MERITS AND METHODS OF VISITING IMAM ALI IBN MOOSA AL REZA
This chapter demonstrates the forms of ziyarah of our master Imam ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, the chief of both men and jinn, the buried in the strange land, and the piece of the flesh of the chief of creatures (i.e. the Holy Prophet). May Allah’s blessings be upon his fathers and sons the leaders to true guidance.
MERITS
The merits and great rewards that are gained due to visiting the holy tomb of Imam al-Rida (‘a) are too many to be counted. However, we seek blessings from mentioning several traditions, most of which are quoted from the book of Tuhfat al-Za’ir.
First Tradition: The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have said, “A piece of my flesh will be buried in Khurasan. Any faithful believer visits him will win Paradise as reward recorded obligatorily by Almighty Allah and will have Hellfire prohibited by Him from consuming his body.”
According to another validly reported tradition, the Holy Prophet (s) has said, “A piece of my flesh will be buried in Khurasan. Any agonized person visits him, will have his agonies relieved by Almighty Allah and any sinful person visits him, will have his sins forgiven by Almighty Allah.”
Second Tradition: According to a valid chain of authority, Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (al-Kazim), peace and Allah’s blessings be upon him, is reported to have said, “Whoever visits the tomb of my son ‘Ali, shall be awarded by Almighty Allah the reward of seventy times of performing admissible hajj.”
The reporter said in astonishment, “Do you really mean the reward of seventy times of performing admissible hajj?”
The Imam (‘a) said, “Yes, even seventy thousand times of performing hajj.”
The Imam (‘a) added, “Some performances of hajj may be inadmissible; therefore, whoever visits him or spends a night next to him, will be regarded as having visited Almighty Allah in His Throne.”
The reporter said in astonishment, “Is it really regarded as visiting Almighty Allah in His Throne!”
The Imam answered, “Yes, it is. When the Resurrection Day comes, four persons from the past generations and four others from the last generations shall surround the Throne of Almighty Allah. Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus are the four persons from the past generations. Muhammad, ‘Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn are the four persons from the last generations. Then, a rope will be extended and the visitors of the tombs of the Imams will be allowed to sit with us. The highest of rank and the most welcomed of them will be the visitors of the tomb of my son ‘Ali.”
Third Tradition: Imam al-Rida (‘a) is reported to have said, “In Khurasan, there is an area, which will soon be frequently visited by the angels; a group is descending and another is ascending until the Trumpet will be blown (to declare the coming of the Resurrection Day).”
“Son of Allah’s Messenger,” the Imam (‘a) was asked, “What is this area?”
He answered, “It is in the land of Tus. By Allah (I swear), it is one of the gardens of Paradise. Whoever visits me therein, will be as if he has visited the Messenger of Allah (s). For that visit too, Almighty Allah will record the reward of one thousand times of going on admissible hajj and one thousand times of going on admissible ‘umrah; and my fathers and I will be his intercessors on the Resurrection Day.”
Fourth Tradition: According to authentic chain of authority, Ibn Abi-Nasr has reported that he himself read the following letter of Imam al-Rida (‘a): “Pass on the following information to my Shi’ah (i.e. adherents): Almighty Allah regards one visitation to me as equal in reward to one thousand times of hajj.”
When I reported this tradition to Imam Muhammad al-Taqi, Allah’s blessings be upon him, he commented, “Yes, it is. I swear it by Allah. It is even equal in reward to one million times of hajj for those who visit him, recognizing his actual standing.”
Fifth Tradition: Through two valid chains of authority, Imam al-Rida, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, is reported to have said, “If one visits me despite farness of my place, I will come to him on three occasions of the Resurrection Day so as to save him from the horrors of these occasions: (1) When the records of deeds are thrown right and left, (2) When the Discriminating Bridge (Sirat) is crossed, and (3) when the scale of deeds is set up.”
