ZIYARAH ON THE EID AL FITR AND EID AL ADHA DAYS

According to a validly reported tradition on the authority of a valid chain of authority, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) has said, “Whoever visits the tomb of al-Husayn at one of the following three nights, will have all his sins forgiven by Almighty Allah, including the past and the coming: the night before ‘Id al-Fitr Day, the night before ‘Id al-Azha Day, and the mid-Sha’ban night.”

According to another validly reported tradition, Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (al-Kazim) has said, “Whoever visits al-Husayn at these three nights, will have all his sins forgiven by Almighty Allah, both the past and the coming: the mid-Sha’ban night, the twenty-third night of Ramazan, and the ‘Id al-Fitr night.”

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said, “If one visits al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali at the mid-Sha’ban night, the ‘Id al-Fitr night, and the ‘Arafat night in the same year, Almighty Allah will record for him the reward of one thousand times of admissible hajj and one thousand times of acceptable ‘umrah and will grant him one thousand requests for this world and the Hereafter.”

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said, “Whoever spends the ‘Arafat Night in the land of Karbala’ and resides to spend the ‘Arafat Day there and then leaves, Almighty Allah shall save him from the evils of that year.”

It is worth mentioning that scholars have dedicated two forms of ziyarah to these two blessed feast days (i.e. ‘Id al-Fitr and ‘Id al-Azha). The first form has been previously cited as the ziyarah form at the Qadr Nights, while the other is the following. What is apparently understood from the words of the scholars is that the first form of ziyarah is said when one visits the holy shrine on the two days of ‘Id al-Fitr and ‘Id al-Azha, while the following form is said when the holy shrine is visited at the two nights before these two days. Thus, the ziyarah form is as follows:

When you intend to visit Imam al-Husayn’s tomb at these two nights, you may stop at the gate of the holy dome, cast your sight on the tomb, and seek permission of admission by saying,

If your heart feels reverence and your eyes shed tears, then you may enter by preceding your right foot to your left one. You may then say the following words:

You may then say the following words:

You may then enter the shrine. When you reach its center, you may stop near the tomb with reverence, weeping, and submission, and say the following words:

You may then stop at the side of the Imam’s head with submissive heart and teary eyes and say the following words:

You may then throw yourself on the tomb and say the following words:

You may then offer a two-unit prayer to the side of the Imam’s head and when you finish, you may say the following words:

You may then throw yourself on the tomb, kiss it, and say the following words:

You may then turn to ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (‘a), who is buried to the side of Imam al-Husayn’s feet, and say the following words:

You may then turn to the tombs of the martyrs - may Allah’s pleasure be upon them - and say the following words:

You may then walk to the shrine of al-’Abbas ibn ‘Ali, stop at his holy tomb, and say the following words:

You may now throw yourself on the tomb and say the following words:

You may then stand up to offer a two-unit prayer to the side of his head and then repeat the same words that you have said after offering a prayer at Imam al-Husayn’s shrine. These words, which have been previously cited, begin with the following statement:

You may then return to the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (‘a) to reside there for any period you like. However, it is recommended not to appoint the holy shrine as one’s place of residence and spending the night there.

If you intend to leave and bid farewell to the Imam (‘a), you may stop at the side of the head and say the following words while weeping:

You may then kiss the tomb and try to pass your entire body over it, because this tomb is security and protection. You may then leave it by walking backwards without giving your back to the tomb. You may say the following words:

You may also say the following words:

You may then leave.

Sayyid Ibn Tawus and Muhammad ibn al-Mashhadi said, “If you do all these devotional acts (correctly), you will be as if you have visited Almighty Allah in His Divine Throne.”