Book ID

In the Name of Allah,

the All-beneficent, the All-merciful

نام کتاب: دور أهل البیت (ع) فی بناء الجماعة الصالحة / ج 7

نویسنده: آیة الله سید محمد باقر الحکیم

مترجم: بدر شاهین

زبان ترجمه: انگلیسی

Title: The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in Building the Virtuous Community, Book Seven: The Ritual System of the Virtuous Community

Author: Āyatullāh Sayyid Muḥammad Bāqir Al-ḥakim

Project supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA)

Translator: Badr Shahin

Editor: Iffat Shah and Carol Ahmadi

Revised by: Ashraf Carl Eastman Ahmadi

Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center

First Printing: 2011

Printed by: Mojab

Copies: 5000

ISBN:

© Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA)

All rights reserved.

www.ahl-ul-bayt.org

info@ahl-ul-bayt.org

قال الله تعالی:

إِنَّمَا یُرِیدُ اللَّهُ لِیُذْهِبَ عَنْکُمْ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ وَیُطَهِّرَکُمْ تَطْهِیرًا Indeed Allah desires to repel all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you with a thorough purification. (Sūrat al-Aḥzāb 33:33).

Prophetic traditions mentioned in both in Sunni and Shi‘ah authoritative reference books of ḥadith and tafsir (exegesis of the Qur’an) have confirmed that this holy verse was revealed to exclusively refer to the People of the Cloak [ahl al-kisā’], viz. Muḥammad, ‘Ali, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn (‘a) as the Ahl al-Bayt (People of the Household).

For instance, refer to the following references:

Sunni

Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241 AH), al-Musnad, 1:231; 4:107; 6:292, 304; Ṣaḥiḥ Muslim (d. 261 AH), 7:130; Al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH), Sunan, 5:361 et al.; Al-Dūlābi (d. 310 AH), Al-Dhuriyyah al-Ṭāhirah al-Nabawiyyah, p. 108; Al-Nasā’i (d. 303 AH), Al-Sunan al-Kubrā’, 5:108; 113; Al-Ḥakim al-Nayshābūri (d. 405 AH), Al-Mustadrak ‘ala’ ṣ-Ṣahiḥāyn, 2:416, 3:133, 146-147; Al-Zarkashi (d. 794 AH), Al-Burhān, p. 197; Ibn Hājar al-Asqalāni (d. 852 AH), Fatḥ al-Bari Sharḥ Ṣaḥiḥ al-Bukhāri, 7:104.

Shi‘ah

Al-Kulayni (d. 328 AH), Uṣūl al-Kāfi, 1:287; Ibn Babawayh (d. 329 AH), Al-Imāmah wa’ t-Tabṣirah, p. 47, ḥadith 29; Al-Maghribi (d. 363 AH), Da’ā’im al-Islām, pp. 35, 37; Al-Ṣādūq (d. 381 AH), Al-Khiṣāl, pp. 403, 550; Al-Ṭūsi (d. 460 AH), Al-Amali, ḥadith 438, 482, 783.

For more details, refer to the exegesis of the holy verse recorded in the following books of tafsir: Al-Jassās (d. 370 AH), Aḥkām al-Qur’ān; Al-Wāḥidi (d. 468 AH), Asbāb al-Nuzūl; Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597 AH), Zād al-Masir; Al-Qurṭubi (d. 671 AH), Al-Jāmi‘ Li-Aḥkām al-Qur’ān; Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH), Tafsir; Al-Tha‘labi (d. 825 AH), Tafsir; Al-Ṭabari (d. 875 AH), Tafsir; Al-Suyūṭi (d. 911 AH), Al-Durr al-Manthūr; Al-Shawkāni (d. 1250 AH), Fatḥ al-Qadir; Al-‘Ayyāshi (d. 320 AH), Tafsir; Al-Qummi (d. 329 AH), Tafsir; Furt al-Kūfi (d. 352 AH), Tafsir at the margin of the exegesis of Sūrat al-Nisā’ verse 59; Al-Ṭabarsi (d. 560 AH), Majma‘ al-Bayān, as well as many other sources.

THE ROLE OF THE AHL AL-BAYT (‘a) IN Building THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNITY

BOOK SEVEN:

THE RITUAL SYSTEM OF THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNITY

قال رسول الله |:

"إنی تارکُ فیکُمُ الثَقلین: کتاب الله، وعترتی أهلَ بیتی، ما إن تمسکتُم بهما لن تضلوا أبداً وأَنَّهُما لَن یَفترِقا حتّی یردا عَلیَّ الحوضَ"

The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said:

“Verily, I am leaving among you two precious things [thaqalayn]: The Book of Allah and my progeny [‘itrati], the members of my Household [Ahl al-Bayt]. If you hold fast to them, you shall never go astray. These two will never separate from each other until they meet me at the Pond [ḥawḍ] (of Kawthar).”

Some references:

q Al­Ḥākim an­Nayshābūri, Al­Mustadrak ‘alā’ṣ-Ṣaḥiḥayn (Beirut), vol. 3, pp. 109-110, 148, 533

q Muslim, Aṣ-Ṣaḥiḥ, (English translation), book 31, hadiths 5920-3

q At­Tirmidhi, Aṣ-Ṣaḥiḥ, vol. 5, pp. 621-2, hadiths 3786, 3788; vol. 2, p. 219

q An-Nasā’i, Khaṣā’iṣ ‘Ali ibn Abi Ṭālib, hadith 79

q Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Al-Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 14, 17, 26; vol. 3, pp. 26, 59; vol. 4, p. 371; vol. 5, pp. 181-182, 189-190

q Ibn al­‘Athir, Jāmi‘ al­Uṣūl, vol. 1, p. 277

q Ibn Kathir, Al­Bidāyah wa’n­Nihāyah, vol. 5, p. 209

q Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’ān al-‘Aẓim, vol. 6, p. 199

Naṣir ad-Din al-Albani, Silsilāt al-Aḥādith aṣ-Ṣaḥiḥah (Kuwait: Ad-Dār aṣ-Ṣalāfiyyah), vol. 4, pp. 355-358

THE ROLE OF

THE AHL AL-BAYT

IN BUILDING THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNITY

BOOK SEVEN: THE RITUAL SYSTEM OF THE VIRTUOUS COMMUNITY

AYATULLAH SAYYID MUhAMMAD BAQIR AL-hAK«M

Translator

Badr Shahin

Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt‘a World Assembly

نام کتاب: دور أهل البیت (ع) فی بناء الجماعة الصالحة / ج 7

نویسنده: آیة الله سید محمد باقر الحکیم

مترجم: بدر شاهین

زبان ترجمه: انگلیسی

Title: The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in Building the Virtuous Community, Book Seven: The Ritual System of the Virtuous Community

Author: Āyatullāh Sayyid Muḥammad Bāqir Al-ḥakim

Project supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA)

Translator: Badr Shahin

Editor: Iffat Shah and Carol Ahmadi

Revised by: Ashraf Carl Eastman Ahmadi

Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center

First Printing: 2011

Printed by: Mojab

Copies: 5000

ISBN:

© Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA)

All rights reserved.

www.ahl-ul-bayt.org

info@ahl-ul-bayt.org

Book Seven:

The Ritual System Of The Virtuous Community

Preface

Prelude

Chapter One: Rituals of the Ahl al-Bayt

Chapter Two: The General Rituals of Islam Rituals of Specific Days and Nights

Chapter Three: Mosques and Holy Places

Point

Preface

A general review of the Islamic system demonstrates that rituals and acts of worship play an important role in deeds, behavior, words, ceremonies and anniversaries.

Rituals and acts of worship in Islam are inseparably related. Rituals (sha‘ā’ir)—defined as ceremonies, rules of etiquette, and activities that distinguish the Muslim nation from other nations—are mixed with the Islamic practice of worship in both form and content. Islamic practices of worship are rituals, such as prayer, fasting, hajj, and zakat, and Islamic rituals are practices of worship, such as the celebrations on the feast days and other days related to Islamic occasions. Even social ceremonies, such as marriage and the like, not to mention social activities, such as offering salutations and beginning with the basmalah (i.e. utterance of bismi-llahir-rahmanir-rahim), are originally acts of worship through which nearness to Almighty Allah is sought.

In the Holy Qur'an, acts of worship during the hajj Pilgrimage have been described as rituals on more than one occasion, such as the following:

إِنَّ الصَّفَا وَالْمَرْوَةَ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَیْتَ أَوِ اعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَیْهِ أَنْ یَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا وَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَیْرًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَاکِرٌ عَلِیمٌ

Behold! Safa and Marwah are among the RITUALS of Allah. So, there shall

be no blame on those who visit the House in the Month or at other times and

go round them. And if anyone does good deeds voluntarily, be assured that

Allah is He Who recognizes and knows. (2:158) (emphasis added)

وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَکُمْ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ لَکُمْ فِیهَا خَیْرٌ

As for the camels,

We have made them RITUALS of the religion of Allah for you. For you, therein

is much good. (22:36)

Discussing the obligatory practices of the hajj Pilgrimage, the Holy Qur'an says:

ذَلِکَ وَمَنْ یُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَی الْقُلُوبِ

Such is his state. And whoever holds in honor the RITUALS of Allah (in

the sacrifice of animals) this is surely from piety of heart. (22:32)

Discussing the situation of al-Muzdalifah, where we are commanded to mention Almighty Allah, the Holy Qur'an calls it al-mash`ar al-haram (the Sacred Place of Rituals) saying:

فَإِذَا أَفَضْتُمْ مِنْ عَرَفَاتٍ فَاذْکُرُوا اللَّهَ عِنْدَ الْمَشْعَرِ الْحَرَامِ وَاذْکُرُوهُ کَمَا هَدَاکُمْ وَإِنْ کُنْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الضَّالِّینَ

When you pour down from Mount `Arafat, then celebrate the praises of

Allah at the Sacred Place of Rituals,

and celebrate His praises as He has directed you, even though before this,

you went astray. (2:198)

The distinctive battle cry upon which all the individuals of a party in a war agree and which distinguishes them from the other party, is called shiar (i.e. a slogan). This word is derived from the root sh--r, which is also the root of the word sha‘ā’ir (rituals).

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is thus reported to have said:

شِعَارُنَا یَا مُحَمَّدُ یَا

مُحَمَّدُ. وَشِعَارُنَا یَوْمَ بَدْرٍ یَا نَصْرَ اللهِ إقْتَرِبِ إقْتَرِبْ.

