Merits

Dāwūd Sarmī recalls hearing Imām Muḥammad Taqī^(a) proclaim: "The heavenly reward of paradise awaits those who perform ziyārah to my father's grave."

Ḥamdān Diswā'ī narrates his encounter with Imām Muḥammad Taqī^(a): Upon querying about the reward for those who perform ziyārah to your father in Ṭūs¹, the Imām^(a) replied, "Allāh absolves both past and future sins of those who visit my father's grave in Ṭūs." Later, in conversation with Ayyūb b. Nūḥ, I recounted what I had heard. Ayyūb offered his own account, stating, "I too heard Imām Muḥammad Taqī^(a) say that those who perform ziyārah of my father will have a pulpit beside that of The Messenger of Allah^(p) on the Day of Judgment, where they will rest while others face judgment."

Imām Riḍā^(a) said: "For those who embark on the journey to visit me, notwithstanding the distance, I shall come to their aid three times on the Day of Judgment, shielding them from its horrors: when books are handed out to the right and left, on the Ṣirāṭ², and at the Mīzān³."

Narrated by Alī b. ʿAbdullah b. Qutrub: One day, as Imām Mūsā Kāẓim^(a) was surrounded by his children, a young Imām Riḍā^(a) walked past. Imām Kāẓim^(a) stated, "This son of mine will die in a distant land, alone. Those who visit his grave in a state of submission and acknowledging his rights will be esteemed by Allah as equivalent to the martyrs of the Battle of Badr."

Ḥamdān b. Isḥāq recalls: "After having heard Imām Muḥammad Taqī^(a) declare that Allah forgives past and future sins of those visiting his father's grave in Ṭūs, I encountered Ayyūb b. Nūḥ during Ḥajj. He told me the same thing and added that those people would be granted a pulpit next to that of The Messenger of Allah^(p) and ʿAlī^(a) on the Day of Judgment."

Muḥammad b. Sulaymān recounts his conversation with Imām Muḥammad Taqī^(a): I posed a question to the Imām: If an individual is graced by Allah to successfully complete the mandatory Ḥajj following the performance of ʿUmrah, and then pays a visit to The Messenger of Allah^(p) in Medina, acknowledges your rights as Allah's proof to his creation and as the gateway to Allah by visiting you, and then proceeds to honour Ḥusayn^(a) with a ziyārah. If this individual then journeys to Baghdad to visit Imām Mūsā Kāẓim^(a) before returning home, and the next year Allah again blesses him with sufficient means to perform the Ḥajj, would it be more commendable for him to repeat the same Ḥajj as the year prior, or should he venture to Khorasan to perform ziyārah of your father Imām Riḍā's gravesite?
The Imām^(a) responded, "The more meritorious act would be to journey to Khorasan to visit Imām Riḍā^(a), ideally in the month of Rajab. However, at present, such a visit is fraught with danger due to the king's hostility towards those who perform our ziyārah, as it angers him."

ʿAlī b. Mahziyār questioned Imām Muḥammad Taqī^(a) regarding the reward for visiting Imām Riḍā's grave. The Imām^(a) responded, "I swear by Allah that their reward is nothing less than paradise."

Naṣr Bizantī shares a compelling account: I came across a letter penned by Imām Riḍā^(a) which stated, "Inform my Shīʿa that the divine reward for performing ziyārah of my grave is tantamount to the fulfilment of one thousand Ḥajj." Overwhelmed, I sought clarification from Imām Muḥammad Taqī^(a), "Could it truly be the equivalent of one thousand Ḥajj?" The Imām^(a) affirmed, "By Allah, those who visit his grave, fully recognising his rights, will earn a reward equating to one million Ḥajj."

As narrated by Imām Mūsā Kāẓim^(a): "Paradise awaits those who make the sacred journey to the resting place of this son of mine," he said, gesturing towards Imām Riḍā^(a).

Yahyā b. Sulaymān Māzinī recalls a profound conversation with Imām Mūsā Kāẓim^(a), who stated, "Performing the ziyārah at the grave of my son, Imām Riḍā^(a), will earn the individual the merit of seventy approved Ḥajj in Allāh's ledger." In disbelief, I queried, "Seventy Ḥajj?" He affirmed, "Yes, or perhaps even seven hundred Ḥajj." I echoed, "Seven hundred Ḥajj?" He continued, "Yes, or possibly seventy thousand Ḥajj." I echoed once more, "Seventy thousand Ḥajj?" Undeterred, the Imām^(a) said, "Indeed, not every Ḥajj you perform is necessarily accepted, but those who visit his grave and spend the night in his presence are akin to those who perform the ziyārah of Allah on his throne." Overwhelmed, I asked, "Comparable to those who perform the ziyārah of Allah on his throne?" The Imām^(a) confirmed, "Indeed. On the Day of Judgment, eight individuals will be positioned at Allāh's throne -- four from the previous nations: Nūḥ^(a), Ibrahim^(a), Mūsā^(a), and Isā^(a), and four from the final nations: Muḥammad^(p), ʿAlī^(a), Ḥasan^(a), and Ḥusayn^(a). An exclusive space will be established and only those who've made the ziyārah to the graves of the Imāms^(a) will be granted the honour to sit with us. Among them, the highest privilege and proximity will be granted to those who've performed the ziyārah at the grave of my son, Imām Riḍā^(a)."

Ṭūs (Arabic: طوس), also spelled as Tous and Toos, is an ancient city in Khorasan, which is located near Mashhad, the current capital city of Razavi Khorasan province, northeast of Iran. ↩
Al-Ṣirāṭ (Arabic: اَلصِّراط) is a bridge over the Hell that all people should cross on the Day of Resurrection. ↩
Mīzān (Arabic: میزان) or Measure or Scale is a Quranic concept referring to a station on the day of resurrection. In this station, people and their actions are evaluated and measured. ↩

Footnotes