Salih Bin Aqabah and Sayf ibn Umayrah have reported `Alqamah ibn Muhammad al-Hadrami as saying that he, once, asked Imam al-Baqir, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, to teach him a prayer with which he would pray Almighty Allah on that day (of Ashura) when he would visit Imam al-Husayn’s tomb and to teach him another prayer with which he would pray Almighty Allah on that day when he would be unable to visit the tomb and then he would point to the tomb and send greetings to Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) from his own house.
The Imam said, “Listen, Alqamah! After you point to Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) with greetings and offer the two-unit prayer, you may say the Takbir statement (i.e. allahu-akbar) and then say... (the forthcoming form of Ziyarah). If you do so, you will have said the prayer that is said by the angels who visit Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him). You will be also raised one hundred million ranks to join the rank of those who were martyred with him (i.e. Imam al-Husayn) and you will be included with their group. You will, moreover, be awarded the reward of the visiting of all Prophets and Messengers as well as the reward of all the visitors of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) since the day of his martyrdom.”
who sacrificed their souls in defense of al-Husayn, peace be upon him.
**One of the narrations state that in case one is unable to recite 100 times the complete "Laan " & the "Sawlaat" the one may recite the last lines of the same 100 times as under:
This form of ziyarah on the `Ashura' Day is not as famous as the earlier one; rather, it is similar to it in reward and merits although it does not comprise the one-hundred time statements of invoking curse on the enemies and invoking blessings on the Imam and his companions. It is considered a great success for one whom is diverted from that form of ziyarah by a more important matter. The method of this form of ziyarah, as quoted from the book of al-Mazar al-Qadim, without mentioning the explanatory introduction, is as follows:
If you would like to visit Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) from remote places or from the vicinity of his holy tomb, you may bathe yourself and come out to a desert or go up the roof on your house. You may then offer a two-unit prayer, reciting (after Surah al-Fatihah) Surah al-Tawhid in both units. When you accomplish the prayer, you may point to Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) to greet him. The greetings, pointing, and intention must be made while turning the face towards the side of Imam al-Husayn’s tomb. Then, you may say the following words with reverence and submission:
Is the Ziarat Authentic?- Discussion on Ilm Rijal Source of ziarat Commentary Sacred Effussion vol 1 | vol2 Commentary Tehrani Commentary Mubin Safwan’s Discourse on the Merit of Ziyarah of `Ashura'
Sayf ibn `Umayrah has reported that he said to Safwan, “`Alqamah ibn Muhammad has not reported this supplication to us from Imam al-Baqir (`a). He has only reported the ziyarah form.”
Answering him, Safwan said:
I once accompanied my master al-Sadiq, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, to this very place. He did as same as we have just done as regarding the method of ziyarah and then, after offering a prayer similar to the one we have just offered and bidding the visited Imam farewell as same as we have done, he said this very supplication.
Imam al-Sadiq (`a), Safwan added, said to me, “Observe this form of ziyarah and this supplication and use them whenever you visit (the Imam). Surely, I guarantee on behalf of Almighty Allah for any one who says this form of ziyarah and this supplication while visiting the holy tomb or being at a distant place that his visit will be accepted, his efforts will be praiseworthy, his greetings will reach the Imams and will never be screened from them, all his requests will be granted by Almighty Allah whatever they will be, and he will never be disappointed.
O Safwan, the Imam (`a) added, I have received this very guarantee for those who use this form of ziyarah when visiting the holy tombs from my father who received it from his father `Ali ibn al-Husayn (`a) who received it from his father al-Husayn (`a) who received it from his brother al-Hasan (`a) who received it from his father the Commander of the Faithful who received it from the Messenger of Allah who received it from Archangel Gabriel who received it from Almighty Allah, Who undertook for any one who would visit Imam al-Husayn (`a) with this form of ziyarah and say this very supplication from the holy shrine or from a distant place that He (i.e. Almighty Allah) Himself should accept his visitation, grant him his requests whatever they would be, and respond to his prayers. Moreover, the visitor should never leave with disappointment; rather, Almighty Allah should make him leave with pleasure and delight of his eye due to settling of his needs, winning Paradise, being manumitted from Hellfire, and being granted the right to intercede for whomever he wishes except those who openly incur the animosity of the Ahl al-Bayt (`a). Almighty Allah, as was maintained by Archangel Gabriel, undertook this pledge and called the angels to witness for it after the angels of His Kingdom had witnessed the same. O Allah’s Messenger, Archangel Gabriel added, Almighty Allah has sent me to carry this pleasant and good tidings to you as well as to `Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, the Imams from your descendants, and your adherents (i.e. Shi`ah) up to the Resurrection Day. Up to the Resurrection Day, you as well as `Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and your adherents shall be pleased.