وَشِعَارُ الْمُسْلِمِینَ یَوْمَ أُحُدٍ یَا نَصْرَ اللهِ إقْتَرِبْ. وَیَوْمَ

بَنِی النَّضِیرِ یَا رُوحَ الْقُدُسِ أَرِحْ، وَیَوْمَ بَنِی قَیْنُقَاعٍ یَا

رَبَّنَا لاَ یَغْلِبَنَّکَ، وَیَوْمَ الطَّائِفِ یَا رِضْوَانُ، وَشِعَارُ

یَوْمِ حُنَیْنٍ یَا بَنِی عَبْدِ اللهِ یَا بَنِی عَبْدِ اللهِ، وَیَوْمِ

الأَحْزَابِ هُمْ لاَ یُبْصِرُونَ، وَیَوْمِ بَنِی قُرَیْظَةَ یَا سَلاَمُ

أَسْلِمْهُمْ، وَیَوْمِ الْمُرَیْسِیعِ وَهُوَ یَوْمُ بَنِی الْمُصْطَلَقِ أَلاَ

إِلَی اللهِ الأَمْرُ، وَیَوْمِ الْحُدَیْبِیَةِ أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللهِ عَلَی

الظَّالِمِینَ، وَیَوْمِ خَیْبَرَ یَوْمِ الْقَمُوصِ یَا عَلِیُّ آتِهِمْ مِنْ عَلٍ،

وَیَوْمِ الْفَتْحِ نَحْنُ عِبَادُ اللهِ حَقّاً حَقّاً، وَیَوْمِ تَبُوکَ یَا

أَحَدُ یَا صَمَدُ، وَیَوْمِ بَنِی الْمُلَوَّحِ أَمِتْ أَمِتْ، وَیَوْمِ

صِفِّینَ یَا نَصْرَ اللهِ، وَشِعَارُ الْحُسَیْنِ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ یَا

مُحَمَّدُ، وَشِعَارُنَا یَا مُحَمَّدُ.

Our shi`ar (war cry) is ya-Muhammad ya-Muhammad (O

Muhammad, O Muhammad). Our shi`ar in the Battle of Badr was ya

nasrallahi iqtarib iqtarib (O victory of Allah, come nigh! Come nigh!)

The Muslims shi`ar in the Battle of Uhud was ya nasrallahi iqtarib

(O victory of Allah, come nigh!) Their shi`ar in their battle against

Banu’l-Nazir was ya ruha alqudusi arih (O Holy Spirit! Give us rest!)

Their shiar in their battle against Banu Qaynuqa was ya rabbana

la yaghlibunnaka (O Our Lord! Let them not overcome You!) Their shi`ar

in their battle in al-Ta'if was ya rizwan (O All-pleasing!) The shi`ar

in the Battle of hunayn was ya bani abdillah ya bani abdillah (O

sons of Allah’s Servant! O sons of Allah’s Servant!) The shi`ar in the

Battle of al-Ahzab (the Allies) was hum la yubsirun (They cannot see!)

The shi`ar in their battle against Banu-Qurayzah was ya salamu

aslimhum (O Source of peace! Make them surrender!) Their shi`ar in

the Battle of al-Muraysi` (i.e. their battle against Banu’l-Mustalaq) was ala

ilallahi al-amru (Verily, Allah’s is the whole command). Their shi`ar

on the hudaybiyah Encounter was ala lanatullahi ala alzzalimin

(Verily, the curse of Allah is on the wrongdoers). Their shi`ar in the

Battle of Khaybar (the day of the phalanx) was ya `aliyyu atihim min

aliyyin (O All-high! Come to them from above). Their shiar on

the Day of Conquest was nahnu `ibadullahi haqqan haqqan (We are the

servants of Allah; truly, truly). Their shi`ar in the Battle

of Tabuk was ya ahadu ya samadu (O One and Only! O Eternally Besought

of all!). Their shi`ar in their battle against Banu’l-Mulawwah was amit

amit (Cause to die! Cause to die!). Their shi`ar in the Battle

of Siffin was ya nasrallahi (O Allah’s victory!). The shi`ar of

husayn was ya Muhammad (O Muhammad!). Our shi`ar is also ya Muhammad

(O Muhammad!).⁽¹⁾

About the exegesis of the following holy verse:

یَا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحِلُّوا شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ وَلَا الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ

O you who believe, violate not the RITUALS of Allah nor of the sacred

month… (5:2)

The author of the Arabic-Arabic dictionary of Lisan al-Arab has quoted al-Zajjaj as saying that, the rituals of Allah stand for all practices through which Almighty Allah is worshipped. Almighty Allah has made these practices rituals (i.e. symbols) for us. They thus include all rituals of the hajj Pilgrimage, such as the situations whereon a pilgrim should halt, perform say (walk between al-Safa and al-Marwah), and perform dhabh (slaughter animals offered as sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah)… etc.⁽¹⁾

This concept of rituals shows that Islamic rituals stand for all the acts of worship that require a special and distinctive congregation by which Muslims are distinguished from others, such as the ritual hajj Pilgrimage, the Friday Prayer, and other congregational prayers. There are some rituals that Muslims alone celebrate that distinguish them from other nations, such as the feast days, especially the Lesser Bairam (Eid al-Fitr) and the Greater Bairam (Eid al-Azha). Then there are those rituals performed at certain places dedicated to Islamic litanies and devotional acts which Muslims deem sacred and reverential—such as mosques, especially the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in al-

Madinah, and the Furthest Mosque in al-Quds (Jerusalem). In addition to these, are places whereon pilgrims are commanded to stop, such as Mount `Arafat, al-Muzdalifah, and the Hills of Safa and Marwah. Other religious acts, both verbal and practical, on which Muslims agree unanimously and use to get to know each other and be distinguished from other communities, include forms of salutation and greeting.

Acts of worship are the formulae and special practices that Almighty Allah has established for His servants to express their relation with Him and bring them nearer to Him. These include prayers, supplications, fasting, almsgiving, defraying of the zakat and khumus taxes, and expressions of praise that glorify and magnify the Lord within certain formulae and at certain times.

Almighty Allah, out of His grace and favor, has opened the door wide for human beings to dedicate all their acts to seek nearness to Him and worship Him. In turn, they respond to the divine command and appeal for divine guidelines. The acts of worship mentioned in this discussion are specific prescribed formulas.

Before we start, let us refer, albeit briefly, to the significance of rituals and acts of worship, as well as their roles in Islam and the logic for their legislation.⁽¹⁾

Significance of Rituals

Rituals are one of the consistent strategies in the religious code of Islamic law because they point out invariable social needs in human life. For this reason, such rituals are not subject to variability when the methods of social lives or the circumstances of civil progress in human life change. This becomes clear by pursuing the following four needs:

First: These rituals signify a framework that safeguards the virtuous community from loss, and guarantees its persistence and unity against breakup and disunion. This, of course, indicates an invariable social need in the existence of humanity.

Second: These rituals pinpoint the genuineness of the Muslim nation and its identity among other nations and enhance the feelings of glory and dignity in relation to Islam, such feelings being the invariable need of humanity.

Third: These rituals play a role in the achievement of the essential objective of the divine mission of Islam. This objective is to grant success to the processes of divine enlightenment and bring about a social shift towards righteousness. The rituals, at an individual level, through sustained verbal or practical repetition produce an effect on the mental (i.e. sensory, emotional, and rational) substance of man, creating conformity of the interior with the exterior, the form with the content.

They also play a role on the social level, by creating a general tradition that can influence people more than laws and enactments. In other words, these rituals contribute effectively in creating a state of constancy, steadiness, and public harmony in both the individual and society.

Fourth: The rituals influence numerous immutable needs.

In the field of education, they create a public custom that contributes to controlling the social behavior of individuals.

In the field of politics, they manifest the power, coherence, dignity, and honor of the Muslim community through collective practices, such as the congregational prayers, Friday prayers, and the hajj Pilgrimage, which build the confidence of insecure individuals by participating in collective movements with others.

In the field of social relations, they strengthen social relations among Muslims and create a spirit of collective responsibility, cooperation, mutual understanding, and cordiality among them, in addition to reciprocity of benefits and interests, as is in the hajj Pilgrimage about which Almighty Allah says:

لِیَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ

…That they may witness benefits for them. (22:28)

In the field of propagation, these rituals provide doctrinal contents and intellectual and moral concepts. In addition, they can provide the best means of expressing political and social ideas.

The Role of Acts of Worship

Point

In the religious code of Islamic law, acts of worship do not change when social lifestyles or the circumstances of civil progress in human life change.⁽¹⁾

This indispensable invariability stems from the fact that worship gives expression to the relationship between man and his Lord, which is an invariable, perpetual, and innate relationship. This urgency can be better manifested through the following points:

First: Humanity is in urgent need of association with Allah, the Perfect in excellence, so that people can continue to progress and avoid exposing themselves to deviation due to a state of aloofness or stagnancy. Sometimes, people fall in the swamp of paganism and immoderation when they change their relatively tight allegiances into boundless allegiances, thus causing the advance towards perfection to stop.

Representing a balanced practical expression of affiliation, worship develops a belief in Almighty Allah by means of devotional acts that strengthen affiliation and, at the same time, give a boost to refutation of all other boundless allegiances and deities.

Second: For practical (i.e. social) progress, humanity is required to do certain acts intended for the good of the community as a whole. However, at times, individuals carry out other acts for their personal interest. In the former

acts (i.e. acts intended to achieve public interests), the matter is the opposite. In these acts, the efforts exerted may not be compatible with the personal advantage that one might be able to gain within the community; rather, they can be at the expense of personal interests. Such being the case, acts of worship play a significant role in urging human beings to act for the sake of Almighty Allah alone, thus playing a significant role in encouraging people to do things for the sake of public interest, leaving behind egoism and personal interests.

Third: Human society is always in need of undertakings that bind individuals to abide by the system that rules their society. These undertakings, at times, take the form of material and physical punishments enacted by society against those who violate its regulations and, at other times, they take the form of an inner feeling of responsibility towards these regulations and laws. However, the penal law has limited influence since it is impossible for this law to pursue all the actions and movements of individuals, whereas an inner feeling of responsibility is always present. Worship can develop this feeling of responsibility because worship can enhance in man his relationship with Almighty Allah and his feeling that he is under an incessant monition of Him “from Whom is not hidden the least little atom in the heavens or on earth.”

Distinctive Features of Worship in Islam

There is also another set of distinctive features marking worship in the religion of Islam. These distinctive features are as follows:

All-inclusiveness

In the religion of Islam, worship includes all aspects of human life—personal, social, and political. In addition,

Islam expects its believers to demonstrate devotion to divine worship in every act (drinking, eating, enjoying entertainment and appetencies, etc.), opening the door to seek nearness to Almighty Allah and confirming one’s connection with Him in all his deeds and activities.

Transcendentality

For each act of worship, there is a psychological and spiritual, visible and observable, external and material, or generally social explanation. Sometimes, scientific advancement proves this fact because it presents new horizons of understanding the transcendental role of acts of worship.

In addition to this, in the ritual acts of worship, like prayer, fasting, and hajj, we observe an aspect of transcendentality in devotional behavior, the objective of which is to strengthen people’s relationships with the unseen world and escalate belief in it. For instance, such transcendental aspects can be witnessed in the number of the cycles (or units) of each prayer, as well as the circumambulation of the Holy Kabah (Tawaff), the walking between Safa and Marwah (say) and other acts, which cannot be explained by any word except devoutness or compliance with divine commands.

Physical Awareness

In addition to transcendentality, we observe physical awareness in the Islamic acts of worship, since man is a compound of spirit and material. In order to bring the acts of worship within the fold of these two aspects, Islam has laid much emphasis on intention and sincerity on one hand, and compliance with Allah’s commands on the other.

