ETIQUETTES AT THE HOLY SARDAB

In addition to the etiquettes at the Holy Vault, this section comprises the details of visiting Imam al-Mahdi the Argument of Allah against His the servants, the left by Allah in His lands, the well-guided leader, al-Hujjah the son of al-Hasan, and the Patron of the Age. Allah’s blessings be upon him and his fathers.

THE ORIGIN OF THE HOLY VAULT

Before indulging into this topic, it seems necessary to draw attentions to a matter which I have quoted in my book of Hadiyyat al-Za’ir from the book of al-Tahiyyah. This holy vault is part of the house of Imam al-Hadi and Imam al-’Askari (‘a). Before the construction of the new building (i.e. the courtyard, shrine, and dome), the entrance to the vault was situated behind the tomb of the holy Imams near the tomb of Lady Narjis (Narjis Khatun), which may now be in the portico. In the past, this entrance to the vault descended to a long dark way ending at a door that lied in the center of the Occultation Vault. In the present day, this vault is decorated with mirrors. To the side of the kiblah direction, there is a window taking to the courtyard of the shrine of the two holy Imams. The place of the former door is marked by the picture of the niche, which is decorated with Qashani bricks. Visiting of the three Imams were made in one shrine; therefore, we can notice that al-Shahid al-Awwal, in his book of al-Mazar, follows up the ziyarah of Imam al-Hadi and Imam al-’Askari with the ziyarah of the holy vault and then refers to the ziyarah of Lady Narjis. A hundred and a few years ago, Ahmad Khan al-Dunbuli, the supported and guided by God, prepared himself for reconstructing the entire building. He therefore spent a huge amount of money on separating the courtyard of the holy shrine of the two Imams from the holy vault and then constructed the building, portico, and lofty dome of the vault. For the holy vault, he established a private courtyard, hall, entrance, and vestibule. He also built another vault specially for women, as is seen in the present day. As a result, the features of whatever was before the entrance, scale, and door were effaced and all the traces of that place were obliterated [Except the place that is currently known as Bayt al-Akhbariyyin.] and the place of some traditional etiquettes was also obliterated. However, the origin of the holy vault, which is the place of a set of forms of ziyarah, has been kept unchanged.

However, the etiquette of asking permission of entering the holy vault is not canceled due to the blocking of the former entrance, because, generally, every visit to any holy shrine must be preceded by a form of asking permission of entrance, as is concluded from narrations. Moreover, we can observe that master scholars have declared that it is necessary to ask permission before entering any gate of a shrine of one of the Holy Imams that people used to take in entering that place.

FORM OF ZIYARAH

According to traditions, the form of asking permission to enter the holy vault is the ziyarah form that will be mentioned soon. It begins with the following statement:

This form of ziyarah ends with a form of asking permission of entrance to the holy vault. It is said at the door of the vault before coming down there.

Sayyid Ibn Tawus has mentioned another form of asking permission of entrance (i.e. isti’dhan), whose statements are similar to the first general form of asking permission.

As to ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, he has mentioned another form, which he reports from an ancient book on forms of ziyarah. This form begins with the following statement:

This form has been also previously mentioned immediately after the first general form of asking permission. You may refer to and say it before coming down to the holy vault.