Imam al-Sadiq, Safwan added, then said to me: O Safwan, whenever you have an impenetrable problem that cannot be solved except by Almighty Allah, you must then visit (Imam al-Husayn) with this form of ziyarah, wherever you would be, and follow it with this supplication. You may then beseech your Lord to grant you your request and the response shall soon come from Almighty Allah Who never fails in His promise to His Messenger; out of His magnanimity and favoring. All praise be then to Allah.
More Confirmations
In the book of al-Najm al-Thaqib (by al-Nuri), the story of the attendance of Hajj Sayyid Ahmad al-Rashti in the presence of the Imam of the Age, may our souls be accepted as ransoms from him, during his journey of the hajj pilgrimage, has been told in details. In one of the details of this story, which will be cited in this book after the Major Comprehensive Form of ziyarah (al-Ziyarah al-Jami`ah al-Kabirah), the Imam (`a) said to al-Rashti with confirmation, “Why do you not (frequently) recite the ziyarah of `Ashura', `Ashura', `Ashura', `Ashura'...?” Commenting on this, our trustworthy mentor Shaykh al-Nuri said:
One of the unparalleled merits and points of honor of ziyarah of `Ashura' is that its form is not similar to the other ordinary forms of ziyarah, which have been composed and dictated by the Holy Infallibles apparently, although nothing is issued from the immaculate hearts of these Holy Infallibles except statements proving that they have received these words from the Most High Origin.
The ziyarah of `Ashura', however, is similar to the Words of Almighty Allah that He revealed to Archangel Gabriel. This fact can be noticed in the words of this form of ziyarah, including the statements of invoking curses (on the enemies), the statements of invoking blessings (on the Imam and his companions), and the supplicatory statements. Hence, Archangel Gabriel conveyed these words to the Seal of the Prophets.
As maintained by tangible experiences, this form of ziyarah is unique in achieving the requests, gaining the needs, and warding off the enemies if a visitor recites it continuously for forty days or even less.
However, the most astonishing effect of preserving in reciting this form of ziyarah can be touched in the following story, mentioned in the book of Dar al-Salam. However, I will mention it in brief:
Hasan al-Yazdi the trustworthy, righteous, and pious Hajj and Mawla who lived in the vicinity of the holy shrine in al-Ghari (i.e. al-Najaf) and who was one of those who acted faithfully as regards neighboring this holy place and practiced acts of worship painstakingly, has reported the following incident from Muhammad `Ali al-Yazdi the trustworthy and honest Hajj:
In Yazd, there was a righteous and virtuous man who used to preoccupy himself (with acts of worship) and make preparations for his next life in his grave. He used to spend nights in a graveyard in the skirts of the city of Yazd, known as Mazar, in which a group of righteous people were buried. He had a neighbor who grew up with him since infanthood and both joined the same school and studied under the same mentor. Nevertheless, this neighbor became a tither (i.e. he seizes tenth of the people’s gains by means of power and injustice). He did not quit this process until he died. He was then buried in that graveyard in a grave near the place where the righteous man used to stay overnight.
In less than one month after the death of this tither, his righteous neighbor saw him in sleep in a good-looking costume as if he was enjoying the brightness of bliss. The righteous man approached the dead man and asked him, “I know very well your origin and your end, and your open appearance and your hidden manners. You were not one of those whom are expected to have righteous inner self and your deeds would bring you nothing but torment and chastisement. How could you attain this status?”
The dead replied, “What you have just said is exactly the truth. I had been placed in the most terrible torture since my death up to yesterday when the wife of Ashraf, the blacksmith, died and was buried in this place.” The dead pointed to a definite side, which was about one hundred arms away from his burial place. He then went on, “At the night of her burial, Abu-`Abdullah (Imam al-Husayn) visited her three times. In the third time, he ordered torture to be stopped from all the dead inhabitants of this graveyard. Since then, I was turned into bliss, luxury, comfort, and coziness.”
When the righteous man woke up, he was deeply perplexed. He therefore went to the market of the blacksmiths to ask about the man whose wife had recently died, because he had no familiarity with that man. When he found the blacksmith, he asked him, “Did you have a wife?” The blacksmith answered, “Yes, I had. She died recently and she was buried in such-and-such place.” The man mentioned the very place to which the dead tither pointed in the dream of the righteous man. “Had she ever visited the tomb of Abu-`Abdullah?” the righteous man asked. “No, she had not,” answered her widower. “Did she usually mention the misfortunes that the Imam (`a) had to encounter?” asked the righteous man. “No, she did not,” answered her widower. “Was she usually holding consolation ceremonies for Imam al-Husayn (`a)?” asked the righteous man. “No, she was not,” answered her widower, who added, “What for are you putting such questions?” Here, the righteous man narrated the whole story of his dream. The widower then said, “Yes, she used to recite ziyarah of `Ashura' very frequently.” Salih Bin Aqabah and Sayf ibn Umayrah have reported `Alqamah ibn Muhammad al-Hadrami as saying that he, once, asked Imam al-Baqir, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, to teach him a prayer with which he would pray Almighty Allah on that day (of Ashura) when he would visit Imam al-Husayn’s tomb and to teach him another prayer with which he would pray Almighty Allah on that day when he would be unable to visit the tomb and then he would point to the tomb and send greetings to Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) from his own house.