Attention to Almighty Allah (i.e. presence of heart) and compliance with His commands represent the spiritual

aspect of the human self. Islam has laid equal emphasis on the aspect of physical awareness in acts of worship, as is noticed in the performance of the ritual prayer and hajj Pilgrimage. Details like the necessity of directing the face towards the Holy Kabah, standing erect, genuflecting, prostrating in prayers, circumambulating the Holy Kabah, walking between Safa and Marwah, and throwing pebbles at the statues of Satan in the ritual hajj Pilgrimage, explain this aspect, which is also visible in other obligatory and supererogatory acts.

Islam is a religion unlike the other two extremist trends seen today. One of these cancels out the physical embodiment of devotional acts, supposing them to be a purely spiritual and psychological state, while the other trend considers worship to be no more than an external, physical practice that is devoid of any intentional and spiritual significance, thus changing it into a pagan state.

Social Aspect

In addition to those things mentioned, a social aspect can be observed in the majority of Islamic devotional acts which intends to establish and cement mutual relationships between the individuals of society. It is true that the basic objective of worship is to cement the relationship between humanity and the Lord, but the social aspect is still a secondary yet vital objective in some acts of worship, such as the ritual hajj Pilgrimage, the congregational prayers, the Friday prayer, the Eid prayers, jihad, zakat, and others.

Additionally, the rituals themselves have a social aspect. They aim at unifying the Muslim nation and establishing its identity by acts such as turning ones face towards the Ka’abah in prayer, celebrating two feast days, and participating in the Friday prayers.

In keeping with the Islamic theory, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) encouraged their followers to pay much attention to this aspect and emphasized it in an exhaustive and splendid way. They presented examples and models and explained details of these rituals and acts of worship to make them encompass the daily, weekly, and annual life of every Muslim individual. Through such means, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) have been in a position to strengthen the spiritual and social structure of the virtuous community, deepen the Shi`ite Muslim’s connections with Almighty Allah, and build a righteous entity inside the Muslim community.

In the coming discussion, I will not deal with such well-known Islamic models of devotional acts like the ritual prayer, fasting, hajj Pilgrimage, zakat, and jihad, or such rituals like celebrating the two feast days, the ritual offering of salutation, or like matters, which are obviously familiar to all. I will take up the rituals and acts of worship exclusively discussed by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in their endeavors to build a virtuous community.

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and Public Rituals

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), through their discourses and methods of education, took much interest in the congregational rituals of Islam. They are thus reported to have said:

بُنِیَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَی خَمْسٍ:

عَلَی الصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّکَاةِ وَالصَّوْمِ وَالْحَجِّ وَالْوِلاَیَةِ، وَلَمْ

یُنَادَ بِشَیْءٍ کَمَا نُودِیَ بِالْوِلاَیَةِ.

Islam is based on five things: salat (performance of obligatory

prayer), zakat (poor-rate), hajj (pilgrimage to the Holy House in Makkah),

sawm (observance of fasting), and wilayah. Nothing stands confirmed like the

confirmation of wilayah.⁽¹⁾

According to an authentic narration that is reported from `Ali ibn Ibrahim, Zurarah has reported Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as saying:

بُنِیَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَی خَمْسَةِ

أَشْیَاءَ: عَلَی الصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّکَاةِ وَالْحَجِّ وَالصَّوْمِ

وَالْوِلاَیَةِ.

Islam is based on five things: salat (performance of obligatory

prayer), zakat (poor-rate), hajj (pilgrimage to the Holy House in Makkah),

sawm (observance of fasting), and wilayah.

Zurarah asked, “What is the best among these things?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

الْوِلاَیَةُ أَفْضَلُ، لأَِنَّهَا

مِفْتَاحُهُنَّ، وَالْوَالِی هُوَ الدَّلِیلُ عَلَیْهِنَّ.

The best of them is the wilayah, because it is the key to the others

and the wali (divinely

designated leader) is the guide for them.

Zurarah asked, “What is next in being the best?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

الصَّلاَةُ;

إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ قَالَ: الصَّلاَةُ عَمُودُ

دِینِکُمْ.

Then comes the prayer, for the Messenger of Allah (s) has said, ‘Prayer

is the pillar of your religion.’

Zurarah asked, “What is next?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

الزَّکَاةُ، لأَِنَّهُ قَرَنَهَا

بِهَا وَبَدَأَ بِالصَّلاَةِ قَبْلَهَا. وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ

عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ: الزَّکَاةُ تُذْهِبُ الذُّنُوبَ.

Zakat. Almighty Allah has coupled

it with prayer and mentioned prayer first. The Messenger of Allah (s) has

said, ‘Defrayment of the zakat relieves one of sins.’

Zurarah asked, “What is next?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

الْحَجُّ، قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ

وَجَلَّ: {وَلِلَّهِ عَلَی النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَیْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَیْهِ سَبِیلًا وَمَنْ کَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِیٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِینَ} وَقَالَ رَسُولُ

اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لَحِجَّةٌ مَقْبُولَةٌ خَیْرٌ

مِنْ عِشْرِینَ صَلاَةً نَافِلَةً، وَمَنْ طَافَ بِهَذَا الْبَیْتِ طَوافاً

أَحْصَی فِیهِ أُسْبُوعَهُ وَأَحْسَنَ رَکْعَتَیْهِ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ. وَقَالَ

فِی یَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ وَیَوْمِ الْمُزْدَلِفَةِ مَا قَالَ.

hajj. Almighty Allah has said, ‘Pilgrimage to the

House is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, upon every one who is able

to undertake the journey to it. Whoever disbelieves, then surely Allah is

Self-sufficient above any need of the worlds. (3:97)’ The Messenger of Allah

(s) has said, ‘One accepted hajj is better (in reward) than offering twenty

supererogatory prayers. Whoever circumambulates this House seven times and

follows it with offering a correctly-done two-unit prayer, Almighty Allah

shall forgive him his sins.’ He (s) has also said many things about the

`Arafat Day and the Muzdalifah Day.

Zurarah asked, “What is next?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

الصَّوْمُ.

Then comes fasting.

Zurarah asked, “Why has fasting come last of all?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

قَالَ

رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ: الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ.

إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الأَشْیَاءِ مَا إِذَا فَاتَکَ لَمْ تَکُنْ مِنْهُ تَوْبَةٌ

دُونَ أَنْ تَرْجِعَ إِلَیْهِ فَتُؤَدِّیَهُ بِعَیْنِهِ. إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ

وَالزَّکَاةَ وَالْحَجَّ وَالْوِلاَیَةَ لَیْسَ یَقَعُ شَیْءٌ مَکَانَهَا دُونَ

أَدَائِهَا. وَإِنَّ الصَّوْمَ إِذَا فَاتَکَ أَوْ قَصَّرْتَ أَوْ سَافَرْتَ

فِیهِ أَدَّیْتَ مَکَانَهُ أَیَّاماً غَیْرَهَا وَجَزَیْتَ ذَلِکَ الذَّنْبَ

بِصَدَقَةٍ وَلاَ قَضَاءَ عَلَیْکَ. وَلَیْسَ مِنْ تِلْکَ الأَرْبَعَةِ شَیْءٌ

یَجْزِیکَ مَکَانَهُ غَیْرُهُ. ذُرْوَةُ الأَمْرِ وَسَنَامُهُ وَمِفْتَاحُهُ

وَبَابُ الأَشْیَاءِ وَرِضَا الرَّحْمَنِ الطَّاعَةُ لِلإِمَامِ بَعْدَ

مَعْرِفَتِهِ. إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ یَقُولُ: {مَنْ یُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ تَوَلَّی فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاکَ عَلَیْهِمْ حَفِیظًا} أَمَا لَوْ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً قَامَ لَیْلَهُ وَصَامَ نَهَارَهُ وَتَصَدَّقَ بِجَمِیعِ مَالِهِ

وَحَجَّ جَمِیعَ دَهْرِهِ وَلَمْ یَعْرِفْ وِلاَیَةَ وَلِیِّ اللهِ

فَیُوَالِیَهُ وَیَکُونَ جَمِیعُ أَعْمَالِهِ بِدِلاَلَتِهِ إِلَیْهِ، مَا کَانَ

لَهُ عَلَی اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَقٌّ فِی ثَوَابِهِ وَلاَ کَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ

الأِیـمَانِ. أُولَئِکَ الْمُحْسِنُ مِنْهُمْ یُدْخِلُهُ اللهُ الْجَنَّةَ

بِفَضْلِ رَحْمَتِهِ.

The Messenger of Allah

(s) has said, ‘Fasting is an armor against Hellfire.’ The best of all things

is a duty that if you miss it, you do not need to repent; rather, you can later

carry it out exactly as you are required to do. As for the prayer, the zakat,

the hajj Pilgrimage, and wilayah, nothing can compensate for them when they

are missed, while you can make up for the fasting if you miss it, fail to

observe it, or travel during its days. Such being the case, you can

recompense the sin of missing fasting with almsgiving, without need for

fasting during other days as compensation. As for the other four pillars,

nothing at all can replace them and save you from failing to do them. After

recognition of Almighty Allah, the prime act, acme, key, door to all things

and the pleasure of the All-beneficent Lord is the obedience to the Imam.

Allah, the Exalted and Majestic says, ‘Whoever obeys the Messenger, indeed he

has obeyed Allah, and as for those who turn away, We have not sent you as a

keeper over them. (4:80)’. Verily, if one spends his nights in acts of

worship, fasts during the days of his lifetime, gives his entire fortune as

alms, and goes on hajj Pilgrimage every year of his lifetime, but does not

recognize loyalty to the Representative of Allah on Earth, and does all his

deeds without this basis, he will not have any right to receive the reward of

Almighty Allah nor be regarded as one of the people of true faith. The doers

of good among these people (i.e. those recognizing the loyalty to the Imams)

will enter Paradise by Almighty Allah’s mercy.⁽¹⁾

Sulayman ibn Khalid reported Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as saying:

أَلاَ أُخْبِرُکَ

بِالإِسْلاَمِ أَصْلِهِ وَفَرْعِهِ وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ؟ أَمَّا أَصْلُهُ

فَالصَّلاَةُ وَفَرْعُهُ الزَّکَاةُ وَذُرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ. إِنْ

شِئْتَ أَخْبَرْتُکَ بِأَبْوَابِ الْخَیْرِ. الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ،

وَالصَّدَقَةُ تَذْهَبُ بِالْخَطِیئَةِ، وَقِیَامُ الرَّجُلِ فِی جَوْفِ

اللَّیْلِ بِذِکْرِ اللهِ: {تَتَجَافَی جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ یَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا}.

May I inform you about the foundation, branch, and pinnacle of Islam?

The foundation of Islam is prayer, its branch the zakat, and its pinnacle

jihad. I can also inform you about the doors to goodness, if you wish…

Fasting is a protective shield against Hellfire. Almsgiving and spending the late

hours of the night in remembrance of Almighty Allah, remove sins. Almighty

Allah says, “Who forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope…”

(32:16)”⁽¹⁾

It seems important to consider the fact that jihad is a branch of the pillar of wilayah, which is one of the foundations of Islam, as has been mentioned in the abovementioned tradition. The same is applicable to the duty of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong. Moreover, the duty of defraying the khumus tax is also a component of the pillar of wilayah, even if it is not attached to the zakat. The one who alone has the right to command jihad, enjoin the right and forbid the wrong is the religious referential authority, and the basis of paying the khumus tax is loyalty to the divinely designated leadership of the Holy Imams (‘a).

