According to historical accounts and the narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), the end of the worldly lives of all the Shiite Imams was marked by martyrdom[1]. Therefore, considering that the Holy Qur’an refers to martyrs as being alive and forbids Muslims from considering them as dead[2], our Imams are always alive, and even after their martyrdom, their awareness and attention to this world does not diminish.
For this reason, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) has repeatedly stated the similarity of their visitation both in life and after death, and he has granted this same characteristic to the other Imams as well[3].
In light of these teachings, there are numerous blessings and benefits in visiting the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) after their martyrdom. For instance, the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) hear our words and respond to the requests of the visitors[4]. Additionally, visiting them is constructive for the visitor, as it is a means of education and moral development, carrying immense rewards and benefits.
However, despite this, there has been no visitation as emphasized as that of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) in Karbala. What stands out in the visitation of Hussein bin Ali (peace be upon him) are the great rewards and remarkable blessings mentioned in the narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). But what is the true reason for this?
If we reflect deeply, we will find that Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) gave everything he had for the sake of God, and through this act, he revived Islam and ensured the continuation of the religion. Thus, the religion of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) continued with the presence of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). This is the meaning behind the words of the Master of Martyrs (peace be upon him) when he said on the Day of Ashura: “If the strength and endurance of the religion of my grandfather is through my death, then take me with your swords” [5].
Therefore, the tone and wording in the narrations regarding the visitation of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him) reflect a tremendous and awe-inspiring grandeur, filled with numerous emphases. For example, one day Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) asked one of his Shia followers named “Sadr”:
– Do you visit Hussein (peace be upon him) every day?
– No!
– How negligent you are! Do you visit him every Friday?
– No!
– How about every month?
– No!
– How about every year?
– Sometimes, yes.
Then he said:
– O Sadr, how negligent you are toward Hussein (peace be upon him)! O Sadr, considering that thousands of dust-covered and weeping angels visit Hussein (peace be upon him) every day and never grow tired, why do you not visit him every Friday (or even five times a week), or at least once a day?
Sadr said: “May I be sacrificed for you, there are miles and miles of distance between us and him.”
At this point, Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: “Go to the rooftop … and say:
‘Peace be upon you, O Aba Abdillah, peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of God be upon you.'”
By doing this, it will be considered a visitation for you, and you will receive the reward of Hajj and Umrah[6].
Despite this, throughout history, oppressors, unjust rulers, followers of falsehood, and their naive followers, when they cannot fight and confront a particular thought, belief, or religious inclination, seek to erase and annihilate that thought and belief.
The tragedy of Karbala has witnessed such extremism and misinterpretation time and again, and it continues to witness it today. Oppressors and misguided thinkers want to erase the memory of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) from people’s minds by restricting the people, banning visitation, imposing various pressures, and even destroying the sacred tomb of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him). However, despite the fact that the tomb of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) has been desecrated and destroyed at various times[7], the Shia continually give special attention to the visitation of Hussein bin Ali (peace be upon him), following the guidance of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
But do these people truly believe that by imposing hardships on the lovers of Hussein (peace be upon him), they can remove his love from people’s hearts? Can the belief and faith in the infallibles be stripped from the people by destroying their tombs?
So, where are they headed?…
(Taken from the book “Karbala: The Kaaba of Hearts,” by Hujjat al-Islam Jawad Modhesh, with slight modifications and summarization)
Footnotes:
[1] (Wasa’il al-Shia, Volume 4, Page 568)
[2] (Surah Aal-e-Imran, verse 169)
[3] (Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, Volume 10, Page 182)
[4] According to the entrance permission (Idhnih) that we recite when entering the shrines of the pure Imams (peace be upon them), they see us, hear our words, and respond to us. However, our benefit from their response depends on our capacity and readiness.
[5] (Sahih al-Sira, Volume 3, Page 112)
[6] (Al-Kafi, Volume 4, Page 589; Man la Yahduruhu al-Faqih, Volume 2, Page 599, with slight variation in wording)
[7] For instance, during the time of Harun al-Rashid and the reign of Mutawakkil (17 times), the sacred tomb of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him) was destroyed. For further reading on this, refer to the chapter “Jawar al-Khulafa’ ala Qubrihi al-Sharif” in the book Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 45, Page 390.