The Imam said, “Listen, Alqamah! After you point to Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) with greetings and offer the two-unit prayer, you may say the Takbir statement (i.e. allahu-akbar) and then say... (the forthcoming form of Ziyarah). If you do so, you will have said the prayer that is said by the angels who visit Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him). You will be also raised one hundred million ranks to join the rank of those who were martyred with him (i.e. Imam al-Husayn) and you will be included with their group. You will, moreover, be awarded the reward of the visiting of all Prophets and Messengers as well as the reward of all the visitors of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) since the day of his martyrdom.”
10th Muharram recitation
The following is the elaborate report of this form of ziyarah, as has been narrated by Shaykh Abu-Ja`far al-Tusi in his book of al-Misbah:
Muhammad ibn Isma`il ibn Buzaygh has reported on the authority of Salih ibn `Aqabah on the authority of his father on the authority of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (`a) who said, “Whoever visits al-Husayn ibn `Ali (`a) on the tenth of Muharram (i.e. the `ªshura' Day) and remains there weeping, will meet Almighty Allah on the day of meeting Him having the reward of two thousand times of going on hajj, two thousand times of going on `umrah, as well as the reward of one who has participated with the Holy Messenger of Allah and with the Holy Imams in two thousand campaigns.”
The reporter asked, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! What should one who lives in remote regions and cannot come to the tomb on that day do?”
The Imam (`a) explained, “As for such people, they may come out to a wasteland or go up a high roof in their houses, wave towards Imam al-Husayn (`a) with greeting, invoke earnestly curses on those who killed him, and then offer a two-unit prayer. They may do so before midday. They may then mourn and weep for al-Husayn (`a) and order those who live with them in their houses to weep for him, unless they fear for themselves from certain individuals who live with them. They may hold mournful ceremonies in their houses and show grief for him. They may also console one another on this terrible occasion of Imam al-Husayn’s sufferings. If they do all that, I myself guarantee for them to grant the rewards that I have mentioned beforehand.”
The reporter asked, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! Do you really promise them and guarantee for them to have that reward?”
The Imam (`a) answered, “Yes, I do. I do promise them and guarantee for them having that reward.”
The reporter asked, “In which method should we console one another on this occasion?”
The Imam instructed, “You may address the following words at one another:
ma`a waliyyihi al-imami almahdiyyi min ali muhammadin `alayhimu alssalamu
with his blood-claimer; Imam al-Mahdi who belongs to the Household of Muhammad, peace be upon them all.
If possible, you may not leave your house on that day to settle any of your needs, because this day is doomed and no need of a faithful believer is settled on it; and even if it is settled, it will be unblessed. Moreover, whatever is saved on this day will be unblessed and so will be his family members. If they do all that, they will have the reward of one thousand times of hajj and one thousand times of `umrah as well as one thousand participations in campaigns with the Holy Messenger of Allah. They will also gain the reward of all misfortunes that have inflicted every prophet, prophet’s successor, veracious, and martyr who have died or been killed since Almighty Allah has created this world up to the Resurrection Hour.”
Salih ibn `Aqabah and Sayf ibn `Umayrah have reported `Alqamah ibn Muhammad al-Hadrami as saying that he, once, asked Imam al-Baqir, Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, to teach him a supplicatory prayer with which he would pray Almighty Allah on that day (of `ªshura') when he would visit Imam al-Husayn’s tomb and to teach him another supplicatory prayer with which he would pray Almighty Allah on that day when he would be unable to visit the tomb and then he would point to the tomb and send greetings to Imam al-Husayn (`a) from his own house.
The Imam thus said, “Listen, `Alqamah! After you point to Imam al-Husayn (`a) with greetings and offer the two-unit prayer, you may utter the Takbir statement (i.e. allahu-akbar) and then say... (the forthcoming form of Ziyarah). If you do so, you will have said the prayer that is said by the angels who visit Imam al-Husayn (`a). You will be also raised one hundred million ranks to join the rank of those who were martyred with him (i.e. Imam al-Husayn) and you will be included with their group. You will, moreover, be awarded the reward of the visiting of all Prophets and Messengers as well as the reward of all the visitors of Imam al-Husayn (`a) since the day of his martyrdom. Peace of Allah be upon him and upon his household.”( )