We, thus, understand why jihad is the pinnacle of the religion in the same way as wilayah and obedience to the Imam is its pinnacle also, because jihad is one of the

examples of obedience to the Imam (‘a).

In fact, various statements confirm this about each of the other Islamic public devotional acts as well.

Prophetic Tradition and Sectarian Rituals

In the sphere of rituals and devotional acts in which the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) took great interest, the following question arises:

Can the mentioned rituals and acts of worship be considered innovations (bid`ah) because they are not familiar to Muslims in general?

Such questions have been raised by some people, especially the Wahhabi sect. They are answered in detail within the sectarian aspect of this discussion.⁽¹⁾However, let us present two brief synoptic answers here:

First Answer: As has been confirmed in many Prophetic traditions that are reported by both Sunni and Shiite narrators, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) represent the other Weighty Thing, besides the Holy Qur'an, that interprets the Holy Qur'an and explains the Prophet Tradition (Sunnah) and the religious code of Islamic law. They are also the one and only referential authorities of Islam in its genuine form, to whom the Holy Prophet (s) explained all the details of the code of Islamic law and the Holy Qur'an and ordered Muslims to refer to them. As has been proven in my research about the referential authority of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in the field of the exegesis of the Holy Qur'an,<a href="#ref-footnote2-page29" id="footnote2-page29" style="display:inline-block"><sup>(2)</sup></a><p class="footnote"><a href="#footnote2-page29" style="color:#3b82f6;" id="ref-footnote2-page29"> 2) </a>- For further details, the reader is advised to refer to my book of Ulum al-Qur'an, Chapter: al-Tafsir wa’l-Mufassirun fi `Ahdi Rasulillah (Exegesis and Exegetes of the Holy Qur'an in the Age of the Holy Prophet).

with the Islamic mission, the most truthful of all people, the most knowledgeable, and the most accurate in understanding and recognizing the religion of Islam.

In this field, Shaykh al-Kulayni, through a valid chain of authority, has reported Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as saying:

Archangel Gabriel brought down from Heaven two pomegranates to the Holy Prophet. Imam Ali (‘a) met him and said, “What are these in your hand?” He answered, “This one is for Prophethood; so, you have no share in it. The other is for knowledge.” The Holy Prophet (s) then split the second pomegranate into two halves, gave Imam Ali (‘a) one half, took the other half for himself, and said, “You are my partner in knowledge and I am yours.” Accordingly, each single item of knowledge that the Holy Prophet (s) received from Almighty Allah was taught by him to `Ali. This knowledge then came to us.

While saying ‘us’, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) put his hand on his chest (i.e. referred to himself and the other Holy Imams).⁽¹⁾

There are also tens of traditions demonstrating the same topic about the knowledge of the Holy Imams (‘a).

Rituals and acts of worship exclusively practiced by the Shi`ah have been mentioned and highlighted in many traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). They enjoy the highest level of legality and consideration in their capacity as genuine Islamic traditions, because the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) are more knowledgeable than anybody else regarding Islam, its fundamentals, secondary issues, traditions, and etiquettes.

Second Answer: The rituals and acts of worship exclusively practiced by the virtuous community include no single item that violates Islamic rituals in form or content, nor deflects or draws them away from their goals, roles, or previously mentioned features. Rather, these rituals have come to confirm, deepen, and follow other Islamic rituals in method and manner.

These rituals and acts of worship represent a general line of conduct approved by Islam, such as in the different varieties of prayers, supplications, and ziyarah (a body of statements uttered while visiting the tomb of a holy person, usually reported from the Holy Imams (‘a)). They also commemorate and celebrate any occasion that is firmly connected to Islam and its events and figures, such as the anniversaries of the Holy Prophet’s birthday, the Holy Prophet’s Mission, the Day of Ghadir, and the like. They often confirm and sublimate an Islamic thought or missionary activity, such as dedicating to worship the months of Ramazan, Sha`ban, and Rajab, and the Nights of Qadr (the Nights of Power on one of which the Holy Qur'an was first revealed; 19th, 21st, and 23rd of Ramazan).

The Ahl al-Bayt’s interest in these special rituals was concordant with the general role of these rituals. They wanted the virtuous community and their followers to be distinguished in particularities and identity at least at the physical, spiritual, and mental levels. In fact, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) wanted their followers to coexist with people without blending in with their conditions; rather, they wanted them to be distinguished from others by acting as excellent exemplars. However, the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) were not allowed to practice the general rituals and devotional acts of Islam freely and efficiently because of certain political factors. We have referred to some of these in the previous book of the security system of the

virtuous community.

In the coming pages, we will discuss the system of rituals used in the building of the virtuous community, dividing our discussion into a prelude and two chapters. The first chapter is dedicated to discussing the rituals of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) while the second to discussing the general rituals of Islam.

Prelude

A general review of the books of traditions, supplications, and formulas of ziyarah, as well as the actual practices of the Ahl al-Bayt’s followers, gives us a set of major rituals that the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) were concerned about and urged their partisans and followers to practice. These rituals rally around the Ahl al-Bayt’s confirmations regarding practicing the general rituals of Islam and were also confirmations of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) themselves.

As true defenders of Islam and the natural extension of the Islamic Mission, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) emphasized the practice of the general rituals of Islam, considering them the most significant foundation in building a virtuous community. They (‘a) expressly and widely maintained the practice of the general rituals of Islam (including prayers, hajj Pilgrimage, zakat, and fasting) and commanded their followers to establish them under all circumstances, no matter how difficult it might be.

As for the second confirmation, it is founded on the Ahl al-Bayt’s view of Islamic theory which is based on five pillars:

prayer, zakat, fasting, hajj Pilgrimage, and wilayah. The most important of these five pillars is the wilayah, according to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) because no confirmation has been made on any of these five pillars that compares with the confirmation made on wilayah, which is the protector of the other four pillars and the wali (authority) is the guide towards the other pillars being conversant with them. Moreover, prayer, zakat, fasting, and the hajj Pilgrimage depend upon wilayah to be accepted.

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) are the pivot and purport of wilayah.

Many verses of the Holy Qur'an confirm this— the Verse of Mawaddah (love),⁽¹⁾

قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبَی

Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it, but love for

my near relatives. (42:23)

إِنَّمَا یُرِیدُ اللَّهُ لِیُذْهِبَ عَنْکُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ وَیُطَهِّرَکُمْ تَطْهِیرًا

Allah only desires to keep away impurity from you, O

people of the House, and to purify you a thorough purifying. (33:33)

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِی الْقُرْبَی

Know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for

Allah, and for the Messenger and kinsmen of the Messenger… (8:41)

إِنَّمَا وَلِیُّکُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِینَ آمَنُوا الَّذِینَ یُقِیمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَیُؤْتُونَ الزَّکَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاکِعُونَ

Only Allah is your real leader and His Messenger and

those who believe; those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they

bow in prayer. (5:55)

أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ، مَنْ کُنْتُ مَوْلاَهُ فَهَذَا عَلِیٌّ

مَوْلاَهُ. اَللَّهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالاَهُ، وَعَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ، وَانْصُرْ

مَنْ نَصَرَهُ، وَاخْذُلْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُ، وَأَحِبَّ مَنْ أَحَبَّهُ، وَأَبْغِضْ

مَنْ أَبْغَضَهُ.

O people, whoever has taken me as master, `Ali is now

his master. O Allah, (please) be the friend of him who takes `Ali as master,

be the opponent of him who antagonizes `Ali, give victory to him who supports

Ali, disappoint him who disappoints Ali, love him who loves `Ali, and hate

him who hates `Ali.

Al-hakim al-hasakani, Shawahid al-Tanzil 1:191.

إِنِّی أُوشَکُ أَنْ أُدْعَی فَأُجِیبُ، وَإِنِّی تَارِکٌ

فِیکُمُ الثَّقَلَیْنِ: کِتَابَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَعِتْرَتِی. کِتَابُ اللهِ

حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَی الأَرْضِ، وَعِتْرَتِی أَهْلُ بَیْتِی.

وَإِنَّ اللَّطِیفَ الْخَبِیرَ أَخْبَرَنِی أَنَّهُمَا لَنْ یَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّی

یَرِدَا عَلَیَّ الْحَوْضَ. فَانْظُرُوا کَیْفَ تُخَلِّفُونِی فِیهِمَا.

I am about to be called, and I shall certainly respond.

I am thus leaving behind amongst you the two weighty things—the Book of the

Exalted and Majestic Allah and my progeny. The Book of Allah is a rope

extending from the heavens to the earth. My progeny are the members of my

household. The All-subtle and All-aware Lord has informed me that these two

shall never separate from each other until they join me on the Divine Pond.

Now, consider how you shall regard me through these two things.

Ahmad ibn hanbal, al-Musnad 3:17.

إِنَّمَا أَهْلُ بَیْتِی مِثْلُ سَفِینَةِ نُوحٍ: مَنْ

رَکِبَهَا نَجَا وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا غَرِقَ.

Verily, the parable of my Household is like the parable

of Noah’s ark—whoever embarks on it shall be saved, but he who fails to join

it shall be drowned.

Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanz al-`Ummal 6:216.

For further details, refer to al-Fayruzabadi’s Faza'il al-Khamsah fi’l-Sihah al-Sittah.

many other hadith.

Hence, expressing love, affection, and loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) becomes one of the devotional pillars of Islam

and one of the Islamic rituals when and if it is practiced within the legal and reason-based formulas and methods prescribed by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a).

For this reason, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) have not left the virtuous community and the other Muslims without identifying and explaining a set of general formulas and methods to be used as rituals expressing this love as a sign of loyalty to them.

With respect to the two major kinds of rituals, we must discuss a set of topics including the rituals of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), the activities on general days and nights, etiquettes and manners, mosques and holy places. Independent chapters will discuss each of these topics.

Chapter One: Rituals Of The Ahl Al-Bayt

Point

The majority of private rituals practiced by the virtuous community directly or indirectly relate to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). However, in this discussion, we aim at dedicating our discussion to the rituals that basically focused on the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in their capacity as persons of a superior standing with Almighty Allah and enjoying the position of Imamate and divinely designated leadership of the Muslim community. Thus, the following topics fall under this title:

Ceremonies of commemorating Imam al-Ḥusayn’s Martyrdom

Point

Besides expressing loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in general and Imam al-husayn (‘a) in particular, the ceremonies of commemorating Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom, as well as the anniversaries appertaining to the Holy Infallibles (‘a), are actually meetings which discuss doctrinal, moral, social, historical affairs, and issues related to the daily and current affairs of Muslims. In one aspect of their content, the social aspect, these ceremonies resemble the Friday Prayers during which Muslims gather to listen to the sermons delivered by the preacher who usually discusses various aspects of their current affairs and reminds them of Almighty Allah.⁽¹⁾In another aspect, these ceremonies are held to deliberate knowledge and ethics.

We have previously discussed the ceremonies commemorating Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom in the Second Book of this series which discussed the cultural aspect of building a virtuous community. We have also discussed the philosophy of such ceremonies, their spiritual, cultural, and political outcomes, rituals recommended by the Holy Imams (‘a) and, other rituals invented by people.

