The Ziyarat al-Nahiya al-Muqaddasa is one of the most famous visits to Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), attributed to the Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance). It contains teachings about love, knowledge, grief, and intercession. This visitation encapsulates the tragedy of Karbala and places the individual at the heart of that heart-wrenching event. The visitation begins with greetings to the Prophets and the divine leaders (peace be upon them), followed by a salutation to Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) along with a description of him, his family, and his loyal companions. It proceeds by detailing the traits and actions of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) before the uprising, the reasons behind his stand, the description of his martyrdom and its sufferings, and concludes with invoking the intercession of the infallible leaders (peace be upon them) and supplications to Allah.
With this introduction and as we approach the days of mourning for the master and leader of the martyrs, and to gain a deeper understanding and recall the suffering of that noble soul, we recite some excerpts from this visitation addressing Imam Hussein (peace be upon him):
“… [O dear Hussein, upon whom the peace and mercy of Allah be] I bear witness that you established the prayer, paid the alms, commanded the good, and forbade the evil. You truly obeyed Allah, never disobeying Him. You held onto His rope firmly until He was pleased and satisfied with you. You feared only Him, watched only Him, answered only Him, and created noble traditions, extinguished the fires of division, called to guidance, steadfastness, and clarified the right and true path. You waged the true jihad for the sake of Allah…
[In worship] you were a person of prolonged bowing and prostration. You approached it as one who knew his departure from this world was imminent, renouncing worldly attachments, and like one who fears death, you viewed it. You were detached from worldly desires, and your noble effort was not towards wealth or adornment…
Then tyranny stretched forth its hand of oppression, and the wickedness uncovered its face. Misguidance called to its followers… Then divine knowledge necessitated that you reject and oppose the wickedness, and thus jihad against it became obligatory for you. You set forth with your children, family, followers, and friends, clearly manifesting the truth and divine proof, inviting people to Allah with wisdom, good counsel, and exhortation, commanding the establishment of Allah’s boundaries and obedience to the Creator, and forbidding all filth and rebellion. But despite all these good efforts, they responded with tyranny, transgression, and hostility.
You, after guiding them and fulfilling the argument against them, rose to wage jihad with them. They broke their covenant and pledge with you, angered your Lord and your grandfather, and began war with you.
In the face of harsh words, spear thrusts, and sword strikes, you stood firm, shattering the ranks of the wicked and transgressors[1]. Amidst the dust, you fought so fiercely with your Zulfiqar sword, it seemed as though you were Ali (peace be upon him) himself.
When they found you with a confident heart, unafraid and unshaken, they resorted to trickery, and with deceit and corruption, they rose against you. That accursed one [2] commanded his army to deny you water, and they fought to kill you, targeting you with arrows and spears, and resorting to every means to bring you to despair. They showed you no respect, committing sins against you, from the killing of your companions and helpers to the plundering of your tents.
Still, you pressed forward in the dust of the battle, enduring countless hardships, so much so that the angels of the heavens marveled at your patience. Then, the enemies attacked from all sides, inflicting severe wounds upon you, blocking all avenues of escape, until no helper remained. Yet, in all these afflictions, you remained patient for the sake of your Lord, defending your women and children until you were thrown from your horse.
With a body full of wounds, you fell to the ground, while horses trampled over you with their hooves, and the oppressors brandished their swords against you. Until the blessed forehead of yours was moistened with the sweat of death…”[3]
Footnotes:
[1] Zulfiqar was the sword of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), and it was passed down as an inheritance from one Imam to the next.
[2] Referring to Umar ibn Sa’d.
[3] (Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 98, Page 317; al-Mazar al-Kabir, Page 496).