborhood, they see where I stand presently, and hear my speech and respond to my salutation…[24]

Unlike those who consider the human being as anentity which perishes after this worldly death, Islam teaches mankind that death is a purgatory and bridge to the realm beyond. In fact, to be more accurate, death is "tearing of some veils" from thefinal result of the reality ofevery thing . Great people like Imam 'Ali ('a), due to their intense purity, could boldly claim that they can behold the ultimate form of the reality of this world while they still exist in this earthly abode. In one of his famous dictums, Imam 'Ali ('a)is reported to have said:

لَوْ كُشِفَ الغطاء مَا ازْدَدْتُ يقينًا

If the curtains were unveiled nothing would be added to my conviction.[ 25]

The tearing of veils, however, should not be considered as being limited to the Prophets (upon whombe peace) and infallible Imams ('a). Those human beingswho are entirely submissive to the laws of Almighty Allah and have purified their hearts can also enjoy such exalted positions. In fact, Almighty Allah calls the human beings to appreciate the kernel of this word in the following verse:

أَوَلَمْ يَنْظُرُوا فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضِ .

And do they not look into the kernel of the heavens and the earth?[ 26]

Hence there is an invitation to tear the veils that we have created for ourselves by sinning. In other interesting dictum of the Holy Prophet (s) we are told:

لَوْلا أَنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ يَحُومُونَ عَلَى قُلُوبِ بَنِي آدَمَ لَنَظَرُوا إِلَى مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاوَاتِ

Was is not for theSatans circling around the hearts of the off-springs of Adam, they would have beheld the kernel of the heavens and the earth.[27] Therefore, the more purity we enjoy, the better can we communicate with those exalted spirits who have left this material world, are alive in the real sense of the word, and due to their exalted station of existential mediation (about which we shall soon discuss in detail) can influence the world of contingent existence and even benefit us in different ways. There have been ample narratives indicating how people visited the shrines of theAhl al-Bayt ('a) and solved very great problems in life.

Our aim ofziyarah , however, must transcend seeking personal benefits. It is therefore important to first define the purpose ofziyarah , and the reason why our holy Imams ('a) would teach us particular recitals for visiting the tomb of their grandfather Imam al-Hussein ('a). Ofcourse this does mean that one should not seek personal benefits from the great personalities, but he/she must at least have realized the ultimate purpose ofziyarah .

It is through such realization, mybrothers and sisters, that rain falls from the hearts and embraces every human being, rather every creature beyond time and place. Such realizations tear the veils of the past and future, and release the human being in the world of perpetual bliss and ecstasy. Soon the reader shall understand the words of this nondescript, for the world ofAhl al-Bayt ('a) is a world yet unknown. Their followers have no share save appreciating the tip of the iceberg:

Imam 'Ali ('a)is reported to have said to AbuDharr :

اعْلَمْ يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ أَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَخَلِيفَتُهُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ لا تَجْعَلُونَا أَرْبَاباً وَقُولُوا فِي فَضْلِنَا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَإِنَّكُمْ لا تَبْلُغُونَ كُنْهَ مَا فِينَا وَلا نِهَايَتَهُ

Know OAba Dharr that I am [only] a slave of Allah and His vicegerent over His servants; do not consider us as Lords and you may say whatever you want about our merits, for you cannot appreciate the essence of our perfection, nor its zenith…[28]

And in another tradition he ('a) is reported to have said:

لا يُقَاسُ بِآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ (ص) مِنْ هَذِهِ الأمَّةِ أَحَدٌ

...None from thisUmmah can be compared with the progeny of Muhammad (upon whom be peace)…[ 29]