Although the ceremonies commemorating Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom, represent an anniversary of one of

the Holy Imams (‘a), an independent chapter has been dedicated to discussing this anniversary due to its significance and particularities. The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) gave this anniversary so much importance and consideration that it has turned into a cultural, spiritual, and behavioral school for building a virtuous community.

Hereafter, I will briefly discuss the ceremonies and the times when the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) solemnly commemorate Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom. These ceremonies can be classified into five major classes:

1. The First Ten Days of Muharram

The followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) hold special ceremonies on the first ten days of Muharram (the first month in the Islamic Calendar). Wherever they are, the individuals of the virtuous community gather to condole with and weep for Imam al-husayn (‘a) as well as discuss current cultural and doctrinal issues. For them, the commemoration of this anniversary is almost a doctrinal duty, since some individuals of the virtuous community may not participate in any other doctrinal celebration the whole year, but never miss commemorating this anniversary. During this commemoration, they concern themselves with serving others with food dedicated to this occasion, meeting together, and expressing their grief for Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom by a demonstration of sorrow.

The focus of the individuals of the virtuous community, in commemorating this anniversary, varies according to the variety of their cultural, intellectual, and social levels as well as the surrounding political circumstances. Therefore, some of them hold ceremonies and spend large amounts of money to gather as large a congregation as possible. They select the most skillful orators, speakers, and lecturers. At

the same time, the virtuous community attends and participates in such sessions to benefit culturally, spiritually, and emotionally.

At the same time, there is immense desire to become close to Imam al-husayn (‘a) by presenting oneself at his holy shrine or, from afar,⁽¹⁾by offering him salutations and greetings, complaining to him about personal problems, pledging allegiance to him, and renouncing his enemies, cursing them, and rejecting their barbarian acts.

On such days, both the ordinary and the elite media of the individuals of the virtuous community weep for Imam al-husayn (‘a) and demonstrate grief and pain on the cruelties perpetrated upon him and his companions in Karbala.

Another practice that manifests itself particularly in this season and on these days is the pubic serving of food and drink dedicated to Imam Husayn (‘a) in remembrance of the three days and nights of his thirst and hunger.

Traditions from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) report these practices in the first ten days of the holy month of Muharram.

Some other practices through which the Ahl al-Bayt’s followers express their grief for Imam al-husayn’s tragic saga bear no supportive evidence from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). They are:

al-husayn’s tragic saga—his journey to Karbala, the burning of the tents

of the women and children after massacring his companions, the journey of those

who were taken as captives after the battle, or other grievous events to

which Imam al-husayn (‘a) was exposed—or all the events that took place in

Karbala

All of the above are inventions of ordinary people to express their emotions and feelings.⁽¹⁾

Because of certain political circumstances through which these rituals passed when the tyrannical and unjust rulers worked towards annihilating them to uproot them from their origin, some ordinary people acted fanatically regarding these rituals in the same way they did towards Imam husayn (‘a). At the same time, some scholars kept silent or even permitted the practice of these rituals for the endurance of the commemoration. This was because the public represented the popular power that stood against the tyrannical rulers. In addition, scholars could not find any point of evidence proving the forbiddance or the illegality of practicing such rituals, so they deemed them legal according to the general jurisprudential rule of the legality of all things unless there is an evident proof demonstrating the opposite. Furthermore, under such circumstances, the practice of these rituals achieved an advantage or repelled a disadvantage not to mention the fact that they were the best way to gather and attract the attention of the masses towards commemorating Imam husayn’s martyrdom.

However, the correct stand, towards the practice of such rituals, taken by Ayatollah Sayyid Muhsin al-hakim, Imam Khumayni, and his successor, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Khamana'i, in addition to many Shiite master scholars, was that the disadvantage caused by such rituals to the virtuous community has become greater than their advantage nowadays. They deform the portrait of the virtuous community and act as an obstacle between the guidance of the Holy Imams (‘a) and the genuine understanding of Islam on the one hand, and the general Muslim masses on the other. Besides, the practice of these rituals arouses a spurious issue that is forbidden by Islam, because some people consider the practice of these rituals to be a devotional act intended to seek nearness to Almighty Allah, while there is no authoritative evidence (i.e. mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah) proving this either particularly or generally. Such practices fall under a general topic, and all its parts are considered acts of worship. However, Almighty Allah best knows the truth.

On the tenth day of Muharram, these rituals and ceremonies attain their climax when markets are shut down and almost all the individuals of the virtuous community participate in the condolence ceremonies and food is prepared to feed all the participants.

2. The Months of Muharram and Safar

The rest of the days of Muharram and Safar (the second month in the Islamic calendar) have a secondary place of importance for holding sessions for condolence ceremonies

of Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom. Public condolence meetings are organized by individuals and communities in private and public places. Each ten days of these two months are taken as a new term similar to the first ten days of Muharram, dedicating each day and night to a certain occasion for which its special ceremonies are held. These terms end on the twentieth of Safar, the day of Arba`in, which is the fortieth day after Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom. Hence, the last ten days are dedicated to the occasion of the arrival of the captives in Madinah, followed by the demise of the Holy Prophet (s), which falls on the twenty-eighth day of Safar and which we shall mention later.

The general mark of the ceremonies held on the rest of the days of Muharram and Safar is the holding of assemblies (majalis; sing. majlis). The ceremonies on the day of Arba`in, include processions and marches organized and destined for the two holy shrines in Karbala, Imam al-Riza’s holy shrine in Mashhad, the shrine of Lady Fatimah, the daughter of Imam Musa al-Kazim (‘a) in Qum, or for public places of worship, such as mosques, husayniyyahs, and religious places. These processions and marches are organized for the purpose of commemorating Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom, pledging allegiance to him, and commemorating the anniversary of the captives’ return to Karbala, as maintained by some reports.

3. Weekly Sessions

The third category are weekly or monthly assemblies that the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) hold regularly in public places or in their houses, as a response to the Holy Imams (‘a) who, according to many traditions, called their followers to hold such sessions and meetings.

The issues of Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom and loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) have become the pivot of these

sessions, as instructed by the Holy Imams (‘a). However, discourses in such sessions can also be about a variety of doctrinal, ethical, behavioral, historical, erudite topics, etc.

Communities and individuals choose a certain day or night in the week or the month for holding such sessions as much as their conditions allow. These sessions and meetings have thus become a continuously open school throughout the year. The individuals of the virtuous community and the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) arrange days and times among them so that everybody can benefit from these meetings although the majority may choose Thursday nights and Fridays because these nights and days enjoy a special significance among the other days of the week. By virtue of these meetings, social relations among the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) become well-established and positive and many religious and worldly benefits are gained. For instance, after orators mention the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and discuss religious topics, the sessions for knowledge-seekers turn into scientific researches, for men of letters into literary forums, and for merchants into exchange of commercial viewpoints.

4. Sessions in the Month of Ramazan

The fourth category of ceremonies commemorating Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom are assemblies during Ramazan, when nights of this blessed month of devotion turn into educational seasons. During the public sessions, the most distinctive feature is the remembrance of Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom in addition to discussion regarding, most comprehensively, Islamic issues and topics concentrating on ethical, spiritual, and behavioral issues, the laws of Islam and the recitation of the Holy Qur'an. However, intellectual, doctrinal, and historical issues are also discussed in such sessions.

From a cultural aspect, there can be found an equipoise

between the sessions of Ramazan and the sessions of Muharram and Safar. The latter sessions concentrate on political issues and the uprising against oppression, tyranny, and corruption, and their historical goals, factors, and causes, in addition to the sentimental and emotional aspects of Shi`ite beliefs. The former assemblies concentrate on ethical and spiritual issues, laws of Islam appertaining to human behavior, especially the issues of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and the like. In addition to the recitation of the Holy Qur'an, doctrinal aspects regarding the fundamentals of religion, such as monotheism, Prophethood, divine revelations, and eschatology are discussed. The common points between these two types of sessions pertain to the general conditions of the virtuous community and the issue of Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom and uprising.

5. Private Occasions

The fifth and last grouping include assemblies held on special occasions to commemorate Imam al-husayn (‘a). The Holy Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), in their plan of building a virtuous community, took great interest in the issue of holding meetings to gather their followers on various occasions. In these meetings, discourses revolve around the issue of Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom and uprising. For instance, in funeral eulogies ceremonies are held for solacing the relatives of the deceased. In these ceremonies, the Holy Qur'an is recited and the tragedy of Imam al-husayn (‘a) and his companions is mentioned to seek nearness to Almighty Allah and alleviate the grief of the bereaved.

On other occasions, such as returning from the hajj Pilgrimage or long journeys, moving to a new house, opening a private or public foundation, recovering from a

disease, or private issues that socially require the holding of a meeting, assemblies are held to seek nearness to Almighty Allah, to gain blessings by mentioning Imam al-husayn (‘a) and to commemorate Imam al-husayn (‘a). Thus, such meetings have become one of the distinctive features of the virtuous community.

Commemorating The Anniversaries Of The Holy Infallibles

Point

Commemoration of the anniversaries of the Holy Infallibles (‘a) is of two kinds:

Commemorating their deaths and martyrdoms

Celebrating their birthdays and their joyful occasions

Commemorating the deaths and martyrdoms of the Holy Infallibles (‘a)

The Holy Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) counseled their followers to keep their memories alive and memorialize their anniversaries. The individuals of the virtuous community, therefore, commemorate the deaths and martyrdoms of the thirteen Infallibles; namely, the Holy Prophet (s), Lady Fatimah al-Zahra, and the eleven Imams, before Imam al-Mehdi (‘a), who is still living. The anniversaries of some eminent figures among their followers such as, Lady Khadijah al Kubra, Muslim ibn Aqil, Lady Zaynab bint Ali, Zayd ibn Ali ibn Husayn, Abu-Talib, Umm al-Banin, and others are also commemorated.

According to the belief of the virtuous community, Imam `Ali ibn Abi-Talib (‘a) and his son Imam al-husayn (‘a) were slain by the sword, while the other Holy Imams (‘a), with the exception of the Awaited Imam al-Mahdi (‘a), who is still alive, were poisoned to death. Although this general concept has not been proven through historical events except for Imam hasan, Imam al-Kazim, and Imam al-Riza (peace be upon them all), orators and preachers accept it as truth on the basis of a validly reported tradition that quotes Imam al-Riza (‘a) as saying:

مَا مِنَّا إِلاَّ مَقْتُولٌ أَوْ

مَسْمُومٌ.

Not one of us—the Ahl al-Bayt—died, except that he was slain or

poisoned to death.⁽¹⁾

Another fact is that there is not complete consensus upon the dates of their martyrdoms and deaths. Nevertheless, the individuals of the virtuous community have generally committed themselves to certain traditions in this respect, relying upon the inference of their scholars and historians.

More or less, the dates of the Holy Infallibles’ deaths and martyrdoms are distributed over the months of the year (on the Islamic calendar) except for the month of Shaban<a href="#ref-footnote2-page49" id="footnote2-page49" style="display:inline-block"><sup>(2)</sup></a><p class="footnote"><a href="#footnote2-page49" style="color:#3b82f6;" id="ref-footnote2-page49"> 2) </a>- The month of Shaban is considered to be the month of birthdays and glad occasions.

