Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) says in a part of the Arbaeen visitation:
“… and (he) gave his life for Your cause, to rescue Your servants from ignorance and the confusion of misguidance.” [1]
Jaber ibn Abdullah Ansari was a distinguished companion among the companions of the Messenger of God and a devoted lover of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), standing out among the many lovers of Imam Sayyid al-Shuhada. For his pride and honor, it is enough to say that he was the first to visit the grave of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), and this sacred union took place on the fortieth day after the martyrdom of the martyrs of Karbala.
How beautiful is the tale of a lover who finds his beloved again, and how sweet is the song of the nightingale that begins to sing next to its red rose. What a beautiful scene it is—the reunion after separation…
Atiyyah al-Awfi says: “I went with Jaber ibn Abdullah Ansari to visit Imam Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) from Medina. When we reached Karbala, Jaber went to the Euphrates, took a ritual bath, donned a garment, and perfumed himself. He would not take a step without mentioning the name of God. When we reached the grave of the pure Imam, he asked me to place my hand on the grave. I did as he asked. At that moment, he fainted and fell onto the grave. I sprinkled some water on him, and when he regained consciousness, he said three times:
‘Ya Husayn, Ya Husayn, Ya Husayn.’
Then, addressing the noble grave of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him), he said: ‘A friend who does not respond to his friend…’
When he finished speaking, Jaber himself answered: ‘How can you respond, when your head has been severed from your pure body?’ And then Jaber began to recite the visitation for Sayyid al-Shuhada and whispered with his master…”
Arbaeen reminds us of the fortieth day of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) and his esteemed companions. On this day, the hearts of the believers yearn for the love of the beloved and seek the visitation of his six-cornered grave, a visitation that has risen in rank to be considered one of the signs and characteristics of the true believers.
It is appropriate that, in this moment, and as we approach the Arbaeen of Husayn, we join our voices with Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and recall the sacred tomb of Imam Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) and his blessed resting place. Let us recite parts of the Arbaeen visitation:
Indeed, how beautifully Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) defines the virtues of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him) and, with such elegance and delicacy, he explains the motivation and the result of Imam Husayn’s martyrdom, while describing his enemies:
“… O God, I bear witness that he is Your wali and the son of Your wali, the chosen one and the descendant of Your chosen one, who is blessed by Your grace. You honored him with martyrdom and granted him happiness. You chose him because of his pure lineage and made him one of the masters and great ones, one of the leaders and defenders. You granted him the legacy of the prophets, made him a proof for Your creation, and in his call, he closed all excuses (by making the truth clear). He did good for Your sake, giving his life to save Your servants from ignorance and the confusion of misguidance. And against him stood those who were deceived by the world, who sold their share of existence for little and traded their Hereafter for a meager price. They became arrogant, indulging in their desires, enraging You and Your Prophet, following the disbelieving and hypocritical ones…”
From the book Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 65, Page 130, and a part of the Arbaeen visitation of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him).
Footnote:
[1] “And he gave his life for Your cause to rescue Your servants from ignorance and the confusion of misguidance.”