- Merits
Equal to performing Ḥajj numerous times
Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) narrates: “The ziyārah of al-Ḥusayn(a) is equal to performing twenty Ḥajj; in fact, it is greater than performing twenty Ḥajj.”
Abū Sa’eed al-Madā’ini narrates: I went to Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) and asked, “May I be sacrificed for you! Should I perform the ziyārah of the grave of al-Ḥusayn(a)?”
Imām(a) replied, “O Abū Sa’eed! Perform the ziyārah of the grave of al-Ḥusayn(a), son of Rasūl Allāh(s), the most blessed of the blessed one, the most pure of the pure ones, and the most pious of the pious ones. If you perform his ziyārah, then Allāh will record twenty-five Ḥajj for you.”
Shihāb narrates: Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) asked me. “O’ Shihāb! How many times have you performed Ḥajj?” I replied, “Nineteen times.”
Imām(a) said, “Complete the twentieth time so that these twenty Ḥajj are recorded as the ziyārah of al-Ḥusayn(a) for you.”
Ḥudhayfah b. Manṣūr narrates: Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) asked me, “How many times have you performed Ḥajj?” I replied, “Nineteen times.”
Imām(a) replied, “If you perform Ḥajj twenty-one times, then you will be like those who have performed the ziyārah of al-Ḥusayn(a).”
Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) narrates: “Those who perform the ziyārah of the grave of al-Ḥusayn(a) while having maʿrifah are like those who have performed one hundred Ḥajj with Rasūl Allāh(s).”
Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) narrates: “Allāh will record eighty accepted Ḥajj for those who perform the ziyārah of al-Ḥusayn(a).”
Mūsā b. Qāsem narrates: Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) came to Iraq during the early days of the reign of al-Mansūr al-ʿAbbāsī. When he stopped in Najaf, He said to me, “O’ Mūsā! Go and stand on the main route. Wait there until you see a man approaching from the direction of Qādisīyya1. When he comes near you, say, ‘There is a man from the family of Rasūl Allāh(s) waiting here. He asks for you to join him.’ The man will follow you.” It was a very hot day. I went and stood on the path the Imām(a) had told me to. I waited and was about to disobey the Imām(a) by leaving when I saw something approaching from afar. It looked like a man riding on a camel so I kept looking until he came close to me. I said to him, “There is a man from the family of Rasūl Allāh( s) waiting here. He described you to me and asked me to invite you to join him.”
The man asked me to take him to the Imām(a). When we arrived at the tents, he tied his camel near them. The Imām(a) invited the man inside and he obeyed. I went and stood near the tent where I could hear them talking but could not see within.
Imām(a) asked him, “Where are you coming from?” The man replied, “From the furthest part of Yemen.”
Imām(a) asked, “Are you not from so and so place?” (Imām(a) mentioned the name of his city.)
The man replied, “Yes I am.”
Imām(a) asked, “What brings you here?”
The man replied, “I have come to perform the ziyārah of al-Ḥusayn(a).”
Imām(a) asked, “Have you come only for the ziyārah and having no requests?”
The man replied, “I have no requests and I only wish to pray next to him, to perform his ziyārah, and then to return to my family.”
Imām(a) asked, “What do you believe to be the merits of his ziyārah?”
The man replied, “We believe we receive blessings for ourselves, our families, our children, our wealth, and our sustenance. We also believe our requests are fulfilled through his ziyārah.”
Imām(a) asked, “O’ brother of Yemen! Should I inform you about the other merits of his ziyārah?” The man said, “Tell me more, O’ son of Rasūl Allāh(s).”
Imām(a) said, “The ziyārah of al-Ḥusayn(a) is equal to an accepted Ḥajj with Rasūl Allāh( s).”
The man was shocked to hear this so the Imām(a) added, “I swear by Allāh. It is equal to two accepted Ḥajj with Rasūl Allāh(s).” The man was even more astonished and the Imām(a) kept increasing the number until he mentioned thirty accepted Ḥajj with Rasūl Allāh(s).”
Yazīd b. ʿAbd al-Malik narrates: I was with Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) when a group of people riding on donkeys passed by. Imām(a) asked me, “Where are they going?”
I replied, “To the graves of the martyrs of ʾUḥud.”
Imām(a) asked, “What prevents them from performing the ziyārah of al-Shahīd al-Gharīb?”
One of the people from Iraq asked, “Is performing his ziyārah obligatory?”
Imām(a) replied, “His ziyārah is greater than performing Ḥajj and ʿUmrah and another Ḥajj and another ʿUmrah and another Ḥajj and another ʿUmrah...”
Yazīd b. ʿAbd al-Malik adds, “Imām(a) mentioned twenty accepted Ḥajj and ʿUmrah. I swear by Allāh that I did not leave until a man came to the Imām(a) and said, “I have gone to Ḥajj nineteen times. Please pray for me so that Allāh gives me the means to perform the twentieth time.”
Imām(a) asked, “Have you ever performed the ziyārah of al-Ḥusayn(a)?” The man replied, “No.”
Imām(a) said, “Performing his ziyārah is greater than twenty Ḥajj.”
Masʿadah b. Sadaqah narrates: I asked Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a), “What is the reward for one who performs the ziyārah of the grave of al-Ḥusayn(a)?”
Imām(a) replied, “Performing Ḥajj with Rasūl Allāh(s) will be recorded for him.” I said, “May I be sacrificed for you! Performing Ḥajj with Rasūl Allāh(s)?”
Imām(a) replied, “Yes and even two Ḥajj.” I said, “May I be sacrificed for you! Two Ḥajj?”
Imām(a) replied, “Yes and even three Ḥajj.”
Imām(a) kept increasing the number until he reached ten and then I said, “May I be sacrificed for you! Ten Ḥajj with Rasūl Allāh(s)?” Imām(a) replied, “Yes and even twenty Ḥajj.”
I said, “May I be sacrificed for you! Twenty Ḥajj?”
Imām(a) kept increasing the number until he reached fifty and then he stopped.
ʿAbd Allāh b. Maymūn narrates: I asked Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a), “What is the reward for those who perform the ziyārah of the grave of al-Ḥusayn(a) whilst having maʿrifah and without being prideful or arrogant?” Imām(a) replied, “One thousand Ḥajj and one thousand ʿUmrah will be recorded for them. Even if they are amongst the wretched one, they will be written as amongst the joyous ones and they will be continuously submerged in the mercy of Allāh.”
Footnotes
Qādisīyya (Arabic: القادسیة) was a station or resting area near Kufa ↩