The related assemblies concentrate on the life of the commemorated Imam and the injustice he had to encounter. In addition, an analysis of the historical events that took place during his lifetime is presented. Other Islamic or Shi`ite beliefs and some of the ethical instructions and sermons of the commemorated Imam are also recalled. Usually, such meetings end by recounting the martyrdom of the commemorated Imam or some tragic aspects of Imam al-husayn’s saga.

These meetings are another form of commemorating Imam al-husayn’s martyrdom (al-Majalis al-husayniyyah) with some concentration on the life of the commemorated Imam (‘a).

In the general milieu of the virtuous community, there is special interest in commemorating the Holy Prophet, Imam `Ali, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra', Imam Hasan, in addition to

Imam al-husayn—peace be upon them all. Special commemoration rituals of the other Imams (‘a) are often performed in the regions where they are buried. For instance, there is special interest in commemorating the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam al-Kazim (‘a) in the city of al-Kazimiyyah, Iraq, whose people, on that day, hold special ceremonies and rituals, shut down the marts, and participate in public processions. The same thing is applicable to the people of Mashhad, Iran, when they celebrate the anniversary of Imam al-Riza’s martyrdom and the people of Samarra' on the anniversary of Imam al-Hadi’s martyrdom.⁽¹⁾

Let us now mention a list of the familiar dates on which the deaths and martyrdoms of the Holy Infallibles (‘a) have been recorded and are well known by the individuals of the virtuous community:

for twenty days between these two dates. In Iraq, some ceremonies are held on the earlier date.

Celebrating the Birthdays and Glad Occasions of the Holy Infallibles (‘a)

In addition to commemorating the anniversaries of the deaths and martyrdoms of the Holy Infallibles (‘a), the individuals of the virtuous community celebrate their birthdays and glad occasions, creating some equilibrium between the grievous occasions and joyful ones.

Of course, celebrating such joyful occasions differs from celebrating grievous ones; therefore, the individuals of the virtuous community celebrate these joyful occasions in a way different from celebrating the deaths and martyrdoms of the Holy Infallibles (‘a). These celebrations are therefore characterized by the following features:

Unlike commemorating the deaths and martyrdoms, which does not exclude any of the Holy Infallibles (‘a) who were martyred, the celebrations of the anniversaries of their birthdays are usually dedicated to some of them, because

the individuals of the virtuous community aim at bringing into view the injustice, oppressions, and ordeals to which the Holy Infallibles (‘a) were exposed more than their joyful occasions. This is because injustice and oppression were the most eminent phenomena in the history of the Holy Infallibles (‘a) as well as the history of their followers.

Besides, the tragedies and sorrows of the Holy Infallibles further equip the individuals of the virtuous community with patience and steadfastness, and make them follow the examples of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) exactly as they are required to do.

Moreover, such interest may have come from instructions of the Holy Imams (‘a) such as the following sayings of Imam Ali ibn al-husayn Zayn al-Abidin (‘a):

إِنَّمَا أَعْیَادُنَا مَآتِمُنَا.

Verily, our festivals are commemorations of our deaths.

الْقَتْلُ لَنَا عَادَةٌ

وَکَرَامَتُنَا مِنَ اللهِ الشَّهَادَةُ.

Being slain is our propensity, and martyrdom is the honor that Almighty

Allah confers upon us.

Finally, the most accurate understanding of these festivals and days of joy is to spend them doing acts of worship and true recognition of Almighty Allah, serving people and expecting rewards only from the Almighty.

A view at these joyful occasions demonstrates that they are utterly intermixed with the anniversaries of deaths and martyrdoms, except for the two months of Muharram and Safar, which are totally dedicated to grievous occasions, and the month of Sha`ban, which is dedicated to joyful occasions. However, the dates of the Holy Imams’ (‘a) birthdays are more expansive. Accordingly, equilibrium between the two kinds of occasions can be found in a better

and more expansive way although there is a preponderance of the grievous occasions over the joyful ones.

Let us now mention a list comprising the dates of the Holy Infallibles’ (‘a) birthdays generally celebrated by the individuals of the virtuous community:

It would certainly be asked why these holy Infallibles have been given such special interest other than the others—peace be upon them all—as regards celebrating their birthdays.

The answer is that the birthdays of the other holy Imams (‘a) are celebrated, yet limitedly. As for the previously mentioned Infallibles (‘a), the anniversaries of their births have been given special interest because definite historical events and moral particularities expressly appertain to these Imams (‘a), which highly motivate the individuals of the virtuous community.

The Holy Prophet (s), is the last Messenger of Almighty Allah to humanity.

Imam `Ali (‘a), being the first of the Holy Imams (‘a) and the successor of the Holy Prophet (s), represents the doctrinal epitome of the virtuous community.

Imam hasan (‘a), the first grandson of the Holy Prophet (s), represents the first point in the extension of the Holy Prophet’s progeny.

Imam al-husayn (‘a) is the martyred grandson of the Holy Prophet (s) whose birth was accompanied by grief and sorrow.

Imam Zayn al-Abidin’s birthday falls a day after the birthday of his father, Imam al-husayn (‘a). The followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) celebrate the birthdays of Imam al-husayn, Abbas ibn Ali (‘a), and Imam Zayn al-Abidin (‘a) on three successive days respectively; the third, fourth, and fifth of Sha`ban. These three persons are gathered under one topic: the tragedy of Karbala'.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) represents the doctrinal and jurisprudential school to which the virtuous community belongs.

Imam al-Riza’s birthday is widely celebrated in Iran because of the period of time he spent in the country and the existence of his grave therein. He therefore represents a symbol of the loyalty of the Iranian people to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a).

The awaited Imam al-Mahdi (‘a) represents the everlasting symbol of the divinely commissioned leadership of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), who still exists among the Muslim nation.

Visiting The Tombs And Shrines Of The Holy Infallibles

Legitimacy of visiting the graves

Visiting the tombs of the Holy Prophet (s), the Holy Imams (‘a), the prophets (‘a), the saints, and the descendants of the Holy Imams (‘a) is regarded as the most important ritual emphasized by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and dutifully observed by the virtuous community. Such visits (or pilgrimages) are a significant phenomenon in the lives of the virtuous community.

In their capacity as a sort of hajj (i.e. pilgrimage), these visits, in both content and form, are considered one of the general rituals of Islam, since traditions have described them as a complementary part of the ritual hajj Pilgrimage.

On the other hand, Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Wahhab and his followers known as Wahhabis discommend and even forbid visiting or going on pilgrimage to tombs or building structures and domes on them. Nevertheless, numerous are the traditions that are uninterruptedly reported from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), not to mention the Holy Prophet (s) and the honorable companions, confirming the recommendation of visiting the tombs.

Hereinafter, I will mention some traditions reported from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), confirming the act of visiting the tombs as one of the highly advisable acts and the leading mottos of the virtuous community.

Shaykh al-Kulayni, in al-Kafi, Shaykh al-Saduq, in Uyun Akhbar al-Riza and Ilal al-Ahkam, and Ibn Qawlawayh, in Kamil al-Ziyarat, have reported through a valid chain of authority that Imam al-Riza (‘a) said:

إِنَّ لِکُلِّ إِمَامٍ عَهْداً فِی

عُنُقِ أَوْلِیَاءِهِ وَشِیعَتِهِ، وَإِنَّ مِنْ تَمَامِ الْوَفَاءِ بِالْعَهْدِ

وَحُسْنِ الأَدَاءِ زِیَارَةَ قُبُورِهِمْ. فَمَنْ زَارَهُمْ رَغْبَةً فِی

زِیَارَتِهِمْ وَتَصْدِیقاً بِمَا رَغِبُوا فِیهِ کَانَ أَئِمَّتُهُمْ

شُفَعَاءَهُمْ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ.

The disciples and followers of every Imam (‘a) are connected to him

with a binding covenant that they must fulfill. Among the elements of an

excellent fulfillment of these covenants is indeed the visiting of the Imams’

(‘a) tombs. Hence, if one visits

their tombs eagerly and with the intention of gaining their (the Imams’)

desire, the Imams will intercede for him on the Day of Resurrection.⁽¹⁾

According to another validly reported tradition, Zayd al-Shahham has reported that he asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), “What is the reward of one who visits (the tomb of) one of you?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

کَمَنْ زَارَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّی

اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ.

He (who visits one of us) will be rewarded the same reward of one who

has visited the Messenger of Allah (s).⁽²⁾

According to another validly reported tradition, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has said:

مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ خَلْقاً أَکْثَرَ

مِنَ الْمَلاَئِکَةِ، وَإِنَّهُ لَیَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ کُلَّ مَسَاءٍ

سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَکٍ یَطُوفُونَ بِالْبَیْتِ لَیْلَتَهُمْ، حَتَّی إِذَا

طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ إنْصَرَفُوا إِلَی قَبْرِ النَّبِیِّ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ

وَآلِهِ فَسَلَّمُوا عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ یَأْتُونَ قَبْرَ أَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ

عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَیُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ یَأْتُونَ قَبْرَ الْحَسَنِ

بْنِ عَلِیٍّ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَیُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ یَأْتُونَ

قَبْرَ الْحُسَیْنِ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَیُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ

یَعُرِجُونَ إِلَی السَّمَاءِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ. ثُمَّ تَنْزِلُ

مَلاَئِکَةُ النَّهَارِ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَکٍ فَیَطُوفُونَ بِالْبَیْتِ

الْحَرَامِ نَهَارَهُمْ، حَتَّی إِذَا دَنَتِ الشَّمْسُ لِلْغُرُوبِ إنْصَرَفُوا

إِلَی قَبْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ فَیُسَلِّمُونَ

عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ یَأْتُونَ قَبْرَ أَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ

فَیُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ یَأْتُونَ قَبْرَ الْحَسَنِ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ

فَیُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ یَأْتُونَ قَبْرَ الْحُسَیْنِ عَلَیْهِ

السَّلاَمُ فَیُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَیْهِ ثُمَّ یَعْرِجُونَ إِلَی السَّمَاءِ قَبْلَ

أَنْ تَغِیبَ الشَّمْسُ.

Almighty Allah has not created a category of creatures greater in

number than angels. Verily, seventy thousand angels descend everyday to

circumambulate the Holy House (of God). Then, they circumambulate the Holy

Kabah. Then, they visit the tomb of the Holy Prophet (s) to offer greetings. Then, they visit the tomb of Imam Ali,

the Commander of the Faithful (‘a)

to offer greetings. Then, they visit the tomb of Imam hasan (‘a) to offer

greetings. Then, they visit the tomb of Imam husayn (‘a) to offer greetings. They then ascend back to the

skies before sunrise. Then, the angels of daylight descend to circumambulate

the Holy House (of God) all the day. Before sunset, they leave to visit the

tomb of the Holy Prophet (s) to offer

greetings. Then, they visit the tomb

of Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) to offer greetings. Then, they visit the tomb of

Imam hasan (‘a) to offer greetings. Then, they visit the tomb of Imam husayn (‘a)

to offer greetings. They then ascend to the skies before sunset.⁽³⁾

According to another tradition that is reported through numerous chains of authority, Abu-Amir al-Tabbani, the preacher of hijaz, has reported that he visited Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) and asked, “O son of Allah’s Messenger, what is the reward of one who visits the tomb of the Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali) (‘a) and those who construct it?”

