Merits

The Blessings of Ahlul Bayt(a)

4 min read
  • Muʿāwīya b. Wahab shares: Imām Ṣādiq(a) once implored me, "O' Muʿāwīya! Do not let fear deter you from performing ziyārah of the grave of Ḥusayn(a). For, the one who forsakes his ziyārah will regret it profoundly, wishing his grave was within arm's reach1. Wouldn't you prefer to be seen by Allah amongst those for whom The Messenger of Allah(p), Amīr al-Muʼminīn(a), Lady Fāṭima(a), and the Imāms(a) offer prayers?"
  • Muʿāwīya b. Wahab said: I sought permission to pay a visit to Imām Ṣādiq(a). Once permitted, I entered to find him engaged in prayer. I patiently waited until he concluded his prayer, during which I heard him recite the following supplication:
    "O Allah, O You who has honoured us with dignity, promised us intercession, distinguished us with the trust, granted us knowledge of the past and the future, and made the hearts of the people incline towards us, forgive me, my brethren, and the visitors of the grave of my father, Ḥusayn(a), who have expended their wealth and exerted their bodies, desiring our good pleasure, hoping for what is with You through our connection, bringing joy to Your prophet, responding to our call, and causing vexation to our enemy. They desired by this Your good pleasure. So, reward them on our behalf with good pleasure, and occupy them night and day.
    Compensate for their families and children whom they have left behind in the best way, accompany them, and shield them against the evil of every obstinate tyrant, every weak and strong among Your creation, and the evil of the devils among humans and jinn. Grant them the best of what they hoped from You in their estrangement from their homes, and favoured us over their children, families, and relatives.
    O Allah, our enemies have reproached them for performing our ziyārah, yet that did not deter them from risking themselves for us, opposing those who oppose us. So have mercy on those faces that the sun has altered, have mercy on those cheeks that roll upon the tomb of my father, Ḥusayn, peace be upon him. Have mercy on those eyes that shed tears out of compassion for us, have mercy on those hearts that were anguished and burned for us, and have mercy on those cries that were for us.
    O Allah, I entrust to You these bodies and these souls until You quench their thirst from the pool (of Kawthar) on the Day of Judgement."
    Muʿāwīya b. Wahab further shares, "Imām(a) repeated this supplication in prostration. When he concluded, I confessed, "May I be a sacrifice for you! Given the impact of this supplication, I believe it could even benefit people unaware of Allah; the fire of hell would never touch them. By Allah, I now wish I had performed his ziyārah rather than the Ḥajj."
    To which Imām(a) responded, "You live in such proximity to him. What's stopping you from performing his ziyārah? O' Muʿāwīya, why do you neglect it?"
    I replied, "May I be a sacrifice for you! I did not comprehend its significance."
    To this, Imām(a) observed, "O' Muʿāwīya! The count of those in the heavens who pray for those who perform the ziyārah of Ḥusayn(a) exceeds those who pray for them on earth."
  • Muʿāwīya b. Wahab recounts: Imām Ṣādiq(a) counselled me, saying, "O' Muʿāwīya! Don't let fear stop you from visiting Ḥusayn's grave. The one who abandons his ziyārah, no matter the cause, will endure a regret so deep that he'll wish his grave was close by. Don't you desire to be seen by Allah as one of those blessed souls for whom prayers are offered by The Messenger of Allah(p), Amīr al-Muʼminīn(a), Lady Fāṭima(a), and the Imāms(a)? Don't you wish to be amongst those forgiven for their past sins, and those who return from his ziyārah with seventy years' worth of sins absolved? Don't you long to be counted amongst those who will face no inquisition for their sins upon departing this life? Don't you aspire to be amongst those whose hands will be clasped by The Messenger of Allah^℗^ in the hereafter on the Day of Judgment?"
  • Imām Ṣādiq(a) conveys, "Lady Fāṭima(a), the esteemed daughter of The Messenger of Allah(p), graces those who visit her son, Ḥusayn's, grave with her presence and seeks divine forgiveness for their sins."

Footnotes

  1. This means that he wishes to be martyred for visiting Imām Ḥusayn(a), and to be buried near him; or to have the grave near him so that he can visit it in that situation. The first interpretation is more evident. ↩