Sixth Tradition: According to another validly reporter tradition, Imam al-Rida (‘a) is reported to have said, “I will be killed wrongfully by poison and I will be entombed beside Harun the ‘Abbasid ruler. Almighty Allah shall then make the soil of my tomb frequently visited by my adherents (i.e. Shi’ah). Hence, whoever visits me in my strange land, it will be incumbent on me to pay him a visit on the Resurrection Day. I swear by Him Who honored Muhammad with prophethood and chose him over all the creatures, any one of you who offers a two-unit prayer near my tomb shall be worthy of receiving forgiveness of Almighty Allah on the day when he will meet Him. I swear by Him Who honored us after Muhammad with Imamate and gave us succession (of Prophethood) in particular, the visitors of my tomb shall be the most honored delegations of Almighty Allah on the Resurrection Day. Any faithful believer whose face is touched by a drop of the sky (on his way to visit us), Almighty Allah shall forbid Hellfire to consume his body.”
Seventh Tradition: Through a valid chain of authority, Muhammad ibn Sulayman has reported that he asked Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (‘a) about a man who went to perform his obligatory hajj and then went to perform ‘umrah, and Almighty Allah granted him success to perform both hajj and ‘umrah together. Then he went to al-Madinah and greeted the Holy Prophet. He then went to visit your forefather the Commander of the Faithful, recognizing that he is rightfully the Argument of Allah against His creatures and His door from which the Almighty must be approached. So, he greeted him. Then he went to visit Imam al-Husayn and greeted him. Then he went to Baghdad and greeted Imam Musa al-Kazim. Then he went back to his hometown. If once again Almighty Allah grants him opportunity to go on hajj; to whom will it be better for him to go under these conditions? Should he who has already performed hajj go on pilgrimage to the Holy Ka’bah, or should he turn towards Khurasan to greet and visit the shrine of your father ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Rida?”
The Imam (‘a) replied, “It is better for him to go towards Khurasan to greet my father. This visit will be even much better if it is done in the month of Rajab. However, it is not appropriate to do this now, because the ruling authorities have had bad idea about us.”
Eighth Tradition: Shaykh al-Saduq, in his book of man-la-yahzuruhul-faqih, has reported Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (‘a) as saying, “Between the two mountains of Tus, there is an area brought from Paradise. Hence, whoever enters that area will be secured against Hellfire on the Resurrection Day.”
Ninth Tradition: Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (‘a) is also reported to have said, “I will guarantee Paradise on behalf of Almighty Allah for those who visit my father in Tus.”
Tenth Tradition: Shaykh al-Saduq, in his book of ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, has reported the following:
A righteous man saw the Holy Prophet (s) in his dream, “O Allah’s Messenger,” the man asked, “Which of your offspring should I go to visit?”
The Holy Prophet (s) answered, “Some of them have come to me poisoned. Others have come slain.”
“Then,” the man asked, “Given the great distances between their shrines, which one of them do you recommend me to go and visit?”
The Holy Prophet (s) said, “You may visit the one closest to you, who is buried in the land of loneliness.”
“O Allah’s Messenger,” the man asked, “Do you mean al-Rida?”
The Holy Prophet (s) instructed, “You should have added (after mentioning his name): Allah’s blessings be upon him! Allah’s blessings be upon him! Allah’s blessings be upon him! (three times)”
In the books of Wasa’il al-Shi’ah and al-Mustadrak ‘ala Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, chapters have been dedicated to the recommendation of seeking blessings from the shrine of Imam al-Rida (‘a) as well as the shrines of the other Holy Imams (‘a), the recommendation of preceding pilgrimage to Imam al-Rida (‘a) to pilgrimage to Imam al-Husayn (‘a) as well as all the other Holy Imams (‘a) and preceding it even to the supererogatory (mustahab / nafilah) hajj and ‘umrah.
Because this book is too brief to cope with lengthiness, I will mention no more than the aforementioned ten traditions.