The Imam (‘a) answered:

یَا أَبَا عَامِرٍ،

حَدَّثَنِی أَبِی عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْحُسَیْنِ بْنِ عَلِیٍّ

عَلَیْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ عَنْ عَلِیٍّ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ

صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ قَالَ لَهُ: وَاللهِ لَتُقْتَلُنَّ بِأَرْضِ

الْعِرَاقِ وَتُدْفَنُ بِهَا. قُلْتُ: یَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، مَا لِمَنْ زَارَ

قُبُورَنَا وَعَمَّرَهَا وَتَعَاهَدَهَا؟ فَقَالَ لِی: یَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ،

إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَی جَعَلَ قَبْرَکَ وَقَبْرَ وَلَدِکَ بِقَاعاً مِنْ بِقَاعِ

الْجَنَّةِ وَعَرَصَةً مِنْ عَرَصَاتِهَا، وَإِنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَ قُلُوبَ

نُجَبَاءَ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَصَفْوَةٍ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ تَحِنُّ إِلَیْکُمْ

وَتَحْتَمِلُ الْمَذَلَّةَ وَالأَذَی، فَیُعَمِّرُونَ قُبُورَکُمْ وَیُکْثِرُونَ

زِیَارَتَهَا تَقَرُّباً مِنْهُمْ إِلَی اللهِ وَمَوَدَّةً مِنْهُمْ

لِرَسُولِهِ. أُولَئِکَ، یَا عَلِیُّ، الْمَخْصُوصُونَ بِشَفَاعَتِی

الْوَارِدُونَ حَوْضِی، وَهُمْ زُوَّارِی غَداً فِی الْجَنَّةِ. یَا عَلِیُّ،

مَنْ عَمَّرَ قُبُورَکُمْ وَتَعَاهَدَهَا فَکَأَنَّمَا أَعَانَ سُلَیْمَانَ بْنَ

دَاوُدَ عَلَی بِنَاءِ بَیْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَمَنْ زَارَ قُبُورَکُمْ عَدَلَ

ذَلِکَ ثَوَابَ سَبْعِینَ حِجَّةً بَعْدَ حِجَّةِ الإِسْلاَمِ، وَخَرَجَ مِنْ

ذُنُوبِهِ حَتَّی یَرْجِعَ مِنْ زِیَارَتِکُمْ کَیَوْمِ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ،

فَأَبْشِرْ وَبَشِّرْ أَوْلِیَاءَکَ وَمُحِبِّیکَ مِنَ النَّعِیمِ وَقُرَّةِ

الْعَیْنِ بِمَا لاَ عَیْنٌ رَأَتْ وَلاَ أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ وَلاَ خَطَرَ عَلَی

قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ. وَلَکِنَّ حُثَالَةً مِنَ النَّاسِ یُعَیِّرُونَ زُوَّارَ

قُبُورِکُمْ کَمَا تُعَیَّرُ الزَّانِیَةُ بِزِنَاءِهَا! أُولَئِکَ شِرَارُ

أُمَّتِی، لاَ أَنَالَهُمُ اللهُ شَفَاعَتِی وَلاَ یَرِدُونَ حَوْضِی.

O Abu-`Amir, my father narrated to me on the authority of his father, on

the authority of his grandfather, husayn ibn `Ali, on the authority of (Imam)

Ali, that the Messenger of Allah (s) said to him (i.e. Imam Ali), “By Allah

I swear this: you shall be slain in the land of Iraq and you will be buried

therein.” Imam `Ali (‘a) asked, “O Allah’s Messenger, what will be the reward

of one who visits our tombs, constructs them, and protects them?” The Holy

Prophet (s) answered, “O

Abu’l-hasan, Almighty Allah has verily chosen your tomb and the tomb of your

son to be sites and courtyards of Paradise. He has also made the hearts of

excellent persons from amongst His creatures and choice persons from amongst

His servants long for you and endure humiliation and harm for your sake. They

will thus build your tombs and frequently visit them, to seek nearness to

Allah and show love for His Messenger. O `Ali, it is these who shall deserve

my intercession exclusively and who shall join me at the Divine Pond. In Paradise, they shall be my visitors. O `Ali, whoever constructs and protects your graves,

is regarded as if he has helped (Prophet) Solomon the son of (Prophet) David

build the Sacred Mosque of Jerusalem. Whoever visits your tombs will be given

the reward of going on hajj Pilgrimage seventy times after the obligatory

hajj, and he will be free of sins like the day on which his mother gave birth

to him until he returns home after visiting your tombs. So, receive these

glad tidings and convey to your loyalists and devotees the glad tidings of

bliss and delight of the eye in such a way that no eye has ever seen, no ear

has ever heard, and no heart has ever imagined. However, dregs of the society

will impute dishonor to the visitors of your tombs in the same way as

dishonor is imputed to an adulteress for her sin. These are the evilest of my

nation. May Allah never allow them to enjoy my intercession and may they

never approach my Pond.⁽¹⁾

The same chain of authority of this tradition is mentioned for traditions No. 23, 24, and 25 of the same reference book.

Traditions especially emphasize visiting the tombs of the Holy Prophet (s), Imam al-husayn (‘a), and Imam `Ali (‘a) because the Holy Prophet (s) and these two holy Imams (‘a) represent the epitome of the beliefs of the virtuous community, in addition to the special outcome in the field of cultural, spiritual, and political education gained from visiting them.

In the coming chapter of Ziyarah, we will notice that all emphasis has been generally laid on visiting the Holy Prophet’s tomb, while visiting the tombs of the Holy Imams (‘a) has only been attached to this visit. Special visits have been emphatically mentioned for Imam `Ali ibn Abi-Talib and

Imam al-husayn, peace be upon them.

The Cultural Content of Visiting the Tombs

In the previous discussion of the cultural foundations under the title of visiting Imam al-husayn’s tomb, we have looked into the spiritual, political, and social outcomes of such visits. They also stand for a practical and spiritual embodiment of the interrelation between the individuals of the virtuous community and the Holy Infallibles (‘a). A visitor of their tombs believes that he is visiting that Imam (‘a) in his house. Almighty Allah “has permitted them to be exalted so that His name may be remembered in them”. The visitor, by reciting the paragraphs of the Ziyarah formula, believes he is talking to the Imam who, beyond doubt, can hear his words, understand what he says, and answer him.

The best presentation of this fact is the following formula of seeking permission (isti'dhan) by a visitor before entering any of the holy shrines of the Holy Infallibles (‘a). This form reads as follows:

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّی وَقَفْتُ عَلَی

بَابٍ مِنْ اْبوَابِ بُیُوتِ نَبِیِّکَ صَلَوَاتُکَ

عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَقَدْ مَنَعْتَ النَّاسَ اَنْ یَدْخُلُوا إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ فَقُلْتَ:

{یَا اَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا لاََ تَدْخُلُوا بُیُوتَ

النَّبِیِّ إِلاَّ اَنْ یُؤْذَنَ لَکُمْ.} اَللَّهُمَّ

إِنِّی اَعْتَقِدُ حُرْمَةَ صَاحِبِ هَذَا الْمَشْهَدِ الشَّریفِ فِی غَیْبَتِهِ

کَمَا اَعْتَقِدُهَا فِی حَضْرَتِهِ وَاَعْلَمُ اَنَّ رَسُولَکَ وَخُلَفَاءَکَ

عَلَیْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ اَحْیَاءٌ عِنْدَکَ یُرْزَقُونَ یَرَوْنَ مَقَامِی وَیَسْمَعُوَن

کَلاَمِی وَیَرُدُّونَ سَلاَمِی وَاَنِّکَ حَجَبْتَ عَنْ سَمْعِی کَلاَمَهُمْ وَفَتَحْتَ بَابَ

فَهْمِی بِلَذِیذِ مُنَاجَاتِهِمْ وَإِنِّی اَسْتَأْذِنُکَ یَا رَبِّ اَوَّلاًَ وَاَسْتَأْذِنُ

رَسُولَکَ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ ثَانِیاً وَاَسْتَأذِنُ

خَلیفَتَکَ الإِمَامَ الْمَفْرُوضَ عَلَیَّ طَاعَتُهُ…

O Allah, I am standing at one of the doors of Your

Prophet’s Houses—may Your blessings be upon him and his Household—and You

have prevented people to enter there before they obtain his permission. You have thus said, “O ye who believe! Enter not

the Prophet's houses until leave is given you.” O Allah, I believe in the sanctity of the owner of

this holy shrine in his absence just as I

believe in it in his presence. I also know with

certainty that Your Messenger and Your Representatives—peace be upon them—are

alive, finding their sustenance in Your presence. They can see my place, hear my words, and respond to my greetings. You have

prevented my hearing from receiving their words, but You have opened the door of my understanding to

taste the sweetness of my confidential speech with them. I thus ask Your permission—O my Lord—first of all, and secondly the permission of Your Prophet—peace be upon him and his

Household—and the permission of Your Representative, the Imam, obedience to

whom is incumbent upon me…

You may here mention the name of the visited person, and then continue:

وَالْمَلاَئِکَةَ

الْمُوَکَّلینَ بِهَذِهِ الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَکَةِ ثَالِثاً اَاَدْخُلُ یَا

رَسُولَ اللهِ اَاَدْخُلُ یَا حُجَّةَ اللهِ اَاَدْخُلُ یَا مَلاَئِکَةَ اللهِ

الْمُقَرَّبِینَ الْمُقِیمِینَ فِی هَذَا الْمَشْهَدِ فَأْذَنْ لِی یَا

مَوْلاَیَ فِی الدُّخُولِ اَفْضَلَ مَا اَذِنْتَ لأَِحَدٍ مِنْ اَوْلِیَائِکَ فَإِنْ

لَمْ اَکُنْ اَهْلاًَ لِذَلِکَ فَاَنْتَ اَهْل ٌ لِذَلِکَ.

…and thirdly (permission

of) the angels commissioned to supervise this blessed area. May I

enter, O Messenger of Allah? May I enter, O Proof of Allah? May I

enter, O angels of Allah—the intimate, the residing in this shrine? So,

(please) permit me to enter, O my Master, with the best of permission

that you have ever conferred upon any of your intimate adherents. If I do

not deserve such permission, then you are worthy of not conferring it upon me.⁽¹⁾

All formulas of ziyarah uttered at the tombs of the Holy Infallibles (‘a) carry doctrinal, monotheistic, Islamic, and spiritual aspects. They are: repeating the takbir statement (allahu-akbar: Allah is the Most Great) one hundred times, and uttering the two statements (shahadatayn) of Islam—I bear witness that there is no god save Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger. They all offer salutation to the Holy Imams (‘a), mention them by names, and utter words of praise, glorification and gratitude to Almighty Allah for granting the bliss of visiting the shrine—all these are direct doctrinal, moral, and spiritual lessons given to the visitors of these tombs.

Encyclopedias of traditions (i.e. hadith) have dealt with this subject matter so expansively that the encyclopedias of the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and the virtuous community have been characterized by expatiating upon this topic. Since the first century of Shiite writings, many books dealing exclusively with the formulas of ziyarah and supplicatory prayers have been written. Some are: Kamil al-Ziyarat by Ibn Qawlawayh, Misbah al-Mutahajjid by Shaykh al-Tusi, Al-Mazar al-Kabir by Shaykh Muhammad al-Mashhadi, Al-Mazar by al-Shahid al-Awwal, Al-Misbah by Shaykh al-Kafami, and many others. All these books substantiate the special interest in the ritual and devotional ziyarah and supplicatory prayers.⁽¹⁾

In this discussion, we will refer, yet generally, to the major sections of ziyarah and to some of the most important times and occasions observed by the individuals of the virtuous community, leaving the details to the extensive books on this topic. Basically, we will depend upon the well-known book of Mafatih al-Jinan.

There are general etiquettes and manners for ziyarah, which a true faithful believer must observe because they correspond to an aspect of the blessed rite of ziyarah. The most important in this connection is spiritual purity, attained by ritual bathing and ablution, and the material cleanliness of body and clothes, attained by removing impurities and dirt. Another is the frequent remembrance of Almighty Allah, by repeating words of glorification, praise, and thanks to Him for granting this blissful boon.

It is worth mentioning that there are certain manners and etiquettes in this regard, including saying certain supplications, offering certain prayers, and choosing certain times for traveling (i.e. going on pilgrimage for visiting a holy shrine). Because traveling is the first step towards ziyarah, these manners and etiquettes have been mentioned as a prelude to the etiquettes of pilgrimage and ziyarah.⁽¹⁾

Pilgrimage to the Tombs of the Holy Prophet (s) and the Holy Imams (‘a) Buried in al-Baqi` Cemetery

Many corroborated traditions have confirmed great reward for visiting the tomb of the Holy Prophet (s) while others have deemed it obligatory upon those who can do it after accomplishment of the obligatory rites of the hajj Pilgrimage. Other traditions sternly forbid shunning a visit to the Holy Prophet’s tomb as a sort of alienation from him. Many other traditions assert that visiting his tomb results in entrance into Paradise.

Among these traditions, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِذَا حَجَّ أَحَدُکُمْ

فَلْیَخْتِمْ حَجَّهُ بِزِیَارَتِنَا; لأَِنَّ ذَلِکَ مِنْ تَمَامِ الْحَجِّ.

Any one of you who goes on the hajj Pilgrimage must conclude his hajj by

visiting us, because it is the completion of the hajj.⁽¹⁾

Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), is reported to have said:

أَتِمُّوا بِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّی

اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ حَجَّکُمْ إِذَا خَرَجْتُمْ إِلَی بَیْتِ اللهِ; فَإِنَّ

تَرْکَهُ جَفَاءٌ وَبِذَلِکَ أُمِرْتُمْ، وَأَتِمُّوا بِالْقُبُورِ الَّتِی

أَلْزَمَکُمُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ زِیَارَتَهَا وَحَقَّهَا، وَاطْلُبُوا

الرِّزْقَ عِنْدَهَا.

When you go on pilgrimage to the House of Allah, complete your hajj by

visiting the Messenger of Allah(s) because to avoid doing so is a sort of

alienation from him which you have been ordered to avoid. Also, complete your

hajj with visitation of the tombs that Almighty Allah has ordered you to

visit and carry out your duties towards them. Seek sustenance therein.⁽²⁾

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (s) as saying:

مَنْ زَارَنِی حَیّاً أَوْ مَیِّتاً

کُنْتُ لَهُ شَفِیعاً یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ.

Whoever visits me in my lifetime or after my death, will receive my intercession

on the Day of Resurrection.⁽¹⁾

Imam hasan ibn `Ali (‘a) is reported to have asked the Holy Prophet (s), “O father, what is the reward of one who visits you?” The Holy Prophet (s) answered:

یَا بُنَیَّ، مَنْ زَارَنِی حَیّاً

أَوْ مَیِّتاً أَوْ زَارَ أَبَاکَ أَوْ أَخَاکَ أَوْ زَارَکَ، کَانَ حَقّاً

عَلَیَّ أَنْ أَزُورَهُ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ فَأُخَلِّصَهُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ.

O son, he who visits me in my lifetime or after my death, or visits

your father, your brother, and you, will put me under the duty of visiting

him on the Day of Resurrection to deliver him from (the consequences of) his

sins.⁽²⁾

According to another tradition that is reported through a valid chain of authority, the Holy Prophet (s) said to Imam al-husayn ibn `Ali (‘a):

یَا بُنَیَّ، مَنْ أَتَانِی

زَائِراً بَعْدَ مَوْتِی فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَمَنْ أَتَی أَبَاکَ زَائِراً

بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَمَنْ أَتَی أَخَاکَ زَائِراً بَعْدَ

مَوْتِهِ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَمَنْ أَتَاکَ زَائِراً بَعْدَ مَوْتِکَ فَلَهُ

الْجَنَّةُ.

O son, whoever comes to me to visit me after my death will be awarded Paradise. Whoever comes to your father to visit him after his death will be awarded Paradise. Whoever comes to your brother to visit him after his death will be awarded Paradise. Whoever comes to you to visit you after your death will be awarded Paradise.⁽¹⁾

According to another tradition, Imam al-Riza (‘a) is reported to have quoted the Holy Prophet (s) as saying:

مَنْ زَارَنِی فِی حَیَاتِی أَوْ

بَعْدَ مَوْتِی فَقَدْ زَارَ اللهَ تَعَالَی.

He who visits me in my lifetime or after my death has in fact visited

Almighty Allah.⁽²⁾

Zayd has reported that he asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as to what the reward of one who visits the tomb of the Holy Prophet (s) would be.

The Imam (‘a) answered:

کَمَنْ زَارَ اللهَ فِی عَرْشِهِ.

It shall be as if he has visited Almighty Allah on His Throne.⁽³⁾

It is also reported that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) was once asked,

“Is it lawful to visit (the tomb of) your father?” “Yes, it is,” answered the Imam (‘a). “What is then the reward of one who visits him?” he was asked. He answered:

الْجَنَّةُ إِنْ کَانَ یَأْتَمُّ

بِهِ.

The reward will be Paradise for those who believe in (and follow) his

Imamate.

“What is the punishment of one who shuns visiting him out of purposeful alienation from him?” he was asked. The Imam (‘a) answered:

الْحَسْرَةُ یَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ.

The punishment will be intense regret on the Day of Regret.⁽⁴⁾

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ

زَارَنِی غُفِرَتْ لَهُ ذُنُوبُهُ وَلَمْ یَمُتْ فَقِیراً.

Whoever visits me will

have his sins forgiven and will be saved from dying in poverty.⁽⁵⁾

Because of its priority over all other visits and because it is the criterion and example of visiting the tombs of the other Holy Infallibles (‘a), confirmations have been made regarding visiting the tomb of the Holy Prophet (s).

It goes without saying that visiting the tombs of the Holy Prophet and the Holy Imams—peace be upon them—is one of the best activities and rites that is practiced by the individuals of the virtuous community who pay more interest to such visits in the seasons of hajj Pilgrimage and `Umrah (minor hajj). They therefore endure various sorts of suffering and harm, especially in the days when the custodians and keepers of these shrines exert pressure on the visitors and accuse them of baseless charges.

Visiting Imam al-husayn’s tomb

Visiting the holy shrine of Imam al-husayn (‘a) at all times is very highly recommended, whether directly by presenting oneself at his holy shrine,⁽¹⁾or indirectly, by saluting him from afar. However, to visit Imam al-husayn (‘a) in his holy shrine, or from the holy shrines of Imam `Ali (‘a) or the

other Holy Imams (‘a), or any other shrine would bring about a bigger reward, as has been held by some traditions that identify certain places from which one may visit Imam al-husayn (‘a).

Other traditions assert that the reward of visiting any of the Holy Imams (‘a) is the same as visiting the tomb of the Holy Prophet (s).

Other traditions read:

مَنْ زَارَ وَاحِداً مِنَّا کَانَ

کَمَنْ زَارَ الْحُسَیْنَ عَلَیْهِ السَّلاَمُ.

Whoever visits any one of us will be as if he has visited husayn (‘a).⁽¹⁾

Accordingly, the same merits and rewards are gained when any of the tombs of the Holy Infallibles (‘a) is visited.

The most famous formula of ziyarah that can be recited upon visiting the eleven martyred Holy Imams (‘a) is the formula known as aminullah, which begins with this statement:

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَیْکَ یَا اَمِینَ

اللهِ فِی اَرْضِهِ وَحُجَّتَهُ عَلَیٰ عِبَادِهِ

Peace be upon you; O trustee of Allah on His lands, and proof of Allah for

His servants.

This formula has been described by `Allamah al-Majlisi as the best formula in both text and chain of authority. It is highly advisable to repeat this formula of ziyarah perseveringly at all the holy shrines.

Through a valid chain of authority, Jabir ibn Abdullah has reported that Imam Zayn al-Abidin (‘a) made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Imam `Ali (‘a) and uttered this very formula

of ziyarah therein.⁽¹⁾

Citing it with the general forms of ziyarah to the tomb of Imam `Ali (‘a), the author of the aforesaid book added the following words of Imam al-Baqir (‘a):

مَا قَالَ هَذَا الْکَلاَمَ وَلاَ دَعَا بِهِ أَحَدٌ مِنْ

شِیعَتِنَا عِنْدَ قَبْرِ أَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَوْ عِنْدَ قَبْرِ أَحَدٍ

مِنَ الأَئِمَّةِ إِلاَّ رَفَعَ اللهُ دُعَاءَهُ فِی دُرْجٍ مِنْ نُورٍ وَطُبِعَ

عَلَیْهِ بِخَاتَمِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّی اللهُ عَلَیْهِ وَآلِهِ وَکَانَ مَحْفُوظاً

حَتَّی یُسَلَّمَ إِلَی قَائِمِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَیْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ، فَیَلْقَی

صَاحِبَهُ بِالْبُشْرَی وَالتَّحِیَّةِ وَالْکَرَامَةِ.

Indeed, any one of our adherents (Shi`ah) who pronounces

these words at the tomb of Amir al-Mu'minin (‘a) or the tomb of one of the

Holy Imams (‘a) shall certainly have his prayer lifted up on a ladder of

light, carrying the seal of the Holy Prophet’s ring. It shall be kept so

until it will be delivered to the Rising Imam of Muhammad’s Household, Imam

al-Mahdi (‘a), who will receive the one who offered the prayer with good

tidings, greetings, and honor.

It is also noteworthy that visiting the tomb of Imam al-husayn (‘a) has been given the greatest emphasis in the uninterruptedly reported traditions that have also mentioned a great reward ensuing from visiting his tomb. According to other traditions, visiting the tomb of Imam al-husayn (‘a) may be more favorable than visiting the tombs of the succeeding Imams (‘a). Through numerous chains of authority, some traditions have identified certain times of visiting Imam al-husayn’s tomb with certain formulas of ziyarah, while others have mentioned other general formulas that can be uttered when his tomb is visited at any time. Great rewards have been reported for visiting his tomb at these identified times or at all times.

The compilations of formulas of ziyarah have identified

certain times for visiting his tomb. Hereinafter, a list of the best times at which Imam al-husayn’s tomb can be visited is provided according to chronological sequence based on the Islamic calendar: